Southern Muscongus Bay

As we departed Penobscot Bay, our sights were set on a return to Muscongus Bay. Despite the crazy amount of lobster pots we encountered last time we were there, we loved it! And while it was very tempting to revisit the puffin colony and Round Pond, we opted for some new adventures.

First stop—Burnt Island. Based on mixed reviews of the holding here, we weren’t sure a stop here would work. We approached and only saw one small boat on a mooring and after driving around a bit managed to settle into a spot that kept us clear of the many pots. Holding was good, so we headed ashore for a hike. I LOVED it! There is a 2.5-mile trail around the perimeter of the island that takes you through shaded woods and along stunning rocky shores. It was a perfect afternoon. And when we returned to the boat we decided conditions were good enough to stay the night.

Burnt Island

After a night in Maple Juice Cove to avoid some southerlies we headed to Harbor Island in hopes of some more good hiking. This is another spot with mixed holding reviews and it took us about 25 minutes to set to our liking (we back down hard!). I’m glad it set because the fog was rolling in! We decided to head ashore to hike, but we couldn’t even see the beach! We made it, met another boater who pointed us to the trails, and we were off! This island’s trails can take you to cliffs, caves, and fairy gardens. We had a blast goofing off on the rocks and exploring the caves. The fog did not lift while we were ashore—in fact, we couldn’t see the boat as we tried to return! 

Harbor Island

We have decided to stay out for the night. We are tucked in between Hall and Harbor Islands, yet can’t  see either! We’ve lit up the boat as best we can so others can see us and are hoping it clears tomorrow so we can move along.