Nobody but the Birds on Northeast Creek

Friday & Saturday August 4 & 5, 2017                                     Most Recent Posts:
Acadia National Park                                                            Turned Out Great Anyway
Mount Desert Island, Maine                         A Fainting Spell, Little Hogdon Pond and the Ornate Duck Brook Bridge

 

 

FRIDAY

 

Located right off Route 3, the major route to Bar Harbor, Northeast Creek is the closest paddling spot to our campground. 

It’s fairly unknown since it’s not part of the National Park and there is no sign.  You just pull of the side of the road beyond a bridge on Route 3, park your car and carry or slide, if you’re willing, your kayak down a fairly steep deeply erroded embankment.   

We thought we had come 2 hours before high tide but it sure didn’t look like it when we saw the mud we were going to have to step in to launch the boats.  There are also some large rocks you have to get around at the put in.  Clearly this is not a formal or cared for  put in. But for folks like us that clearly has its benefits.  We see not one other soul all day along until we return to this spot four and a half hours after our 7:15 am put in.

Because of the traffic on Route 3, I am thinking there will be a fair amount of paddling before we get beyond hearing the traffic noise.  But I am pleasantly surprised.  It’s not far around the first bend when the traffic noise disappears completely and we are left alone with the water, the trees, the grasses, the rocks and the birds.

 

 

I’m not going to put pictures of all the birds we saw, there were just too many.  But this Great Egret was the first one we saw.  You can tell how shallow the water is.  Only a kayak could be here at this point. 

 

The reflections are fantastic.  Notice the mud flats on the edges of the creek.  Sure looks like low tide to me.

 

The surroundings put me in a near meditative state.  This is the beauty I absolutely love.

 

The shoreline is beautifully lined with grasses and trees.

It appears that Northeast Creek is a favorite spot of quite a few Canada Geese. The water is covered with their feathers. By quite a few I mean 50 to 100. The Great Blue and Great Egret have definitely compromised their standards as we find them among the geese as we paddle on down the creek. I admit I am not a huge fan of Canada Geese. Actually I am not any fan.

 

 

The white things that look like sparkles in the water are goose feathers.  YUCK!

 

 

 

 

 

For a while, we watch the egrets wading through all the canada goose feathers.

 

 

We paddle on around a bend where we can see the mountains just poking through the clouds. 

 

 

When we come to too many canada geese to get in one photograph I just keep paddling and they take to the air.

 

 

 

 

 

From that point on we don’t see any geese but we do see this little family out for a swim.  She’s got quite a brood.

 

 

Along the shore in the mud flats we find a sandpiper looking for breakfast.  Notice how low the water is and far from the grasses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The creek is quite wide and the reflections of the sky and clouds are marvelous.

 

 

 

 

I’m surprised to see a female wood duck.  I look around but don’t see her colorful mate.

 

 

The creek has started to narrow when we come upon an engineering project.

 

 

 

At this point, I’m ahead of David so I can get these pictures and this video of his efforts to defeat the dam. 

 

On we go, the creek narrows.

 

They are at it again.

 

We make it over that one too.

 

 

Boy these guys won’t give up.  Here’s a third dam under construction.  They really want to stop the flow of this creek

 

 

At this point, David decides that it gets too narrow for him so he turns around to head back.

 

 

I give it a bit of a try but finally there just isn’t any open space I can get through.  The water continues, but I’m at the end of the paddling line and have to back out.

 

 

 

So back we go,  Notice that there are no more mud flats.  The tide is coming in and the water is flowing into the grasses.

 

 

The great blue heron takes a higher perch.

 

Guess he’s not fond of kayaks.

 

 

Most of this group seems to be taking a siesta.

 

It’s a beautiful paddle back.  We are going with the tide and with the wind.   It’s never been a difficult paddle but this is real “breeze”, take a look at the video I took and I know you’ll want to get a kayak and join us.

We’re almost back when the wind dies back and the creek becomes like glass again.

 

Ahead of David is the bridge on Route 3.  Ruby is parked just to the right of it on the edge of the road.

 

A welcoming party.  How very nice!

 

David stops for a picture and you can see the dirt take out up the hill beyond the egrets.

 

 

Of course they aren’t going to let us paddle right by them on our way to see who is parked at the top where we need to be able to put our kayaks.

 

 

Turns out it is just a person who wanted some information about boating in the creek.  It’s a really lovely spot and not heavily used which is why we really like it but I’m not sure even a canoe could do it at any time other than high tide. 

When we paddled it in 2013, the beavers had not taken up residence.  I’m wondering if we’ll be able to go beyond their dam on our next visit.

I”m at the bottom here saying good-bye to Northeast Creek

 

David’s at the top.  It’s quite a steep, rocky pull to the top.  But definitely worth it.

 

 

SATURDAY

Two little PS’s here.

I use my blog as my memory tool thus I want to put two things in here so I can remember them.  One is that we found a GREAT RV Tech in Ellsworth, Maine.  Randy Berglund is the owner of Ellsworth RV and he really knows his stuff.  We called him for a windshield leak that comes and goes.  David has been working for AGES on this and finally just had enough.  Narrows Too told us about Randy and he was meticulous over two visits and we have had not another drop of water sliding down the inside of the windshield.   HOO RAY!! 

The compressor on Winnona’s rear AC went out and although we really did not need it here in Maine this summer, we knew we would when we went back south so we asked Randy to fix that too and he did another great job.  We just can’t recommend him enough.  He’s knowledgeable, efficient and his prices are fair.  So if you ever need anything anywhere near Ellsworth Maine, don’t hesitate to tell Randy we highly recommend him.

The other thing I want to remember is the date of the Southwest Library’s books sale. While Randy was working, David stayed behind and I went down to my favorite little town on MDI,  Southwest Harbor, for their used booksale.  .

It’s actually pretty amazing to me that all of the little towns in at least this part of Maine have their own library.  Tiny towns with sweet libraries and they all have book sales.  I didn’t go to them all but I did visit many of the libraries.  I think it’s wonderful that in Maine you can live in a small town and still walk to the library.  Way to go MAINE!!

The sale is not in the library, it’s in the elementary school across the street.  Post on the library at a later date.

 

I’m not the only one who likes library book sales.   This is right after it opened at 9am.

 

Even dogs like book sales.

 

Rooms with tables full of books and hallways lined with tables of books.  Books everywhere!

 

Before leaving I stop by the Little Notch Bakery just down from the library.  Not sure if they are open all year but their pastries are a bit high priced, at least in the tourist season, in my opinion..  I prefer Morning Glory Baker in Bar Harbor.   $6.50 for a single raspberry scone here is a bit much I think regardless of how good it is.   Still, it’s the local bakery so if you are in town take a look.  If you go to Bar Harbor, do your own comparison.  Never too many bakeries to visit.

 

 

 

 

Home made breads in the window. Since I’m here and not in Bar Harbor, I pick up a loaf.   Most at $5 a loaf which is only a dollar more than at Morning Glory.

 

They also have sandwiches and apparently pizza.  I waited a while to see if he’d toss it again since I didn’t have my camera out when he did it the first time, but no luck.  I guess once is enough.

 

 

Just down from the bakery is a restaurant that I really do like although I think it deserves a better name than Eat-a-Pita and Cafe2.

Great indoor and outdoor seating and a varied menu including a reasonably priced breakfast which I helped myself to.

 

 

Here’s a picture of two women sitting at the table where I had my breakfast after I left.  Sweet spot!!