Public Launches, Deer Isle, ME

Any other “public” launch sites on Deer Isle (or Little Deer Isle) other than those in the MITA book? Safe parking too! Looking for interesting, 10-15 mile paddles to do something different than usual. Just day trips. Island hopping, rock gardening, etc… We’re staying 1/4 mile from Old Quarry. What about Stinson Neck, the causeway beach, Northwest or Southwest Harbor’s? Thanks for any help.



Pete

Maine public boat launches
http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/boating/sites/tidal_and_freshwater.html

Deer Isle launch sites
Thanks. I didn’t see any launches in the areas that we are interested in, except for DI Thorofare. Any knowledge of private sites able to be accessed with permission? Or other sites that paddlers use in the areas that I mentioned?

One thing to remember
This may be more about lunch landing spots than a launch, but you should be aware that landowners in Maine own to the mean LOW tide line. So shore access can require a more conservative approach than in a state where private ownership stops at the high tide mark.



If you haven’t got a decent chart with topo, I would suggest you get one. As you get into Penn Bay and up there are more islands with stretches of pretty un-landable shoreline.

The MITA
guide is pretty complete, Stinson Neck is private. Why not simply use Naskeag Beach or Old Quarry for a launch? We use both the above for their hassle free launching.



Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor both have public launches.(There is no NorthWest Harbor). I would not recommend crossing Blue Hill Bay.



More often than not this summer there have been wind warnings.

Northwest Harbor
There is a put in at the head of Northwest Harbor, right across the street from the Pilgrim’s Inn.

I never heard of NW Harbor
but it does exist!



http://www.pilgrimsinn.com/



Duh.and its two hours from home.!

Deer Isle Launch Sites
We have been doing this trip for over 10 years now. We stay at a house right on the water with a 100’ wide beach to launch from. It’s very close to Old Quarry. We don’t want to drive all over the place as we only have 3 full days of paddling possibilities and part of one is already taken as we are going back to Blue Hill Falls. So Naskeag is out. We’ll probably check out Northwest Harbor (thanks Nate). We do have the waterproof charts of the area and know the low tide line laws of Maine. We don’t necessarily need a lunch stop, but that is what I was thinking when I said island hopping. If we can’t find any other launches, there’s nothing wrong with just doing the “normal” trips to the MITA islands all right out in front of our house. The whole area is so incredibly beautiful! It’s why we keep coming back!!! Thanks everybody!



Pete

Ask at Old Quarry
There are a few places you can use for parking and launching for day trips in that area that are not listed in the MITA guide. I suspect if you asked the folks at Old Quarry they would give you information about them.



I won’t provide info here for obvious reasons and, being from away, I won’t do it privately either.



Sounds like you are looking for a place on the west side to explore islands north of North Haven since you can access everything to the south from your house and you don’t want to use Naskeag Point which is the logical place to visit the islands off Swain’s Island

Launches
I have a list of seven from my recent trip to Deere Isle, some of them are not in the MITA guide.

causeway beach on northern Deer Isle

– Last Updated: Sep-28-13 8:19 PM EST –

is a public beach that people use to launch their kayaks from and they do park their cars there, but not overnight---best bet for the Stonington Area--south side of Deer Isle is Old Quarry--even though it costs, it is still relatively cheap and you have a safe place to park your car. There is a public launch in downtown Stonington (or used to be) but parking is a problem there.