Paddlers nationwide migrate to Maine for world-class sea kayaking. Thousands of miles of deeply indented coastline and thousands of offshore islands have created a wondrous kayaker's playground. The sport can be extremely dangerous (when weather shifts, the seas can turn on you in a matter of minutes), but can yield plenty of returns with the proper equipment and skills.
The nation's first long-distance water trail, the Maine Island Trail, was created here in 1987. This 325-mile waterway winds along the coast from Portland to Machias, incorporating some 70 state and privately owned islands on its route. Members of the Maine Island Trail Association, a private nonprofit, help maintain and monitor the islands, and in turn are granted permission to visit and camp on them as long as they follow certain restrictions (for example, no visiting designated islands during seabird nesting season). Membership is $45 per year; contact the Maine Island Trail Association, P.O. Box C, Rockland, ME 04841 (tel. 207/596-6456 or 207/761-8225; www.mita.org).
For novices, a number of kayak outfitters offer guided excursions ranging from an afternoon to a week. Outfitters include Maine Island Kayak Co., 70 Luther St., Peaks Island, ME 04108 (tel. 207/766-2373; www.maineislandkayak.com), and Maine Sport Outfitters, P.O. Box 956, Rockport, ME 04856 (tel. 800/244-8799 or 207/722-0826; www.mainesport.com).
