Isle au haut - what to bring?

“I could use a clue on what to pack along.

im assuming 8 days of food, shelter and clothes but from there Im a bit stumped.

should I assume car camping and break out the big cooler? campfire?
seems Ive done the LNT - UL - solo routine so much lately that I forgot how....”

“Bring lots of dirty jokes and twigeater will laugh herself silly.”

“ME !!! :~ D”

“My house, Hidden Springs and Baxter Park are car camping. Campfire allowed at all those places.

Isle au Haut - we backpack 5 miles to camp where we have 3 lean-tos, no tenting allowed, campfires are allowed.

Is the last time I'll be able to contact you the 7th, DOM? I'll e-mail you directions to my house. Anyone else arriving Friday night is welcome to camp out at my house.

It cooled off quite a bit here over the weekend and I swear the leaves in BSP have started to change.”

“yes 7 is the last day - Ill be at dirtyoldmaam's place after that.

good thing you told me no tenting, Guess I better buy me a pad for the lean-to (pink thingy :) ?”

“Party at twigeater's house!

Bring your own lawnmower!”

“LOL@TomT - what a great idea! :)
My neighbors would be so happy.

We are at Hidden Springs for the night of September 13th, so it's an additional $9 each.

Dirtyoldman and trekkngirl are arriving at my place Friday night, anyone else is welcome, whatever the time. (so dom, you'll need a tent or something for every night except Isle au Haut)
We'll head up to Millinocket Saturday morning and take our site at Hidden Springs. Hidden Springs is on the right on the way to Baxter Park - if you need directions, let me know. The reservation is in my name, we have two sites, each holds six. Anyone arriving later can check in and set up at the site, go hiking or swimming, whatever.

I'd like to head over to Abol Bridge and hike that day if you guys are interested.

Sunday morning we'll get an early start - go into Baxter Park and attempt Katahdin that day, and move into our group site. If we make it, we can leave Monday morning for Isle au Haut - if not (or if we simply want to stay another night) we have another night at Avalanche Field and can go into Isle au Haut a day late.

The rest is a blur of "whatever you want to dos..." :)
just have to be off the island Saturday.

I'm on vacation the following week if anyone's interested in tagging along - tentatively I'm headed downeast and/or Russell Pond for more flyfishing lessons.”

“Dang it! Work REALLY sucks!
I want to go on this trip soooo bad.
Now if the Florida Lotto will just come thru....”

“"...fly fishing lessons..."

Is that code for something?”

“Dang don't I know it! :)

I've had three great weeks off so far this year, lots of Fridays and two more full weeks yet to come!”

“Can you get me a job there, sweetie?”

“lets see - ditch hammock
get cheap tent and pray - got it

hiking? gee I dont know if I wanna actually do any hiking on this trip, I suppose you could force me ta go :}”

“LOL, and this from a boss who wouldn't let me have two freakin' days off to volunteer at BSP!”

“dom, I've got a bunch of tents, you're welcome to borrow one.

I don't know if your hammock would work where we are going or not. I think it will in BSP, not sure about Hidden Springs or my house.”

“ok that works too - a small el cheapo is all thats needed - many thanks”

“I got a (pinky thing)( couldn't help it sorry) Thermarest that is, full length if ya want to borrow it.No problem to bring it in my big plane bag.. :~ )”

“Or was it (pink thingy)? Yeah!!”

“Or I have an extra pad if you don't want to bring yours on the plane trekkngirl. What else do ya need dom, LOL?”

“I knew there was a reason for booking a day early..WAY COOL !! :~ D”

“???Okay, Twig...I'm confused....we won't be camping at Avalanche Field on Sat? That's okay, but I guess I thought we were at BSP Sat nite? Yeah, what to bring to drink this time....hummmm....seems like last time someone....I won't name, names or anything, but someone left some drink behind last time....that won't happen again....”

“Okay, now! I'm ready to go! I got my clam hoe, mud boots and clammin gloves!!! I'll pick as many clams as thye let me! (That's a peck a tide)”

“Whoa, either its just Mainiac lingo or some wicked kinda innuendo monkeyboy, but it sounds like fun.”

“LOL, I can see why the confusion. I couldn't get reservations at Avalanche Field Saturday night - the only option was scattered lean-tos and tent sites at Roaring Brook. Which sounded good - except 1) I didn't really know how many people would be coming at that time, and; 2) since Saturday was the arrival day, and we've had some people who arrived after the 10pm gate closing - I figured it would be better to meet outside the park. We still have two nights at Avalanche Field.
I will double check the dates on the reservations though.

Feel free to join us at my house Friday night, if you like.

Yeah people - if you're gonna bring booze, please remember to PUT IN IN YOUR PACK, LOL...
I finally had to drink that stuff - I packed it in my platy nips for the foiled March winter trip and needed them for something else later. :)

I thought of you this weekend Skeetah - on the road to northern BSP there is a sign outside a campground that say "Lions and tigers and bears - oh my!"

=D”

“TT, my understanding is that a peck is equal to a half bushel, or 2 gallons... if I remember right. I use a 4 1/2 gallon bucket and I always filled it up, so I guess I got my limit every time. LOL. There are 2 low tides a day, so I can get my limit twice a day..... Hey wait a minute, everyone can pick their limit... everyone can wallow in the mud diggin up those clams!! Yeah!!!

Actually, if anyone wants to try it out, you'll need some rubber gloves, mine are a size 8, I'll share when I'm done, and bring some kitchen rubber gloves, or you'll cut your fingers up reaching into the mud for them.

I'll be happy to dig em up anyways. If the diggin is any good and the tide goes way out, we'll have plenty. It's hard work and I seem to enjoy it. Is there something wrong with me?”

“http://www.maineharbors.com/sepstn03.htm

Copy and paste this link. Friday, September 19th is absolutely the highest low tide of the month. Major bummer. As soon as we get there, the low tides will be pretty high, so we'll get them goobers while the getting is good.

Who's bringing a big pot and a stove adequate for them? And the lobster!!!! We have a coleman stove that sits on a green bottle of gas, and a kitchen pot, any one got anything more appropriate?”

“Yes, a peck is 8 quarts or 2 gallons. I've asked my buddy at DMR to ask his Isle au Haut connections if there's a good place to dig clams in the Park, as we can only dig without a license within the park.

It would be great to have the lobster on the island, but how do we get them there alive?”

“Here's an idea: Someone has to bring a duffle or something, fill it with ice and lobster, and carry it in his or her free hands.

Seriously though, can you check to see if they will let us lug a wagon with an ice box on it full of lobstah and liquid refreshment....”

“Someone left booze behind? OBVIOUSLY, I am completely unaware of this travesty. That's like a mortal sin or something.

Yikes, you guys sound like you're going to work, with all this talk about digging and stuff. I'm gonna play tourist and just pay y'all to feed me. Howz that?

Party at the Twigster's, eh? Hmmmm, I wonder if I can leave a day early. Is your backyard project still on the back burner?”

“LOL at Twig....you shoulda taken a picture....it lasts longer that way ya know!!! :)

Pennsy....tourist eh? Yeah right!!! I think the time you've spent in the last year here or so you've almost become part of the landscape. No really you can almost say ya a Mainah, eh?”

“I think Pennsy and Twigeater have way too much vacation time, and that they ought to share it with us. Party at Twigeater's, eh... Sounds like we'll have to leave a day early....”

“Yes Pennsy and I'm glad now, as I found someone nearby who has a yurt that they live in AND it's a big one! It wasn't going in my back yard anyway, but in another town where I have land to put it on. Next year.

Skeetah - Pennsy needs to learn how to say "water" and "bear" first, hehe...

Monkeyboy - the park only allows biking (i.e. wheeled vehicles) on the town roads, not on the trails and that includes buggies. Maybe we (you) could wheel a cooler down the road as far as it can go, then we can get it to the camping area. I believe the mail boat will let you take 2 packages on board at no charge. :)

Who's gonna carry the corn on the cob? Can't have a lobster feed without that! An lobster IS sooo much better cooked in fresh salt water.

I would like to do it on the island if we can manage it. However, if we take the 4pm boat...what time is low tide???

Also, you peeps who are considering the kayak tour may want to contact Capn Bill. He mentioned having neoprene or waterproof duds, which I never heard of on a beginning tour, but...
http://www.oldquarry.com/
He answers e-mails pretty quickly.”

“Hey Skeetah - I do find myself saying AY-YAH (if that's how you spell that?) once in a while. Twiggy corrupted my Pa non-accent!

My vacation time? Shoot, I've been with the same outfit for over 25 years. I should get more!”

“LOL Pennsy, I should take you down to visit my coastal buds - you'd never understand a word of it!”

“This trip is sounding sssoooo BUFF.Can't wait to get there and see (do)? all this cool stuff.I have talked to cow patty via e-mail.I'm may get to meet her this weekend when I visit my daughter in Michigan.She gave you guys a good word or two..TTer's are awesome..everywhere. :~ )”

“ugh... low tide on Tuesday is 9:13 Am and 9:46 PM...... Maybe we'll just have to a lobstah feed one night and a clam feed the next... we'll work something out...”

“Ok...I'm going to scout around for a wheeled cooler (this means we'll have to take the road to Duck Harbor) check on the availability and price of lobster on the mainland and on the island. I'd prefer the island for eating lobster if we can manage it. Real Maineiacs don't eat lobster in restaurants, LOL.

I'll bring a lobster pot.

We can have clams as appetizers or something another night. (I'm still doubtful about that anyway, haha!) There's also mussels, and I'll bring a crab trap. Although jerbear caught them with his bare hands.

I'll bring my LLB bucket and Pennsy will bring his. :) I also have a larger one that may come in handy around camp.

BTW - how many are interested in lobster? Of course, we could always have lobster at my house Friday night, LOL.”

“trekkngirl, I just hope we can pull it all off, LOL...”

“I believe in ya twigeater..:~ )”

“LOL @ trekkngirl, that's scary, but it'll be fun anyway!

So...my buddy says good clamming at Head Harbor and Duck Cove. Head Harbor is outside the park, so I don't think we can clam there. The other place I think may be the same as Duck Harbor (?) and that's where we're staying. I think I'll call the Isle au Haut ranger and see what they say.

But anyway monkeyboy, I doubt you'll need mud boots (definately not at Duck Harbor) and I never dug clams in my life with gloves (how do you grip the slippery suckers?) so if you want to lighten up, just bring the rake. BUT - it's up to you, you're lugging it.

Too much vacation time?! Bite yer tongue! There are certain things one can never have too much of, and one of those things is vacation time! =D”

“You feel pretty good that I don't need those heavy mud boots? I'd just as soon not lug em.

I've caught a lot of crabs by hand myself, they're a little slow around here. Down in the chesapeke area, those blue crabs are fast!!”

“oh BTW, count me in for one chick lobster.”

“What is a chick lobster?I must know these things.. :~ )”

“A chick lobster is a small one, just over the minimum size. Those will go for $4-5.00 a pound. If you get to a bigger lobster, the price per pound goes up in dollar increments. Basically, a 2 1/2 pounder will be , say, $9.00 a pound, where a 1 1/4 pounder will be, say, $4.59 a lb. If you do the math, the lobster that is twice as big will cost you 4 times as much. Get 2 small ones if you really want a lot of lobster.”

“I found my old pad, thanks for the offer - should be all set to pack next week.

mmmmmmm lobster.

mmmmmmm knife edge

thanks for the tip monkey boy, after a hard days hike I get very hungry :}”

“mmmmmm, lobster - I'll think I'll have to have one tonight...
We don't call 'em chicks, but regular run.

The only place I've ever worn boots clamming was at Cobscook where the flats go on forever and the mud's about 2ft deep. Other wise barefoot and barehanded with a rake. We've even dug with sticks and our bare hands when we only had one rake to go around. Course, we were only digging for fun and for the family to eat. Sounds like you might've done it for $$ monkeyboy.”

“And what will we use for a stove to cook the little buggers on monkeyboy? Did you say you had a stove that would hold a lobster pot? I have a smaller pot, maybe that would be best - could cook a few at a time. And enough fuel to boil each batch for 20 minutes.

trekkngirl, we'll even have show and tell on how to tell a boy lobster from a girl lobster - very important if you like the roe. :)”

“I dug clams recreationally for 3 years, pretty much full time. Some professionals, Joe and Gunther, showed me the ropes. I was allowed to dig a peck a tide, and I always got a peck. I gave many away to friends and family. I was so succesful clamming that I gave up fishing. I was getting skunked too many times fishing.

Oh yeah, what you are paying for clams, it ain't enough. It is hard work, being bent over for 6 hours at a time, sometimes twice a day, on that black mud, in the sun, with those horse flies. Getting some to eat is a different story. The salt air, "getting something for nothing", digging up strange stuff, eating the fruits of your labor.... I actually enjoy it!

One day, in a really low tide, which exposed some not too often dug clams, a really rich bed, I dug up 10 gallons of them and I met Joe and Gunther at the dock and said I bet I kept up with you today. They didn't say much, but just proceeded to pull out the onion bags from their boat. They had 14 of those 50 pounders filled up. That convinced me I would never do it professionally.

Uh... I think I'll bring my boots and rubber gloves, at least throw them in the truck.”

“Same with blueberries. I raked one summer and thought I would die. I was young, probably 21 or so, and my regular job was as a weaver in a woolen mill where I worked 48 hours a week, so it wasn't like I was a softy.

10 cents a pound and lugging 20+ pound buckets - one in each hand all day long, bent over in the hot sun, ugh! I had pigtails back then and man, that sunburn I got down the part in the back was pretty gross when it peeled, LOL. I still rake sometimes for my cousin, but working in the hay field is easier imo. We did see a lot of deer though.”

“Are we going to Isle au Haut or Isle au Gilligan?

You guys are speaking a language I am not familiar with. Y'all sound like the professor and I'm feeling like the Skipper's lil buddy.

important note: beware Twigeater's 3 hour tours.”

“Yaw used to dig em clams like we bailed da hay and cut tobaccy..lol

The difference between male and female lobster ...I must know these things..Does the roe taste good? :~ )”