'When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.'

 

Native saying

 

Peaks Island and Outer Green Race Day
Saturday, June 21st, 2008

Round-the-Island Race.

Start - 10:05am. Pre-race meeting required at 9:30. Its about 5+ miles around Peaks Island, and its eastern side is open to the Gulf of Maine, and subject to the ocean’s swells and lumpiness. Its good, clean fun and citizen racers use it to tour together around the course.

Outer Green Race:

Start - Noon. Pre-race meeting required at 11:30. This 11 mile course requires use of your seamanship with its open ocean crossings, tides and currents and large boat traffic so it is for the committed, competent ocean paddler.

Requirements:

Your boat needs to meet MIKCo’s requirements for basic seaworthiness. Waiver and Release required.  $15 donation to Peaks Island Land Preserve or Marine Mammal Rescue League.

 

Peaks Island Course

Start and finish line as described below. Go around Peaks counterclockwise. . Low tide is projected to be 07:39 and High Tide is 13:54.

 

Outer Green Course

Starting from in front of our old boathouse on the west side of Peaks, the starting line extends from LPA Marina to GC "1" on North side of House Island. Route runs to Southwest corner of Peaks Island, then South on across Whitehead Passage, passing on the East side of  R "8" Fl R 4S Bell, then down West side of Cushing Island, around South end of Cushing then to Outer Green and Junk of Pork islands, around Junk of Pork and Outer Green islands (both of them) then upstream to the North end of Peaks Island returning to MIKCo boathouse start/finish line on West side of Peaks. This is an interesting course that does involve some seamanship and navigation. You’ll have to decide whether you should cut between Ram Island and Ram Ledge on the way to Outer Green, by careful around the nesting bird islands of both Outer Green and Junk of Pork. Then you need figure how to use or avoid the tidal currents returning around the North end of Peaks – if you can figure out where to aim your bow.

 

Boat & Paddle Demos

We presume you are bringing your own boat but those we know are welcome to use any of our fleet for the race, we maintain a complete fleet of Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Valley Canoe Products, KajakSport and have many of Necky’s fast boats along with a full set of Lendal Paddles.

 

Where

At our base on Peaks Island, 100 miles from Boston, 3 miles East of Portland, 100 yards North of the ferry landing on Peaks Island. Races will begin and end in front of our old boat house – the dark shingled, wooden building with 2 large doors on the water. Pre-race meetings are on the beach North (left looking from the water) of our old boathouse, the beach between Cockeyed Gull and LPA gas station.

Environment

Both races have a reasonable seamanship component so do your homework. Our website has weather links.
Tides: Portland High Tide – 13:53 at 8.8 feet.
Current: approximately 1 knot between Ram and Outer Green on springs
Weather: Unknown but winds often SW 10-15 knots   Sea State: Unknown but expect at least 2-3 ft seas
Charts: NOAA Chart Portland Harbor and Vicinity 13292 (covers whole course) or Casco Bay 13290 (for larger coverage) or Waterproof Charts #101e.