Greeted with Ginger Brew, maps, and goodwill . . . Paddling Maine's Deer Isle Archipelago with PenobscotPaddles

BaffinPaddler meets up with PenobscotPaddles team in Stongington, Maine, U.S.A.

 Thanks first, stories later

Baffinpaddler paddle partner and PenobscotPaddles in Deer Isle Archipelago. Hey, why is there still one non-convert to the "stick" (Greenland Paddle) amongst us? When will we convert her? She is surrounded by GPs.

I've come home with so many photos, memories, ideas, inspiration, and stories from my paddling and camping trip to the Deer Isle Archipelago, Stonington, Maine to meet up with fellow paddle blogger PenobscotPaddles, that my head is spinning and I don't know where to start.

Or at least I didn't until now.

First things first.

A big thanks to awesome new Maine paddle buddies, the PenobscotPaddles team for spoiling us rotten while we were there with all things good and fun: Maps, Maine Root Ginger Brew, good company, an awesome new red cedar Greenland Paddle, guided tours, and unforgettable memories.

Greeted at the Webb Cove basecamp and kayak launch site by PenobscotPaddles team with Maine Root Ginger Brew, custom maps of the Deer Isle/Stonington Archipelago, and perfect ocean paddling weather!

Paddling to Yoga in the Deer Isle Archipelago from Stonington, Maine with PenobscotPaddles and an awesome new red cedar GP made by Mark

Hey! Whatcha lookin' at!

Across from the noisy and busy Crotch Island granite quarry

I'm so glad you know the way!

PenobscotPaddles awesome bright yellow and blue Maelstrom Vaag 174 always steals the show both on and off the water!

PenobscotPaddles knew I was working on a Paddle to Yoga project in the 1000 Islands Gananoque, in Ontario, Canada, and took me to some great Paddle to Yoga spots ocean front in the Deer Isle Archipelago, from Stonington, Maine that I will never forget, and hope to return to one day.

Gooseberry Island

Russ Island rock

The tree pose is not easy on uneven rock, and you can get a bit dizzy doing this up high. I'm not recommending this and this is not what Paddle to Yoga is about. It's just something I do once in a while . .  . climb up on trees, stumps, and rocks, and strike a yoga pose - or try to. Mostly I do yoga on flat, safe ground in the outdoors, or in a yoga studio like most people! The BaffinPaddler is a bit unconventional though. Both as a paddler, and as a yoga student.

Doing yoga in the great outdoors is awesome.

Gooseberry, Sand, and Russ Islands quickly won my heart as favorites and stole many shots.

In only a couple of days, I had hundreds of shots to happily wade through, share with you later, and revisit this winter to warm my heart!

I really needed PenobscotPaddles to remind me when it was time to leave an island.

I paddle lake and river more than ocean. I kept getting lost in the beauty of the islands and ocean views and forgot about the tides. Especially the low tide. My lingering did make us take a bit of a mucky walk back out to sea at least once.

It is definitely better to wear tall paddle booties here! I kept getting the hard shell beach particles and muck into my only ankle high booties!

An hour later, these boats on Sand Island were fully beached and we had to walk out in a bit of muddy muck.

There are many more Stonington stories to tell. But I'll have to let them trickle out slowly.

Every time I create a big, long, loaded post of text, links, and images, Blogger rewards me by going "Bloop" and all my work suddenly disappears and is lost - and so is my motivation to blog!

Next Paddle to Yoga Trip - Adirondacks, New York, U.S.A.

Now it's off to Paddle to Yoga again next week. This time with a group in the Adirondacks in New York State, U.S.A., only a week after Hurricane Irene chased us off the Maine coast a few days early. I hated to leave. I wanted to stay and paddle more!

And the "new" New York paddle buddies I'll be meeting up with, have no idea I'm Paddling to Yoga.

But they'll soon find out when they see a bright green yoga mat strapped onto the back of my white and blue Maelstrom Vital 166 - a mat in which I never need anyway when striking a pose on uneven ground or rock in the great outdoors. But bringing it along somehow brings me comfort, and I think, makes some kind of statement. Or at least makes people pretty curious . . . "What is that?!"

When they suddenly see me climb up on something and strike a yoga pose and ask, "Hey, will you get a shot of this? I'm working on a Paddle to Yoga project!" They'll find out soon enough . . . how much I love this combination of paddling to yoga. It beats just paddling to lunch! Although I love both - paddling to lunch and yoga!

A funny thing is happening with the Paddle to Yoga in the 1000 Islands Gananoque project I'm working on.

People want me to do all the work, planning, and organizing for them.

Hey! That's not how Paddle to Yoga works guys! You have to boogie and organize a group of 8 paddlers who want to Paddle to Yoga first. Then you're on your way.

Meanwhile, I'm out there Paddling to Yoga all over the place. In places near and far from my home in the National Capital Region of Canada (Ottawa/Ontario-Gatineau/Quebec).

It rocks! It's awesome. It is something I can easily do. I'm equipped for it. I'm trying to make it available and affordable to others who can discover and enjoy it too!

I'm also noticing that Paddle to Yoga is attracting the soft-adventure tourism crowd more so than the studio bound yoga crowd. It will be interesting to see how Paddle to Yoga progresses and where it goes.

Now back to my last bottle of Maine Root Ginger Brew! My temperature is definitely rising! This non-alcoholic beverage really packs a hearty ginger punch! One sip and YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALIVE!

Maine Root Ginger Brew, wild Stonington apples, Reed's Crystalized Ginger

The BaffinPaddler
Happy paddles and paddling to yoga!

Lots of Maine's awesome fish n' chips, cole slaw, and crab stew are starting to put some extra meat on my ribs!