08/10/2022
Why a lake? We get this question a lot, so let me talk about why I love to guide on Gardner Lake more than on the ocean. For the purpose of this post I'll assume that you are 'from away', which is a term we apply to folks who are not from our neck of the woods. First of all Gardner Lake is HUGE. You would not be able to paddle from end to end in a full day and there isn't a single place where you can even see all of it, so it's not a pond where you run out of experiences and space in a really short time. And it is really close to the ocean so you can have all the experiences of the bold coast - the cliffs, the rocky islands, and often the fog - here as well. And because it is a lake it has a lot of advantages. Maine has 15' tides. That means that when you paddle on the ocean unless you time it exactly right you can be looking at a whole bunch of mud and seaweed between you and the actual shore. Don't get me wrong, the intertidal area can be interesting to look at but it also makes it very tricky to get in and out of your kayak if you want to take a little break. On the lake you can be right there next to the shore and experience the Maine woods up close and personal (and step out on a rock if you feel like it). The ocean can also get a bit scary especially if you are new to paddling. The ocean water is extremely cold and depending on the wind and area you can get serious waves and currents so being safe out there takes preparation and gear. And if you do fall in things will get very uncomfortable and possibly dangerous very fast. Gardner Lake is warm enough to swim in during most of our season. If you fall in there you just scramble back up on your kayak or SUP and keep on going, which is why we can teach SUP beginner lessons. Because of the cold water and waves you use sit-inside touring kayaks on the ocean which require learning some skills on how to exit if you should flip over and being comfortable with the thought of being upside down in cold water. They are also more tippy than the sit-on-tops we use. Tours on the ocean are also very weather dependent and you may not be able to go where you wanted to go on the exact time or day when you planned for it. On our lake we almost never have to cancel due to weather except in thunderstorms. So if your dream is to kayak or paddleboard on your vacation in Maine, Gardner Lake may just be your perfect place!
