June 25-27th ~ Warren Island, Maine

Location: Warren Island, Northern Penobscot Bay
Local Organizer: Esperanze Stanicoff, U. Maine Cooperative Extension & Sea Grant
207/832-0343, 800/244-2104; esp@umext.maine.edu

Prior to the 26th the Searsport Shores Campground will host the Expedition, giving them a great midcoast welcome. The Maine Coastal Program, the Penobscot Bay Stewards, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant are hosting the Expedition at Warren Island on June 26th. We are looking forward to the following events happening that day. Stay tuned as the details unfold.

During the day, June 26, the following events will be happening:

The Gulf of Maine Mural Project
We are carrying a huge roll of paper that will be unraveled in every town we visit. It will be an evolving art project celebrating the Gulf of Maine. Paint and color what this vast watershed means to you.

Natural History and Ecology
· Bird walk. All you need is your feet to walk, your eyes to look and your ears to listen. Binoculars would also help as you learn to see the birds that live along our shores and on our islands. Led by ornithologists and Expedition member Rich MacDonald.
· What is in the Ocean? Phytoplankton is the building block of the ocean. The Expedition team and Penobscot Bay Stewards water quality monitoring volunteers will demonstrate how easy it is to get involved in monitoring for phytoplankton and water quality. Learn how to use modern technology and traditional field skills. Use a field microscope to look for phytoplankton in a water sample you just gathered; use other scientific instruments to measure water quality.
· The edge of the sea. From the black slimy stuff at the top, to barnacles and rockweed in the middle, to starfish and urchins at the bottom, get down and dirty in the intertidal zone and learn about the species that live there and their ecology.

Sea Kayak Skills and Safety
· Leave No Trace. Sea kayaking is growing so quickly that each person's behavior can make a big difference. Be a responsible sea kayaker! Learn some of the latest skills and ethics to tread lightly on our precious islands and shorelines.
· Navigation skills. This will be an introductory session on reading nautical charts, using a compass and other navigational tools including parallel rules and GPS. Fun exercises (including, perhaps, a land-based scavenger hunt) will get us acquainted with the skills and the tools needed to find your way on the ocean.
· Sea kayak rescue skills. The Gulf of Maine can be an unforgiving environment. As important as having the right equipment is having the right knowledge. The Expedition team and local volunteers will demonstrate a series of self- and assisted-rescue techniques, including the basic paddlefloat rescue (which all paddlers should learn), the T and other assisted rescue techniques, and the elusive-for-many but important Eskimo roll.
· Sea kayak safety equipment and trip packing. Planning a kayak trip? What should you bring? What should you wear? How should you pack? With the growing popularity of kayaking, it is easy to forget that sea kayaking on the Gulf of Maine requires serious attention to safety. Learn how the Expedition team keeps safety at the forefront of every single mile we paddle.

In the evening a cookout, presentation and music will be happening

· The Gulf of Maine: A Presentation by the Gulf of Maine Expedition
The Expedition team will present an evolving slideshow about the Gulf of Maine as we travel its vast shoreline. Share the experience with us through images and stories we have gathered from the Gulf. We hope that in traveling slowly, by kayak, we will gain and convey to others a sense of the Gulf that cannot be gained by other means of travel - a personal, immediate, and intimate sense of time and place. It is this sense of the Gulf of Maine that we hope to share with you through our slideshow. Because each community we visit is a part of the greater Gulf of Maine, we hope to follow the slideshow with an open discussion with all of you about the issues most important to your community.

· Music by Blue Northern
Paul Anderson, Maine Sea Grant Director and banjo player gives us a taste of the band: "Blue Northern is a 5-piece band from Maine with strong ties to Islesboro and the mid-coast area. They play traditional, original and contemporary folk and bluegrass music. Made up of multi-instrumentalists, Blue Northern uses Guitar, Banjo, Dobro, Mandolin, Bass, Accordion, and penny whistle. We anticipate that they will play late in the afternoon and early evening by a campfire as the stars come out." This is bound to be a couple of days of great fun!

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Schedule for Wednesday, June 26th

8 am — The Gulf Of Maine Expedition Paddlers will meet those folks with Sea Kayaks who would like to paddle from Lincolnville Beach to Warren Island; the first ferry leaves Lincolnville at 7:30 am (and every hour after that on the half hour except there is no ferry at 11:30 am-see schedule below)

10am to 3pm — Activities and music as described above throughout the day

4:30pm to 5:30pm — Gulf of Maine Expedition Presentation

6pm — Cookout sponsored by Penobscot Bay Stewards; cost per person-$10/adult; $5/child *You must pre-register for this at the Extension Office (see contact info below).

7:30pm on…. — Music around the campfire

8:30pm — Quicksilver Boat back to Lincolnville Beach (for those not camping out)

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Details
· Ferry Schedule and pricing. For those folks wanting to get to Warren I. on the Ferry from Lincolnville beach, see the Ferry Schedule for that day below. Note: Those wishing to bring kayaks on the ferry must carry them on top of their car.

· Transportation to and From Warren Island. If we know what Ferry you will be coming on or if you are coming from Islesboro, we can provide transportation in small power boats.

· Camping out on Warren Island June 26th. You must register for this with the Extension Office as space is limited-see contact info below

· Cookout on Warren Island. There is a cost for the dinner: $10/adult; $5/child, per person, please let us know how many dinners you would like to order and send the check to the contact info below.

· Other Meals. You will need to bring all your own food.

· Transport back to Lincolnville Beach in the evening. You need to register for this with the Extension Office

Contact Info:
Esperanza Stancioff
University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant
235 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 309
Waldoboro. ME 04572
Phone: (207) 832-0343 or 1-800-244-2104
FAX 207-832-0377
email: esp@umext.maine.edu
http://www.ume.maine.edu/ssteward/

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Ferry Schedule & Pricing