I recently rented several kayaks from Maine Kayaks while vacationing in the Damarscotta area. We had them dropped off at a local launch ramp and had a great time paddling. I brought along my fly fishing gear and fished while we paddled. At the end of the day we left the kayaks in the agreed upon area and unwittingly, I also left all my fly gear on the ground. Late that night I realized what had happened, and when I went back to the spot all my gear was gone. I assumed it was gone forever. On a long shot, I call back to Maine Kayak in the morning, and was pleasantly surprised to hear they had found and saved all my gear and had been trying desperately to get a hold of me. Really great service!
My daughter and I just returned from Maine Kayak's 2 day Inn to Inn Kayak trip. In addition to being a nice person to be with for two days, our guide, Dave, was knowledgeable about kayaking, safety, the environment we were traveling in, and so many other things. The equipment was in excellent condition, the snacks and lunch were great and plentiful. The weather and conditions were terrific and there were so many photo opportunities. We saw seals and many species of birds, including Ospreys. An overall terrific experience.
Maine Kayak made it easy! We'll be back in August. We spent hours on the water. They dropped kayaks off and picked up. Staff was friendly and happy to help.
From the first contact the folks at Maine Kayak were courteous and professional. Having just a few experiences with sea kayaking, I really wanted a guide to enhance the adventure and ensure safety. I got so much more than this. We were outfitted with good equipment and clearly briefed on what the agenda would be. Alvah was most helpful but not condescending. He was extremely knowledgeable about the area, wildlife, history and most importantly what was going on around us as we shared the waterways with pleasure craft and working boats too.Our accommodations were well thought out, clean and comfortable and added to the pleasure of the total trip but it was the paddling experience that was phenomenal! We learned about the different plants, trees, landmarks and birds and were tickled to have a seal follow us as we paddled! I have wanted to tick this item off my "bucket list" for years and I gained so much confidence from this adventure. I highly recommend this outfitter and I plan on returning as soon and as often as possible as I feel that the total experience for me was life changing.
I booked both camping and a half day of kayaking with Maine Kayak directly. They made this very easy! The campground was excellent and incredibly nice people. The sea kayaking was the best experience I have had in years!! Alvah welcomed us and was very good about getting us the right equipment and educating us on all we needed tio know about sea kayaking. He made us feel comfortable and as we were out on the water truly made the experience an exciting one. He was VERY knowledgable about the area and its history and about everything relating to the local fisherman. I learned so much about maine and its history in the half day of kayaking. So great!! I would recommend this place to ANYONE looking for a nice, relaxing, fun and yet adventous experience. I plan on booking this every year!!!
As beginners we were very glad about the experienced guide. We learned a lot about kayaking and the wildlife in the bay. We had a great stay on a little island and even got blueberrypancakes in the morning. We would go back and do it again!
My husband and I enjoyed a fabulous 1/2 day trip with our guide Alvah. We live in Maine but don't get out onto the ocean much and this trip made us want more. Beautiful shorelines, coves, islands, watching the lobster boats working their traps, catching a seal off guard, spotting the numerous varieties of seabirds... our new favorite bird is the juvenile guillemot. Alvah is great with getting you up to speed if you're not a serious kayaker and is very knowledgeable about the surrounding area - history, nature... you name it. We're thinking about coming back with our teenage kids for one of their camping trips.
I originally booked a tour with Maine Kayak in 2012, but had to cancel due to a family emergency. They immediately notified me that I had a credit for a tour anytime in the future.Two years later, I contacted them in the Spring of 2014, as we had again scheduled a vacation to Maine. They promptly confirmed that my credit was still good, then remained in active communication with me to arrange a 1/2 day tour that accommodated my travel schedule. The tour itself was fun, informative, and provided a great opportunity to paddle Maine waters amid beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife (we paddled almost directly under a pair of perched bald eagles). I am a relatively experienced sea kayaker, but everyone else in our group was a novice; however, it made no difference in the quality of the experience. If you're experienced, go for the fun and scenery Maine Kayak provides. If you're a novice, you will find that they provide quality information and take great care to ensure that your trip is safe, but very enjoyable. I am confident that it will whet your appetite for more.From point of contact to the moment they deliver you back to their headquarters, you will find that Maine Kayak is all about you having a positive experience that will constitute a highlight--if not the best time--of your trip.
This is a great group to go out with and see wildlife, coves, and learn kayaking skills. They offer inland learning sessions as well as simple, beautiful and safe tours. Equipment is good and very stable and they can handle a range of skill levels. Maine is kayaking heaven and its worth it to do some hours with these folks.
Visited from the UK in Sept '13 and booked an island overnight trip - knew we'd picked the right company as soon as we arrived. Our guide, Alvah, was totally enthusiastic, knowledgeable and obviously loved his job. We were beginners but never felt too pushed, the number of hours paddling each day was adapted to what we felt we could do. Gorgeous scenery, great instruction and the food was taaaasty. Can't recommend highly enough, get booking.