Hi,
I was wondering if someone could give me the lowdown on this adventure? I%26#39;ve read that we should travel 1/2 hour to an hour either side of low tide. Is this correct? How long does low tide last? What is the attraction to doing this? Tide pools? Hiking on Bar Island? Just looking for overall impressions, advice please. 10 year old, couple of 70 yr olds, couple of 40 yr olds:)
Bar Island Sandbar Crossing
That is fairly conservative advice---the park (and the harbormaster) don%26#39;t appreciate people getting marooned on the island and needed to be taken off.
The time from absolute low tide to maximum high tide is roughly six hours; the diferrence in duration from one tidal sequence (high-low or vice versa) is a matter of a few minutes. So, from the time you first could make it across (a little over half the time between high and low tides) until you would have to start back to avoid wading, is about six hours. The bar is not completely flat, so it doesn%26#39;t become completely exposed or completely covered all at once.
One of the interesting things is to start over before the passage to Bar Island is completely exposed, and follow the receding tide.
One of the entertaining features of the bar at low tide is to watch the gulls find live mussels and open them by flying high above rocks and dropping them until the shells crack. It%26#39;s also fun to watch the crows imitate the gulls, although they never seem to have quite mastered the technique.
In the early days of Bar Harbor as a summer place, much of Bar Island was a farm that grew produce to supply the summer cottages (the 18+ room summer homes of the wealthy). In later years, about half the island (the eastern half) was acquired by Acadia National Park, the remainder being in private ownership---with one residence that you can make out from the village.
The last private owner was Jack Perkins (of TV%26#39;s Biography series), who maintained a strip in the middle and sold or deeded most of the west end to the park. While he lived here he did a lot of excellent photography and also narrated several videos and CDs of Maine and Acadia. A few years ago, he sold---or deeded, I don%26#39;t remember which--- the remainder of the island to ANP.
There is a fairly easy trail from the bar through the old fields and up to the summit [ ;-0 ] of Bar Island, which affords a unique view of the village and its waterfront. From the village you can see that the climb to the summit is not formidable.
Bar Island Sandbar CrossingI would guess the main attraction is that you can really walk over a stretch of gravely sand that is buried under water half of the time. It%26#39;s kind of neat!
The kayak companies often launch their tours form the exposed bar. One can actually %26lt;drive%26gt; across the bar. A local past time is watching tourists losing track of time and getting stuck on Bar Island or having their car being washed by the incoming tide.
My favorite story is the two guys who drove out to the middle of the sand bar, leisurely took their kayaks off the roof, and went for a paddle. When they got back, the incoming tide was lapping their hub caps. Did they quickly drive the car off the bar?? Nope. They took the time to load their kayaks on the car roof. By the time they were finished with that, it was too late to drive the car to high land. Salt water is not good for car motors!
The usual advice is to take note of the time of low tide and give yourself two hours before and two hours after.
The walk over to Bar Island and up to the summit is very enjoyable. It would be an easy walk for a 10 yr old and a couple of 70 yr olds.
While walking over to the island, you and your child can search the sandbar for sea glass, starfish, shells, and other interesting objects the tide leaves behind. I have two young girls that love exploring the beach at low tide.
Once you get to the top of the trail, you can take some really great photographs of the Village of Bar Harbor with the mountains behind them. There%26#39;s no other way to get this photograph.
It sounds silly, but it also feels kinda risky to be climbing to the top of the island when the tide could come in and block your exit. It makes the trip fun. Don%26#39;t worry, you can catch glimpses of the sandbar from many spots on your way to the top so that you can be assured the tide is still out.
On a side note, I would also suggest that you walk the Shore Path while you are in town. It is another easy walk that children and older adults would not have difficulty doing. It%26#39;s about a mile long. We usually suggest that our friends do this on their first day to get a good overview of downtown Bar Harbor. Start at the pier and walk the shore path all the way to Wyman Lane. Follow Wyman Lane back out to Main Street and take a right back down to the pier. You%26#39;ll be able to window shop and check out all the different stores on Main Street on your way back to the car. It%26#39;s also a nice walk to take after dinner with an ice cream cone!
Enjoy your visit.
Pretty much everything has been covered above. This is one of my favorite ';hikes'; in the Bar Harbor/Acadia area. And yes, don%26#39;t miss the view of the village of Bar Harbor and the surrounding mountains of Acadia. It makes a beautiful photo and happens to be the wallpaper on my computer.
So here%26#39;s the plan. Check the tide chart and plan to be ready to cross two hours before. The bar will already be exposed and amazingly, pretty dry. And this gives you the maximum (4 hour) window so there should be no worries of getting caught on the island. It was probably covered above but I think the whole climb from sea level to the top of the hill is about 100 feet.
Enjoy.
Thanks for all the helpful hints. The two hours before and two hours after rule is what I needed. I%26#39;m not much of a math person, so I needed a flat out rule to follow:)
I%26#39;ve done that Shore Path before but didn%26#39;t know the trick about cutting in somehow back to Main Street to walk back. We just walked down and turned around. Maybe I missed it, or maybe it%26#39;s kinda hidden? Either way, I%26#39;ll be more observant this time. That sounds like a good plan.
My husband and I enjoyed the ';kayaker'; tide story - the way you told it cracked us up!.
Also, the hints about what to see/do on the way out with the seagulls and the tide pools is the stuff that I hadn%26#39;t read in books; needed the local help!
Thanks again,
Elise
Print out your tide chart before you leave home. Notice that the tides change slightly every day. Find the tide chart at MaineHarbors.com
Print out your tide chart before you leave home. Notice that the tides change slightly every day. Find the tide chart at MaineHarbors.com
The tide charts are also printed in the local newsapapers and Acadia Weekly, which is free at most stores and inns in the area.
From day to day, the change in tides is minimal, i.e., about an hour, with respect to what you want to do.
If you want to tell us what day you are thinking of crossing the bar, I can tell you right now what time low tide will be. Or perhaps you already have a tide chart. You seem to be much into planning!
You all are SO nice! I did actually already print a chart, but you can check my work please.
July 5th looks like we are safe to go 7-11 a.m.
July 6th 7:45-11:45.
Correct?
Elise
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