Great Spoon Island lies two miles off the eastern shore of Isle au Haut; a big, treeless rock rising out of the sea. The island is rimmed with rocky bluffs, the top green with tall grasses.
We approached from York Island, unsure of the distance after an already long paddle, ready to turn back if the swell proved bigger than expected. We’d taken a break on Doliver Island, and were again somewhat amazed at the wild sort of place we can get to in two or three hours. It took another half-hour of open water paddling to reach Great Spoon from York. As we approached, the cliffs, which had seemed huge from a distance, turned out to be not so big. An eagle watched from the top, lending scale to the rock (although I’m sure it was a very big eagle).
After posing for a few photos in front of the bluffs, we paddled around the south end of the island, where the swell came from the open ocean. Even in mild conditions, the waves crashing on the rocks were quite dramatic. We continued around and landed in a rocky cove beside a deceptive cobble beach, too steep for a landing.
The view from the height of land is fantastic. The blue water tower in Stonington seems far indeed, which might serve as a reminder to fire-up the cell phone if you need to call your wife and tell her you’ll be a bit late.
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