LUBEC, Maine — Our summer Outside Edge series finishes with two episodes Down East exploring Lubec and Cobscook Shores, the easternmost point of the state of Maine and the United States.
Spencer McCormick, a registered Maine guide and coordinator for the outdoor education program through Cobscook Shores, said each piece of land is picked with purpose.
"Cobscook Shores parks are free to the public," McCormick explained. "We pick a lot of these pieces of properties to tie into the water ... and paddling trails as well as some smaller hikes.”
Cobscook Shores consists of over 20 shoreside parks and is the sister property to Penobscot River Trails in the Katahdin region. Both founded and funded by Butler Conservation, their focus is on preserving Maine’s natural beauty through work in outdoor education, allowing more than 15,000 students to take part in the Maine Outdoor Education Program since 2012.
"We host over eight schools ... local schools, surrounding the bay, and we are expanding over three seasons over the school year," McCormick said.
Similar to Penobscot River Trails, students substitute indoor gym classes with an outdoor option, with paddling, canoeing, and biking as options in the warm season. This year, they're working with local summer recreation programs as well, with an ever-changing landscape to work with.
"Cobscook Bay is a part of the world-class tidal systems up in the Bay of Fundy, so our tides reach up to 22-24 feet," McCormick said, who planned the paddle and hike for the Outside Edge episode—something he would do for the local students.
McCormick said you have to pay close attention to the tides, in addition to the weather, as there's an infamous fog bank that can come in quickly.
The paddle went from Huckins Beach to Red Point Nature Preserve, taking a little over two hours as high tide rushed in. A little more than five miles later, we arrived at Red Point Nature Preserve, as the tide began to retreat. Following a lunch break, we headed on foot through the preserve, even walking on a trail that we had paddled through just a couple of hours before. The shore birds and bald eagles were out much of the day, joining in on the adventure.
We had our teenagers join the trip Down East, as they had never been to the eastern tip of Maine. Their appreciation of what's available in the only state they've called home only intensified, which is at the core of McCormick's mission, after growing up in Robbinston, just north of Cobscook Bay.
"So I did travel away to get a degree out in North Dakota," McCormick explained. "And when I visited back home, I fell in love with this area once again."
McCormick hopes that local youth can see and appreciate the beauty of the area he fell in love with.
"What I hear in the schools is that there’s nothing to do here and we need to move to go find something cool," McCormick said. "But with this outdoor ed program through Cobscook Shores, we’re taking these kids out. We’re letting them know there are many free public parks to come back with your friends and family ... teaching them how to use the land and skills to keep them safe."
A park ranger is available at Cobscook Shores to answer any questions about tides, weather, or general information about the system of parks.