Kayak to a Lighthouse in New England

Yankee Magazine’s July/August issue features the ultimate lighthouse guide. In keeping with the spirit of everything lighthouse I thought I would share with you my own lighthouse adventure in the hope that my excursion will inspire one of your own.

On a recent (beautiful!!) Sunday afternoon, I found myself in the seacoast area of New Hampshire, with a couple kayaks, some other necessary equipment, and one eager fellow paddler. I’ve paddled on lots of lakes and many flat rivers, but this was my first experience on open ocean water.

Thankfully, and despite our lack of planning, we actually paddled to a destination, the Whaleback Light off the coast of New Castle, and explored the nearby abandoned Coast Guard Station.

With the Isles of Shoals in sight, we pondered where to go next. We began chatting with a couple local men who were also exploring the island as they took a break from their paddle. Apparently, what looked relatively close (the Isles of Shoals) was in fact six miles in the distance. The duo also told us the story of an unlucky man who recently went missing (and was later found dead) as he paddled from where we were to the Isles of Shoals. Those tidbits (and our grumbling stomachs) helped us to decide that our next destination would be lunch. (Lobster with steamers, if you are wondering.)

If you want to kayak in this area, AMC offers an itinerary for New Castle.

And if you would feel more comfortable navigating the open waters with a guide or you need equipment, check out Portsmouth Kayak Adventures.

One more and: And if you are hungry for lunch, find a restaurant right on the the coast and eat some fresh lobster washed down with a Shoals Pale Ale from Smuttynose Brewery.