Thacher Island is a beautiful little
island about 2.5 miles from Rockport Harbor. It hosts a National Wildlife Refuge and has
twin lighthouses, erected in 1771, which align North to South and pointed the
way to Gloucester Harbor and Boston for whalers and seafarers
returning from afar. Thacher Island has been mentioned in
literature and films over the years – everything from Rudyard Kipling’s “Captains
Courageous” to a brief mention by George Clooney as Captain Billy Tyne in the
movie “The Perfect Storm”.
We
offer daily trips to the island at 1:30
pm, and also can take groups of 8 or more for an
overnight camping trip.
Our
overnight tours to Thacher leave Bearskin Neck (all geared up and fully
loaded) around 3 pm on the first day, do a leisurely paddle out to Thacher
Island, set up camp, have dinner and relax, take a hike around the
island, or climb the North light house. If the conditions are nice, we
can also enjoy a moonlight paddle after dinner (at your option, of course!)
On the
following morning, we will have breakfast, break camp, take a different
return route and be back at NSKOC base around noon.
Preparation: We depart the shop at Tuna Wharf around 3
pm, so please be at shop, with gear packed and
ready to load into kayaks NO LATER than 2:15
p.m. on your departure date.
2005
Thacher Island Camping
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We
now offer guided trips for groups of 8 or more. Please provide at least 2 weeks notice
for a camping reservation. We regret
that we are no longer able to offer weekend camping for individual guests.
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Details
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Please be at the shop, unloaded and
ready to pack the kayaks at 2:15 pm. Cost is $125
per person and includes boat rental, food, and guide(s).
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Reservations required – please give us
2 weeks notice.
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Please let us know of any dietary
restrictions when you make your reservation.
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We will paddle for about 2 hours on the
first day and 2-3 on the return trip the next day, depending on our return
route.
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There are outhouses on the island, but
no running water
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Cancellation policy: Due to the
preparation required for this trip, we have a different cancellation policy
than for the daily tours. There is a $25 per person cancellation fee
if you cancel less than 48 hours in advance. There is no charge to
you if we cancel the tour due to weather conditions.
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What
to bring:
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compressible sleeping
bag & pad
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clothing appropriate
for paddling and overnight camping - bathing suit, shorts, sandals,
fleece top, raingear, towel
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bug repellant,
sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
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bowl, cup, spoon, fork
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water bottles and
water
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tent (if you prefer to
use your own)
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snacks
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We provide:
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Dinner
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Breakfast
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Tents
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Kayaks and paddling
gear
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Instructor guides
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Packing Tips
When
packing, please:
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pack
as compactly as possible - we will carry the gear out to the island on our
kayaks, and you will need to carry some of the group food and gear in
addition to your own
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place
your sleeping bag, clothes, and gear in drybags
or in a duffel or daypack placed in a plastic bag - kayak bulkheads are not
totally water-tight
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remember that bulky quilted sleeping
bags are difficult to jam into a kayak. We recommend a down or polyfil bag that packs rather compactly.
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soft-sided
coolers only, please
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Map of Island
What to Bring
Details
Packing Tips
Thacher Island Info
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