Holbrook Island Sanctuary

If paddling is your thing–whether canoeing or sea kayaking–you’ll find plenty of paddling spots at Holbrook Island Sanctuary. One of the sanctuary’s more popular sections is at Goose Falls, a reversing falls that attracts canoeists and kayakers.

Then there’s Holbrook Island, which lies in eastern Penobscot Bay, less than half a mile from the mainland part of Holbrook Island Sanctuary. The mile-long island is bordered by rocky ledges, sandy beaches, and mud flats. But with its approximately 115 acres of woods and fields, you wouldn’t know the island has a long human history. Settled just after the Revolutionary War by Captain Jesse Holbrook, the island’s tall pine forest provided the wood for sailing ships built in nearby Castine. The last owner of the island, Anita Harris, willed it to the state of Maine on condition that it be maintained “as a wildlife and natural area…devoted wholly to the preservation of nature.”

The many different and protected ecosystems of Holbrook Island Sanctuary are there for visitors to enjoy. So load up the kayak, find the launch, and set out to explore the scenic natural beauty of the area. After a leisurely time of sea kayaking, you’ll sleep soundly that night.