West Pond Cove is roughly 1.8 miles from the entrances to Frazer Point in the Schoodic section of Acadia National Park.

The short lane accessing the cove has historically been used by the local population as a place to launch kayaks. It is a safe and easy put-in.

It does not require carrying kayaks a long distance to the water, which makes it very convenient for older kayakers, who may not be physically able to carry kayaks very far. It is also a calm and protected area, which is very safe for beginning kayakers and children learning to kayak.

The park has blocked access to the 100-foot-long and 9-foot-wide lane leading from the park road to the shore. Do they have the authority to do this? Absolutely. Are they maliciously denying access? No. Are they being overzealous to protect the park in this instance? I think so.

This short, narrow lane has room for one vehicle to enter and turn around. If I use this lane to park my truck and unload and load kayaks, I am usually there about two hours and there is only room for one vehicle. Therefore, the fear of overuse really does not apply to this access point.

I realize the park can always find a reason for continued blockage, but this spot has been used for many years with no evident damage.

I beseech the park to reconsider this particular denial of access. Don’t be negative but be customer-friendly and explore ways to make access available.

Marty Elliott

Prospect Harbor

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