Ok, now this is getting interesting and more focused. Cool.
AA (armedaccountant), sounds like you've got a good resource in Peter Gun. So interesting that there are two ranges near Boston.
Devonia, can you (or others) please elaborate a bit on the concept of "all lawful purposes" on the LTC (CCW?). I understand the concept, but wondering what the other choices are that you recommend staying away from. (I think I know, but ...) I'm going to be applying for CCW in two states next year, one resident, one non-resident -- so I'm beginning to learn the ropes.
AA said:
I am excited about being near Maine with some of the pictures. Penobscot bay sounds amazing.
Glad to hear that, and glad to help. It's an amazing place (although my friends there would beat me -- a non-Mainer (who were born there) for telling good stories about it -- it's growing too fast for many there, and in directions that are not always healthy. But I'm singing it in this group because we need more sane, respectful, knowledgable gun owners and 2A advocates there.)
Here another tasty lure for sea kayakers. (I have been in the past -- Eddyline Falcon 18 -- aka "death needle" -- in Puget Sound -- but am not now -- or yet. Another one is on my list for next year when I get back up there.)
Here is a snapshot of my Maine wall map. Penobscot Bay (or Pen Bay, as it's called) is the biggest in Maine, and the biggest north of Chesapeake (IIRC). It's an astounding place, by far the nicest place I've ever lived or spent a lot of time (and that includes CO, NM, AZ, UT, OR, and WA, as well as in the southeast). However, it's not a place for weather weenies; by far the coldest, snowiest place I've ever lived. No longer see -30F and -40F -- more likely -10F - -20F these days, but the cold snaps last longer, and we have what my meteorologist friend calls "box car snow storms" : one after another after another ....; even life-long Mainers said last winter was the worst they'd ever seen.
You can get to 4 of the island by ferry out of Rockland, which has one of (if not THE) deepest ports on the east coast. That deeply cut, fractal coast is a kayaker's dream; so much protected water up in the fjords and bays, with really different geology along the way from SE to 'downeast'.
I'm trying to get you a zoom into Pen Bay from google maps, but my mac is not cooperating with me to get a smaller file size jpg, so it'll have to wait.
Oh, and remember: Maine is both a CCW state and an open carry state (although I rarely see the latter).