# Maine



## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

My wife and I are planning a two week trip from Narragansett Bay, RI to Maine next year. We bought the Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast by the Tafts. We're already surprised to see so many destinations that either have shallow water, prohibited anchorages, limited moorings or too crowded to swing a boat over 40ft. We're certainly not through the whole book yet.

We don't want to make any reservations in advance, so its important to inventory many options along the way. Would love to hear your favs. I'm surprised to read that our 6.5ft draft and swinging 54ft LOA on anchor/mooring is an issue in several crowded places, so I add it just to filter out favs we can't access or stay overnight.

It will be particularly important to be able to show up late in the day and, if we can't get a mooring ball, have a secure place to drop the hook.

Thanks for the ideas. Going to be a long winter of planning.


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## Kiltmadoc (Nov 10, 2009)

My cousins borrowed our boat this past summer (5'8" draft) and had no problems with finding moorings. Generally, all they did was simply approach a mooring, tie up and wait for a yacht club/harbormaster/etc person to wander by. Most of the time, they paid nothing. Near Acadia, some of the moorings were $15-30 per night. BTW, the Claremont hotel in Southwest harbor has $30/night moorings and they are walking distance from some amazing restaurants in southwest harbor like Sips and Red Sky and Fiddler's Green.

I can vouch for cape porpoise as a good spot to stay. On their way back, I traded places with one of my cousins and sailed the boat back to Salem, MA over two days. The switch occurred at cape porpoise and it was a very nice protected and deep mooring (amazing restaurants on the pier as well). Also, in cape porpoise, you are away from Kennebunkport with all its craziness.

Gloucester and Rockport have moorings available as well. If you are a fan of wooden boats, try contacting the essex shipbuilding museum. The main shipwright there has some nice secret ideas for mooring in Gloucester if you befriend him; and that's all i will say about that.

A book that helped my cousins a LOT was this one: Amazon.com: A Visual Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast (9780071453288): James Bildner: Books: Reviews, Prices & more


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## Kiltmadoc (Nov 10, 2009)

...and another thing, if you belong to a yacht club, see if your club is part of this affiliation:Yachting Club of America

There's lots of reciprocity for the clubs listed.


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## rikhall (Feb 7, 2008)

Minnewaska

We are from the other side of Maine and have cruised there the last nine summers. Needless to say, we love it.

A very valuable resource is ActiveCaptain.com It is a free, interactive, online cruising guide. And, the two people who head it up are in Castine ME.

If you have specific questions re the coast of ME north of Rockland, send me a PM.

You say: "_It will be particularly important to be able to show up late in the day and, if we can't get a mooring ball, have a secure place to drop the hook_."

We like to be on the hook or mooring ball by 1600 at the latest - then we get to visit with our "new neighbours".

Hope to see you next summer.

Shalom

Rik, Linda and Captain Hook


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Boat number 4 was 52 ft. We owned her for 10 years and sailed to Maine every year, then we got smarter and downsized to a 38 (no offense, the 52 was lots of fun).

Yes, you are a little long for some mooring fields, but this is not a problem. Places like Tenants Harbor and Christmas Cove can be a little tight, and only some moorings can take your size. But there are plenty of place to anchor, and plenty of mooring fields that can handle swing your boat. For example, if you cannot find a mooring in Tenants, you can anchor next door in Long Cove. If you cannot find a mooring in Biddeford, there is room to anchor outside the mooring field near Stage Island. There are places like North East Harbor that has organized their mooring field according to boat size. Although crowded mid season, they have a few mooring for your size. If they are full, you can take a short trip up Somes Sound and get a mooring at Ables or anchor in Somesville.

Anchorages, marina's and mooring fields are plentiful in Maine. Some additional flexibility is required to manage your length, but there are so many options, you should have no problems. As your reading Taft, if you have specific questions, PM me.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Many thanks for the recommendations so far. I had not heard of ActiveCaptain before, that is very helpful. 

We knew there would be hundreds of potential locations to call home for the night, but hope to have a good inventory of favorite spots on the list. We welcome any more anyone may offer.

We started into the Taft book by looking at the 5 star locations. For example, Kennebunkport came up, but channel is 6 ft. Isle of Shoals looks very interesting, but it doesn't seem to be a reliable overnight spot. Freeport says no anchoring, which is only a problem if we arrive and all else is full. Etc. Not all need to be big tourist traps, but we would prefer the option of something to dinghy into shore to see or do, even if just the scenery. On the other hand, I won't leave the boat on anchor unless I know the hold is good. If I'm unfamiliar, I general don't let her out of my sight.

The weather and mood will be the biggest factor, but our general plan is to sail out of Narragansett Bay, up Buzzards Bay to the Cape Cod Canal and lay up the first night. From there, we think we probably want to get as far north as quickly as possible and make more leisurely stops on the way back. We could probably leave the canal at dawn, sail 24hrs and arrive in the Bar Harbor area the following morning. But, that's a big commitment and I find ruins the next 24 hrs while you're totally exhausted. We may prefer to spend a couple of days sailing all daylight hours to make progress. The days will be long then.

Any thoughts on how far up the coast is practical on a two week trip from RI would also be welcome. 

Many thanks.


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## genieskip (Jan 1, 2008)

I find the run from from Cape Cod canal to Gloucester to be a decent day's sail. I usually drop the hook in Onset for the night since there really isn't a good place near the northeastern end of the CCC. Depending on the current you either have to leave near dawn or can laze about for part of the morning before getting underwayMake sure you have Eldriges or some other reliable current table. As long as you miss the middle four hours of the foul current you should be OK if you have a reliable engine (you can't sail through the CCC, you have to go through under power). From the CCC it is an easy day's run to Gloucester or if you get underway real early you can make Isles of Shoals before nightfall.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

*Like he says...*



genieskip said:


> I find the run from from Cape Cod canal to Gloucester to be a decent day's sail. I usually drop the hook in Onset for the night since there really isn't a good place near the northeastern end of the CCC. Depending on the current you either have to leave near dawn or can laze about for part of the morning before getting underwayMake sure you have Eldriges or some other reliable current table. As long as you miss the middle four hours of the foul current you should be OK if you have a reliable engine (you can't sail through the CCC, you have to go through under power). From the CCC it is an easy day's run to Gloucester or if you get underway real early you can make Isles of Shoals before nightfall.


Gloucester, is a convenient run from Onset. We didn't find Gloucester that fascinating, so might try Marblehead next time instead. Or we might simply head straight for wherever in Maine we wanted to go. Freeport's main attraction seems to be the shopping, rather than the harbor. Getting further East is probably more interesting than heading to a series of outdoor outlets strung along a busy street. We liked Stonington, on Deer Isle, Blue Hill, and Little Cranberry Island. For towns with amenities, Belfast and Portland are worth checking out. Camden, Kennebunkport, and Boothbay were crowded with tourists who, judging from the numbers of stores pushing them, only buy t-shirts. The best blueberry muffins anywhere come with meals at the Dolphin Marina Restaurant in Harpswell.


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## gboase (Oct 30, 2010)

Sounds like a trip I'm planning myself. Have you looked at a site called Active Captain? If it's an anchorage, mooring or dock it's probably reviewed there in the interactive guide. It's also free to join and use. I use it all the time and I'm a marina review writer for the Atlantic Cruising Club. One of the weak spots I've found is information on anchoring and moorings. Perhaps because there's no monetizing for anchorages. I also do some reviews on anchorages on my own website, but so far just in Narragansett Bay which you're already familiar with.
Enjoy your trip! 
George Boase


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Here's a list of some favorites:

Onset: Plenty of room to anchor, good holding, great place to wait out he Canal.

Provincetown: Plenty of moorings, and plenty of room to anchor, great place to visit.

Gloucester: Calm night with nothing from the east, Sandy bay outside Rockport to anchor, easterlies, go into Gloucester and stay either at Eastern Point Yacht club or go into deeper into the harbor and get a mooring from the harbormaster, or dock at one of the restaurants.

Annisquam: Assuming your mast it too tall for the 65' bridge, if not, don't go at low tide, go around. 

Isle of Shoals: Good weekdays, may be too crowded for a mooring on the weekend. The bottom can be like a pool table, not good for anchoring. Alternative is a few miles away in Portsmouth, if you need a marina by then, Wentworth is nice (pricey), or go up the back channel near the navy base and get a mooring.

Biddeford: Great stop on the way up, you'll probably need to anchor given your size, but the Biddeford Yacht Club has a couple of moorings that might take you.

Casco Bay: Too many places to list. Need some city, go to Portland. Need to some quiet, try places like the Basin, want a resort try Sebasco. Many times we just pass Casco on the way, because the further east you get the better in our minds, but there are LOTS of great stops here.

Booth Bay: Too many places to list. Moorings or docks at the various water front hotels. Good place to provision, tie up, and wash down the boat.

Tenants: Gateway to Penobscot. You might need to anchor outside if Cod's End's moorings are too tight for your length, but some of them can take you. Cruise around and pick one with some swing space.

Camden: The outer mooring field can take handle your size. Want to tie up, call Willies Wharf WAY in advance. Great place to watch the action, and they can fit you, but you might want to call now for next year. Ask to meet MR Willie.

Bucks Harbor: Some moorings can take you, there is room to anchor as the schooners do, try the outside showers.

Swans Island: Plenty of room to anchor in Burnt Coat.

Bass Harbor: Morris has some big moorings.

Frenchboro: one or two of the moorings will take your boat, you can anchor but the holding ground outside the mooring field is questionable. Close to Swans if it doesn't work out. Have lobsta dinner here, outside, bring in a bottle of wine as the sun sets and you look back at Mt Desert.

Bar Harbor: No problem with moorings, lots of tourist action.

Vinalhaven: They did kinda fill up Perry Creek with moorings, too bad, but there is room to anchor, and I think a couple of the moorings would work for you. Plenty of space to anchor outside as a fallback, Seal Cove, Carvers, etc.

Northhaven: Anchor in Pulpit, plenty of room, great view of Camden Hills.

And there are many, many, many more possibilities. You can hop the coast, or go directly from the canal and do an overnight. Either way works great. Given the prevailing SW, hopping back makes a lot of sense. I only wish the boat wasn't put away, it was early August, and I was on my way right now!

Is this really the end of October. I am depressed!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

These are all great suggestions. Thank you. Plan for six months, sail for two weeks. About the same as the maintenance / sailing ratio. Boat is on the hard now, going out tomorrow to finish a few chores for the winter. Must be in denial.


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

An early post suggested Cape Porpoise which is a favoriteof ours, but a consideration should be made of your underwater confiruration. We have a full keel that is contiguous with our rudder shoe, so we don't foul any trap lines or toggles. If you can't side over the lobster trap floats without snagging them; then, the inlet at Cape Porpoise may be difficult. Take care and joy, Aythya crew


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

You shoud not have any problems except for a few spots like Damariscove Island or perhaps Perry Creek but even that is doable.
*
Some insider tips:

Robinhood Cove* - Ignore the marina end of the cove and head down SW into the long cove, good holding and peace & quiet. Beware worst mosquitoes on the cost reside on the Georgetown and Phippsburg peninsulas.

*Love Cove Ebenecook* - on the West side of Townsend Gut. You'll need to anchor.

*Seal Cove* - up the Damariscotta River come in at the top half of the tide and you can get over the shallow spot.

*Seal Bay* - Vinalhaven - I have seen 140 footers in there.

*Long Cove Vinal Haven* - Beautiful spot if you go up in. 










*The Basin Vinalhaven* - DO NOT take your boat in there! I've been in three times but now that I am older won't do that again in the big boat. I suggest anchoring in Long Cove, next door, and taking the dink over for a lobster bake on one of the many small islands that dot the Basin. One of the most beautiful spots on the coast. YouTube - The Basin - Vinalhaven Island, ME

*Winter Harbor Vinalhaven* - Simply amazing you can go way in past the big rock and no one else will follow you 

*Carvers Cove* (Not Carvers Harbor) best sunrises on the coast 

*Sand Beach* - Marshall Island (great day stop) 

*Frenchboro / Long Island* - Lunt's dock has the best lobster on the planet. This is is second best hike on the coast. I have ALWAYS had excellent holding just outside the moorings beyond the ferry dock.









*Wreck Island* - Merchant Row









*McGlathery Island (West Side)* - Great beach for a lobster bake 

*Hells Half Acre (North Side)* - Great spot -  /









*Isle Au Haut Thorofare* - Moorings put money in coke bottle, best hiking ANYWHERE on the coast. A few of the moorings are tight but I have seen 60+ footers in there. Plan to spend a full day hiking the trails of Acadia. Duck Harbor is nice but has lots of granite and can be poor holding have seen more than one boat on the rocks there.  Duck Harbor view from Duck Harbor Mtn. 

*Burnt Coat Harbor Swans Island* - Go in and pass the rental moorings near the big building. GO past all the fishing boats and anchor up in the cove roughly across from the church. No morning lobster boat traffic and a nice peaceful spot.
[URL="http://http//www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/66282258.jpg"] 

*Over Rated Spots IMHO (as a local):*

Camden
Pulpit Harbor
Perry Creek
SW Harbor
Rockport
Tennants Harbor
Rockland
Bar Harbor (stay at NE Harbor and take the free Island Explorer bus system to anywhere on MDI including Bar Harbor.)

*Under Rated Spots IMHO:*

Round Pond - Muscongus Bay
Castine
Belfast
Northeast Harbor
JO Browns North Haven - Fox Isle Thorofare
Stonington - Anchor off town and can provision at the store which is right off the town docks where you can tie your dinghy


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## billyruffn (Sep 21, 2004)

I’ll add a couple of thoughts not reflected in other posts:

On your way north --

Hadley Harbor (BuzzBay) -- limited room, so arrive early (and not on a weekend). You can’t go ashore, but it’s a very nice, secure anchorage with free moorings (unless the owner shows up). Very limited room to anchor.

Provincetown -- mentioned above, but I’ll second it. Lots of room to anchor, either near the town or under the lee of Long Point. It’s a very special place with a unique culture. If you want to avoid the crowds and “festive” nature of the town, anchor off Long Pont and enjoy the natural environment.

And in Maine itself --

York Beach, ME -- nice anchorage off the beach in settled weather with winds from the south. Probably untenable with anything strong from the north (wind or swell). Easy in and easy out.

Portland -- interesting town with moorings (and dock space) available within walking distance to town. Good chandlery (Hamilton Marine) and many fine restaurants. Good place to change crews.

Jewel Island -- a few miles out of Portland. Arrive early as the space is limited. Great walks ashore.

Hog Island (Muscongus Bay) -- also a spot with limited anchorage and only a couple of moorings, but home of an nature camp with lots of walking trails ashore. We always try to make it here on every trip to ME.

Rockland -- lots of room to anchor and many moorings available. Around the first of August it’s home to a Lobster Festival, which is probably as close to an authentic Maine festival as you’ll find. Sure there are tourists in attendance, but I think the backwoods empties during the festival. Many good restaurants, and a wonderful art museum featuring several generations of the Wyeth family. Also a great place to change crews.

Have fun. ME is a great place.

PS for Maine Sail: How much did the Chamber of Commerce pay you for that post?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Thanks to everyone. I've been through the Taft book and now have exactly the mix of conflicting information I was looking for.  

Is there a good single planning chart for the New England coast from the Cape through Maine? I've printed four charts and tapped them together, although, the scale is slightly off between them.

I'm hoping to code and mark a chart with all of our options, so we can just swing the dividers, based on wind and weather, and see what's available.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> ....Is there a good single planning chart for the New England coast from the Cape through Maine? I've printed four charts and tapped them together, although, the scale is slightly off between them....


It might be too large a scale, but one option is:

Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod

More of Cape Cod in this one:

West Quoddy Head to New York


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

JohnRPollard said:


> It might be too large a scale, but one option is:
> 
> Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod


Perfect. I feel like a bit of a num num for missing this one. Thanks.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We are off on Friday. As you can see, we've been planning the trip for 7 full months. For future reference, that is way too long to anticipate. Weather will be cool, probably mid 60s during the day, with occasional peaks at 70. We've done some spring shakedown trips in the Bay and out to Block Island in those temps and can accommodate them easily.

We made a couple of modifications. First, we decided to have the boat delivered up there, so we would not have to do the roundtrip and half the amount of ground we could cover. She is actually underway right now. Secondly, since we've been to Bar Harbor and Acadia before (no boat), we decided to just start in Penobscot Bay and will poke around that area for as much as the first week.

Thanks to all for the input. This is where I first learned of ActiveCaptain and now have the database saved offline on my Ipad. It is an incredible cruising resource. 

Cheers.


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## rikhall (Feb 7, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> we decided to just start in Penobscot Bay and will poke around that area


The area we love - you could be there for months!

Breakfast and coffee at Bah's Bakehouse in Castine
laundry beside the co-op in Belfast
Free moorings in Warren Island State park

So many fantastic places, too little time!

I'm helping a friend move his new to him boat from Salem MA to Saint Andrews NB later in the month. PM me with your call sign and schedule if you want.

Enjoy

Rik, Linda and Captain Hook
Mystery


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

rikhall said:


> The area we love - you could be there for months!
> 
> Breakfast and coffee at Bah's Bakehouse in Castine
> laundry beside the co-op in Belfast
> ...


Bah's is a full ***** five stars from both my wife and I. I even bought a Bah's Bakery hat.. Perhaps the best breakfast spot on the coast. Eclectic and very tasty...


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Have fun Minnie,,,stay safe....send lots of pictures

Dave


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

*It rains in Maine?*

I don't recall this in the brochure.  Looks to be our fate for the next several days.

Unfortunately, I picked up a bit of a stomach bug and am not feeling great, so today's a good down day. We have a good 3G signal and a book. Listening to the rain on the cabin top is actually relaxing. All good.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Minnewaska said:


> I don't recall this in the brochure.  Looks to be our fate for the next several days.
> 
> Unfortunately, I picked up a bit of a stomach bug and am not feeling great, so today's a good down day. We have a good 3G signal and a book. Listening to the rain on the cabin top is actually relaxing. All good.


Where are you guys? If you need a mooring in Casco Bay for a few days let me know...


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## DoubleEnder (Mar 8, 2011)

I "LOVE" Maine!

Don't forget Port Clyde in Muscongus Bay. If you want a fun day trip from there you can catch the mail boat out to Monhegen Island for the day (great hikes and art ..as its an artists community)

Here we are at the dock last year.









Brian


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Maine Sail said:


> Where are you guys? If you need a mooring in Casco Bay for a few days let me know...


Thanks very much, MaineSail. We will be poking around Penobscot Bay this week and heading your way next week. Will let you know. No firm plans other than a return date to RI.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

DoubleEnder said:


> ......catch the mail boat out to Monhegen Island for the day (great hikes and art ..as its an artists community).......




When we leave Penobscot, we are thinking of a sail out there ourselves. Will depend on Wx. Thanks.


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## dtmacmilla (Feb 22, 2011)

I have vacationed close by here:

How to Reach Us - Midcoast Maine Power and Sail Yacht Charters - Penobscot Bay Marina Services

for 20 years - in a small waterfront cabin built, owned by, and with a friend from my days of training as a surgeon. Our families have always enjoyed the time we have spent there. no boring times at all, what with the local activities. We have spent literally hours admiring the various yachts moored in the generous harbor. We have hiked, bird-watched, and enjoyed the local yacht club racing activities (Ensigns) without ever getting bored.

i recently bought a cruiser (B423) and am imagining/planning a trip there in the future, from the southern Chesapeake bay(maybe i need to fully retire first).

i would not hesitate to pick up a mooring in Buck's Harbor, if I were you.

email me if you want more info...

and get well soon

V/R
DT MacMillan
SV So Vein


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Maine Sail said:


> Bah's is a full ***** five stars from both my wife and I. I even bought a Bah's Bakery hat.. Perhaps the best breakfast spot on the coast. Eclectic and very tasty...


I am sitting in Bah's right now! Unbelievably fantastic. We were the first in the door and and got the full tour of their options. We split a quiche (excellent and I'm not a big quiche guy), a peach scone and apple turnover. I do not exaggerate when I say the best ever! We can't eat more, but are taking a couple of blueberry muffins to go for tomorrow.

We left Camden on Mon (I killed the stomach bug with a good dose of vitamin B at Cappys Chowder House..... Beer). Through the Fox Island Thoroughfare to Seal Bay for the night. Then on to Isle au Haut on Tues. Rained all day, so we were hunkered down. We did hit our personal best on the crossing (10.2kts). Screaming. Honestly, I suspect the speed wheel is touch generous, since that exceeds hull speed. Yesterday morning


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Having some iPad trouble....... Yesterday, we sailed/ motored against a northerly up to Castine and grabbed a guest mooring at the Castine Yacht Club. What a current! A couple of beers at Dennets, then dinner at Stellas, which I also highly recommend!

We're heading out of the bay today, there just isn't enough time to see it all. We have to at least pretend we are heading west toward home one of these days. 

Not sure about next wifi access, so cheers for now.


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## rikhall (Feb 7, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> We're heading out of the bay today, there just isn't enough time to see it all.


If my memory serves me, I think my first comment when you said "_a couple of weeks in the area_" was - you could spend *months *there!

Have a super time.

Rik


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Thought I owed the contributors a run down.

Camden.. Not as overdeveloped as I thought I would find. Good place for provisions, restaurants and schooner watching.

Seal Bay... Cruised through the Fox Island Thoroughfare and around into the inner harbor. One of the most beautiful places I've ever been on a sailboat.

Isle au Haut Tboroughfare..... Hiking is supposed to be good here, but it rained every minute we were there, so we didn't get the chance. We thought the harbor was just okay. Lots of wakes from lobster boats and the ferry. If I was looking for nothing to do, I would rather be back at Seal Bay or Winter Harbor.

Castine..... Neat little picture perfect Maine town. Very little, but has the basics. Bah's bakehouse and Stella's (same owner)' are must do.

Tenants Harbor.... Also a bit better than I thought. Attractive enough harbor, very friendly people. Cod's End just opening, so we ate at the Happy Clam. You have to see this place. Owned by a German immigrant, so there are many authentic German dishes on the menu along with lobster and seafood standards. Harley signs in the window and celebrity photos cover the walls. None have ever been there.. We asked. Tenants is well positioned to provision before heading west or before heading up to remote places in the Bay.

Freeport.... Seriously developed, of course. It's a full on American capitalistic shopping...... You get the point. We have a friend there who we got to visit. Can't say enough nice things about the staff at Brewers marina. Incredibly helpful. Lobster shack right at the top of the dock. Our first slip in a week, which allowed for laundry and cleanup.

Isle of Shoals.... Very cool little place. We arrived on a Sunday night and expected it to be desolate. Not at all. Only one yacht club mooring available, which are available to transients for free, if unused by a member from Portsmouth, NH. Hotel, which I understand is a Unitarian retreat, had something going on. There were many more houses on the island than I expected.

Provincetown, Cape Cod.... Good geographic location to stop on the way back to the canal, but this couldn't be further from Seal Bay. Tourists, tee shirt shops and lots of flamboyant characters. We preferred Seal Bay. Napi's was a good restaurant and a little off the beaten path.

Martha's Vineyard...... Across Cape Cod Bay, through the canal at slack tide, then through Wood's Hole strait at full on current. That's an adrenaline rush for the unfamiliar. 

A couple of days at the Vineyard and we'll head home. Doesn't look like the weather will allow an overnight anchorage at Tarpoulin Cove, but maybe. Otherwise, we'll get back to Narragansett Bay in time for the Blue Angels airshow this weekend.

It's been a fantastic voyage. We've sailed in 30 kt winds with an oncoming thunderstorm and motored 30 nm offshore in complete doldrums and glass flat seas. We've anchored, taken moorings and a slip. We've awakened to rain and freezing temps as well as sunshine and 70s. Watch caps and full fouls were standard at the beginning of the trip, shorts and bare feet at the end.

Thanks to all for the tips. If we did this 5 more times, we wouldn't get to them all.


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## rikhall (Feb 7, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> Seal Bay... Cruised through the Fox Island Thoroughfare and around into the inner harbor. One of the most beautiful places I've ever been on a sailboat.
> 
> Castine..... Neat little picture perfect Maine town. Very little, but has the basics. Bah's bakehouse and Stella's (same owner)' are must do.
> 
> Thanks to all for the tips. If we did this 5 more times, we wouldn't get to them all.


Good on ya Minnewaska! Now you're going to spoil it because everybody is going to want to come see it. :laugher

My only correction to what you typed would be:

"If we did this *fifty *more times, we wouldn't get to them all."

Come back and enjoy again. Next time, come mid July until Mid August - it will be very different and just a beautiful.

Rik


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

rikhall said:


> Come back and enjoy again. Next time, come mid July until Mid August - it will be very different and just a beautiful.
> 
> Rik


Thanks Rik. I hope to. We have a lot of plans and it's the one thing that made me sad. I'm not sure when it will fit in the rotation again. Probably not for a few years. Nevertheless, we really enjoyed it.

We picked these weeks intentionally to avoid all the traffic of Jul and Aug and I would recommend them to anyone willing to be a bit more on their own. Many places would have been tougher to sneak our LOA into without a reservation and we didn't want to make any.

Again. Many thanks.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Sounds like you had an awesome trip....and cant wait to do it again. My two times in Maine we had weather from the extremes of the spectrum. What struck me most was the unbridled unspoiled beauty and the friendlieness of the locals.. 


Thanks for the update/

Dave


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

This is worth noting. We returned to RI today and the Blue Angels were practicing for their weekend show. As we came up West Passage, they were banking directly around us. Honestly, while I heard the USCG securite call, I swore I wasn't supposed to be where I was. One banked (honestly 100 ft above our mast) and we saw the pilot in the cockpit. They were practicing their "low show"' for the weekend as ceilings were 800 ft. 

My wife said, "isn't that nice that they brought the Blue Angels out to celebrate our return". I thought it was funny.

Nailed the docking by the way, which is really the highlight of the entire trip.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Minnewaska said:


> Isle au Haut Tboroughfare..... Hiking is supposed to be good here, but it rained every minute we were there, so we didn't get the chance. We thought the harbor was just okay. Lots of wakes from lobster boats and the ferry. If I was looking for nothing to do, I would rather be back at Seal Bay or Winter Harbor.


That sucks about the weather because you truly missed one of the crown jewel's of the Maine Coast. The island is spectacular and the hiking is amazing. Frenchboro is another one. We spend an entire day every year hiking IAH island and have still not hit all the trails. The thorofare is a true working harbor and one of the few that is friendly to visiting Yachtsman. As a local you appreciate this type of spot a lot more than a place like Camden or Tennants but as a visitor places like Camden probably seem better...

I've been cruising this cast for over 37 years, since I was just a kid with my parents, and have still not seen it all.... Just hiked a new island this past weekend we had never done..


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Maine Sail said:


> That sucks about the weather because you truly missed one of the crown jewel's of the Maine Coast. The island is spectacular and the hiking is amazing. Frenchboro is another one. We spend an entire day every year hiking IAH island and have still not hit all the trails. The thorofare is a true working harbor and one of the few that is friendly to visiting Yachtsman. As a local you appreciate this type of spot a lot more than a place like Camden or Tennants but as a visitor places like Camden probably seem better...
> 
> I've been cruising this cast for over 37 years, since I was just a kid with my parents, and have still not seen it all.... Just hiked a new island this past weekend we had never done..


We've done some serious hiking and really hoped to give IAH a try.

To this visitor, Seal Bay was better (much more than Camden or Tenants). The later just were not as Disney ad I expected, which was good.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Minnewaska said:


> We've done some serious hiking and really hoped to give IAH a try.
> 
> To this visitor, Seal Bay was better (much more than Camden or Tenants). The later just were not as Disney ad I expected, which was good.


Seal Bay is really one of the best. The Basin on Vinalhaven is even more of that but you need big brass man jewells to go in there..


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

*I enjoyed your commentary.*



Minnewaska said:


> We've done some serious hiking and really hoped to give IAH a try.
> 
> To this visitor, Seal Bay was better (much more than Camden or Tenants). The later just were not as Disney ad I expected, which was good.


Some come downeast for the solitude only. I think they miss something. Maines an eclectic coast and some attractions, like Camden, are more seasonally geared toward the tourist industry. But they also have a long working harbor history that's interesting if you like that sort of thing.

We live right in Rockport Harbor but still enjoy going to Camden (I can walk there in 15 minutes) every now and then on our sailboat.

The trick is not to overnight on the moorings in Camden, but get an inner float or spring for a dock inside(as it sounds you did). It's quite a harbor to watch it all go by, especially knowing the seafaring history there. Solitude,...not. 

Conversely, I can be in a secluded anchorage just a couple hours from my mooring in Rockport. In fact you can go from secluded to crowded (Maine crowded is relative), just by changing your tack in Penobscot Bay.

We've been sailing Penobscot Bay now for nearly 2 decades and still feel there's much to explore. The sailing conditions here are fantastic! Second to none.

I think that's what I enjoy most about living and sailing this area. It's the old Maine and the New Maine. Take your pick. For some, Penobscot Bay is too new and they head farther downeast. It's good to have that option so close.

Every few years, we hang a right out of the bay and head to the Cape.

While it's a little more difficult, I can find enough seclusion down that way as well. The area too is rich in history and beautiful.

We're lucky to be right in the middle of all of it!

Glad you enjoyed yourselves and took many areas in.

PS Rockport where we live and keep our boat, is a quiet working harbor. Not too much going on. Mainesail is right, over rated.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

TomMaine said:


> PS Rockport where we live and keep our boat, is a quiet working harbor. Not too much going on. Mainesail is right, over rated.


Just doing my part to keep the riff-raff out...


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## rikhall (Feb 7, 2008)

Maine Sail said:


> The Basin on Vinalhaven is even more of that but you need big brass man jewells to go in there..


Yup, we circled, we looked, we circled, we said "Maybe not! There is probably a *trick *to it"

But - we do want to try it. Maybe this year.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

rikhall said:


> Yup, we circled, we looked, we circled, we said "Maybe not! There is probably a *trick *to it"
> 
> But - we do want to try it. Maybe this year.


The trick is to go in with the dinghy. There are MANY non-charted erratic boulders thrown like marbles along the entrance. It can be done but I won't do it again after going in at low tide in the dinghy and seeing the sheer number of gigantic erratics along the entrance.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Maine is back on the rotation!! We're planning a two week cruise this summer and will try to hit a few more of the above recommendations. Thanks again to all!

This time, we're planning the 24 to 30 hr direct sail from the Cape Cod Canal to the Maine coast. So I'm looking for the best landing spot when we get there. Here's what I'm hoping for......

No brainer access (my wife may not do well with the watch system and I may have been up for 30 hrs straight)
Well protected so it's not vulnerable to Murphy's Law and exposed the day we arrive.
No concern over anchorage or mooring availability, but no reservation.
Probably a Sun or Mon arrival, if that matters for accessibility.
A little town would be nice to get off the boat and have a meal (maybe after I sleep). Not mandatory.
Prefer not to motor or jibe up a long inland passage. Once we see land, we're going to want to drop the hook soon.
We're think of Penobscot area, give or take, but open to all recommendations.

We're very excited about coming back.

Thanks in advance.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Head straight for MDI and grab a mooring at NE Harbor. This is a good spot to begin meandering your way back West....

If you really want to enjoy Maine do a Man's delivery trip the week before and grab a one way rental home. Start your trip in Maine and maximize......


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Thanks MS. We've been to MDI hiking before, but have never been by boat. Is NE harbor going to have both moorings (54ft swing) and anchorage easily available without reservation, in July?


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Thanks for restarting this thread. 
If you only had 12 -14d and you were starting in Barrington R.I. Where would you go?
Limitations 6'6" draft. Just me and the bride for watches.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

outbound said:


> Thanks for restarting this thread.
> If you only had 12 -14d and you were starting in Barrington R.I. Where would you go?
> Limitations 6'6" draft. Just me and the bride for watches.


Essentially identical requirements and crew resources. One other factor is your swing. Many mooring fields don't have many options over 50 ft.

To do Maine in two weeks, at least one way will need to be a long couple of days to get it done. Our plan is to bang that out early and hop back. Last time, as you read above, we had her delivered out and we sailed her back. Luxurious. This time, my wife actually wants to give the overnight a try. She's only been sailing for 6ish years now. So that I don't ruin my chances on future longer passages she will be willing to come along on, conditions are going to need to be ideal.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

I'm a little luckier. Although wife is new to sailing (3+ yrs.) she was a powerboat live aboard in her youth. She is safe to stand single handed watches and stare at the screens but needs me on deck for major evolutions ( reefing, changing sail plan or major wind shifts). We did go to Maine last year with just the two of us. She has done multiple long coastal hops ( back and forth to Hampton, Norfolk and Annapolis) so I trust her to be safe even in fog or at night.
She's still working so options are there and back during her limited summer vacation or there and her rent a car to get home leaving me on the boat until she gets another multi day break and does another one way rental to help get back to homeport. 
In past we get to Penobscot with in a long day as its "down east" ( no beating and can count on 7+ knots) but back is another thing and takes 2 days.
Trying to decide what to do.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Love Penobscot and will definitely head there again. Saw about 2% of it in a full week. Shore hop down to Casco, perhaps, then may try Marblehead in one shot back from there.


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## jhwelch (May 9, 2015)

Minnewaska said:


> Thanks MS. We've been to MDI hiking before, but have never been by boat. Is NE harbor going to have both moorings (54ft swing) and anchorage easily available without reservation, in July?


It is my understanding that the moorings in NE Harbor are first come first served. They do have some for your size boat, see this rate schedule:
http://www.mtdesert.org/Public_Documents/MtDesertME_Harbor/2015 Summer rates.pdf

There is no good anchorage there. You might be happy anchoring near the Cranberry Islands, but an even better choice is go up to Somes Harbor. There is plenty of room to anchor there, there is a dinghy landing and dumpster, and one of the free bus routes passes right by, making it a 15 minute ride to Bar Harbor.

I usually want to stretch my legs, so I will walk down to the bus stop at the Somesville Library, a short and easy trip, plus you can sit and enjoy the view of the water or of the flowers along a little bridge nearby. If you have a heavy load of laundry, etc. you can flag the bus down. If the bus is full (which happens later in the morning/day) it will not stop, since it will have picked up a full load in SouthWest Harbor and other points along the way, so best to plan your errands earlier in the day.


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

Heading all the way to MDI is a good idea. But if winds aren't cooperating - weather turns - crew is tired, Penobscot Bay will shave off hours and miles. 

There are not many great options for what you're looking for in a landing area in the outer bay. 

Knowing you have your wives onboard, you might consider going a few more hours and come right up the middle of the outer bay to North Haven Village on North Haven(the island). No farther than running to Camden. 

You'll find: available moorings at Browns(rarely all taken but they might be light on 50' swing-you might check), or good anchoring right in the Thoroughfare and other nearby areas. 

All are snug and well protected for a good nights sleep after the crossing. 

North Haven is a very nice town to walk and explore, sit and relax. Some excellent options for food these days too with Nebo Lodge-nice outdoor seating and great food. Also the newish Calderwood Hall which has lighter fare but also very good. A few galleries, small shops, farmers market weekends. 

From the Thoroughfare you have too many choices to list here, not far away, all sailable.


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

One more thought Mini is to land after the overnight in the outer islands and get some rest. One place I think you can count on to at least have room to anchor, and likely a mooring free is Swans (Burnt Coat). After a dead head trip when we had the 52, we stopped there. The advantage if you're burnt out from your "watch system" (been there), you don't have to do as much navigating near stuff you can hit, and the harbor is definitely all weather/any wind direction. The disadvantage is not much to do except perhaps pick up some live lobsters and cook them up yourself. Rest up, then 10 miles or so into Northeast, Southwest, Somes, etc.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

capecodda said:


> .....One place I think you can count on to at least have room to anchor, and likely a mooring free is Swans (Burnt Coat).......


Thanks CC. This is our leading contender right now and was also recommended as a good spot in the above thread years back. Seems fully protected and easy access with both moorings and anchorage. Just what the doc ordered. We are now going to arrive on Mon morning or Tue morning, weather permitting.

The Taft book says the moorings are surprisingly expensive. My first choice will be to drop the hook, but is anyone aware of what the price of admission is?


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Minnewaska said:


> Thanks CC. This is our leading contender right now and was also recommended as a good spot in the above thread years back. Seems fully protected and easy access with both moorings and anchorage. Just what the doc ordered. We are now going to arrive on Mon morning or Tue morning, weather permitting.
> 
> The Taft book says the moorings are surprisingly expensive. My first choice will be to drop the hook, but is anyone aware of what the price of admission is?


Last time in there I remember ending up on one of the lobsterman's moorings, and making a deal for a couple of bugs + the mooring as he came by in his lobster boat. Don't recall what the "deal" was, but I do recall a pretty nice dinner on board.


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> The Taft book says the moorings are surprisingly expensive. My first choice will be to drop the hook, but is anyone aware of what the price of admission is?


We were in Burnt Coat just a few years ago and rented a mooring. There were several 'maintained' by a local. He came out daily in his skiff to collect $25, I recall.

And there is tons of space to anchor inside. In fact we watched 2 80' schooners find room to anchor, all under sail.

It's a real fishing village that is very interesting. We tied our dinghy to a fisherman's dock and did some hiking.

Maine's Working Harbors, a Precious Commodity | Maine

Anywhere between the Western shore of Penobscot Bay and MDI, be prepared with fuel, provisions and water. There are few options in the island areas.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

TomMaine said:


> .....Anywhere between the Western shore of Penobscot Bay and MDI, be prepared with fuel, provisions and water. There are few options in the island areas.


Excellent point. We should be fine for quite a while. Our water tankage will usually last for the full two weeks, but we'll opportunistically top up somewhere. Even if we motored the entire trip from RI, I would burn maybe half our fuel.

I thought I read you could grab a bite in Burnt Cove. Lobster shack sort of thing I thought I recalled. Taft books is aboard and I'm heading back out tonight.


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> I thought I read you could grab a bite in Burnt Cove. Lobster shack sort of thing I thought I recalled. Taft books is aboard and I'm heading back out tonight.


There were no restaurants, no lobster shacks visible when we were there last. I don't recall a single business except those involved in the commercial fishery at Burnt Coat.

There may have been a small home based bakery with a tea room. It had no advertised hours or fare, maybe a guest house or B&B?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

TomMaine said:


> There were no restaurants, no lobster shacks visible when we were there last. I don't recall a single business except those involved in the commercial fishery at Burnt Coat.
> 
> There may have been a small home based bakery with a tea room. It had no advertised hours or fare, maybe a guest house or B&B?


I needed to get back aboard to my Taft book and just arrived. No shack as I thought I recalled.

However, several takeout options, it says. Swan's Island Boathouse reportedly has ice cream, sandwiches, produce and will cook lobster and chowder and deliver them to your boat! Trafton's wharf reportedly sells cooked lobster, clams and scallops. Then, Underwater Taxi reportedly sells lobster, steamers, scallops, crabmeat, chowder and fish and will cook what you want for a fee.

Any sound familiar? Could be dated info. I have the fifth edition, copyright 2008.

I'm sure they are predominantly commercial ops. Couple of tips on how to buy diesel, while the fleet is out too. Great book.


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

My most recent visit aligns with Tom's data. The place on the warf where the lobster boats go would sell you some live ones, but that was about it last visit. 

If the weather is good, you could go over to Long Island (Frenchboro) which is only a couple of miles away. They've got a couple of places that will cook something up for you. Last year the inner moorings (which are a stretch for your boat) where no longer rented (although you could take one most days), but there were a number of moorings a bit further out available for rent that could take your boat. Since they are a bit less sheltered, I'd consider this on more a of a settled prevailing SW night, where Burnt Coat is all weather. You could make this call based on weather on your approach. I've anchored there but it's a pebbly bottom not the best holding.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I still think it will be Plan A. Well protected and no worries to find anchorage or mooring, with good access from the passage. Food was a bonus, although, my wife may set diff priorities. Should I just point her to the book and shrug my shoulders after we get there? Devil on one shoulder, angel on the other. Problem is, the devil is always wielding a pitchfork and the angel is defenseless.


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> I needed to get back aboard to my Taft book and just arrived. No shack as I thought I recalled.
> 
> However, several takeout options, it says. Swan's Island Boathouse reportedly has ice cream, sandwiches, produce and will cook lobster and chowder and deliver them to your boat! Trafton's wharf reportedly sells cooked lobster, clams and scallops. Then, Underwater Taxi reportedly sells lobster, steamers, scallops, crabmeat, chowder and fish and will cook what you want for a fee.
> 
> ...


We didn't see any of those in 2013(I think), 5 years beyond that Taft edition.

We may have been there during the week instead of the weekend, but it was August.

Things change every season on the islands. I would be prepared(warn your crew) to cook and eat onboard.

If there are options at Burnt Coat, that will be great news to hear.


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## jhwelch (May 9, 2015)

If arriving in the dark Rockland would be a lot easier to get into than the places that have already been discussed....but you probably already know that. 

-jonathan


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Absent an emergency, there will be no night arrivals in rocky minefield of Maine.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Looks like we're going to be on the Maine coast for the fourth of July. 

Any suggestions on where to be for the festivities? Or, as important, where to avoid? It would probably be nice to see some fireworks.


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Minnewaska said:


> Absent an emergency, there will be no night arrivals in rocky minefield of Maine.


Agree.. the biggest problem is not hitting the mind field of lobstah traps in the dark. I've been Yarmouth NS to Mt Desert, ended up arriving early and actually stopped and drifted about 10 miles out when the pots started to appear and waited for daylight. What's all those little dots on the radar, oh I see now.....


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Up and back to Maine. Many thanks, once again, to all those that helped the planning. Figure I owe you a brief trip report, before we crash at home. This was our route, by ports of call.

Hadley Harbor - a gale force storm was expected on the first night, so we planned to tuck back into inner Hadley. Held well all night, with sustained 35kt winds in the harbor at dawn. Dragged, just before we were ready to depart, in a gust well above the 35kt sustained.

Red Brook Harbor - Kingman marina. Great place to hole up before entering the canal. The aforementioned storm was now over Cape Cod and Mass Bay. 10ft seas at 10 second intervals. We chose dinner at the Chart Room.

Swans Island, Burnt Coat Harbor - We dropped our lines a 5:30am to grab the current in the canal and spent the next 26hrs direct enroute to Maine and dropped the hook the following morning at 7:30am. This was the perfect Harbor to land in. Plenty of anchorage, well protected. There were four schooners in the anchorage when we arrived. Fell straight asleep. We tried 2 hr overnight watches. I slept about an hour of my wife's first, and 45 mins of her second. I did the other 3 watches between dinner and coffee in the am. She did great, but found a large fishing vessel on one watch and a field of lobster pots in, no kidding, 300 feet of water, about 20nm south of Mintincus Island. From about mid-night on, it got very cold. I thought I bundled well enough, but it was damp and 50-55 degs. It bit right through you.

Bucks Harbor - Sailed a reach up the Eggemoggin Reach to Bucks. A little rain squall actually gave us a wind boost we didn't expect. The eastern entrance held the record for the most carpeted lobsters pots I've seen to date. Most have a float on the pot, with a tether to a second float. You can't split the two, or you'll tangle the tether. At one point, they were all so close and there were so many, it was impossible to tell which two went together. I just drifted through and made it without issue. A miracle. 

Camden - grabbed a mooring and went in to provision and have a good meal ashore. The Great Schooner Race was the next day, fun to watch.

Pulpit Harbor - some say it's too crowded or too popular or whatever. I missed it last time, but would have trouble ever passing it again. Beautiful. We spent two nights, including Jul 4 in the harbor. Provisions are <1 mile walk, very protected, good holding. We took the dinghy all the way to the head of the harbor at high tide, just short of the dam, to picnic in the RIB. Then down and all the way to the head of Cabbot Cove. Each of these are high and dry at low tide. Very fun.

BoothBay Harbor - Glad we can say we've been, but its a tourist t-shirt town. Downeast Ice Cream was a highlight and a must, if you go. We did enjoy watching the final game, where the US won the Women's World Cup, at a bar in town. The place went wild. 

Portland - An unlikely and somewhat unexpected stop. Short story is that I reconnected with a childhood friend, whose family moved to Maine when we were in high school. Our families were very close, parents and children. I last saw him at his wedding years later. Our Mother's are still close to this day, but we hadn't seen each other in 30 years. It was great to reconnect. We also had a great meal at a restaurant called Street & Co. It's a must! The anchorage, however, off Fish Point is not great. Heavy wake, no protection and so-so holding. I suspect it's thin mud over gravel, based on the shoreline. The Old Port section of town is worth a visit. Get a slip or mooring.

Portsmouth, NH - Just a stop over on the way. Bad experience. Tried to anchor off Kittery Point, in front of the mooring field. The holding is awful. We could get it to bite, but reverse just pulled it out. We took a mooring in front of the yacht club. The river runs 4kts and, at 4am, another boat separated from her mooring and collided with us. Did some cosmetic damage and banged up the forestay chainplate. Amazing how the damage can add up.

Hadley Harbor - repeat, after 13 hrs south from NH. This time in the outside harbor, which is less protected, but I think has much better holding.

Cuttyhunk - Old time fav. Remarkably quite. It was a Fri night, but only two outside moorings were occupied, including us. Several weren't even floated yet, with just the winter stick in place. Odd. 

Back home. Dreaming of the next cruise already.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Sounds like great fun except the boat getting hit. What a shame. Hope you got the name of the truck. Heading up in August so thanks for sharing your experience.


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

Minne,

I hear horror stories about the Piscataqua. Standing wave you could surf on, moves back and forth depending on tide. Zillions of boats. Next time, consider Isle of Shoals about 7 miles out. You can anchor or grab a PYS mooring. Other that Portsmouth, glad you had a good time and hit all the high lights.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

DonScribner said:


> Minne,
> 
> I hear horror stories about the Piscataqua. Standing wave you could surf on, moves back and forth depending on tide. Zillions of boats. Next time, consider Isle of Shoals about 7 miles out. You can anchor or grab a PYS mooring. Other that Portsmouth, glad you had a good time and hit all the high lights.


Last trip, we did grab a mooring at the Isle of Shoals, but it was tight. It's my understanding that anchoring is not good. You might grab a rock and think you're set, but I read in one of the cruising guides that its just a pool table with a few rocks on it down there.

I did check the PYC website and, indeed, their moorings are free, as long as a member does not arrive and need it. You are required to vacate if they do. I also noted they set a 42ft limit.

We arrived at Portsmouth at around 7:30. It was closer to 9pm by the time I gave up trying to get the hook set and made it over to the yacht club. I bet I tried 6 times in separate places. I noted reviews of the anchorage that said it was good holding. I will bet they never tried to back down on their anchor.

We just made about 5 or so hours down from Portland and I was highly tempted to just bail out of the harbor and do another overnight. If the sun weren't setting, I would have. Getting past the lobster pots at the harbor entrance and the random fields offshore were the deterrent.

Taking Portsmouth out of the equation, the one issue with a cruise to Maine is this leg, between the Maine Coast and either Provincetown or the Rockport/Glouster area. There's little between.

I hindsight, I should have departed Portland at sunrise and made Provincetown or maybe Marblehead by sunset.


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice trip report! Good going. Glad swans was on the money, worked many times for us.

Our favorite stop in Portsmouth (although wicked pricey) is the Wentworth Marina. Nice people, a few good restaurants, courtesy car to add provisions, fuel, and lots of old friends. They are very accustomed to handling boats your size and bigger on the docks.

I cannot think of a dead head to Maine when I was warm on night watch.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

capecodda said:


> Nice trip report! Good going. Glad swans was on the money, worked many times for us.
> 
> Our favorite stop in Portsmouth (although wicked pricey) is the Wentworth Marina. Nice people, a few good restaurants, courtesy car to add provisions, fuel, and lots of old friends. They are very accustomed to handling boats your size and bigger on the docks.
> 
> I cannot think of a dead head to Maine when I was warm on night watch.


Thanks for the alternate Portsmouth referral. I might have otherwise truly gone out of my way to avoid the harbor next time.

As for being cold, we certainly anticipated. It wasn't finger numbing cold, just damp and piercing. I wore the following:

Ski thermal base layer
Ordinary long sleeve shirt
Barbour Storm sweater 
Mid-weight foulie
Watch cap

I've been comfortably outdoors in the winter with nothing but that sweater and a t-shirt on. If anyone is unfamiliar, look them up. Classics. Worth every penny

I swore I was prepared. I did the 8pm to 10pm without issue, then slept in the cockpit. 12am to 2am ended with a dash below to shake off the damp cold. 4am through sunrise was just as tough.

Still, all worth it.


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## jvlassak (Oct 1, 2009)

Thanks for the report - it was very helpful. We're leaving for Penobscot on Sunday. Idea is more or less the same: go straight to Penobscot from Salem, spend time there (Camden, Castine, North Haven/Vinalhaven, Isle au Haut...) and then sail back with several stops along the coast. We have about two weeks, so should be doable I think.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Minnewaska said:


> Last trip, we did grab a mooring at the Isle of Shoals, but it was tight. It's my understanding that anchoring is not good. You might grab a rock and think you're set, but I read in one of the cruising guides that its just a pool table with a few rocks on it down there.
> 
> I did check the PYC website and, indeed, their moorings are free, as long as a member does not arrive and need it. You are required to vacate if they do. I also noted they set a 42ft limit.
> 
> ...


Yup- The Piscatiqua sucks because of the tides and the current, and if you can't pick up a vacant mooring at the Isle of Shoals, the anchorage can be very hard.
Fun sailing, crappy place to stay.


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## cthoops (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks for the report. Maine is on our bucket list. Glad you had a good time (well, except for the collision of course).


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## jhwelch (May 9, 2015)

I have been working at the Isles of Shoals and running the launch for a little bit this year. In settled conditions there is an anchorage with adequate swinging room and holding in the NE corner of the harbor, close to the pier that juts out from Cedar Island. I've anchored there in the past when the harbor was full and my only problem once was another boat arriving late and anchoring too close and after we bumped in the night we rafted up so we all could go back to bed quickly.

Every weekend is going to be different out there. Last Friday was a beautiful day and boats only started to arrive very late in the afternoon. By Saturday morning the harbor was quite full, with several largish-rafts.


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## jvlassak (Oct 1, 2009)

jhwelch said:


> I have been working at the Isles of Shoals and running the launch for a little bit this year. In settled conditions there is an anchorage with adequate swinging room and holding in the NE corner of the harbor, close to the pier that juts out from Cedar Island. I've anchored there in the past when the harbor was full and my only problem once was another boat arriving late and anchoring too close and after we bumped in the night we rafted up so we all could go back to bed quickly.
> 
> Every weekend is going to be different out there. Last Friday was a beautiful day and boats only started to arrive very late in the afternoon. By Saturday morning the harbor was quite full, with several largish-rafts.


I've been told that one can anchor on either side of that peer depending on the conditions - have you ever tried anchoring at the other side?


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## jhwelch (May 9, 2015)

The room to anchor is just NW to SE of that pier. To the north there is the jetty. I have seen boats anchor on the ocean side of that jetty. The holding there is excellent. I once watched a large yacht plunge on its anchor for at least a day during a storm (why they anchored on the wrong side of the jetty for that storm I did not understand).

http://i.imgur.com/CI3OxDp.jpg


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## warren22 (Jun 22, 2015)

I sailed "upper" Casco Bay of 29 years. Check out South Freeport (Harraseeket river), well sheltered. Also, the area behind "The Goslings" Depending on the wind, there are many islands you can duck behind for an overnight.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We got to Freeport on the last trip. Very developed, but worth seeing. I recall a pretty good current up there, but we were tied to a Brewer's slip for that visit.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Minnewaska said:


> Thanks for the alternate Portsmouth referral. I might have otherwise truly gone out of my way to avoid the harbor next time.
> 
> As for being cold, we certainly anticipated. It wasn't finger numbing cold, just damp and piercing. I wore the following:
> 
> ...


What does an overnight at Wentworth cost? Place is pretty swanky- can't be cheap.


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## jvlassak (Oct 1, 2009)

We just returned from our trip to Maine - we had a wonderful time. I got a lot of information from this thread (and a few others), so I figured I'd add some of my experiences.

We left from Salem on Sunday, July 19, a bright sunny day, in a straight shot for Penobscot. Initially we had light southerly winds, but ran into a nasty thunderstorm at night. Wind went from southerly to about 30 knot on the nose, and then diminished again. At one point there were so many lightning bolts I could read a book during my watch. 

We made landfall at Monhegan early Monday Morning, on my wife's watch, and continued on to Camden via the Muscle Ridge channel under foggy conditions. Fields of lobster traps in the channel. We stayed two nights in Camden at Wayfarer Marine to meet up with family. A nice, but expensive, marina with good facilities, where we were docked (dwarfed) between two mega-yachts. The marina provides launch service for their moorings.

Next stop was Castine, where we first picked up a mooring at Eaton's Boatyard – they have a few, but no launch service. The current in the river was running strong (~ 4 knots), so we moved to the dock to make it easier for the kids to get to shore. Docking at Eaton's Boatyard is expensive and there are no facilities. Castine is a pleasant little town that time forgot. Very nice little farmers market on Thursdays. Bah’s bakery is now MarKel’s bakery – they still sell excellent pastries and quiches, but don’t to breakfast to order anymore. We had the best steamers ever in the restaurant next to the marina.

Next stop was Pulpit Harbor, where we picked up a mooring - beautiful place but quite crowded. A number of vessels were anchored, but anchoring space seemed greatly reduced by the number of moorings in the harbor. Grocery store nearby. 

The trip's highlight was Seal Bay, even though the weather wasn't great. Quiet, secluded, wonderful. Easy anchoring with good holding in muddy bottom. Great place for the kids to paddle around and look for wildlife.

The next day we sailed through the Fox Island thorofare to Tenants Harbor, where we stayed at the Lyman-Morse boatyard. Lyman-Morse has sold the facility and it is now called Tenants Harbor Boat Yard. All in all a very nice experience. The marina has limited but very clean facilities and the folks were very friendly and helpful. A short walk to town, where we had dinner at the German restaurant – very good food.

Next stop was Boothbay Harbor, where we stayed at Tugboat Inn and Marina. Nice facilities, but bring quarters for your shower. Pretty much in downtown with a short walk to many restaurants. Enjoyed browsing in the bookstore and had dinner at the Lobster Dock a quintessential NE eatery with reasonable food.

Our second to last stop was in Portland, where we stayed at the Demillo’s. Excellent, but noisy, location in the old harbor district, very clean facilities. Lots of wake action because of the ferries, but well worth it for its proximity to the old town. Lots of excellent restaurants in Portland.

Our last stop was planned for Portsmouth, where we were hoping to stay at Wentworth’s Marina (based on recommendations in this thread). Unfortunately there was no space when we called in, and we diverted to Isles of Shoals instead. Picked up a mooring and enjoyed a spectacular sunset. Well protected from southerly winds. Apparently there is a very good anchorage with good holding across the pier to Smuttynose in case of northerlies. It was a long journey from Portland to Isles of Shoals with 15 knot winds about 15° of our bow. We tried sailing for a while, but motored most of the time to reach at a reasonable time.

Left Isles of Shoals around 5:30 am to reach Salem around 1pm, just ahead of a cold front with a line of squalls. Very nice close-haul/reach sailing once we rounded Cape Ann.

All in all a spectacular trip, we’ll definitely go back. We saw whales, dolphins and seals. The weather was a mixed bag with lots of cloudy days, rain, fog, and some thunderstorms. We motored more than we expected, but that was in part due to some of the long distances we had to cover in single days (the bane of a schedule!). Since this was our first trip to Maine and our first extended stay on our PSC, we opted to stay at marinas most of the time. Next trip, I’ll think more carefully about the itinerary and we will be anchoring a lot more in the islands. The towns are nice, but the islands and bays are glorious. Oh, and watch for the lobster traps…we were careful but still managed to catch one with our prop. The fields of lobster traps are a bit of a nuisance, but it’s the single lobster traps that pop up out of nowhere that you really have to be alert for – they go straight for the prop.


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

Going from Salem next month and plan a straight shot to Rockland. I didn't have any real plan after that other than I know I need to be back. Hopefully this year the fog will lift early as I didn't crap last year other than the bow of the boat till around noon.

if anyone has sights worth seeing south of Rockland let me know. We like things other than just another pretty island. For example we liked Jewell Island with the Navy ruins etc.

Is Bath worth the trip up the river?


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## jvlassak (Oct 1, 2009)

Don0190 said:


> Going from Salem next month and plan a straight shot to Rockland. I didn't have any real plan after that other than I know I need to be back. Hopefully this year the fog will lift early as I didn't crap last year other than the bow of the boat till around noon.
> 
> if anyone has sights worth seeing south of Rockland let me know. We like things other than just another pretty island. For example we liked Jewell Island with the Navy ruins etc.
> 
> Is Bath worth the trip up the river?


We had a good time in Rockland - nice little village with a very friendly harbor master and the ruins of an old lime furnace.


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## jhwelch (May 9, 2015)

If you go up to Bath be aware that the current there is very strong and time you arrival and departure accordingly.

South of Rockland there is Harbor Island, a sweet place to anchor, beach the dinghy, and walk along the trail. A bit south of there is a day stop at Eagle Island, Admiral Pery's summer home, which has been preserved as a museum. After visiting carry on to Harpswell Harbor and anchor for the night.


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

jhwelch said:


> If you go up to Bath be aware that the current there is very strong and time you arrival and departure accordingly.
> 
> South of Rockland there is Harbor Island, a sweet place to anchor, beach the dinghy, and walk along the trail. A bit south of there is a day stop at Eagle Island, Admiral Pery's summer home, which has been preserved as a museum. After visiting carry on to Harpswell Harbor and anchor for the night.


Rockland to Eagle Island is better than 60 miles. So if you intend to make a day stop you best be in the neighborhood! If you do, it's an hour or two to Stover Cove (AKA Harpwell Harbor). Best if you bang a right after the day mark, and tie up at Cooks Lobster House first. Enjoy a Maine meal, buy some ice at the bar on the way out. Now, after rounding the day mark, motor across the bay, mind the buoys, and anchor in 15-20 feet in the large cove off to port. Stover Cove is like a lake most nights. You can hardly feel the boat move.


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