Maine for a week

[hlev00]

Penobscot Bay to Northwest Harbor is awesome cruising. If you can do an overnight, making the jump from Salem to Camden / Rockland or Northwest harbor is a good way to get right into the middle of it. Remember to allow flexibility in your time to return. The prevailing SW usually makes it pretty easy to go Down East. The same SW can make for a lot of upwind work going home. But then you can pick your way south over a couple of days.

Our friends, who go to Maine regularly, prefer from Acadia and beyond as the number of other boats and people really drops off but we haven't made it that far yet.

An another option, we have left our boat in Rockland and picked up a one-way car rental to return the following week. It has been a couple of years, so not sure if Budget is still there.

[Tim R.]

Jewell is nice but crowded this time of year(read loud parties). The anchorage can be considered tight for newbies. Snow Island is a nice wide open anchorage but no more trails as the new owners have shut them down. Great swimming there though. Long driveway.

As for cheap lobster, drop the anchor and go out in the dink in search of an active lobster boat with cash in hand. Then find a nice shoreline to cook your lobbies using a large kettle and one of these: Coleman One Burner Stove - Walmart.com

Sebasco is nice if you like golf, tennis and rolly anchorages. Great stop if you have kids. They have an awesome game room and you can let the kids roam on their own safely.

Other nice places in Casco bay would be the Gooslings in Harpswell, Little Whaleboat and the Basin.

The great thing about coming from the south is that the Maine coast is more EW then NS so you can arrive and jump off from many places without it being much further. A stop at Monhegan and Christmas Cove would also be fun. Although Monhegan is rolly. Totally worth it to feel like you stepped back 100 years in time and some wonderful hiking.

BB Harbor is very touristy.

Portland is a great stop for some great restaurants and entertainment. Looks us up at DiMillos if you are nearby.

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by Paul L

$3.00 a pound for lobster.

We were in Maine around the 4th. I bought 3 lobsters (1.5-2 lbs each) off a lobsterman for $10.

For southern Maine, I recommend York Harbor. Nice harbormaster, moorings are $35 a night. There is a woman up the river who sells cooked lobsters cheap.

Also, there is the coolest pub in the basement of the York Inn. It is made to look like the inside of a ship. Try the rum punch and go for happy hour, they have free food. And not just appetizers but actual food. We had BBQ chicken with potatoes and lasagna.

Fair winds,

Jesse

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

...... A stop at Monhegan and Christmas Cove would also be fun. Although Monhegan is rolly. Totally worth it to feel like you stepped back 100 years in time and some wonderful hiking.
.....

Do you anchor at Monhegan?

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Do you anchor at Monhegan?

No, we pick up a fisherman's mooring and then confirm with the harbor master. Monhegan does their lobstering in January and haul their boats for maintenance in the summer so you can usually get a free mooring. I believe anchoring is not allowed because of the submerged cables.

If you go plan to get there early(before 2pm). One to secure a mooring and two to get somewhere else(2 hours) in case you cannot secure a mooring.

[sailorboy1]

So going next week. I thought Maine cruising was popular and there would be more input (this is a challenge in case it isn't clear).

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Don L

So going next week. I thought Maine cruising was popular and there would be more input (this is a challenge in case it isn't clear).

Originally Posted by Don L

I want to cruise/sight-see not just sail between rocky islands dodging lobster pots or hiking though tick bushes. So plan on a day or so in Portland and later Boothbay harbor or something that I can anchor or catch a mooring.

Most folks who come to Maine to cruise are looking to get AWAY FROM the city life/tourist spots not seeking it out...

If you want suggestions for the idyllic, off the beaten path, Maine cruising myself or Tim R. or others can certainly set you up. If however you are looking to go to Portland, Boothbay etc. and prefer the city life / tourist trap, type of places I figure most of us can't be much help.....

P.S. You can drive to the places you mentioned. The best spots in Maine are not drivable and don't have moorings....

[Whaubner]

I also recommend the guide book.


If you have good weather an overnight to NorthEast harbor is one of our favorites.

In Arcadia Northeast harbor, southwest harbor, Solmes Sound, Sornto. Skip Bar Harbor the mooring and docks are exposed. You can take the bus there for free if you have a need to get there.

Egamoggin Reach to Penobscot Bay.

Castine, , Belfast, Camden, Rockland, Pulpit Harbor, Sylvester Cove are all great spots.

Tenants or Port Clyde on the way back

Booth Bay, 5 islands, Robinhood cove.

Skip Potts harbor at all cost. The lobsterman will practically ram your boat at 4 am.

Sebago, and Portland are nice stops.

Biddeford pool makes a great stop coming or returning. Quick in and pour and jumping off back to Salem.

[Seagull111]

I agree with Maine and the last poster. I'm moored in Belfast and I and most people I know do not even go South and West to Camden, never mind Boothbay or heaven forbid Portland. We all sail down east to get away from the crowded Harbors.

[mrohr]

Hi Don,always enjoy your posts,seems like some here like to beat up on you .
Re weather: Morning calms ,afternoon southwest ,heaviest fog in August. Recommend the Guide to Maine Coast byTaft and Rindlaub
FYI: Coast is East- West not north -South, hence if one is sailing down wind with the prevailing Westerlies one is going: Down East; get it? Correct pronunciation= Lobsta!
Regards mike.

[sailorboy1]

I don't mind NE islands etc. I just don't want a week of "that is all we are doing". I named 2 "cities" to visit in 9 days, that leaves a lot of time to fill in.

There is a limit to anchoring out and going in to a little island that has nothing except ticks, poison ivy, and goose crap.

[sailorboy1]

On second thought never mind. If it is more important to be critical than suggest places I can find places on my own.

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by Don L

On second thought never mind. If it is more important to be critical than suggest places I can find places on my own.

Wow...

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Don L

I don't mind NE islands etc. I just don't want a week of "that is all we are doing". I named 2 "cities" to visit in 9 days, that leaves a lot of time to fill in.

There is a limit to anchoring out and going in to a little island that has nothing except ticks, poison ivy, and goose crap.

You did not specify what type of cruising you wanted "filled in". You got plenty of answers on Boothbay and Portland and there's not much more to say on those. There's not much else on the coast that you can pack into 9 days that resemble Boothbay & Portland. B-Bay and Portland "like" environments are few & far between on this coast and include:

Kennebunkport (near impossible to find an over night spot in there), Rockland, Camden, Belfast, Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor

I've been cruising the Maine coast for nearly 40 years and I can assure you there is no limit to the beauty of this coast and the islands never get old, especially not in 9 days. It can take a lifetime to really see this coast.....

As others have said get the Taft/Rindlaub guide and it will give you all you want..

If you want moorings they range from $25.00/night to $45.00/night:

York Harbor - Inn, restaurants

Handy Boat in Falmouth (not much to do, store within walking distance and restaurant on-site)

Peaks Island - Store, Inn/restaurant (can be ROLLY)

Dolfin Marina - Harpswell (not much to do, restaurant on-site, lobstermen will "wake" you at 4:30 am)

Brewers So. Freeport - Freeport (not much to do within walking distance, touristy lobster shack next door)

Sebasco Harbor - Sebasco Harbor (tourist resort, golf, pool, ice cream, restaurant, showers, can be very ROLLY)

Chebeague Island Boatyard - (Island with roads, gift shop, inn on other side of island)

Chebeague Island Inn - Inn at top of hill has good food.

Christmas Cove - (1 restaurant, moorings nearly always full)

East Boothbay - (restaurant)

Robinhood Marine - (1 restaurant, can be VERY BUGGY)

Five Islands - (touristy lobster shack, moorings fill fast, can be VERY BUGGY)

Great Island Boatyard - Harpswell (boatyard)

Boothbay Region Boatyard - (Boatyard)

Round Pond - (lobster shack)

Port Clyde - Restaurant, gift shop, store, can be ROLLY

[Cormorant]

We recently spent 9 days cruising Casco Bay. We're more inclined to the "rocky islands" kind of destination, but here's some of our itinerary. You really can't go wrong with Maine. It's all unbelievably beautiful.

--Portland (dropped off eldest daughter for camp on Cow Island)
--Little Chebeague (ruins of old hotels and vacation colony, now just hiking trails)
--Jewell (lovely harbor, excellent trails and pebble beaches, cool WWII submarine watchtowers to climb for amazing views of the Bay; only crowded on weekends -- go during the week)
-- Little Whaleboat. Sort of a "secret" anchorage. Not much used. Gorgeous tiny island.
-- Cundy's Harbor. Sweet little town with big fishing/lobstering fleet, two nice general stores (including Watson's, the oldest family-owned general store in Maine). Nice welcoming town docks and a restaurant atop them.
-- Malaga Island. We like to anchor in another "secret" spot between Malaga and Bear Island. Good swimming, and good hiking on Malaga. The island has a very interesting history, in that it was populated mostly by black farmers and fishermen until the state expelled them all in the early 1900s.
-- Eventually we went back to Portland, picked up our daughter from camp, bought pizza, then:
-- Richmond Island just west of Cape Elizabeth. Privately owned by the Sprague family (who own Portland Yacht Service), but they allow access to a perimeter trail, which is pretty incredible: fields, sheep (!), cliffs, beaches, coves.
-- Cliff Island. Really sweet little town. Excellent general store / restaurant run by friendly people. We come back to Cliff year after year.

Places we love but didn't get to this year: South Harpswell (Dolfin marina/restaurant or Estes Lobster house are both good), Seguin Island (awesome views from the lighthouse), Damariscove Island (great trails, beautiful wild island), Monhegan, the puffins on Eastern Egg Rock, Snow/Little Snow (warmest swimming water in the area) . . .

Again -- you really can't go wrong. Have a great time.