Cruising in Maine

Just joined this forum. We have been cruising in Maine for the past two months and will do so again next year. Wondering if anyone else here is also in Maine. The cruising fleet is small compared to our last visit to Maine in 2004.


Weather has been unusually great until recently when some heavy fog has really shut us down for three days.

Presently we are in the Mud Hole on Great Waas Island and headed west to Rockland by Sep 1. Would like to hear from others up here.

Herk and Milly
CODA, 1983 40' Present Europa Sedan
trawlercoda.blogspot.com
G.HERK@COX.NET

I'm not there but I would like to see some pictures if you have some.

Pix at our blog
trawlercoda.blogspot.com

I've lived in Maine for the past 20 years although we've been cruising south for the last 8+ years - we're in Castine on the Penobscot Bay. I've cruised the Maine coast extensively during that time and have been in Mud Hole too. You're pretty close to Roque Island - a place that you should definitely spend a couple of days at. It's probably the most unique anchorage on the coast there.

I have a mooring in Smiths Cove across from Castine that any cruising boater is welcome to. There have been a variety of trawlers on it all summer. Write back if you need info/directions. It's made to handle my 80,000 lb trawler in a cat 2 hurricane.

The fog will clear - we're finally getting some needed wet weather. As September approaches, the fog will go away. September is the best month for cruising Maine. We've left heading south as late as October 7th without any issues.

Penobscot Bay is our "home" area. We just got in yesterday from attending the annual Sweet Chariot Music Festival on Swan's Island (Burnt Coat Harbor). Great music! Crossing the Jericho Bay "minefield" (lobster pots) in a thick fog, chop and tide is always an interesting experience.

We were wind bound in the Mud Hole for four days two years ago. And, yes, Roque Island is not to be missed. We were fortunate that my wife knows one of the Gardner family that (with the Monks family) owns Roque and had a guided tour of the island. Quite a place that has been in the same family (except for a brief hiatus) since the early 1800's.

Rocque and other beauties

Thanks for your replies.

We were in Lakeman on Rocque 5 days ago. The Rocque archipelago is pure Maine Magic.

We had planned to go to St Andrews, but have changed our plans. We will winter CODA in Rockland at JEM this winter instead of returning to Newport.

Then next year we will pick up where we left off and go to Canada and Nova Scotia.

The only missing element has been having one or two buddy boats to share this with and that is a real surprise as in the past we found them easily.

Codacap said:

The only missing element has been having one or two buddy boats to share this with and that is a real surprise as in the past we found them easily.

Click to expand...

Many moorings, both resident and transient, are empty this year and the smaller cruising boats, both power and sail, have been fewer in number. Large yachts seem to be around as usual. Economy having its effect on the middle class?

Journey's End is a fine facility. Make sure to tell Greg that you know ActiveCaptain - that'll tell him that you're going to write a review about your experience.

I have had JEM do significant work for me in the past. It was an excellent experience and I'd use them again in a heartbeat.

Just ran the boat up past you (in the fog, no doubt) to St. Andrews, NB last weekend. Turned pretty foggy - I'm grateful for radar! ]We too enjoy the Mistake Island and Wass island area. If you haven't yet run all the way Downeast to New Brunswick, be sure and give it a try! The Lubec Narrows (between Campobello Island, and Lubec Maine can be challenging. For your first run, I'd suggest the Letete Passage at the north end of Campobello. You can clear into Canada after entering Head Harbor( a great protected Hurricane-Hole). With just a call to CanPass, we were cleared in. I'm using US Cellular as cell provider and was able to connect (as a Local call) about 75% of the time. My wife is on Verizon, and she was roaming on Bell Atlantic most of the time = $$$$. The rivers at the north end of Passamaquoddy Bay are almost completely undeveloped! St Andrews is small, quaint, but becoming more commercial. Oh, and whales? Off the northe end Campobello, some very deep water if funnelled up at East Quoddy Head lighthouse - one often sees a frenzy of feeding there. Enjoy! A few Pictures at the following link

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151018990503370.435073.679188369&type=1

We came up here from the Chesapeake in June and will probably move here next summer. We're mostly out of Southwest Harbor. Will post pics when I'm on the real computer vs this phone. This is some of the finest people and scenery on the planet. Headed to Rockland tomorrow then Bristol and Boothbay them back to Acadia till the leaves change.