Maine Yacht Charters
Maine Sailing Itinerary from Mid-Coast and Downeast Maine (7 Day Cruise)
Explore the rugged and beautiful coast of Maine, where there are literally hundreds of picturesque islands, coves and harbors. The following New England sailing vacation offers visits to out of the way fishing villages accessible only by boat as well as seacoast towns with restaurants and shops. Allow Luxury yacht charters to plan every detail of your trip so you can just relax and enjoy the ride.
Day 1
Meet your yacht charter in Southwest Harbor and enjoy lunch onboard while watching the harbor activity. Sail through the famous Hinckley Yacht moorings and view some of the prettiest sailboats ever. Then we will set sail for Frenchboro, Long Island passing Placentia, Black, and Gott’s island on the way. If the tide is low, we’ll see seals on rocky ledges along the way.
Frenchboro is a traditional off shore Maine fishing village with a 200+ year commercial history. After a leisurely walk ashore on paths through the woods or scrambling over shoreline boulders, enjoy a traditional Maine lobster feast on board with freshly caught lobsters purchased from local fishing boats.
60 year old wooden boat M/V Adequate
Day 2
We will sail up Blue Hill Bay and into the Eggemoggin Reach, stopping at Wooden Boat Harbor, home to Wooden Boat Magazine and the Wooden Boat School. Enjoy the view either from the cockpit or a dinghy tour of some of the most beautiful wooden boats in the world.
A Prime Example of a Maine Built 60 Year Old Wooden Boat. The various student projects underway at the Wooden Boat School may be of interest as well as the gift shop which has an interesting assortment of nautical memorabilia and books. It’s a good place to stretch your legs before returning to the boat for dinner. Another option is to go into Brooklyn for fine dining ashore.
Castine Waterfront
Day 3
After Breakfast, continue up the Eggemoggin Reach, under the Deer Isle Bridge, around Cape Rosier and into the eastern side of Penobscot Bay. The scenery in the Reach is stunning, the water is protected, and the sailing is smooth.
Continue up Penobscot Bay enjoying the scenery along the Cape Rosier coast along with a cup of chowder. Enter the Bagaduce River, sail past the Maine Maritme Academy, and pick up a mooring at Eaton’s Boatyard in Castine.
Enjoy a stroll in this historic town, pausing to admire the traditional black shuttered white framed captain’s homes. Castine was governed by four different nations in revolutionary war times and each left its mark. There are multiple options for eating ashore ranging from fine dining at historic inns to on the water fried seafood.
Day 4
Get underway and enjoy sailing northern Penobscot Bay with a sailor’s lunch aboard or a stop in Belfast for a meal ashore. There are a number of shops in Belfast that may be of interest. After lunch sail down the western side of Penobscot Bay along the scenic coast of Isleboro and pick up a mooring or anchor in Gilkey Harbor off Seven Hundred Acre Island. There is a small boatyard on this island that often offers homemade jam from local berries. There is a small dirt road (no cars) for hiking ashore through mossy woods and meadows where you may see wild turkeys. Return to the boat with a hearty appetite for drinks, snacks, and dinner onboard. Enjoy the sunset.
Traditional Maine Windgammer
Day 5
Hoist sail and head down the west side of Penobscot Bay, past Camden, Rockport, the Rockland Breakwater and Light, and into Rockland Harbor. While sailing Penobscot Bay you will likely see the famous Maine windjammers. These grand schooners with their multitude of sails are a sight right out of the 19th century. Pick up a mooring in Rockland and, at your option, eat ashore with many choices and enjoy the shops and waterfront attractions. An option here is a layover to extensively explore the Farnesworth Art Museum and its famous Wyeth collection. It is also a short hop by taxi to bustling Camden with its picturesque harbor.
Day 6
Head east across lower Penobscot Bay to the picturesque Deer Island Thoroughfare as we enter one of the world’s most famous sail boat cruising grounds. Sail past North Haven, across Isle Au Haute Bay, past Stonington and through the Fox Island Thoroughfare, and across Jericho and Toothacher Bays. You will see granite quarrying, picturesque villages, working lobster boats, and grand estates. If the Rockland layover option has been taken, we will sail directly to Bass Harbor. Otherwise, we will enter Burnt Coat Harbor on Swan’s Island, a protected working harbor and an excellent place for a relaxing last night aboard. It is a short walk to a restored lighthouse that we will pass as we enter the harbor. It has a spectacular view to the West and South. Return to the boat for dinner aboard. An option here is “fresh off the boat” local lobster.
Bass Harbour Lighthouse
Day 7
As the colorful lobster boats head out to fish, have breakfast in the cockpit and enjoy your coffee while watching a Maine fishing harbor at work. Sail north along the eastern shore of Swan’s Island, east through the Casco Passage, past the Bass Harbor Light, the most photographed light on the US eastern coast. Enter Bass Harbor and pick up Fiona’s mooring and dinghy ashore or tie up at a pier.
In addition to the picturesque light houses, beautiful boats, and quaint island villages you likely have seen seals, porpoises, loons, ospreys and bald eagles during your cruise. And since you have had a taste of Maine, we hope you will want to return and experience more of it. The more adventuresome may wish to explore Downeast Maine more extensively and the Canadian Maritime Provinces including the Bay of Fundy, South coast of Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton.
The above sample itinerary is from luxury sailing yacht “Fiona Rois”.
Let us help you arrange your Maine yacht charters vacation by Contacting Us at 321-777-1707