lobster boats in Stonington
Brooklin, Brooksville, and Sedgwick
Robinson Point Light.
Look for S to find recommended sights, activities, dining, and lodging.
S Parson Fisher House: More than just another historic house, the Parson Fisher House is a remarkable testimony to one man’s ingenuity (click here ).
S Blue Hill Mountain: It’s a relatively easy hike for fabulous 360-degree views from the summit of Blue Hill Mountain (click here ).
S Flash! In the Pans Community Steelband: Close your eyes when you hear this phenomenal steel-pan band and you might think you’re on a Caribbean island rather than in Maine (click here ).
S Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park: Varied hiking trails and great birding are the rewards for finding this off-the-beaten-path preserve (click here ).
S Castine Historical Tour: A turbulent history detailed on signs throughout town makes Castine an irresistible place to tour on foot or by bike (click here ).
S Sea Kayaking: Hook up with “Kayak Karen” in Castine for a tour (click here ).
S Haystack Mountain School of Crafts: Don’t miss an opportunity to visit this internationally renowned crafts school, which has an award-winning architectural design in a stunning setting (click here ).
S Nervous Nellie’s: Sculptor Peter Beerits’s ever-expanding whimsical world captivates all ages—and it’s free (click here ).
S Arts and Crafts Galleries: Given the presence of the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, it’s no surprise to find dozens of fabulously talented artisans on Deer Isle (click here ).
S Guided Island Tours: Captain Walter Reed knows these waters and is an expert on the flora and fauna (click here ).
S Acadia National Park: Isle au Haut’s limited access makes this remote section of the park truly special. It’s unlikely you’ll have to share the trails—or the views—with more than a few other people (click here ).
The Blue Hill Peninsula, once dubbed “the Fertile Crescent,” is unique. Few other locales harbor such a high concentration of artisans, musicians, and on-their-feet retirees juxtaposed with topflight wooden-boat builders, lobstermen, and umpteenth-generation Mainers. Perhaps surprisingly, the mix seems to work.
Anchored by the towns of Bucksport to the east and Ellsworth to the west, the peninsula comprises several enclaves with markedly distinct personalities. Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Sedgwick, Castine, Deer Isle, and Stonington are stitched together by a network of narrow, winding country roads. Thanks to the mapmaker-challenging coastline and a handful of freshwater ponds and rivers, there’s a view of water around nearly every bend.
You can watch the sun set from atop Blue Hill Mountain; tour the home of the fascinating Jonathan Fisher; stroll through the village of Castine (charming verging on precious), whose streets are lined with regal homes; visit WoodenBoat magazine’s world headquarters in tiny Brooklin; and browse top-notch studios and galleries throughout the peninsula. Venture a bit inland of Route 1, and you find lovely lakes for paddling and swimming and another hill to hike.
After weaving your way down the Blue Hill Peninsula and crossing the soaring pray-as-you-go bridge to Little Deer Isle, you’ve entered the realm of island living. Sure, bridges and causeways connect the points, but the farther down you drive, the more removed from civilization you’ll feel. The pace slows; the population dwindles. Fishing and lobstering are the mainstays; lobster boats rest near many homes, and trap fences edge properties. If your ultimate destination is the section of Acadia National Park on Isle au Haut, the drive down Deer Isle to Stonington helps to disconnect you from the mainland. To reach the park’s acreage on Isle au Haut, you’ll board the Isle au Haut ferryboat for the trip down Merchant Row to the island.
To truly enjoy this region, you’ll want to spend at least 3-4 days here, perhaps splitting your lodging between two or three locations. The region is designed for leisurely exploring; you won’t be able to zip from one location to another. Traveling along the winding roads, discovering galleries and country stores, and lodging at traditional inns are all part of the experience.
Arts fans will want to concentrate their efforts in Blue Hill, Deer Isle, and Stonington. Outdoor-oriented folks should consider Deer Isle, Stonington, or Castine as a base for sea kayaking or exploring the area preserves. For architecture and history buffs, Castine is a must.
No visit to this region is complete without at least a cruise by, if not a visit to, Isle au Haut, an offshore island that’s home to a remote section of Acadia National Park. Allow at least a few hours for a ride on the mail boat, but if you can afford the time, spend a full day hiking the park’s trails. Don’t forget to pack food and water.
Twelve miles south of Route 1 is the hub of the peninsula, Blue Hill (pop. 2,686), exuding charm from its handsome old homes to its waterfront setting.
Eons back, Native American summer folk gave the name Awanadjo (small, hazy mountain) to the mini-mountain that looms over the town and draws the eye for miles around. The first permanent settlers arrived in the late 18th century, after the French and Indian War, and established mills and shipyards. More than 100 ships were built here between Blue Hill’s incorporation in 1789 and 1882—bringing prosperity to the entire peninsula.
Critical to the town’s early expansion was its first clergyman, Jonathan Fisher, a remarkable fellow who has been likened to Leonardo da Vinci. In 1803, Fisher founded Blue Hill Academy (predecessor of today’s George Stevens Academy), then built his home (now a museum), and eventually left an immense legacy of inventions, paintings, engravings, and poetry.
Throughout the 19th century and into the 20th, Blue Hill’s granite industry boomed, reaching its peak in the 1880s. Scratch the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York Stock Exchange and you’ll find granite from Blue Hill’s quarries. Around 1879, the discovery of gold and silver brought a flurry of interest, but little came of it. Copper was also found here, but quantities of it, too, were limited.
At the height of industrial prosperity, tourism took hold, attracting steamboat-borne summer boarders. Many succumbed to the scenery, bought land, and built waterfront summer homes. Thank these summer folk and their offspring for the fact that music has long been a big deal in Blue Hill. The Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School, established in the late 19th century, continues to rank high among the nation’s summer music colonies. New York City’s Blue Hill Troupe, devoted to Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, was named for the longtime summer home of the troupe’s founders.
Named for a brilliant Renaissance man who arrived in Blue Hill in 1794, the Parson Fisher House (44 Mines Rd./Rte. 15/176, 207/374-2459, www.jonathanfisherhouse.org , 1pm-4pm Thurs.-Sat. early July-early Sept., Fri.-Sat. to mid-Oct., $5) immerses visitors in period furnishings and Jonathan Fisher lore. And Fisher’s feats are breathtaking: He was a Harvard-educated preacher who also managed to be an accomplished painter, poet, mathematician, naturalist, linguist, inventor, cabinetmaker, farmer, architect, and printmaker. In his spare time, he fathered nine children. Fisher also pitched in to help build the yellow house on Tenney Hill, which served as the Congregational church parsonage. Now it contains intriguing items created by Fisher—memorabilia that volunteer tour guides delight in explaining, including a camera obscura. Don’t miss it.
Parson Fisher House
In downtown Blue Hill, a few steps off Main Street, stands the Holt House (3 Water St., www.bluehillhistory.org , 1pm-4pm Tues. and Fri., 11am-2pm Sat. July-mid-Sept., $3 adults, free under age 13), home of the Blue Hill Historical Society. Built in 1815 by Jeremiah Holt, the Federal-style building contains restored stenciling, period decor, and masses of memorabilia contributed by local residents. In the carriage house are even more goodies, including old tools, a sleigh, carriages, and more. While here ask about walking tours.
Walk or drive up Union Street (Rte. 177), past George Stevens Academy, and wander The Old Cemetery, established in 1794. If gnarled trees and ancient headstones intrigue you, there aren’t many good-size Maine cemeteries older than this one.
At the foot of Greene’s Hill in Blue Hill is one of Maine’s more unusual institutions, the Bagaduce Music Lending Library (South Street, 207/374-5454, www.bagaducemusic.org , 10am-4pm Mon.-Fri. or by appointment), where you can borrow from a collection of more than 250,000 titles. Somehow this seems appropriate for a community that’s a magnet for music lovers. Annual membership is $20 ($10 for students); fees range $1-4/piece.
Parker Point Road (turn off Rte. 15 at the Blue Hill Library) takes you from Blue Hill to Blue Hill Falls the back way, with vistas en route toward Acadia National Park. For other serene views, drive the length of Newbury Neck in nearby Surry, or head west on Route 15/176 toward Sedgwick, Brooksville, and beyond.
Since 1922, chamber-music students have been spending summers perfecting their skills and demonstrating their prowess at the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School (Pleasant St./Rte. 15, 207/374-2811, www.kneisel.org ). Faculty concerts run Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons late June-late August. The concert schedule is published in the spring, and reserved-seating tickets ($35 inside, $25 on the porch outside, nonrefundable) can be ordered online or by phone. Other opportunities to hear the students and faculty exist, including young-artist concerts, children’s concerts, open rehearsals, and more. Kneisel Hall is about 0.5 mile from the center of town.
The Blue Hill Congregational Church is the site for the Vanderkay Summer Music Series (207/374-2891), whose offerings range from choral music from the Middle Ages to bluegrass. Suggested donation is $20.
Chamber music continues in winter thanks to the volunteer Blue Hill Concert Association (207/326-4666, www.bluehillconcertassociation.org ), which presents five concerts January-March at the Congregational church. Recommended donation is $30.
Blue Hill Bach (207/590-2677, www.bluehillbach.org ) presents a summer Bach Festival.
The New Surry Theatre (18 Union St., Blue Hill, 207/200-4720, www.newsurrytheatre.org ) stages musicals and classics from November through August.
Home to the former Surry Opera Company, the Surry Concert Barn is being revitalized by Surry Arts: At The Barn (8 Cross Rd., Surry, 207/669-9216, surryartsatthebarn.com ), which presents concerts, talks, and films.
WERU’s annual Full Circle Fair is usually held in mid-August at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds (Rte. 172, north of downtown Blue Hill). Expect world music, good food, crafts, and socially and environmentally progressive talks.
On Labor Day weekend, the Blue Hill Fair (Blue Hill Fairgrounds, Rte. 172, 207/374-9976) is one of the state’s best agricultural fairs.
The Foliage, Food & Wine Festival takes place in October.
Perhaps it’s Blue Hill’s location near the renowned Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Perhaps it’s the way the light plays off the rolling countryside and onto the twisting coastline. Perhaps it’s the inspirational landscape. Whatever the reason, numerous artists and artisans call Blue Hill home, and top-notch galleries are abundant.
The Liros Gallery (14 Parker Point Rd., Blue Hill, 207/374-5370 or 800/287-5370, www.lirosgallery.com ) has been dealing in Russian icons since the mid-1960s. Prices are high, but the icons are fascinating. The gallery also carries Currier & Ives prints, antique maps, and 19th-century British and American paintings. Just up the street is the Cynthia Winings Gallery (24 Parker Point Rd., 917/204-4001, www.cynthiawiningsgallery.com ), which shows contemporary works by local artists. From here it’s a short walk to Blue Hill Bay Gallery (Main St., Blue Hill, 207/374-5773, www.bluehillbaygallery.com ), which represents contemporary artists in various media.
Don’t miss Jud Hartmann (79 Main St., at Rte. 15, Blue Hill, 207/374-9917, www.judhartmanngallery.com ). The spacious, well-lighted, in-town gallery carries Hartmann’s limited-edition bronze sculptures of the woodland Native Americans of the Northeast. Hartmann often can be seen working on his next model in the gallery—a real treat. He’s a wealth of information about his subjects, and he loves sharing the mesmerizing stories he’s uncovered during his meticulous research.
Handworks Gallery (48 Main St., Blue Hill, 207/374-5613, www.handworksgallery.org ) sells a range of fun, funky, utilitarian, and fine-art crafts, including jewelry, furniture, rugs, wall hangings, and clothing, by more than 50 Maine artists and craftspeople.
Rackliffe Pottery (Rte. 172, Blue Hill, 207/374-2297 or 888/631-3321, www.rackliffepottery.com ), noted for its vivid blue wares, also makes its own glazes and has been producing lead-free pottery since 1969.
About two miles from downtown is another don’t-miss: Mark Bell Pottery (Rte. 15, Blue Hill, 207/374-5881), in a tiny building signaled only by a small roadside sign, is the home of exquisite, award-winning porcelain by the eponymous potter. It’s easy to understand why his wares have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s Craft Show as well as at other juried shows across the country. The delicacy of each vase, bowl, or piece is astonishing, and the glazes are gorgeous. Twice each summer he has kiln openings—must-go events for collectors and fans.
Blue Hill Books (26 Pleasant St./Rte. 15, 207/374-5632, www.bluehillbooks.com ) is a wonderful independent bookstore that organizes an “authors series” during the summer.
Blue Hill Heritage Trust (101 Union St., 207/374-5118, www.bluehillheritagetrust.org , 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri.) works hard at preserving the region’s landscape. Trail maps for all sites can be downloaded from the website. It also presents numerous talks and events, with offerings such as a mushroom walk and talk, a full-moon hike up Blue Hill Mountain, and farm tours. Many include talks by knowledgeable folks on complementary topics.
Mountain seems a fancy label for a 943-footer, yet Blue Hill Mountain stands alone, visible from Camden and even beyond. On a clear day, head for the summit and take in the wraparound view encompassing Penobscot Bay, the hills of Mount Desert, and the Camden Hills. Climb the fire tower and you’ll see even more. In mid-June, the lupines along the way are breathtaking; in fall, the colors are spectacular, with reddened blueberry barrens added to the variegated foliage. Go early in the day; it’s a popular easy-to-moderate two-mile round-trip hike via the Osgood Trail. A short loop on the lower slopes takes only half an hour. Take Route 15 (Pleasant St.) to Mountain Road. Turn right and go 0.8 mile to the trailhead (on the left) and the small parking area (on the right). You can also walk (uphill) the mile from the village.
At the end of Water Street is a small park with a terrific view, along with a small pebble beach, picnic tables, a portable toilet, and a playground.
The Activity Shop (139 Mines Rd., 207/374-3600, www.theactivityshop.com ) rents bicycles for $95/week and canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for $65-85/day, including delivery on the peninsula.
Picnic fare and pizza are available at Merrill & Hinckley (11 Union St., 207/374-2821, 6am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-9pm Sat., 8am-8pm Sun.), a 150-year-old family-owned grocery and general store.
Craving chocolate? Black Dinah Chocolatiers (5 Main St., 207/374-5621, www.blackdinahchocolatiers.com ) has a mainland home, sharing space with Fairwinds Florist. Here you’ll find the Isle au Haut confectioner’s freshly made to-die-for chocolates, ice cream, and sorbet, as well as a coffee/tea/hot chocolate bar. Don’t miss the Art Box, a vending machine with $10 works by 10 local artists—a perfect gift for someone back home.
Black Dinah Chocolatiers in downtown Blue Hill
The Blue Hill Wine Shop (138 Main St., 207/374-2161), tucked into a converted horse barn, carries more than 1,000 wines, plus teas, coffees, breads, and cheeses. Monthly wine tastings (usually 2:30pm-6pm last Sat. of the month) are always an adventure.
The Blue Hill Co-op and Café (4 Ellsworth Rd./Rte. 172, 207/374-2165, http://bluehill.coop , 7am-7pm daily) sells organic and natural foods. Breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and soups—many with ethnic flavors—are available in the café.
Local gardeners, farmers, and craftspeople peddle their wares at the Blue Hill Farmers Market (9am-11am Sat. late May-mid-Oct.). It’s a particularly enduring market, well worth a visit. Demonstrations by area chefs and artists are often on the agenda. Late May-late August, the Saturday market is at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds; then it moves to the Blue Hill Congregational Church.
Deep Water Brew Pub (33 Tenney Hill Rd., 207/374-2441, 4:30pm-9pm Tues.-Sun., $10-18) serves pub-style fare such as ribs, burgers, and tacos. Ask about tours of the solar-powered brewery, located in a beautifully renovated historic barn behind the pub.
With a full bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and a boatyard location, the Boatyard Grill (13 E. Blue Hill Rd., 207/374-3533, from noon Thurs.-Mon., from $8) attracts the sailing crowd, who appreciate its laid-back, Caribbean-esque vibe. The menu ranges from burgers to lobster. There’s often live music on Saturdays.
Marlintini’s Grill (83 Mines St./Rte. 15, 207/374-2500, www.marlintinisgrill.com , from 11am daily, $10-20) is half-sports bar and half-restaurant. You can sit in either, but the bar side can get raucous. Best bet: the screened-in porch. The tavern fare menu includes nightly home-style specials; there’s a kids’ menu, too. The portions are big, the service is good, and the food is decent.
Just south of town is Barncastle (125 South St., 207/374-2300, www.barn-castle.com , from 3pm daily, entrées $8-20), serving a creative selection of wood-fired pizzas in three sizes as well as sandwiches, subs, panini, calzones, and salads in a lovely Shingle-style cottage. There are vegetarian options. Expect to wait for a table; this is one popular spot.
The wide-ranging menu comprising small plates ($6-10), pub favorites ($10-17), and entrées ($15-18) at The Farmhouse Inn (578 Pleasant St., 207/374-5286, 3pm-9pm Wed.-Sat.) makes it easy to find something to everyone’s liking and in the right price range. The inn also has a few guest rooms and often offers live music.
For a lovely dinner by candlelight, make reservations at S Arborvine (33 Upper Tenney Hill/Main St., 207/374-2119, www.arborvine.com , 5:30pm-8:30pm Tues.-Sat., $28-35), a conscientiously renovated, two-century-old Cape-style house with four dining areas, each with a different feel and understated decor. Chef-owner John Hikade and his wife, Beth, prepare classic entrées such as crispy roasted duckling and roasted rack of lamb. Their mantra has been fresh and local for more than 30 years.
For lobster, fried fish, and the area’s best lobster roll, head to The Fish Net (162 Main St., 207/374-5240, 11am-8pm daily), an inexpensive, mostly take-out joint on the eastern end of town.
It’s not easy to find S The Lobster Shack (1076 Newbury Neck Rd., Surry, 207/667-1955, 11am-8pm daily), but for a classic lobster-shack experience, make the effort. This traditional Maine lobster shack is about five miles down Newbury Neck, just after the Causeway Place beach. Expect lobster, lobster and crab rolls, corn, chips, mussels, and clams. From the pier-top picnic tables, you’re overlooking the water with Mount Desert Island as a backdrop. Unlike most lobster shacks, this one has waitress service. No credit cards.
Enjoy the views from The Lobster Shack.
Imagine a classic country inn, and The Blue Hill Inn (Union St./Rte. 177, 207/374-2844 or 800/826-7415, www.bluehillinn.com , mid-May-late Oct., $195-255) would be it. The antiques-filled inn, open since 1840, is just steps from Main Street’s shops and restaurants. Ten air-conditioned guest rooms and a suite have real chandeliers, four-poster beds, down comforters, fancy linens, and braided and Oriental rugs; three have wood-burning fireplaces. Rear rooms overlook the extensive cutting garden, with chairs and a hammock. Also available are two suites in a separate building, each with a kitchen ($295-325). Rates include a full breakfast and afternoon hors d’oeuvres; dinners may be available for an additional fee.
What’s old is new at Barncastle (125 South St., 207/374-2330, www.barn-castle.com , $145-195), a late-19th-century Shingle-style cottage that’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It opens to a two-story foyer with a split stairway and balcony. Rooms and suites open off the balcony. All are spacious, minimally decorated, and offer contemporary accents. Rates include a continental breakfast. The downstairs tavern serves pizza, salads, and sandwiches; noise can be a factor.
The S Wave Walker Bed and Breakfast (28 Wavewalker Ln., Surry, 207/667-5767, www.wavewalkerbedandbreakfast.com , $195-290) is smack on the oceanfront, with views across the water to Mount Desert Island. It sits on 20 private acres with 1,000 feet of shorefront as well as woods and blueberry fields near the tip of Newbury Neck. Four spacious guest rooms have eye-popping views; some have fireplaces, oversized jetted tubs, or both. The first-floor room is a good choice for those with mobility issues. Guests also have use of a living room, sunroom, and oceanfront deck. A full hot breakfast is served. Kayaks are available. A separate two-bedroom-plus-loft cottage rents for $1,800 per week.
The Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (207/374-3242, www.bluehillpeninsula.org ) is the best source for information on Blue Hill and the surrounding area.
At the Blue Hill Public Library (5 Parker Point Rd., 207/374-5515, www.bluehill.lib.me.us ), ask to see the suit of armor, which may have belonged to Magellan. The library sponsors a summer lecture series.
Public restrooms are in the Blue Hill Town Hall (Main St.), Blue Hill Public Library (Main St.), and Blue Hill Memorial Hospital (Water St.).
Blue Hill is about 17 miles or 25 minutes via Routes 1 and 15 from Bucksport. It’s about 14 miles or 20 minutes via Route 172 to Ellsworth, about 8 miles or 15 minutes via Route 15 to Brooksville, and about 20 miles or 35 minutes via Routes 15, 175, 199, and 166 to Castine.
I’m going to let you in on a secret, a part of Maine that seems right out of a time warp—a place with general stores and family farms, where family roots go back generations and summer rusticators have returned for decades. Nestled near the bottom of the Blue Hill Peninsula and surrounded by Castine, Blue Hill, and Deer Isle, this often-missed area offers superb hiking, kayaking, and sailing, plus historic homes and unique shops, studios, lodgings, and personalities.
The best-known town is Brooklin (pop. 824), thanks to two magazines: The New Yorker and WoodenBoat. Wordsmiths extraordinaire E. B. and Katharine White “dropped out” to Brooklin in the 1930s and forever afterward dispatched their splendid material for The New Yorker from here. (The Whites’ former home, a handsome colonial not open to the public, is on Route 175 in North Brooklin, 6.5 miles from the Blue Hill Falls bridge.) In 1977, WoodenBoat magazine moved its headquarters to Brooklin, where its 60-acre shore-side estate attracts builders and dreamers from all over the globe.
Nearby Brooksville (pop. 934) drew the late Helen and Scott Nearing, whose book Living the Good Life made them role models for back-to-the-landers. Their compound now verges on must-see status. Buck’s Harbor, a section of Brooksville, is the setting for One Morning in Maine, one of Robert McCloskey’s beloved children’s books.
Incorporated in 1789, the oldest of the three towns is Sedgwick (pop. 1,196), which once included all of Brooklin and part of Brooksville. Now wedged between Brooklin and Brooksville, it includes the hamlet of Sargentville, the Caterpillar Hill scenic overlook, and a well-preserved complex of historic buildings. The influx of pilgrims—many of them artists bent on capturing the spirit that has proved so enticing to creative types—continues in this area.
On Naskeag Point Road, 1.2 miles from Route 175 in downtown Brooklin, a small sign marks the turn to the world headquarters of WoodenBoat (Naskeag Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-4651, www.woodenboat.com ). Buy magazines, books, clothing, and all manner of nautical merchandise at the handsome store, stroll the grounds, or sign up for one of the dozens of one- and two-week spring, summer, and fall courses in seamanship, navigation, boatbuilding, sailmaking, marine carving, and more; tuition varies by course and duration. Special courses are geared to kids, women, pros, and all-thumbs neophytes; the camaraderie is legendary, and so is the cuisine.
Now used as the museum and headquarters of the Sedgwick-Brooklin Historical Society, the 1795 Reverend Daniel Merrill House (Rte. 172, Sedgwick, 2pm-4pm Sun. July-Aug., donation) was the parsonage for Sedgwick’s first permanent minister. Inside the house are period furnishings, old photos, toys, and tools; a few steps away are a restored 1874 schoolhouse, an 1821 cattle pound (for corralling wandering bovines), and a hearse barn. Pick up a brochure during open hours and guide yourself around the buildings and grounds. The Sedgwick Historic District, crowning Town House Hill, comprises the Merrill House and its outbuildings, plus the imposing 1794 Town House and the 23-acre Rural Cemetery (the oldest headstone dates from 1798) across Route 172.
The Brooksville Historical Society Museum (150 Coastal Rd./Rte. 176, Brooksville, www.brooksvillehistoricalsociety.org , 1pm-4pm Wed. and Sun. July-Aug.) houses a collection of nautical doodads, farming implements, blacksmith tools, and quilts in a converted boathouse. The museum is restoring a local farmhouse for more exhibits.
Forest Farm, home of the late Helen and Scott Nearing, is now the site of The Good Life Center (372 Harborside Rd., Harborside, 207/326-8211, www.goodlife.org ). Advocates of simple living and authors of 10 books on the subject, the Nearings created a trust to perpetuate their farm and philosophy. Resident stewards lead tours (usually 1pm-5pm Thurs.-Mon. mid-June-early Sept., Sat.-Sun. early Sept.-mid-Oct., $10 donation). Ask about the schedule for the traditional Monday-night meetings (7pm), featuring free programs by gardeners, philosophers, musicians, and other guest speakers. Occasional work parties, workshops, and conferences are also on the docket. The farm is on Harborside Road, just before it turns to dirt. From Route 176 in Brooksville, take Cape Rosier Road and go eight miles, passing Holbrook Island Sanctuary. At the Grange Hall, turn right and follow the road 1.9 miles to the end. Turn left onto Harborside Road and continue 1.8 miles to Forest Farm, across from Orrs Cove.
About a mile beyond the Nearings’ place is Four Season Farm (609 Weir Cove Rd., Harborside, 207/326-4455, www.fourseasonfarm.com , 1pm-5pm Mon.-Sat. June-Sept.), the lush organic farm owned and operated by internationally renowned gardeners Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch. Both have written numerous books and articles and starred in TV gardening shows. He’s successfully pioneered a “winter harvest,” developing environmentally sound and economically viable systems for extending fresh vegetable production October-May in cold-weather climates. Visitors are welcome to drive in and around the farm, but no produce is sold here.
No one seems to know how Caterpillar Hill got its name, but its reputation comes from a panoramic vista of water, hills, and blueberry barrens—with a couple of convenient picnic tables where you can stop for lunch, photos, or a ringside view of sunset and fall foliage. From the 350-foot elevation, the views take in Walker Pond, Eggemoggin Reach, Deer Isle, Swans Island, and the Camden Hills. The signposted rest area is on Route 175/15, between Brooksville and Sargentville; watch out for the blind curve when you pull off the road. If you want to explore on foot, the one-mile Cooper Farm Trail loops through the blueberry barrens and woods. From the scenic overlook, walk down to and out Cooper Farm Road to the trailhead.
Between Sargentville and Sedgwick, Route 175 offers nonstop views of Eggemoggin Reach, with shore access to the Benjamin River just before you reach Sedgwick village.
Two other scenic routes are Naskeag Point in Brooklin and Cape Rosier, the westernmost arm of the town of Brooksville. Naskeag Point Road begins off Route 175 in “downtown” Brooklin, heads down the peninsula for 3.7 miles past the entrance to WoodenBoat Publications, and ends at a small beach (limited parking) on Eggemoggin Reach. Here you’ll find picnic tables, a boat launch, a seasonal toilet, and a marker commemorating the 1778 Battle of Naskeag, when British sailors came ashore from the sloop Gage, burned several buildings, and were run off by a ragtag band of local settlers. Cape Rosier’s roads are poorly marked, perhaps deliberately, so keep your DeLorme atlas handy. The Cape Rosier loop takes in Holbrook Island Sanctuary, Goose Falls, the hamlet of Harborside, and plenty of water and island views. Note that some roads are unpaved, but they usually are well maintained.
Get way off the beaten path with a scenic loop around Cape Rosier.
If you’re a fan of steel-band music, the Flash! In the Pans Community Steelband (207/374-2172, www.flashinthepans.org ) usually performs somewhere on the peninsula 7:30pm-9pm Monday mid-June-early September. Local papers carry the summer schedule for the nearly three-dozen-member band, which deserves its devoted following. Admission is usually a small donation to benefit a local cause.
Wooden boats are big attractions hereabouts, so when a huge fleet sails in for the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta (usually the first Saturday in August, but the schedule can change), crowds gather. Don’t miss the parade of wooden boats. The best locale for watching the regatta itself is on or near the bridge to Deer Isle or near the Eggemoggin Landing grounds on Little Deer Isle. For details, see www.erregatta.com .
Most of these businesses are small, owner-operated shops, which means they’re often catch-as-catch-can.
When you need a slate sink, a claw-foot tub, brass fixtures, or a Palladian window, Architectural Antiquities (52 Indian Point Lane, Harborside, 207/326-4938, www.archantiquities.com ), on Cape Rosier, is just the ticket—a restorer’s delight. Prices are reasonable for what you get, and they’ll ship your purchases. It’s open all year by appointment; ask for directions when you call. Antiques dating from the Federal period through the turn of the 20th century are the specialties at Sedgwick Antiques (775 N. Sedgwick Rd./Rte. 172, Sedgwick, 207/359-8834). Early furniture, handmade furniture, and a full range of country accessories and antiques can be found at Thomas Hinchcliffe Antiques (26 Cradle Knolls Lane, off Rte. 176, West Sedgwick, 207/326-9411).
Small studio-galleries pepper Route 175 (Reach Rd.) in Sedgwick and Brooklin; most are marked only by small signs, so watch carefully. First up is Eggemoggin Textile Studio (off Rte. 175/Reach Rd., Sedgwick, 207/359-5083), where the incredibly gifted Christine Leith weaves scarves, wraps, hangings, and pillows with hand-dyed silk and wool; the colors are magnificent. You might catch her at work on the big loom in her studio shop, a real treat.
Just down the road is Mermaid Woolens (Reach Rd., Sedgwick, 207/359-2747, www.mermaidwoolens.com ), source of Elizabeth Coakley’s wildly colorful hand knits—vests, socks, and sweaters. They’re pricey but worth every nickel.
Continue over to Brooklin, where Virginia G. Sarsfield handcrafts paper products, including custom lampshades, calligraphy papers, books, and lamps, at Handmade Papers (113 Reach Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-8345, www.handmadepapersonline.com ).
It’s worth the mosey out Flye Point to find Flye Point Sculpture & Art Gallery (436 Flye Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/610-0350), where Peter Stremlau displays fine works in varied media by Maine-based and Maine-inspired artists. Wander through gardens and woodlands accented with sculptures. More sculptures, as well as paintings and accordion books, are inside the gallery. The waterfront location is spectacular.
Three varieties of English-style hard cider are specialties at The Sow’s Ear Winery (Rte. 176 at Herrick Rd., Brooksville, 207/326-4649, no credit cards), a minuscule operation in a funky two-story shingled shack. Winemaker Tom Hoey also produces sulfite-free blueberry, chokecherry, and rhubarb wines; he’ll let you sample it all.
Betsy’s Sunflower (12 Reach Rd., 207/359-5030), in Brooklin village, is a browser’s delight filled with garden and kitchen must-haves and books. Her motto: “It has to be affordable, useful, and fun.”
Don’t miss the “world’s smallest bookstore,” Bill Henderson’s Pushcart Press Bookstore (Christy Hill, Sedgwick, 207/359-2427). It’s a trove of literary fiction both used (paperbacks $2, hardbacks $5) and new, including editions of the Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses annual series. Sales help support Pushcart fellowships.
In the early 1970s, foresighted benefactor Anita Harris donated to the state 1,230 acres in Brooksville that would become the Holbrook Island Sanctuary (207/326-4012, www.parksandlands.com , free). From Route 176, between West Brooksville and South Brooksville, head west on Cape Rosier Road, following brown-and-white signs for the sanctuary. Trail maps and bird checklists are available in boxes at trailheads or at park headquarters. The easy Backshore Trail (about 30 minutes) starts here, or go back a mile and climb the steepish trail to Backwoods Mountain for the best vistas. Other attractions include shorefront picnic tables and grills, four old cemeteries, super bird-watching during spring and fall migrations, a pebble beach, and a stone beach. Leashed pets are allowed, but no bikes are allowed on the trails and camping is not permitted. The park is officially open May 15-October 15, but the access road and parking areas are plowed in winter for cross-country skiers.
A small, relatively little-known beach is Brooklin’s Pooduck Beach. From the Brooklin General Store (Rte. 175), take Naskeag Point Road about 0.5 mile, watching for the Pooduck Road sign on the right. Turn right and drive to the end; parking is very limited. You can also launch a sea kayak here into Eggemoggin Reach.
Bicycling in this area is for confident, experienced cyclists. The roads are particularly narrow and winding, with poor shoulders. Best bets for casual pedal pushers are the Naskeag scenic route or around Cape Rosier, where traffic is light.
The Brooklin General Store (1 Reach Rd., junction of Rte. 175 and Naskeag Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-8817), dating from 1872, was rebuilt in 2016. It carries groceries, beer and wine, newspapers, take-out sandwiches, and local chatter.
Millbrook Company bakery and restaurant (160 Snow’s Cove. Rd./Rte. 15, 207/359-8344, www.millbrookcompany.com , Sedgwick, 7:30am-2pm Wed.-Sun.) is a good bet for reasonably priced breakfasts and lunches, as well as occasional dinners.
Pick up sandwiches, cheeses, breads, and treats for a Holbrook Island adventure at Buck’s Harbor Market (Rte. 176, South Brooksville, 207/326-8683), a low-key, marginally gentrified general store popular with yachties in summer.
You can find Tinder Hearth ’s (1452 Coastal Rd., Brooksville, 207/326-8381, http://tinderhearth.com ) organic, wood-fired, European-style breads and croissants in local shops and at farmers markets, but you can buy them right at the bakery on Tuesday and Friday. The shop usually offers pizzas a few nights a week; call for a current schedule. It’s on the western side of Route 176 north of the Cape Rosier Road. It’s not well marked, so keep an eye out for the Open sign.
In North Brooksville, where Route 175/176 crosses the Bagaduce River, stands the Bagaduce Lunch (11am-7pm Thurs.-Tues., 11am-3pm Wed.), a take-out shack named an “American Classic” by the James Beard Foundation in 2008. Owners Judy and Mike Astbury buy local fish and clams. Check the tide calendar and go when the tide is changing; order a clam roll or a hamburger, settle in at a picnic table, and watch the reversing falls. If you’re lucky, you might sight an eagle, osprey, or seal. The food is so-so, but the setting is tops.
S El El Frijoles (41 Caterpillar Rd./Rte. 15, Sargentville, 207/359-2486, www.elelfrijoles.com , 11am-7pm Wed.-Sat., $5-16)—that’s L. L. Beans to you gringos—gets raves for its made-from-scratch California-style empanadas, burritos, and tacos, many of which have a Maine accent. Eat in the screen house or on picnic tables on the lawn.
Behind the Buck’s Harbor Market is S Buck’s Restaurant (6 Cornfield Hill Rd., Brooksville, 207/326-8688, www.bucksrestaurant.weebly.com , 5:30pm-8:30pm Wed.-Sat., $22-32), where guests dine at white-clothed tables inside or on a screened porch. Chef Jonathan Chase’s menu reflects what’s locally available and changes nightly. Possibilities include Tuscan-style braised rabbit or Portuguese pork and clams.
The Brooklin Inn (Rte. 175, Brooklin, 207/359-2777, www.brooklininn.com , $105-125 with breakfast; add $10 for a one-night stay) has five comfortable—if tired—bedrooms; two share a bath. It’s open year-round and often offers packages including meals.
The two operations in this category feel much like informal family compounds—where you quickly become an adoptee. These are extremely popular spots, where successive generations of hosts have catered to successive generations of visitors, and reservations are usually essential for July-August. We’re not talking fancy; the cottages are old-shoe rustic, of varying sizes and decor. Most have cooking facilities; one colony includes breakfast and dinner in July-August. Both have hiking trails, playgrounds, rowboats, and East Penobscot Bay on the doorstep.
The fourth generation manages the Hiram Blake Camp (220 Weir Cove Rd., Harborside, 207/326-4951, www.hiramblake.com , Memorial Day-late Sept., no credit cards), but other generations pitch in and help with gardening, lobstering, maintenance, and kibitzing. Fifteen cottages line the shore of this 100-acre property, which has been in family hands since before the Revolutionary War. The camp itself dates from 1916. Don’t bother bringing reading material: The dining room has ingenious ceiling niches lined with countless books. Guests also have the use of rowboats, and kayak rentals are available. Home-cooked breakfasts and dinners are served family-style; lobster is always available at an additional charge. Much of the fare is grown in the expansive gardens. Other facilities include a dock, a recreation room, a pebble beach, and an outdoor chapel. There’s a one-week minimum (beginning Sat. or Sun.) in July-August, when cottages go for $1,100-3,500 per week (including breakfast, dinner, and linens). Off-season rates (no meals or linens, but cottages have cooking facilities) are $650-1,100 per week. The best chances for getting a reservation are in June and September. Dogs are welcome.
Sally Littlefield is the hostess at S Oakland House Seaside Resort (435 Herrick Rd., Brooksville, 207/359-8521, www.oaklandhouse.com ). Much of this rolling, wooded land, fronting on Eggemoggin Reach, was part of the original king’s grant to her late husband Jim’s ancestors, way back in 1765. Ten one- and two-bedroom nicely furnished and well-equipped cottages are tucked along the shoreline or in the trees. All but one have ocean views; five have kitchenettes, and four have full kitchens. One is pet-friendly ($10/night). Weekly rates begin around $900, varying with month and by cottage; nightly rates begin around $190. Other pluses are trails threading through the woods and providing access to viewpoints and a pocket beach.
one of the cottages at the Oakland House Seaside Resort
Sited on the lovely Oakland House Seaside Resort grounds is Hostel@Acorn by the Sea (435 Herrick Rd., Brooksville, 207/359-8521, www.mainehostel.com ), offering a mix of dorm-style, private, and semiprivate rooms, with rates ranging $40-75/room. Living spaces, bathrooms, and the kitchen are shared. Linens and towels are provided.
With 730 feet of waterfront on Eggemoggin Reach and 16 wooded acres, Oceanfront Camping @ Reach Knolls (666 Reach Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-5555, www.reachknolls.com , $25-30, no credit cards) is a no-frills campground with 32 wooded sites. The camp office building has free Wi-Fi, free showers, and potable water; there is no water at the sites. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length, and electricity is available. There are privies and a dump station. A path leads to the pebbly beach, where you can launch a kayak.
The best source of information about the region is the Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (207/374-2281, www.bluehillpeninsula.org ).
Penobscot Bay Press (www.penobscotbaypress.com ), which publishes a collection of local newspapers, also maintains an excellent site, with listings for area businesses as well as articles highlighting local happenings.
The public libraries in this area are small and welcoming, but hours are limited. Most have Wi-Fi and restrooms. Friends Memorial Library (Rte. 175, Brooklin, 207/359-2276) has a lovely Circle of Friends Garden, with benches and a brick patio. It’s dedicated to the memory of longtime Brooklin residents E. B. and Katharine White. Also check out Free Public Library (1 Town House Rd./Rte. 176, Brooksville, 207/326-4560) and Sedgwick Village Library (Main St., Sedgwick, 207/359-2177).
Brooksville is about eight miles or 15 minutes via Route 15 from Castine. It’s about 11 miles or 25 minutes to Deer Isle Village.
Castine (pop. 1,366) is a gem—a serene New England village with a tumultuous past. Surrounded by water on three sides, including the entrance to the Penobscot River, which made it a strategic defense point. Once beset by geopolitical squabbles, saluting the flags of three different nations (France, Great Britain, and the Netherlands), its only crises now are local political skirmishes. This is an unusual community, a National Register of Historic Places enclave that many people never find. The Maine Maritime Academy is a major presence, yet Castine remains the quietest college town imaginable. Students in search of a party school won’t find it here; naval engineering is serious business.
Interpretive signs throughout Castine give visitors insight into the village’s interesting history.
What visitors discover is a year-round community with a busy waterfront, an easy-to-conquer layout, a handful of traditional inns, wooded trails on the outskirts of town, an astonishing collection of splendid Georgian and Federal architecture, and water views nearly every which way you turn. If you’re staying in Blue Hill or even Bar Harbor, spend a day here. Or book a room in one of the town’s lovely inns, and use Castine as a base for exploring here and beyond. Either way, you won’t regret it.
Originally known as Fort Pentagouet, Castine received its current name courtesy of Jean-Vincent d’Abbadie, Baron de St-Castin. A young French nobleman manqué who married a Wabanaki princess named Pidiwamiska, d’Abbadie ran the town in the second half of the 17th century and eventually returned to France.
A century later, in 1779, occupying British troops and their reinforcements scared off potential American seaborne attackers (including Col. Paul Revere), who turned tail up the Penobscot River and ended up scuttling their more than 40-vessel fleet—a humiliation known as the Penobscot Expedition and still regarded as one of the worst naval defeats for the United States.
When the boundaries for Maine were finally set in 1820, with the St. Croix River marking the east rather than the Penobscot River, the last British Loyalists departed, some floating their homes north to St. Andrews in New Brunswick, Canada, where they can still be seen today. For a while, peace and prosperity became the bywords for Castine—with lively commerce in fish and salt—but it all collapsed during the California gold rush and the Civil War trade embargo, leaving the town down on its luck.
Of the many historical landmarks scattered around town, one of the most intriguing must be the sign on “Wind Mill Hill,” at the junction of Route 166 and State Street:
On Hatch’s Hill there stands a mill. Old Higgins he doth tend it. And every time he grinds a grist, he has to stop and mend it.
In smaller print, just below the rhyme, comes the drama:
Here two British soldiers were shot for desertion.
Castine has quite a history indeed.
To appreciate Castine fully, you need to arm yourself with the Castine Merchants Association’s visitors brochure-map (all businesses and lodgings in town have copies) and follow the numbers on bike or on foot. With no stops, walking the route takes less than an hour, but you’ll want to read dozens of historical plaques, peek into public buildings, shoot some photos, and perhaps even do some shopping.
Highlights of the tour include the late-18th-century John Perkins House, moved to Perkins Street from Court Street in 1969 and restored with period furnishings. It’s open July-August for guided tours (2pm-5pm Sun. and Wed., $5).
Next door, The Wilson Museum (107 Perkins St., 207/326-8545, www.wilsonmuseum.org , 10am-5pm Mon.-Fri. and 2pm-5pm Sat.-Sun. late May-late Sept., free), founded in 1921, contains an intriguingly eclectic two-story collection of prehistoric artifacts, ship models, dioramas, baskets, tools, and minerals assembled over a lifetime by John Howard Wilson, a geologist-anthropologist who first visited Castine in 1891 (and died in 1936). Among the exhibits are Balinese masks, ancient oil lamps, cuneiform tablets, Zulu artifacts, pre-Inca pottery, and assorted local findings.
Open the same days and hours as the Perkins House are the Blacksmith Shop, where a smith does demonstrations, and the Hearse House, containing Castine’s 19th-century winter and summer funeral vehicles. Both have free admission.
At the end of Battle Avenue stands the 19th-century Dyce’s Head Lighthouse, no longer operating; the keeper’s house is owned by the town. Alongside it is a public path (signposted; pass at your own risk) leading via a wooden staircase to a tiny patch of rocky shoreline and the beacon that has replaced the lighthouse.
The highest point in town is Fort George, site of a 1779 British fortification. Nowadays, little remains except grassy earthworks, but there are interpretive displays and picnic tables.
Main Street, descending toward the water, is a feast for historic architecture fans. Artist Fitz Hugh Lane and author Mary McCarthy once lived in elegant houses along the elm-lined street (neither building is open to the public). On Court Street between Main and Green Streets stands turn-of-the-20th-century Emerson Hall, site of Castine’s municipal offices. Since Castine has no official information booth, you may need to duck in here (it’s open weekdays) for answers to questions.
Across Court Street, Witherle Memorial Library, a handsome early-19th-century building on the site of the 18th-century town jail, looks out on the Town Common. Also facing the common are the Adams and Abbott Schools, the former still an elementary school. The Abbott School (10am-4pm Mon.-Sat., 1pm-4pm Sun. July-early Sept., reduced schedule spring and fall, donation), built in 1859, has been carefully restored for use as a museum and headquarters for the Castine Historical Society (207/326-4118, www.castinehistoricalsociety.org ). A big draw at the volunteer-run museum is the 24-foot-long Bicentennial Quilt, assembled for Castine’s 200th anniversary in 1996. The historical society, founded in 1966, organizes lectures, exhibits, and special events (some free) in various places around town.
The state’s only merchant-marine college—one of only seven in the nation—occupies 35 acres in the middle of Castine. Founded in 1941, the academy awards undergraduate and graduate degrees in such areas as marine engineering, ocean studies, and marina management, preparing a student body of about 850 men and women for careers as ship captains, naval architects, and marine engineers.
the State of Maine, Maine Maritime Academy’s training ship
The academy owns a fleet of 60 vessels, including the historic gaff-rigged research schooner Bowdoin, flagship of Arctic explorer Admiral Donald MacMillan, and the 499-foot training vessel State of Maine, berthed down the hill at the waterfront. In 1996-1997, the State of Maine, formerly the U.S. Navy hydrographic survey ship Tanner, underwent a $12 million conversion for use by the academy. It is still subject to deployment, and in 2005 the school quickly had to find alternate beds for students using the ship as a dormitory when it was called into service in support of rescue and rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Midshipmen conduct free 30-minute tours of the vessel on weekdays in summer (mid-July-late Aug.). The schedule is posted at the dock, or call 207/326-4311 to check; photo ID is required.
Weekday tours of the campus can be arranged through the admissions office (207/326-2206 or 800/227-8465 outside Maine, www.mainemaritime.edu ). Campus highlights include the three-story Nutting Memorial Library, in Platz Hall; the Henry A. Scheel Room, a cozy oasis in Leavitt Hall containing memorabilia from late naval architect Henry Scheel and his wife, Jeanne; and the well-stocked bookstore (Curtis Hall, 207/326-9333).
On the outskirts of town, across the narrow neck between Wadsworth Cove and Hatch’s Cove, stretches a rather overgrown canal (signposted British Canal) scooped out by the occupying British during the War of 1812. Effectively severing land access to the town of Castine, the Brits thus raised havoc, collected local revenues for eight months, and then departed for Halifax with enough funds to establish Dalhousie College, now Dalhousie University. Wear waterproof boots to walk the canal route; the best time to go is at low tide.
If a waterfront picnic sounds appealing, settle in on the grassy earthworks along the harbor-front at Fort Madison, site of an 1808 garrison (then Fort Porter) near the corner of Perkins and Madockawando Streets. The views from here are fabulous, and it’s accessible all year. A set of stairs leads down to the rocky waterfront.
Possibilities for live music include Dennett’s Wharf (15 Sea St., 207/326-9045), where some performances require a ticket, and Danny Murphy’s Pub (on the wharf, tucked underneath the bank and facing the parking area and harbor).
The Castine Town Band often performs free concerts on the common; check www.castine.org for its schedule.
A different band performs on the Town Dock every Wednesday evening for free Waterfront Wednesdays.
The Wilson Museum (107 Perkins St., 207/326-8545, www.wilsonmuseum.org ) frequently schedules concerts, lectures, and demonstrations.
The Trinitarian Church often brings in high-caliber musical entertainment.
Castine sponsors the intellectual side of the early-August Wooden Boat Regatta. The Castine Yacht Club brings in a who’s who of big-name sail-related designers and racers for this annual lecture series. Other events include on-the-dock boat tours and limited sailing opportunities.
Gardening fans should ask about kitchen and garden tours, which take place every few years.
Clustered downtown along Castine’s Main Street are Gallery B (5 Main St., 213/839-0851, www.gallerybgallery.com ), showing fine art and crafts; Lucky Hill (15 Main St., 207/326-1066), a combination gallery and home-goods boutique; and the Compass Rose Bookstore (3 Main St., 207/326-8526).
Oil paintings by local artists Joshua and Susan Adam are on view at Adam Gallery (140 Battle Ave., 207/326-8272).
The 185-acre Witherle Woods, owned by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust (www.mcht.org ), is a popular walking area with a 4.2-mile maze of trails and old woods roads leading to the water. Many Revolutionary War-era relics have been found here; if you see any, do not remove them. Access to the preserve is via a dirt road off of Battle Avenue, between the water district property (at the end of the wire fence) and diagonally across from La Tour Street. You can download a map from the website.
Right near Dennett’s Wharf is Castine Kayak Adventures (17 Sea St., Castine, 207/866-3506, www.castinekayak.com ), spearheaded by Maine Guide Karen Francoeur. All skill levels are accommodated; “Kayak Karen,” as she’s known locally, is particularly adept with beginners, delivering wise advice. Three-hour half-day trips are $55; six-hour full-day tours are around $110 and include lunch. Two-hour sunset tours are $55; the sunrise tour includes a light breakfast for $55. Friday and Saturday nights, there are special two- to three-hour phosphorescence tours under the stars (weather permitting) for $55 per person. Longer trips are available for $150 per day. If you have your own boat, call Karen; she knows these waters. She offers instruction for all levels as well as a Maine Sea Kayak Guide course. Karen also rents bikes for $20 per day.
Backshore Beach, a crescent of sand and gravel on Wadsworth Cove Road (turn off Battle Ave. at the Castine Golf Club), is a favorite saltwater swimming spot, with views across the bay to Stockton Springs. Be forewarned, though, that ocean swimming in this part of Maine is not for the timid. The best time to try it is on the incoming tide, after the sun has had time to warm the mud. At mid- to high tide, it’s also the best place to put in a sea kayak.
The nine-hole Castine Golf Club (200 Battle Ave., 207/326-8844, www.castinegolfclub.com ) dates to 1897, when the first tee required a drive from a 30-step-high mound. Willie Park Jr. redesigned it in 1921.
Glide over Penobscot Bay aboard the handsome and quite comfortable wooden motor-sailer Guildive (207/701-1421, www.castinecruises.com ), constructed in 1934 and captained by Kate Kana and Zander Parker. Two-hour sails, departing up to three times daily from Dennett’s Wharf, cost $45; sunset sails, which include a light appetizer, are $50.
The Castine Farmers Market takes place on the Town Common 9am-11:30am Thursday.
Dudley’s Refresher (Town Dock, 207/812-3800, www.dudleysrefresher.com , 11am-7pm Tues.-Sun.), a waterfront take-out stand, is an excellent bet for summer classics such as fish-and-chips and lobster rolls. You can’t beat the location or the view, and much of the menu is locally sourced and made from scratch.
Your best bet for late-night eats is Danny Murphy’s Pub (2 Sea St., on the wharf, tucked underneath the bank facing the parking area and harbor, 207/326-1004, 11am-1am daily), a sports bar with video games, a pool table, and frequent live entertainment. Opt for the pizza.
On a warm summer day, it’s hard to find a better place to while away a few hours than Dennett’s Wharf (15 Sea St., 207/326-9045, www.dennettswharf.net , 11am-11pm daily May-mid-Oct., $10-30), and that’s likely what you’ll do here, as service can be slow. Next to the town dock, it’s a colorful barn of a place with an outside deck and front-row windjammer-watching seats in summer. The best advice is to keep your order simple.
MarKel’s Bakehouse (26 Water St., Castine, 207/326-9510, www.markelsbakehouse.com , 7am-3pm daily), a higgledy-piggledy eatery of three rooms and a deck at the end of an alleyway tucked between Main and Water Streets, is a delicious find for breakfast, lunch, or sweets.
Jazz music plays softly and dinner is by candlelight at the S Pentagöet (26 Main St., 207/326-8616 or 800/845-1701, www.pentagoet.com , from 6pm Tues.-Sat., $16-30). In fine weather you can dine on the porch. Choices vary from pan-roasted halibut to port-braised lamb shanks, or simply make a meal of bistro plates, such as lamb lollipops and crab cakes and a salad. Don’t miss the lobster bouillabaisse or the chocolate budino, a scrumptious warm Italian pudding that melts in your mouth (a must for chocoholics). On Tuesday nights, there’s live jazz on the porch during dinner as well as porch specials menu from 5pm to 6:30pm.
Castine accommodations reflect the easy elegance of a bygone era.
The three-story Queen Anne-style S Pentagöet Inn (26 Main St., Castine, 207/326-8616 or 800/845-1701, www.pentagoet.com , May-late Oct., $135-295) is the perfect Maine summer inn, right down to the lace curtains billowing in the breeze, the soft floral wallpapers, and the intriguing curiosities that accent but don’t clutter the guest rooms. Innkeepers Jack Burke, previously with the U.S. Foreign Service, and Julie Van de Graaf, a pastry chef, took over the century-old inn in 2000 and have given it new life, upgrading rooms and furnishing them with Victorian antiques, adding handsome gardens, and carving out a niche as a dining destination. The inn’s 16 guest rooms are spread between the main house and the adjoining, pet-friendly, newly renovated 1791 Federal-style Perkins House. A hot buffet breakfast, afternoon refreshments, and evening hors d’oeuvres are provided. Jack holds court in the pub (chock-full of vintage photos and prints as well as exotic antiques), advising guests on activities and opportunities. Borrow one of the inn’s bikes and explore town or simply walk—the Main Street location is convenient to everything Castine offers.
the Pentagöet Inn
The venerable Castine Inn (41 Main St., Castine, 207/326-4365, www.castineinn.com , $150-235) has 19 second- and third-floor guest rooms and suites; some have water views; a few are air-conditioned. Public space includes a formal living room as well as a wraparound porch overlooking the gardens. Breakfast ($9 guests, $10 public) is served in the dining room, which features a wraparound mural of Castine.
For summer cottage rentals, contact Saltmeadow Properties (7 Main St., Castine, 207/326-9116, www.saltmeadowproperties.com ).
Castine has no local information office, but all businesses and lodgings in town have copies of the Castine Merchants Association’s visitor’s brochure-map. For additional information, go to the Castine Town Office (Emerson Hall, 67 Court St., 207/326-4502, www.castine.me.us , 8am-3:30pm Mon.-Fri.).
Check out Witherle Memorial Library (41 School St., 207/326-4375, www.witherle.lib.me.us ). Also accessible to the public is the Nutting Memorial Library, in Platz Hall on the Maine Maritime Academy campus.
Find public restrooms by the dock, at the foot of Main Street.
Castine is about 16 miles or 25 minutes via Routes 1, 175, and 166 from Bucksport. It’s about 20 miles or 35 minutes via Routes 166, 199, and 175 from Blue Hill.
“Deer Isle is like Avalon,” wrote John Steinbeck in Travels with Charley —“it must disappear when you are not there.” Deer Isle, the name of both the island and its midpoint town, has been romancing authors and artisans for decades, but it is unmistakably real to the quarrymen and fishermen who’ve been here for centuries. These longtimers are a sturdy lot, as Steinbeck recognized: “I would hate to try to force them to do anything they didn’t want to do.”
Early-18th-century maps show no name for the island, but by the late 1800s nearly 100 families lived here, supporting themselves first by farming, then by fishing. In 1789, when Deer Isle was incorporated, 80 local sailing vessels were scouring the Gulf of Maine in pursuit of mackerel and cod, and Deer Isle men were circling the globe as yachting skippers and merchant seamen. At the same time, in the once-quiet village of Green’s Landing (now called Stonington), the shipbuilding and granite industries boomed, spurring development, prosperity, and the kinds of rough high jinks typical of commercial ports the world over.
Green’s Landing became the “big city” for an international crowd of quarrymen carving out the terrain on Deer Isle and nearby Crotch Island, source of high-quality granite for Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, a humongous fountain for John D. Rockefeller’s New York estate, and less showy projects all along the Eastern Seaboard. The heyday is long past, but the industry did extend into the 20th century (including a contract for the pink granite at President John F. Kennedy’s Arlington National Cemetery gravesite). Today, Crotch Island is the site of Maine’s only operating island granite quarry.
Measuring about nine miles north to south (plus another three miles for Little Deer Isle), the island of Deer Isle today has a handful of hamlets (including Sunshine, Sunset, Mountainville, and Oceanville ) and two towns—Stonington (pop. 1,043) and Deer Isle (pop. 1,975). Road access is via Route 15 on the Blue Hill Peninsula. A huge suspension bridge, built in 1939 over Eggemoggin Reach, links the Sargentville section of Sedgwick with Little Deer Isle; from there, a sinuous 0.4-mile causeway connects to the northern tip of Deer Isle.
Deer Isle remains an artisans’ enclave, anchored by the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Studios and galleries are plentiful, although many require tooling along back roads to find them. Stonington, a rough-and-tumble fishing port with an idyllic setting, is slowly being gentrified, as each season more and more galleries and upscale shops open for the summer. Locals are holding their collective breath, hoping that any improvements don’t change the town too much (although most visitors could do without the car racing on Main Street at night). Already, real-estate prices and accompanying taxes have escalated way past the point where many a local fisherman can hope to buy, and in some cases maintain, a home.
Sightseeing on Deer Isle means exploring back roads, browsing the galleries, walking the trails, hanging out on the docks, and soaking in the ambience.
The renowned Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Sunshine Rd., Deer Isle, 207/348-2306, www.haystack-mtn.org ) in Sunshine is open to the public on a limited basis, but if it fits into your schedule, go. Anyone can visit the school store or walk down the central stairs to the water; to see more of the campus, take a tour (1pm Wed., $5), which includes a video, viewing works on display, and the opportunity to visit some studios. Beyond that, there are slide programs, lectures, demonstrations, and concerts presented by faculty and visiting artists on varying weeknights early June-late August. Perhaps the best opportunities are the end-of-session auctions, held on Thursday night every 2-3 weeks, when you can tour the studios for free at 7pm before the auction at 8pm. It’s a great opportunity to buy craftwork at often very reasonable prices.
Part museum, part gallery, part jelly kitchen, and part tearoom: Nervous Nellie’s (600 Sunshine Rd., Deer Isle, 800/777-6845, www.nervousnellies.com , free) is all that and more. Most visitors come to purchase the hand-produced jams and jellies and, perhaps, watch them being made. Once here, they discover sculptor Peter Beerits’s “natural history museum of the imagination.” Beerits, who has an MFA in sculpture, has built a fantasy world that’s rooted in his boyhood and complements The Nervous Nellie Story, his comic-book-format illustrated series. “Ten years ago, I was primarily an artist who exhibited works in galleries. Now I’m primarily a museum curator,” he says.
Sculptor Peter Beerits has created an interactive gallery at Nervous Nellie’s.
The buildings, fields, gardens, and woods are filled with interactive scenes and whimsical wood and metal sculptures Beerits has created from the flotsam and jetsam of everyday island life—farming implements, household furnishings, and industrial whatnots—what Beerits calls “good junk from the dump.” Take a closer look at that dragon frolicking in the meadow. Its tail and legs are culled from four pianos, the scales are backhoe teeth, the claws are roof-ladder hooks, the neck is a potato harvester, and the head is a radar dish.
There’s an interactive Western Town complete with a hotel, a Chinese laundry, a jail, a fortune-teller, a sheriff’s office, a blacksmith shop, and the Silver Dollar Saloon. Inside the saloon, Wild Bill Hickok is playing his last hand of cards, his back to a gunman sneaking through the back door. “Hickok made the mistake one time of sitting with his back to a door, not the wall,” Beerits says, adding that the hand he holds, two aces and two eights, is now known as a dead man’s hand in poker. It’s that kind of detail that adds a touch of reality to the scenes, and it’s the opportunity to grab a seat at the table that engages visitors and keeps the cameras clicking. The West fades into the Mississippi Delta, where blues music draws visitors into Red’s Lounge, where a pianist and guitarist crank out the blues, while a couple flirts in a corner booth.
Beerits moved the original Hardy’s Store here. Like a living-history museum, it provides a glimpse into island life decades ago. No detail is overlooked, from the hot dogs and buns in the steamer to the pickled eggs on the counter, from Neville Hardy at the register to the women seated out front eyeing the gas pump. As in every exhibit, fans have left notes, often illustrated, sharing their thoughts and impressions.
Many visitors take in these sights and then settle into the café for a snack, not realizing that there’s more to see. In the woods behind, King Arthur’s knights in shining armor, some larger than life, guard and inhabit the Grail Castle. A feast is in progress, and maidens are parading through the hall bearing holy objects. Continue down the path, and you’ll arrive at a woodlands church, another of Beerits’s projects.
You can easily spend an hour here, and there’s no admission; wander freely. On some Sunday afternoons, Beerits offers free 45-minute tours. The property is also home to Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies, known for outstanding, creative condiments. You can peek into the kitchen to see the jams being made. The best time to come is 9am-5pm daily May-early October, when the shop operates the casual Mountainville Café, serving tea, coffee, and delicious scones—with, of course, delicious Nervous Nellie’s products; sampling is encouraged. Stock up, because they’re sold in only a few shops. Also sold is a small, well-chosen selection of Maine products. Really, trust me, you must visit this place.
There’s more to the 1830 Salome Sellers House (416 Sunset Rd./Rte. 15A, Sunset Village, 207/348-6400, www.dis-historicalsociety.org , 1pm-4pm Wed.-Fri. mid-June-mid-Sept., donation) than first meets the eye. A repository of local memorabilia, archives, and intriguing artifacts, it’s also the headquarters of the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society. Sellers, matriarch of an island family, was a direct descendant of Mayflower settlers. She lived to be 108, a lifetime spanning 1800-1908, earning the record for oldest recorded Maine resident. The house contains Sellers’s furnishings, and in a small exhibit space in the rear is a fine exhibit of baskets made by Maine Native Americans. Behind the house are the archives, heritage gardens, and an exhibit hall filled with nautical artifacts. Bringing all this to life are enthusiastic volunteer guides, many of them island natives. They love to provide tidbits about various items; seafarers’ logs and ship models are particularly intriguing, and don’t miss the 1920s peapod, the original lobster boat on the island. The house is just north of the Island Country Club and across from Eaton’s Plumbing.
Close to the Stonington waterfront, the Deer Isle Granite Museum (51 Main St., Stonington, 207/367-6331, www.deerislegranitemuseum.org , 9am-5pm Sat.-Tues. and Thurs. July-Aug.) was established to commemorate the centennial of the quarrying business hereabouts. The best feature of the small museum is a 15-foot-long working model of Crotch Island, center of the industry, as it appeared at the turn of the 20th century. Flatcars roll, boats glide, and derricks move—it all looks very real. Donations are welcome.
Another downtown Stonington attraction is a Lilliputian complex known as the Miniature Village. Beginning in 1947, the late Everett Knowlton created a dozen and a half replicas of local buildings and displayed them on granite blocks in his yard. Since his death, they’ve been restored and put on display each summer in town—along with a donation box to support the upkeep. The village is set up on East Main Street (Rte. 15), below Hoy Gallery.
A fine view of Pumpkin Island Light can be had from the cul-de-sac at the end of the Eggemoggin Road on Little Deer Isle. If heading south on Route 15, bear right at the information booth after crossing the bridge and continue to the end.
The purpose of the Penobscot East Resource Center (13 Atlantic Ave., Stonington, 207/367-2708, www.penobscoteast.org , 10am-4pm Mon.-Fri.) is “to energize and facilitate responsible community-based fishery management, collaborative marine science, and sustainable economic development to benefit the fishermen and the communities of Penobscot Bay and the Eastern Gulf of Maine.” Bravo to that! At the center are educational displays and interactive exhibits, including a touch tank, highlighting Maine fisheries and the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. One of the driving forces behind the venture is Ted Ames, who won a $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship “genius grant” in 2005.
Stonington’s National Historic Landmark, the 1912 Opera House (corner of School and Main Streets, 207/367-2788, www.operahousearts.org ), is home to Opera House Arts, which hosts films, plays, lectures, concerts, family programs, and workshops year-round.
Bird-watchers flock to Deer Isle in mid-May for the annual Wings, Waves & Woods Weekend (www.deerisle.com ).
Mid-June, when lupines in various shades of pink and purple seem to be blooming everywhere, brings the Lupine Festival (www.deerisle.com ), a weekend event that includes art openings and shows, boat rides, a private garden tour, and entertainment ranging from a contra dance to movies.
Mid-July brings the Stonington Lobsterboat Races (207/348-2804), very popular competitions held in the harbor, with lots of possible vantage points. Stonington is one of the major locales in the lobster-boat race circuit.
The Peninsula Potters Studio Tour and Sale (www.peninsulapotters.com ) is held in October, when more than a dozen potters from Blue Hill to Stonington welcome visitors.
The greatest concentration of shops is in Stonington, where galleries, clothing boutiques, and eclectic shops line Main Street.
In “downtown” Deer Isle Village, Candy and Jim Eaton operate The Periwinkle (8 Main St., Deer Isle, 207/348-2256), stocking it with a fun mix of books, handcrafts, and niceties.
Thanks to the presence and influence of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, super-talented artists and artisans lurk in every corner of the island. Most galleries are tucked away on back roads, so watch for roadside signs. Many have studios open to the public where you can watch the artists at work.
Alfred’s Roost (360 Eggemoggin Rd., 207/348-6699) is a fun gallery and working glass studio in an old schoolhouse. Ask Dusty Eagen to share mascot Alfred Peabody’s life story.
Alfred’s Roost
The Greene-Ziner Gallery (73 Reach Rd., 207/348-2601, www.melissagreene.com ) is a double treat. Melissa Greene turns out incredible painted and incised pottery—she’s represented in the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery—and Eric Ziner works magic in metal sculpture and furnishings. Your budget may not allow for one of Melissa’s pots (in the four-digit range), but I guarantee you’ll covet them. The gallery also displays the work of several other local artists.
The Hutton Gallery (89 N. Deer Isle Rd./Rte. 15, 207/348-6171, www.huttongallery.com ) offers a nice range of fine art and craftwork, including prints, jewelry, paintings, basketry, glass, and fiber art.
The Frederica Marshall Gallery (81 N. Deer Isle Rd., 207/348-2782, www.fredericamarshall.com ) is a multifaceted find. Marshall is a master brush painter who delights in explaining Japanese sumi-e work and demonstrating the brushes that vary from a cat’s whisker to four horsetails in size. She also has a classroom and offers workshops ranging from two hours to four days in length. Her husband, Herman Kidder, operates Kidder Forge on the same property. His knives forged from old tools are available in the gallery.
One of the island’s premier galleries is Elena Kubler’s The Turtle Gallery (61 N. Deer Isle Rd./Rte. 15, 207/348-9977, www.turtlegallery.com ), in a handsome space formerly known as the Old Centennial House Barn (owned by the late Haystack director Francis Merritt) and the adjacent farmhouse. Group and solo shows of contemporary paintings, prints, and crafts are hung upstairs and down in the barn; works by gallery artists are in the farmhouse; and there’s usually sculpture in the gardens both in front and in back. It’s just north of Deer Isle Village.
The Dowstudio Gallery (19 Dow Rd., 207/348-6498, www.dowstudiodeerisle.com ) shows pottery, metalwork, jewelry, prints, and drawings by Ellen Wieske, Carole Ann Fer, and other artists and artisans.
In the village, Deer Isle Artists Association (5 Main St., 207/348-2330, www.deerisleartists.com ) features two-week exhibits of paintings, prints, drawings, and photos by member artists.
Just a bit south of the village is John Wilkinson Sculpture (41 Church St., 207/348-2363, www.sculptor1.com ), open by chance or appointment. Wilkinson works in concrete, wood, and plaster.
Detour down Sunshine Road to view Peter Beerits Sculpture at Nervous Nellie’s (600 Sunshine Rd., 800/777-6845, www.nervousnellies.com ), a world of whimsy that will entertain all ages, and if the timing works, catch the Wednesday tour at Haystack.
Cabinetmaker Geoffrey Warner displays his work at Geoffrey Warner Studio (431 N. Main St., 207/367-6555, www.geoffreywarnerstudio.com ). Warner mixes classic techniques with contemporary styles and Eastern, nature-based, and arts and crafts accents to create some unusual and rather striking pieces. He also crafts the budget-friendly ergonomic Owl stool as well as offers kits and workshops.
Along downtown Stonington’s Main Street are three worthwhile galleries: gWatson Gallery (68 Main St., 207/367-2900, www.gwatsongallery.com ), representing a number of top-notch painters and printmakers; Hoy Gallery (80 Main St., 207/367-2368, www.jillhoy.com ), showing Jill Hoy’s works, many in bold, bright colors; and Marlinespike Chandlery (58 W. Main St., 207/348-2521, www.marlinespike.com ), specializing in ropework, both practical and fancy.
A bit off the beaten path but worth finding is the Siri Beckman Studio (115 Airport Rd., 207/367-5037, www.siribeckman.com ), Beckman’s home studio-gallery featuring her woodcuts, prints, and watercolors.
Foresighted benefactors have managed to set aside precious acreage for respectful public use on Deer Isle. The Nature Conservancy (207/729-5181, www.nature.org ) owns two properties: Crockett Cove Woods Preserve and Barred Island Preserve. The conscientious steward of other local properties is the Island Heritage Trust (420 Sunset Rd., Sunset, 207/348-2455, www.islandheritagetrust.org , 8am-4pm Mon.-Fri.). At the group’s office you can pick up notecards, photos, T-shirts, and helpful maps and information on hiking trails and nature preserves. Proceeds benefit the Island Heritage Trust’s efforts; donations are also appreciated.
From the parking lot on Oceanville Road (just under one mile off Rte. 15), marked by a carved granite sign, it’s about five minutes walking to the top of the old Settlement Quarry, where the viewing platform (a.k.a. the “throne room”) takes in a panorama that stretches all the way to the Camden Hills on a good day. In early August, wild raspberries are an additional enticement. Three short loop trails lead into the surrounding woods from here. A map is available in the trailhead box.
Bring a picnic to the 145-acre Edgar Tennis Preserve to enjoy on one of the convenient rocky outcroppings. Allow at least 90 minutes to walk the trails. One skirts Pickering Cove, providing sigh-producing views. Another leads to an old cemetery. Parts of the trails can be wet, so wear appropriate footwear. Bring binoculars for bird-watching. To find the property, take Sunshine Road 2.5 miles to Tennis Road and follow it to the preserve.
The 38-acre Shore Acres Preserve, a gift from Judy Hill to the Island Heritage Trust, comprises old farmland, woodlands, clam flats, a salt marsh, and granite shorefront. Three walking trails connect in a 1.5-mile loop, with the Shore Trail section edging Greenlaw Cove. As you walk along the waterfront, look for the islands of Mount Desert rising in the distance and seals basking on offshore ledges. Do not walk across the salt marsh, and try to avoid stepping on beach plants. To find the preserve, take Sunshine Road 1.2 miles and then bear left at the fork onto Greenlaw District Road. The preserve’s parking area is just shy of one mile down the road. Park off the paved road in the parking area.
Donated to The Nature Conservancy by benevolent eco-conscious local artist Emily Muir, 98-acre Crockett Cove Woods Preserve is Deer Isle’s natural gem—a coastal fog forest laden with lichens and mosses. Four interlinked walking trails lace the preserve, starting with a short nature trail. Pick up the map-brochure at the registration box. Wear rubberized shoes or boots, and respect adjacent private property. The preserve is open sunrise-sunset daily year-round. From Deer Isle Village, take Route 15A to Sunset Village. Go 2.5 miles to Whitman Road and then take Fire Lane 88.
Owned by The Nature Conservancy but managed by the Island Heritage Trust, Barred Island Preserve was donated by Carolyn Olmsted, grandniece of noted landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who summered nearby. A former owner of adjacent Goose Cove Lodge donated an additional 48 acres of maritime boreal fog forest. A single walking trail, one mile long, leads from the parking lot to the point. At low tide, and when eagles aren’t nesting, you can continue out to Barred Island. Another trail skirts the shoreline of Goose Cove, before retreating inland and rejoining the main trail. From a high point on the main trail, you can see more than a dozen islands, many of which are protected from development, as well as Saddleback Ledge Light, 14 miles distant. To get to the preserve, follow Route 15A to Goose Cove Road and then continue to the parking area on the right. If it’s full, return another day.
The Stonington Conservation Commission administers the town-owned Holt Mill Pond Preserve, where more than 47 bird species have been identified (bring binoculars). It comprises upland spruce forest, lowland spruce-mixed forest, freshwater marsh, and saltwater marsh habitats. A self-guiding nature trail, with a detailed brochure accented with drawings by Siri Beckman, is available at the trailhead registration kiosk. Take the Airport Road (off Route 15) and look for the Nature Trail sign just beyond the medical center.
Ames Pond is neither park nor preserve, but it might as well be. On a back road close to Stonington, it’s a mandatory stop in July-August, when the pond wears a blanket of pink and white water lilies. From downtown Stonington, take Indian Point Road just under a mile east to the pond.
If you’re itching to dip your toes into the water, stop by Causeway Beach along the causeway linking Little Deer Isle to Deer Isle. It’s popular for swimming and is also a significant habitat for birds and other wildlife. On the other side of Route 15 is Scott’s Landing, with more than 20 acres of fields, trails, and shorefront.
The Maine Coast Heritage Trust (www.mcht.org ) owns 985-acre Marshall Island, the largest undeveloped island on the Eastern Seaboard. Since acquiring it in 2003, the trust has added 10 miles of hiking trails. After exploring, picnic on Sand Cove beach on the southeastern shore. Old Quarry Ocean Adventures (Stonington, 207/367-8977, mobile 207/266-7778, www.oldquarry.com ) offers full-day trips on select dates for $50/person. Or, charter a trip aboard Captain Steve Johnson’s Bert & I (207/460-8679). Johnson will transport you to Marshall on weekends for about $140 pp round-trip plus $35 pp for each additional person or hour. Primitive camping is available by reservation (207/729-7366) at designated sites; fires require a permit (207/827-1800).
The biggest operation is Old Quarry Ocean Adventures (Stonington, 207/367-8977, www.oldquarry.com ), with a broad range of outdoor adventure choices. Bill Baker’s ever-expanding enterprise rents canoes, kayaks, sailboats, bikes, moorings, platform tent sites, and cabins. Bicycle rentals are $23 per day or $113 per week. Sea-kayak rentals are $72 per day for a single, $90 for a tandem. Half-day rates (based on a four-hour rental) are $52 and $70, respectively. Overnight 24-hour rental is available for a 10 percent surcharge. Other options include canoes, rowboats, and sailboats; check the website for details. For all boat rentals, you must demonstrate competency in the vessel. They’ll deliver and pick up anywhere on the island for a fee of $31 each way. All-day guided sea-kayaking tours are $135 per person; a half day is $68 per person. Plenty of other options are available, including sunset tours and family trips.
A Registered Maine Guide leads overnight kayaking camping trips on nearby islands. Rates, for kayak rental and guide, begin around $300 per adult for one night, with a three-person minimum; add meals for $8 per person. If you’re bringing your own kayak, you can park your car ($7/night up to 2 nights, $6/night for 3 or more nights) and launch from here ($5/boat for launching). Old Quarry is off the Oceanville Road, less than a mile from Route 15, just before you reach the Settlement Quarry preserve. It’s well signposted.
The Island Heritage Trust (402 Sunset Rd., Sunset, 207/348-2455, www.islandheritagetrust.org ) sponsors a Walks and Talks series. Guided walks cover topics such as “Bird Calls for Beginners,” “Salt Marsh Ecology,” and “Butterflies, Bees, and Biodiversity.” Call for information and reservations.
The waters around Deer Isle, with lots of islets and protected coves, are extremely popular for sea kayaking, especially off Stonington.
The nooks and crannies along Deer Isle’s coastline are best explored by sea kayak.
If you sign up with the Maine Island Trail Association (207/761-8225, www.mita.org , $45/year), you’ll receive a handy manual that steers you to more than a dozen islands in the Deer Isle archipelago where you can camp, hike, and picnic—eco-sensitively, please. Boat traffic can be a bit heavy at the height of summer, so to best appreciate the tranquility of this area, try this in September after the Labor Day holiday. Nights can be cool, but days are likely to be brilliant. Remember that this is a working harbor.
The six-mile paddle from Stonington to Isle au Haut is best left to experienced paddlers, especially since fishing folks refer to kayakers as “speed bumps.”
The island’s only major freshwater swimming hole is the Lily Pond, northeast of Deer Isle Village. Just north of the Shakespeare School, turn into the Deer Run Apartments complex. Park and take the path to the pond, which has a shallow area for small children.
The Island Country Club (Rte. 15A, Sunset, 207/348-2379, early June-late Sept.) has a nine-hole public course that has been here since 1928, as well as three Har-Tru tennis courts.
The Otter departs at 2pm Monday-Saturday mid-June-mid September from the Isle au Haut Boat Company (Seabreeze Ave., Stonington, 207/367-5193 or 207/367-6516, www.isleauhaut.com ) dock in Stonington for a narrated 1.25-hour Lobster Fishing Scenic Cruise, during which the crew hauls a string of lobster traps. Cost is $22 adults, $8 under age 12. Special puffin and lighthouse cruises are offered on a limited basis. Another option is to cruise over and back to Isle au Haut without stepping foot off the boat ($22 adults). Reservations are advisable, especially in July-August. Dockside parking is around $10, or find a spot in town and save the surcharge.
Captain Walter Reed’s Guided Island Tours (207/348-6789, www.guidedislandtours.com ) aboard the Gael are custom designed for a maximum of four passengers. Walt is a Registered Maine Guide and professional biologist who also is a steward for Mark Island Lighthouse and several uninhabited islands in the area. He provides in-depth perspective and the local scoop. The cost is $35 pp for the first hour plus $25 pp for each additional hour (no credit cards); kids under 12 are half price. Reservations are required; box lunches are available for an additional fee.
Yet another aspect of the Old Quarry Ocean Adventures (Stonington, 207/367-8977, www.oldquarry.com ) empire are sightseeing tours on the Nigh Duck. A three-hour trip (1pm-4pm, $48 adults, $36 under age 12) highlights the natural history of the area as Captain Bill navigates the boat through the archipelago. Also available is a 1.5-hour sunset cruise, departing one hour before sunset, for $41 adults and $31 under age 12. And if that’s not enough, Old Quarry also offers puffin-watching, lighthouse, and island cruises, with rates beginning around $75 adults, $55 children. Of course, if none of this floats your boat, you can also arrange for a custom charter for $205 per hour.
Old Quarry also offers a number of special trips in conjunction with the Island Heritage Trust. Most are noted on Old Quarry’s website, but for reservations or more info, call 207/348-2455.
Cruise through East Penobscot Bay aboard the mail boat Katherine (207/701-9316, $26 adults, $13 under age 12), which departs the Deer Isle Yacht Club at 9am, Monday-Saturday, for a two-hour excursion taking in Eagle, Butter, Barred, and Great Spruce Head Islands.
Craving sweets? Head to Susie Q’s Sweets and Curiosities (40 School St., Stonington, 207/367-2415, 8am-3pm Wed.-Sun.). Susan Scott bakes a fine selection of cookies and pies, offers breakfast and lunch choices (including homemade doughnuts, blueberry pancakes, and often crabmeat quiche), and also carries antiques, books, quilts, toys, and more.
Water’s Edge Wines (6 Thurlow’s Hill Rd., Stonington, 207/367-6348, 11am-4pm Tues.-Sat., www.watersedgewines.com ) also sells baked goods, specialty foods, pizzas, and sandwiches.
Coffee zealots praise 44 North Coffee, which has two locations: the café (70 Main St., Stonington) and the roastery (11 Church St./Rte. 15, Deer Isle, 207/348-5208, www.44northcoffee.com ).
On a fine afternoon, there’s no better place to hang out and sip coffee than the Espresso Bar at the Inn on the Harbor (45 Main St., Stonington, 800/942-2420).
Burnt Cove Market (Rte. 15, Stonington, 207/367-2681, 6am-8pm Mon.-Thurs., 6am-9pm Fri.-Sat., 7am-8pm Sun.) sells pizza, fried chicken, and sandwiches, plus beer and wine.
The Fairway Café (442 Sunset Rd., Deer Isle, 207/348-2379, www.islandcountryclub.net , 11am-2pm daily), located at the country club, is a good bet for a reasonably priced lunch.
The Island Community Center (6 Memorial Ln., just off School St., Stonington) is the locale for the lively Island Farmers Market (10am-noon Fri. late May-late Sept.), with more than 50 vendors selling smoked and organic meats, fresh herbs and flowers, produce, gelato and yogurt, maple syrup, jams and jellies, fabulous breads and baked goods, chocolates, ethnic foods, crafts, and so much more.
The Island Culinary & Ecological Center (www.edibleisland.org ) aims to create a high-level cooking school and also supports the region as a culinary destination. It offers occasional workshops and programs, as well as an annual fund-raiser featuring a five-course dinner prepared by renowned chefs.
Harbor Café (36 Main St., Stonington, 207/367-5099, 6am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 6am-2pm Sun., $5-20) is the place to go for breakfast (you can eavesdrop on the local fisherfolk if you’re early enough), but it’s also open for lunch and dinner (especially popular on Friday night for the seafood fry, with free seconds). Food varies, as does the service; it’s best to stick to the basics.
The views are top-notch from the harbor-front Fisherman’s Friend Restaurant (5 Atlantic Ave., Stonington, 207/367-2442, www.fishermansfriendrestaurant.com , from 11am Thurs.-Tues., $10-25), which turns out generous portions of decent fried food, fresh seafood, and outstanding desserts. Prices are reasonable—the Friday-night fish fry, with free seconds, is around $11.
Fried seafood, lobsters, burgers, ice cream, and other staples are available at Madelyn’s Drive In & Takeout (495 N. Deer Isle Rd./Rte. 15, 207/348-9444, 11am-7pm daily), a popular family spot with picnic tables and a playground.
The Whale’s Rib Tavern (20 Main St./Sunset Rd., Deer Isle Village, 207/348-5222, 5pm-8:30pm Wed.-Sun., $18-30) is a comfy, white-tablecloth tavern with a rustic feel in the lower level of the Pilgrim’s Inn. Well-prepared entrées may include seared halibut with lobster risotto, rack of lamb, and vegetarian fare.
Gaze over lobster boats toing-and-froing around spruce-and-granite-fringed islands and out to Isle au Haut from S Aragosta (27 Main St., Stonington, 207/367-5500, www.aragostamaine.com , 5pm-9pm Thurs.-Tues., $28-38), a culinary bright spot fronting the harbor in downtown Stonington. The emphasis is on seafood—the lobster ravioli earns raves—but chef Devin Finigan’s fare, served in the unpretentiously elegant dining room, draws from what’s currently available from local farms. She also makes her own charcuterie, flavored salts, and ice cream. For lighter fare, opt for the happy hour menu (5pm-8pm Thurs.-Sun., $10-28) or lunch (11am-3pm Thurs.-Sun.), both served on the harbor-hugging deck. Reservations are wise.
Pilgrim’s Inn (20 Main St., Deer Isle, 207/348-6615, www.pilgrimsinn.com , early May-mid-Oct., $139-259) comprises a beautifully restored colonial building with 12 rooms and three newer cottages overlooking the peaceful Mill Pond. The inn, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, began life in 1793 as a boardinghouse named The Ark. Rates include a full breakfast and snacks. The Whale’s Rib Tavern serves dinner.
S The Inn on the Harbor (45 Main St., Stonington, 207/367-2420 or 800/942-2420, www.innontheharbor.com , $150-240) is exactly as its name proclaims—its expansive deck hangs right over the harbor. Although recently updated, the 1880s complex retains an unpretentiousness air. Most of the 14 guest rooms and suites, each named after a windjammer, have mesmerizing harbor views and private or shared decks where you can keep an eye on lobster boats, small ferries, windjammers, and pleasure craft; binoculars are provided. Street-side rooms can be noisy at night. Rates include a continental buffet breakfast. An espresso bar is open 11am-4:30pm daily. Nearby are antiques, gift, and crafts shops; guest moorings are available. The inn is open all year, but call ahead in the off-season, when rates are lower.
Eggemoggin Reach is almost on the doorstep at The Inn at Ferry Landing (77 Old Ferry Rd., Deer Isle, 207/348-7760, www.ferrylanding.com , $130-185), overlooking the abandoned Sargentville-Deer Isle ferry wharf. The view is wide open from the inn’s great room, where guests gather to read, play games, talk, and watch passing windjammers. Professional musician Gerald Wheeler has installed two grand pianos in the room; it’s a treat when he plays. His wife, Jean, is the hospitable innkeeper, managing three water-view guest rooms and a suite. A harpsichord and a great view are big pluses in the suite. The Mooring, an annex that sleeps five, is rented by the week ($1,200 without breakfast). The inn is open year-round except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Penny’s B&B (41 Main St., Stonington, 949/494-7747, www.pennys-bnb.com , $90-$150), an art-filled, shingled and turreted Victorian sited on the edge of downtown, is a laid-back, low-key spot to kick back and relax. Not a place for fussbudgets, this is more of a homestay, with three bedrooms (and an overflow single room) sharing two baths, a tiny one upstairs and a spacious one downstairs. Owner Penny Parkinson, an artist, is a great resource about the area, but don’t expect handholding or even a hot breakfast—it’s a simple self-serve continental available whenever you desire. The best room is the queen-bedded one opening to a huge private deck with harbor views; if you’re day-tripping to Isle au Haut, you can simply wake up and roll down the hill to the dock.
Right in downtown Stonington, just across the street from the harbor, is the 11-unit Boyce’s Motel (44 Main St., Stonington, 207/367-2421 or 800/224-2421, www.boycesmotel.com , year-round, $75-160), with a private harbor-front deck for its guests. Ask for rooms well back from Main Street to lessen the street noise. Pets are allowed in some rooms for $15/stay.
The rustic-bordering-on-primitive Deer Isle Hostel (65 Tennis Rd., Deer Isle, 207/348-2308, www.deerislehostel.com , $25 pp dorm, $35-70 private room, no credit cards) is near the Tennis Preserve. Owner Dennis Carter, a Surry, Maine, native and local stoneworker and carpenter, modeled it on The Hostel in the Forest in Brunswick, Georgia. It’s completely off the grid, with a pump in the kitchen for water, an outhouse, a watering-can shower, and a wood-fired hot tub. Carter expects guests to work in the extensive organic gardens, using produce for shared meals prepared on a woodstove, the sole source of heat. The three-story timber-frame design is taken from a late 17th-century home in Massachusetts. Carter hand-cut the granite for the basement, and the timbers in the nail-free frame are hand-hewn from local blown-down spruce. The goal is sustainability, not profit. Communal dinners are available nightly.
Old Quarry Ocean Adventures Bunkhouse (130 Settlement Rd., Stonington, 207/367-8977, www.oldquarry.com ) sleeps up to eight in three private rooms for $65-85 double occupancy; weekly rates as well as whole-building rates are available. Guests use the campground bathhouse facilities. Bring your own sleeping bag or linens, or rent them for $4.
Plan ahead if you want to camp at Old Quarry Ocean Adventures Campground (130 Settlement Rd., Stonington, 207/367-8977, www.oldquarry.com ), with both oceanfront and secluded platform sites for tents and just three RV sites. Rates range $42-62 for two people, plus $19 for each additional adult, varying with location and hookups. Children ages 5-11 are $6.50. Leashed pets are permitted ($2/stay); Wi-Fi is $3 per stay. Parking is designed so that vehicles are kept away from most campsites, but you can use a garden cart to transport your equipment between your car and your site. The campground is adjacent to the Settlement Quarry preserve.
The Deer Isle-Stonington Chamber of Commerce (207/348-6124, www.deerislemaine.com ) has a summer information booth on a grassy triangle on Route 15 in Little Deer Isle, 0.25 mile after crossing the bridge from Sargentville (Sedgwick).
Across from the Pilgrim’s Inn is the Chase Emerson Memorial Library (Main St., Deer Isle Village, 207/348-2899). At the tip of the island is the Stonington Public Library (Main St., Stonington, 207/367-5926).
Find public restrooms at the Atlantic Avenue Hardware pier and the Stonington Town Hall on Main Street, Chase Emerson Library in Deer Isle Village, and behind the information booth on Little Deer Isle.
Deer Isle Village is about 12 miles or 25 minutes via Route 15 from Brooksville. Stonington is about six miles or 15 minutes via Route 15 from Deer Isle Village.
Eight miles off Stonington lies 4,700-acre Isle au Haut, roughly half of which belongs to Acadia National Park. Pronounced variously as “I’ll-a-HO” or “I’LL-a-ho,” the island has nearly 20 miles of hiking trails, excellent birding, and a tiny village.
Around 50 souls call Isle au Haut home year-round, and most of them eke out a living from the sea. Each summer, the population temporarily swells with day-trippers, campers, and cottagers—and then in fall it settles back to the measured pace of life on an offshore island.
Samuel de Champlain, threading his way through this archipelago in 1605 and noting the island’s prominent central ridge, named it Isle au Haut (High Island). Appropriately, the tallest peak (543 feet) is now named Mount Champlain.
First settled in 1792, then incorporated in 1874, Isle au Haut earned a world record during World War I, when all residents were members of the Red Cross. Electricity came in 1970, and phone service in 1988.
More recent fame has come to the island thanks to island-based authors Linda Greenlaw, of Perfect Storm fame, who also wrote The Lobster Chronicles, and more recently Kate Shaffer, of Black Dinah Chocolatiers, who shared her recipes along with island tales in Desserted. Although both books piqued interest in the island, Isle au Haut remains uncrowded and well off the beaten tourist track.
Most of the southern half of the six-mile-long island belongs to Acadia National Park, thanks to the wealthy summer visitors who began arriving in the 1880s. It was their heirs who, in the 1940s, donated valuable acreage to the federal government. Today, this offshore division of the national park has a well-managed 19-mile network of trails, a few lean-tos, several miles of unpaved road, the Robinson Point Light and lighthouse inn, and summertime passenger-ferry service to the park entrance. The National Park Service has a no-promote policy regarding Isle au Haut; unless you ask about it, you won’t be told about it.
In the island’s northern half are the private residences of fishing families and summer folk, a minuscule village (including a market, chocolate shop café, gift shop, and post office), and a five-mile stretch of paved road. The only vehicles on the island are owned by residents.
If spending the night on Isle au Haut sounds appealing (it is), you’ll need to plan well ahead; it’s no place for spur-of-the-moment sleepovers. (Even spontaneous day trips aren’t always possible.) The best part about staying on Isle au Haut is that you’ll have much more than seven hours to enjoy this idyllic island.
Mention Acadia National Park and most people think of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island, where more than three million visitors arrive each year. The Isle au Haut section of the park sees maybe 5,000-7,500 visitors annually, with a daily cap of 128. The limited boat service, the remoteness of the island, and the scarcity of campsites contribute to the low count, leaving the trails and views for only a few hardy souls.
About a third of a mile from the town landing, where the year-round mail boat and another boat dock, is the Park Ranger Station (207/335-5551), where you can pick up trail maps and park information—and use the island’s only public facilities. (Do yourself a favor, though: Plan ahead by downloading Isle au Haut maps and information from the Acadia National Park website, www.nps.gov/acad and instead opt for the boat to the park’s dock.)
Although Isle au Haut is pretty much a make-your-own-fun place, summer events usually include a Fourth of July parade, which all islanders participate in (meaning there are few spectators), and an island talent show in August. Look also for signs at the town landing dock about themed cook-offs, which might include such gourmet items as Spam.
Hiking on Acadia National Park trails is the major recreation on Isle au Haut, and even in the densest fog you’ll see valiant hikers going for it. A loop road circles the whole island; an unpaved section goes through the park, connecting with the mostly paved nonpark section. Walking on that is easy. Beyond the road, none of the park’s 18 miles of trails could be labeled “easy”; the footing is rocky, rooty, and often squishy. But the park trails are well marked, and the views—of islets, distant hills, and the ocean—make the effort worthwhile. Go prepared with proper footwear. If you’re day-tripping, consult with the ranger who meets the park boat about the best options for your ability, as most first-time visitors overestimate the amount of terrain they can cover.
The most-used park trail is the four-mile one-way Duck Harbor Trail, connecting the town landing with Duck Harbor. You can either use this trail or follow the island road—mostly unpaved in this stretch—to get to the campground when the summer ferry ends its Duck Harbor runs.
Even though the summit is only 314 feet, Duck Harbor Mountain is the island’s toughest trail. Still, it’s worth the 1.2-mile one-way effort for the stunning 360-degree views from the summit. Option: Rather than return via the trail’s steep, bouldery sections, cut off at the Goat Trail and return to the trailhead that way.
For terrific shoreline scenery, take Western Head Trail and Cliff Trail at the island’s southwestern corner. They form a nice loop around Western Head. The route follows the coastline, ascending to ridges and cliffs and descending to rocky beaches, with some forested sections. Options: Close the loop by returning via the Western Head Road. If the tide is out (and only if it’s out), you can walk across the tidal flats to the quaintly named Western Ear for views back toward the island. Western Ear is privately owned, so don’t linger. The Goat Trail adds another four miles (round-trip) of moderate coastline hiking east of the Cliff Trail; views are fabulous and bird-watching is good, but if you’re here only for a day, you’ll need to decide whether there’s time to do this and still catch the return mail boat. If you do have the time and the energy, you can connect from the Goat Trail to the Duck Harbor Mountain Trail.
Pedaling is limited to the 12 or so miles of mostly unpaved, hilly roads, and although it is a way to get around, frankly, the terrain is neither exciting, fun, nor view-worthy. Mountain bikes are not allowed on the park’s hiking trails, and rangers discourage park visitors from bringing them to the island.
For freshwater swimming, head for Long Pond, a skinny, 1.5-mile-long swimming hole running north-south on the east side of the island, abutting national park land. There’s a minuscule beach-like area on the southern end with a picnic table and a float. If you’re here only for the day, though, there’s not enough time to do this and get in a long hike. Opt for the hiking—or do a short hike and then go for a swim.
Options for food are extremely limited on Isle au Haut, so if you’re coming for a day trip, bring sufficient food and water. If you want to stay overnight, plan well in advance.
Isle au Haut is pretty much a BYO place—and for the most part, that means BYO food.
Thanks to the Isle au Haut General Store (207/335-5211, www.theislandstore.net ), four miles from the park dock but less than a five-minute walk from the town landing, you won’t starve.
the Isle au Haut General Store
And then there’s The Maine Lobster Lady (207/669-2751), a seasonal takeout serving lobster, fried seafood, blueberry pie, and ice cream.
Escape to S The Keeper’s House (P.O. Box 26, Lighthouse Point, Isle au Haut 04645, 207/335-2990, www.keepershouse.com , from $350), a lighthouse inn. Connected by boardwalk to the Robinson Point Light and situated in view of three other lighthouses at night, the inn and its outlying rustic cottages are a truly special, all-inclusive, rustic retreat. The spacious top-floor Garret Room, tucked under the eaves—perhaps not the best choice for tall folks—has a bath across from it. The three other rooms in the main building share a bath on the second floor. Although guests have access to both bathrooms, most use the one on their floor. The best view is from the Keeper’s Room, overlooking the light tower and Isle au Haut Thorofare. Detached from the main house are the rustic Oil House, with a private outhouse, and the Woodshed, with two bedrooms, kitchenette, and bath. Guests relax outdoors or gather in the small living room. Rates include breakfast, sack lunch, and candlelight dinners as well as use of mountain bikes and a rowboat. Adding to the yesteryear ambience are a 1924 Model T Doctor’s Coupe and a 1928 AA Ford commercial vehicle, both parked at the inn. Guests may have the opportunity to cruise aboard the inn’s restored 1949 Isle au Haut lobster boat or Friendship sloop. In season, the Isle au Haut Boat Company stops at the inn’s dock. BYOB and pack a light. Battery-powered electricity, no phones, no TV, no Internet, no smoking, no credit cards, no pets, no stress. Nirvana.
You’ll need to get your bid in early to reserve one of the five six-person lean-tos at Duck Harbor Campground, open May 15-October 15. Before April 1, contact Acadia National Park for a reservation request form (207/288-3338, www.nps.gov/acad ). From April 1 on (not before, or the park people will send it back to you), return the completed form, along with a check for $25, covering camping for up to six people for a maximum of five nights May 15-June 14, three nights June 15-September 15, and five nights again September 16-October 15. Competition is stiff in the height of summer, so list alternative dates. The park refunds the check if there’s no space; otherwise, it’s nonrefundable and you’ll receive a “special-use permit” (do not forget to bring it along). There’s no additional camping fee.
Note: Campers must carry all gear on/off the boat, which means navigating ramps and docks, and lean-to access is via a trail ascending through rocky and rooty terrain. The distance from boat to site is roughly one-quarter mile.
Unless you don’t mind backpacking nearly five miles to reach the campground, try to plan your visit between mid-June and late September, when the mail boat makes a stop in Duck Harbor. It’s wise to call the Isle au Haut Company (207/367-5193) for the current ferry schedule before choosing dates for a lean-to reservation.
The Isle au Haut Boat Company ferries passengers to the village and the park.
Trash policy is carry-in/carry-out, so pack a trash bag or two. Also bring a container for carting water from the campground pump, since it’s 0.3 mile from the lean-tos. It’s a longish walk to the general store for food—when you could be off hiking the island’s trails—so bring enough to cover your stay.
The three-sided lean-tos are big enough (8-by-12 feet, 8 feet high) to hold a small (two-person) tent, so bring one along if you prefer being fully enclosed. A tarp will also do the trick. (Also bring mosquito repellent—some years, the critters show up here en masse.) No camping is permitted outside of the lean-tos, and nothing can be attached to trees.
Two companies offer transportation to Isle au Haut’s town landing. Use Isle au Haut Boat Company if your destination is the park, as it lands right at Duck Harbor twice daily during peak season. If money’s no object, you can always arrange a private charter.
The Isle au Haut Boat Company (Seabreeze Ave., Stonington, 207/367-5193, www.isleauhaut.com ) generally operates five daily trips Monday-Saturday, plus two on Sunday from mid-June to early September. Other months, there are two or three trips Monday-Saturday.
Round-trips April-mid-October are $40 adults, $20 kids under 12 (two bags per adult, one bag per child). Round-trip surcharges include bikes ($23) and kayaks/canoes ($46 minimum). If you’re considering using a bike, inquire about on-island bike rentals ($25/day). Weather seldom affects the schedule, but be aware that heavy seas could cancel a trip.
There is twice-daily ferry service, from mid-June to Labor Day, from Stonington to Duck Harbor, docking at Isle au Haut’s Acadia National Park campground. For a day trip, the schedule allows you 6.5 hours on the island Monday-Saturday and 4.5 hours on Sunday. No boats or bikes are allowed on this route, and no dogs are allowed in the campground. A ranger boards the boat at the town landing and en route to Duck Harbor answers questions and distributes maps. Before mid-June and after Labor Day, you’ll be off-loaded at the Isle au Haut town landing, about five miles from Duck Harbor. The six-mile passage from Stonington to the Isle au Haut town landing takes 45 minutes; the trip to Duck Harbor is 1.25 hours.
Ferries depart from the Isle au Haut Boat Company dock (Seabreeze Ave., off E. Main St. in downtown Stonington). Parking around $10 is available next to the ferry landing. Arrive at least an hour early to get all this settled so you don’t miss the boat. Better yet, spend the night on Deer Isle before heading to Isle au Haut.
Also offering seasonal service to Isle au Haut is Old Quarry Ocean Adventures (Stonington, 207/367-8977, www.oldquarry.com ), which transports passengers on the Nigh Duck. The boat usually leaves Old Quarry at 9am and arrives at the island’s town landing at 9:45am, returning from the same point at 5pm. The fee is $40 round-trip for adults, $21 for children under 12. You can transport a kayak for $20; bikes are free. Old Quarry also offers a taxi service to Isle au Haut for $180/hour for up to six people.
Information about the section of Acadia National Park on Isle au Haut is available both online (www.nps.gov/acad ) and at the Ranger Station (207/335-5551), about one-third of a mile from the town landing boat dock. General information on the island is available online from Isle au Haut Boat Company (www.isleauhaut.com ).
