Windjammer and Sailing Tours in Midcoast and Downeast Maine
Enjoy sailing and its peacefulness along coastal waters while looking for lighthouses? The upper Penobscot Bay region with its unique location of consistant winds has the heaviest concentration of authentic windjammer sailing schooners, also known as "tall ships," in the country. Penobscot Bay is known to be one of the best sailing regions in the world, with Camden, and Rockland, Maine as premiere harbor destinations.
Acadia National Park is one of the most visited parks in America, with Bar Harbor as one of the most well known seacoast destinations. Information is provided on sailing cruises aboard traditional sailing vessels and windjammers, in this windy region of midcoast Maine, and up north in downeast Maine.
Sailing cruises mentioned below usually offer many types of excursions. Many of these ships offer overnight trips and participate in various regional events, while others provide two-hour day and sunset sails for guests. Vessels mentioned below will usually pass by various lighthouses, while some offer special lighthouse tours.
The Camden Windjammer Festival which involves many tall ships from around the world occurs annually around the end of the summer. There are races and regattas that many of these magnificent vessels participate in, like the Great Schooner Race, where passengers can also be a part of the experience. For more info, the Maine Windjammer Association is a helpful resource. Wind direction and weather is always a major factor in New England in determining any daily or overnight route.
Windjammer Cruises Along Penobscot Bay
Rockport, Rockland, and Camden Regions
Schooner Lewis R. French
Built in 1871, this is Maine's oldest active schooner offering three, four, and six-day sailing vacations along Maine’s coast. They have specific four and six-night lighthouse cruises where visitors can view as many lighthouses as weather permits. These cruises include anchoring near several island lighthouses, and allowing guests to have the chance to hike to some of these beacons. Tickets to the Maine Lighthouse Museum are also provided.
11 Atlantic Avenue, Camden, ME 04843
Phone: (207) 542-1241 or 1-800-469-4635
Email: captain@schoonerfrench.com
Schooner Heron
Featured in the movie "The Rum Diary" starring Johnny Depp, this 65-foot schooner, built in 2003, provides three 2-hour trips each day out of scenic Rockport Harbor including early morning, Indian Island Light, and Educational Eco tours, and a Happy Hour Sunset cruise.
111 Pascal Avenue, Rockport, ME 04856
Phone: (207) 236-8605
Email: schoonerheron@gmail.com
Schooner Angelique
For those looking for overnight sailing cruises, the Schooner Angelique with an overall length of 130 feet, offers lighthouse cruises in July and August, and has three, four, five, and six-night cruises that explore the Acadia National Park region.
P.O. Box 736,
Camden, Maine 04843-0736
Phone: (800) 282-9989
Email: windjam@sailangelique.com
Schooner J. & E. Riggin
Built in 1927, this 120-foot two-masted schooner has special three and four day “Lighthouses and Lobsters” cruises. Visitors will experience an all-you-can-eat lobster extravaganza on a special island chosen by your captain. They have three to six-night cruises that explore the Acadia region. The J. & E. Riggin has no in-board engine, but instead is powered almost exclusively by sail. If calm conditions arise when navigating small harbors, her diesel powered 16-foot yawl boat, built by her former captain, is employed.
64 Old County Rd, Rockland, Maine 04841
1 (800) 869-0604 or(207) 594-1875
Windjammer Wharf
3 Captain Spear Dr, Rockland, Maine 04841
Schooner American Eagle
This fishing schooner has a 92-foot deck and was built in 1930. She sails on cruises of varying lengths, from two to six days and also on a couple of nine-day excursions, which include lighthouses and wildlife as part of every trip. Each meal aboard is prepared on a wood-burning cookstove still in its original place since 1930. Trips are as for north as Campobello Island around the Canadian border which may pass by Head Harbor Lighthouse, to as far South as Massachusetts Bay where they participate in the Gloucester Schooner Race, observing lighthouses and wildlife along each trip.
P.O. Box 482, 11 Front Street, Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (207) 594-8007 or (800) 648-4544
Schooner Stephen Taber and Schooner Ladona
The Stephen Tabor is a classic 140-year old schooner offering three to six-night sailing trips from late May through October. She is the oldest documented sailing vessel in continuous service in the United States, and is a National Historic Landmark. Excursions include a Wine, Cheese, Gastronomy sail, exploring culinary delights and wines, music trips, Fleet Rendezvous with Live Music sails, and Fall Trips sails for four nights. The Schooner Ladona is a restored 1922 82-foot ocean racing yacht with modern conveniences, with many amenities of beautiful hardwoods like mahogany and marble accents. "Secret" tours to designated ports unkown provide an opportunity to discover special areas around the Acadia region with culinary delights. Offering three to seven-night excursions from June through October along the coast of Maine for a small group of up to 17 guests.
Windjammer Wharf
P.O. Box 1050, Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (207) 594-4723 (Stephen Taber), (207) 542-5958 (Ladona) or (800) 999-7352
Email: info@stephentaber.com
Email: info@schoonerladona.com
Maine Windjammer Cruises
For those who love private sailing with up to six guests come aboard the Swift, a special sailing yacht originally built in 1935 and has been completely restored. Three to six-night cruises are available with various events and themes, and a photographer cruise with Vermont photographer Robert Jenks.
P.O. Box 617, Camden, ME 04843
Phone: (800) 736-7981
Email: mwc@mainewindjammercruises.com
Bufflehead Sailing Charters
Sails with small private charters of up to six people from Rockland on a 32-foot wooden gaff sloop. It offers a range of daysails, lobster bakes, picnics, and custom excursions. They try to catch views of at least two lighthouses in each trip.
Captain Daniel Bennett
3 Squiggle Hollow Lane
Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: Text don't call (207) 691-5407
Schooner Olad and Cutter Owl
The schooner Olad is a fully restored, classic sailing yacht built in 1927 that can accomodate up to 22 passengers. It provides daily 2-hour, half day, full day sails, and sunset sails, along with various event sails including sailing races, island lobster bakes, and lighthouse tours. The cutter Owl is a six-passenger sailing vessel built in 1941. Available for two and three-hour day sails, as well as customizable private charters.
P.O. Box 432, Camden, ME 04843
29 Main St., Camden, Maine 04843
Phone: (207) 236-2323
Email: info@maineschooners.com
Schooner Mary Day
This was the first Maine windjammer built especially for passengers. They allow up to 28 guests and have a 90-foot deck length. Offers three and four-day cruises, and a one night "Staycation" cruise. They participate with their guests in many races and events over the summer. They offer a three-day lighthouse cruise and have wood-fired heat in every cabin, and cook on an antique wood cookstove.
10 Atlantic Ave, P.O. Box 798, Camden, ME 04843
Phone: (800) 992-2218
Email: info@maryday.com
Schooner Surprise and Sloop Anjacaa
The Schooner Surprise is a 57-foot racing schooner, built in 1918, and offers two-hour windjammer cruises around Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay. They offer a two-hour day sail, "Sunset" sails, "Tuesday Night Sunset" sails with live music, "Full Moon" sails and "Fireworks" sails. The sloop Anjacaa spands 54-feet and was also a racing yacht built in 1973. She is available for two-hour day sails, sunset sails, and fall day sails, and can carry up to six passengers for those who desire a more private sailing experience.
1 Bay View Street, Camden, ME 04843
Email: sail@schoonersurprise.com
Phone: (207) 236-4687
Schooner Appledore
This wooden 86-foot wooden schooner built in 1978 cruises with up to 49 passengers out of Camden into Penobscot Bay for two-hour day (10:00am, 12:30pm, or 3:00pm) and sunset sails. Sails include wildlife, sunset, and local lighthouses, like Curtis Island Light.
18 Bayview Landing, Camden, ME 04843
Phone: (207) 593-2023
Email: resdesk@schoonerappledore.com
Schooner Heritage
The 145-foot schooner Heritage offers three-day to six-day sails without a specific itinerary, but always passes by lighthouses and its captains are maritime historians. Each trip visitors can enjoy an all-you-can-eat lobster cookout on a pristine island beach. Captains Sean and Ben are not only hosts aboard every trip sailing the vessel, they entertain their guests by playing live music in the evenings.
P.O. Box 482, 5 Achorn Street, Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (207) 594-8007 or (800) 648-4544
Email: info@schoonerheritage.com
Schooner Grace Bailey
This completely restored 19th century schooner (built in 1882) which used to carry lumber up and down the East Coast, measures 123 feet in overall length. Offering three to six-day sails for various events, including participating in schooner races or regattas, lots of music, and sometimes island stopovers from June to October. They offer summer concert series trips where musicians and performers sail with them for the entirety of the trip, playing after dinner each night.
P.O. Box 1401, Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (207) 691-9521
Email: info@sailgracebailey.com
Acadia and Downeast Maine Sailing Tours
Downeast Windjammer and Cruise Lines
Ferry from Bar Harbor to Schoodic Pennninsula in Winter Harbor, also access to Little Cranberry Island and Southwest Harbor. Various Windjammer cruises on the Joshua, or the giant four masted schooner, the Margaret Todd. On board either vessel, guests can enjoy 2-hour sails with live folk music around Bar Harbor and out to Egg Rock Light if weather conditions allow on morning, day, and sunset sails. Smaller private sailing charters are avialble for up to seven passagengers for special occations, private sightseeing, and fishing excursions aboard the Lobster Sloop Chrissy and Schooner Delight.
1 Newport Drive
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
Phone: (207) 288-4585 (Bar Harbor) or (207) 546-2927 (Cherryfield)
Email: 4master@downeastwindjammer.com
Sail Acadia
Want to sail on an old fashioned Friendship Sloop sailboat used to haul lobsters? They offer private and shared sailing trips aboard two of these vintage sailboats (maximum six passengers), the Alice E., used as a working lobster boat, and the Linda. Their Mount Desert Island sailing tour on one of these old lobster sailboats pass by Bear Island Lighthouse. For larger groups they provide outings and nature tours on their wooden lobster boat, the Elizabeth T (maximum of 21 passangers). They are located on the rural side of Mount Desert Island and depart from either Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor. Enjoy a true nature tour by some of the most scenic views of the shoreline of Acadia.
The Alice E and Elizabeth T depart from:
Dysart’s Great Harbor Marina
11 Apple Lane, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
The Linda departs from:
Northeast Harbor Commercial Pier
26 Sea Street, Northeast Harbor, ME 04662
Phone: (207) 266-5210
Email: sailacadia@gmail.com
Books to Explore
This book is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies and measured longer than a football field! These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: This resourceful book provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses along the southern coast, with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours, and helpful contact info for your vacation plans. You'll also find info on haunted lighthouses, sailing, whindjamming, and whale watching tours among other of events along the coast. Look inside! |
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Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: This book provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in northern New England, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special trips. Look inside! |
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