Places to visit by boat in Penobscot Bay

WRITTEN BY HANK GARFIELD

The most interesting places in Penobscot Bay are often the hardest to get to. But that’s what makes them worth a visit.

Penobscot Bay is, after all, mostly water. People have been traversing it for millennia. While summer car traffic clogs the streets of Rockland, Camden, Searsport, and other mainland towns, the islands provide a respite from all that. Even if you don’t have a boat or access to one, you can still get out to some of them.

Vinalhaven and North Haven — collectively known as the Fox Islands — are easily reached by ferry from Rockland. Though close together, the two islands are quite different.

Vinalhaven is larger, with a year-round population of about 1,200 centered on Carver’s Harbor, a busy lobstering port. The ferry from Rockland takes an hour and 15 minutes and runs three times a day. There’s a downtown hotel, the Tidewater Inn, which reportedly lends bicycles to its guests, and a brisk business in Airbnb rentals. As with any similarly sized town along Route 1, there are shops, eateries, and art galleries, but the focus is on fishing. It’s a working community.

The islands are separated by a narrow but deep-enough channel called the Fox Islands Thoroughfare, a favorite passage for cruising sailors. Here, you will see sailboats of all sizes and vintages. On the northern side is the town of North Haven, population 417 in the 2020 census. In the days of steamship travel, it was a well-heeled agrarian community that attracted wealthy summer residents from seaboard cities. The three-times-daily ferry from Rockland takes about an hour and lands in the heart of town. A local brewery and restaurant occupy historic Calderwood Hall, steps from the landing. On the way, visitors pass the Waterman Community Center, which houses a 134-seat theater, coffee shop, children’s area, and art gallery.

Farther north in the bay, Islesboro stretches 14 miles from north to south, a 20-minute ferry ride from Lincolnville Beach. The ferry makes seven runs a day during the summer. Known for its mansions occasionally occupied by Hollywood royalty, Islesboro has a strong history of shipbuilding and still hosts three busy boatyards and a small fishing fleet. The year-round population is around 700. The village of Dark Harbor, on the island’s south end, is the center of summer activity.

Named by Samuel de Champlain in 1604, Isle au Haut lies 6 miles south of Stonington and is inhabited by 62 year-round residents. A daily mail boat runs year-round; in the summer, it also stops in Duck Harbor, near the island’s south end. Lobstering is the primary business. The southern two-thirds of the island is part of Acadia National Park.

It’s an impressive sight from the water, topping out at 543 feet. From the campground at Duck Harbor, visitors can walk to Long Pond for a freshwater swim or hike the south end of the island. Don’t be fooled by Duck Harbor Mountain’s 314-foot height. It’s a challenging but rewarding climb with sweeping views.

Penobscot Bay has many more islands, large and small. Some are open to the public. Warren Island State Park is less than a mile from the Islesboro ferry landing. The Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership, southwest of Vinalhaven, welcomes visitors. If you have a boat or access to one, you can visit dozens of islands in Penobscot Bay.

Be aware that many islands are privately owned, and many are off-limits during the early summer because of nesting birds and other wildlife. The Maine Island Trail Association is a good source of information about accessible islands and the protocols for visiting them.