Sail Away in Different Ways – Maine Experiences!

Historic Schooners at Portland Harbor

When a state that is known for its iconic lighthouses, Acadia National Park, and cute little coastal towns, one can only run out of places to visit and admire! But just sightseeing can’t really give you a feel of the place now, can it? The small state of Maine, in the north eastern corner of the USA, is protected by Appalachian Mountains, hundreds of small streams and rivers, thousands of lakes and the mighty Atlantic, which makes it a playground for nature and a favorite hub for outdoorsy people.

Sail and Explore the Portland Coast with Portland Schooners

Remember a couple of months back, when I told you about my skiing experiences in the US, I promised to be back with some more interesting activities and experiences I have had in US so far. So here I am with a list of three amazing outdoorsy ways to explore some very interesting parts of Maine.

Sail Away in Maine Style!

Timberwind sailing away on a sunny day

Before I tell you about my experience, let me give you a little background here. Schooners are wooden sailing ships with 2 to 7 towering masts, that were first built by the Dutch in the 16^th century and were used mostly in Netherlands and Scandinavia. Soon they became famous in western Europe and “New England” due to their ability to carry a lot of goods and still being really fast! While, with time, people in Europe moved on to newer models of ship, but North America had a new found love for Schooners and sailing races! In the late 19^th century, New England states of Maine and Massachusetts had become major hubs for schooner building and Maine was known throughout the country for its classic Schooners and Windjammers. 

This is Bagheera. She was my sail for the day!

Unfortunately, the craze for schooner races died down, but Maine still manages to flaunt its Schooners with pride! And guess what, you can sail around Portland harbor or explore the length of East Coast of North America in schooners dating back to late 1800s! The oldest two Lewis R. French (1871), Stephen Taber (1871) are in Camden and can still be seen and booked for multi-day tours. The other old historic Schooners – Bagheera (1920), Timberwind (1931) and Wendameen (1912) are in Portland and can be taken out for a couple of hours in group or even be booked for private experience! I had booked a group (general) ticket with Portland Schooners and luckily got to sail around the Maine coast on Bagheera!

Navigate, steer, hoist and sail away...

The sailors on board, tell you about the navigation system of the ship, teach you how to handle the sails and the mast, let you steer the ship and just enjoy the sea breeze and cacophony of sea gulls hovering over lobster traps! It was all so interesting and calming! 

The historic trio at Camden. The center one is Lewis R. French - oldest schooner built in Maine and still functional!

In Camden, I also got to talk to the captain of Mary Day (1962) – who told us where and why these schooners were made in Maine and showed us a part of the ship, explaining the difference between the old schooners and the new one. She also inspired us to consider learning sailing and trying out a short 2-3 days sail next time we go out in the sea (which I am seriously considering!) So basically, to visit Maine and pass a chance to sail in one of the few historic Schooners of the state would be such a crime!

The captain of Mary Day was so inspiring.

Canoe your way through the second largest tidal marsh of the US!

Canoeing at Scarborough Marsh

Given the number of water bodies and fjords in Maine, you can literally hire a canoe or Kayak anywhere and get exploring. But for canoeing experience I chose to head over to Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. This 3100-acre estuary, fed by the meandering Nonesuch (Dunstan) River, is just twenty minutes south of Portland but it totally transports you to a different slow-moving world from the vibrant city ambiance of Portland. You can either canoe or kayak in this marsh, while admiring the hidden world egrets, Ibis and tiny shorebirds have made in amidst the all the salt hay. If you are lucky like me, you can see a pair of cormorants soaring above you or be audience to an orchestra of colorful song birds! Needless to say, canoeing itself was challenging (being my first time ever) and the 2 hours guided tour was extremely rewarding and exhilarating. For people not fond of birds in the wild, and not interested in going on self-guided tours, this might not be very interesting. But if you are looking to do something challenging and different in Maine, give a good thought to Canoeing in Scarborough Marsh.

Since I didn't carry my camera or phone on the canoe, this is all I could get for you guys.

Kayak in the heart of Acadia!

Okay, kayaking is not unique to Maine, but it is not every day you get to kayak in crystal clear waters of a lake in the heart of Acadia National Park. Rent a kayak from Acadia’s National Park Rentals and kayak, canoe or paddle at your own pace in any of the lakes of Acadia. You can kayak in Long pond or Jordan pond, overlooking the Bubble Mountain while gaping at the lake floor at numerous points. If you are more adventurous and would want to get close to marine life, you can also go sea kayaking or paddling in Acadia. Irrespective of what you choose to do, in addition to hiking and sightseeing, Acadia has so much more to offer that you won’t be disappointed!

Or take a sea kayak if you want to get more adventurous

I also considered white river rafting in Kennebec River in Forks, but given we just had three days and wanted to cover most of the Maine Coast, decided to give it a miss this time. But well, everything I did get to do in Maine just made me fall in love with the state more!

Sail away in different ways like I said! :D

Liked the post? Pin It!!