Cruising Penobscot Bay? Here’s why Castine should be on your itinerary!

Let me start off with a disclaimer—I am biased! I went to college in this quaint coastal town and fell in love with it within a week of arriving from the Midwest. But this year we came to Castine as cruisers and with that in mind, here is why YOU should stop there!

- Mooring/dockage/anchoring. All options are available, whether you pay at the town dock to stay tied up overnight or go to Eaton’s Boatyard, dockage can be found. Eaton’s also has rental moorings. Anchorages with good holding can be found throughout Smith Cove, though that’s a little longer dinghy ride to town. Just want to stay for breakfast at Markel’s or lunch? You can tie up at the town dock for two hours free of charge! It’s even a decent hurricane hole—almost 40 boats were here for the passage of TS Isaias.

- Dinghy Dock. It’s huge! While it can look crowded, we never had a problem “pahkin the cah” here.

- Water/Pump-Out/Trash. Free water is available at both the Town Dock and Acadia Dock, free pump-out is at the Acadia Dock, and trash can be dropped off with the Harbormaster for $2/bag. The Acadia Dock is a “pick-up/drop-off only” dock, so it’s not too hard to get in there for a pump and fill.

- Gas/Diesel. Both are available at Eaton’s Boatyard.

- Food. Provisions are available super close at T&C Market, or further up the hill at the Windmill Hill specialty grocer. Good eats are available at the Captain’s Catch (great fish tacos!), Danny Murphy’s, Markel’s Bakehouse (try one of everything and thank me later), Windmill Hill Grocery, T&C Market deli counter, and Castine Variety. There is currently a pop-up pizza place three nights a week called The Watermark (below Markel’s, call them for info)—it’s amazing! In the time of COVID, everywhere we ate was doing takeout or well-spaced outdoor seating. Bottom line—you won’t go hungry here.

- Shopping. Even now, some shops and art galleries are open. Our family’s favorite is Compass Rose books. They have a great selection of books, international candies (yes, Icelandic chocolate!!!), coffee and snacks, and some seriously nice owners. This place wasn’t here when I was in school, but I sure wish it had been! We also scored a huge bag of books for $5 from a community sale at the local library while we were there!

- Exercise. This is a beautiful, historic town to walk around! From the town waterfront you can easily visit Dyce Head Light, Witherle Woods, and Fort George. Fun fact: the Penobscot Expedition of 1779 was the worst defeat in U.S. Navy history until the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941! Kayak rentals are available at Castine Kayaks. Landing a dinghy at Indian Bar in Smith Cove puts you in reach of several hiking trails in the Holbrook Island Sanctuary. Smith Cove is well-protected from prevailing summer winds so I was out paddle boarding every morning. A nice long walk will get you to Wadsworth Cove (“the backshore” to locals)  where you can swim in not-so-frigid water in the pond.

So what’s not in Castine? A laundromat and ethanol-free gasoline. That’s the only shortcomings I could find! Whether just swinging in for a pump and fill or lunch, or staying for days, Castine is worth your consideration.

Lehe Paine tied up at the Acadia Dock for a pump-out and water fill. The Town Dock is just in front of us, with dinghy docking on the back side of both docks.

Clockwise from top left: Dyce Head Light, Watermark pizza, Fort George, hiking in Holbrook Sound Sanctuary, dinghy dock, hiking in Witherle Woods to Blockhouse Point.

A different kind of MMA homecoming

Our arrival in Penobscot Bay was made via peaceful, secluded anchorages. We started off in Long Cove, just outside of Tenants Harbor. This spot had tons of pot-free anchoring and short hikes available on High Island. From there, we hit Pulpit Harbor in mid-bay, north of Vinalhaven. The reviews on this spot were mixed, but we gave it a try and enjoyed it! It did fill in a bit, even mid-week, but there was plenty of room for all and we were able to stretch our legs ashore for a bit.

Long Cove

Pulpit Harbor

And yesterday we made the trip I’ve dreamed about for years! Since we got this boat I’ve imagined how awesome it would be to return to Penobscot Bay and the Bagaduce River, home to my marine-focused college, in our boat. With a sweet southerly breeze pushing us up the bay, past Dyce Head light, and into Castine Harbor, I returned to Maine Maritime Academy! I was almost spewing tears of joy as we tied off to one of the Academy’s mooring balls. We ran ashore and walked out to the lighthouse, then jogged back to the waterfront ahead of some storms.

Sweet wing-and-wing sailing, Swab trimming the main, the best mooring evah, and racing the storms to Dyce Head Light. 

Today we started with some jogs, some paddle boarding, and a walk up to campus to meet a classmate’s wife. But then it was time for the main event—welcoming the T/S State of Maine back to her home port! In non-pandemic years, the ship is out for the summer to give future merchant mariners critical training. This year it’s different (isn’t everything?), but the students still have training requirements that have to be met to earn their Coast Guard licenses. The school tried to run a fast cruise (simulating underway, but tied to a pier), but some residents complained about the noise so the ship moved across the bay to another town. Today, the ship returned to her home with fire trucks, boat horns, and music blasting! I never had to go on the training cruise because my major didn’t require it, but I did work in the galley for one cruise and I fully appreciate the critical training that happens on cruise. I am glad our family could be part of this!

We will stay a few more days to visit with friends and monitor the track of tropical storm Isaias. It’s great to be home!