Cruising Grounds
From Midcoast to Cutler’s Bold Coast and South to Gloucester
Penobscot Bay
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As a group known as the Fox Islands, North Haven and Vinalhaven are the more populous islands, just a few miles from Rockland.
The village of North Haven is a great place to get some ice cream and stretch your legs.
The Little Thorofare is made up of almost a dozen smaller islands, great places to hike around or enjoy a lobster bake on.
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Located on the southern tip of Deer Isle, Stonington is home to the largest lobster port in Maine.
Originally a granite boomtown, stone quarried from Stonington and the surrounding islands has been used in such icons as the Brooklyn Bridge, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and Yankee Stadium.
Today, Stonington is known for being home to the largest lobster port in the state of Maine, where over 11 million pounds were landed in 2023.
Colourful homes and businesses crowd the water. There are plenty of antiques shops, book stores, galleries, and gift shops to hunt for the perfect souvenir in.
Talk about Merchants Row and stuff here.
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More than 50 islands make up the archipelago between Deer Isle and Isle au Haut, known as Merchant Row. Many of these islands are accessible on the schooner, serving as great lobster bake beaches with trails to explore.
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Named “High Island” by Samuel de Champlain, Isle au Haut was settled by the British at the end of the 18th century.
Before the advent of power boats, Isle au Haut was home to a small year-round fishing community in addition to the rusticators who built vacation cottages on the island.
Today, the island is home to barely 100 residents. Half of the land belongs to Acadia National Park, making Isle au Haut a great destination free from the hustle and bustle of Mount Desert Island.
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Founded in 1613, Castine predates the Plymouth Colony by seven years.
The unofficial border between the French Acadians to the north and the British to the south, Castine was long a center of conflict between those groups, the Dutch, and the local Abenaki people, until 1815, when the British left at the conclusion of the War of 1812.
Today, Castine is a quiet town supported by tourism and the Maine Maritime Academy.
Main Street is lined with beautiful buildings and grand old houses built by rusticators, wealthy 19th-century vacationers from Boston and the Northeast.
Blue Hill Bay and Beyond
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Located just southwest of Mount Desert Island, Swan’s Island is a quiet island home to fisherman and small summer population. On the southern side of the island is Burnt Coat Harbor Light built in 1872. To get to the lighthouse there are a few miles of trail along the beaches and through the forest to the light.
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Home to the iconic Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island (MDI) packs the best of Maine into one beautiful island.
From the towering Cadillac Mountain to Sand Beach and the iconic Bass Harbor Head Light, MDI is full of activities. Our favorite stop is anchoring in Valley Cove, at the base of a granite cliff that towers over the schooner.
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Downeast Maine, running from Mount Desert Island all the way to Eastport, is famous for its iconic shores, such as the cliff-covered Bold Coast, to lighthouses such as Moose Peak Light on Mistake Island, Little River Light at the entrance to Cutler Cutler Harbor, and West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, located on the easternmost point of the United States.
We have the opportunity to explore this area during our Downeast trips. We take this opportunity to visit such locations as Roque Island and its mile-long white sandy beach, or Lubec, the easternmost town in the United States.
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Settled in 1623, Gloucester is America’s oldest fishing port. The American Eagle spent much of her life fishing out of Gloucester.
Every year, we make the transit down to Gloucester for the Gloucester Schooner Festival and Race.
Rockland
The Schooner American Eagle has made Rockland Harbor her home since ender her fishing days in 1984. Just a short drive from Rockport and Camden, we are located in the perfect place to explore some of the best that Maine has to offer.
Tour one of the many museums in the area, dine at nationally recognized restaurants, or hike, bike, or swim at one of the many state parks and land trusts in the area.
What to do
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By Air: Portland Jetport (PWM) is served by many major airlines. From Portland it’s a two hour trip by either bus (Concord Coach Line 1-800-639-3317) or limo (Sterling Elite 207-785-3100).
Cape Air 800-227-3247 offers direct flights to Rockland from Boston Logan Airport multiple times a day.By Bus: Concord Coach ( 1-800-639-3317) provides regular service to Rockland from Boston, Portland, and Bangor.
By Car: Rockland is four hours from Boston and two from Portland. We have plenty of safe and free parking at the North End Shipyard where we dock.
When traveling from southern Maine on the Maine Turnpike (Interstate-95 North), take Exit 52.
Follow I-295 North. Take Exit 28, “Coastal Route – Brunswick/Bath and Rockland”.
Follow U.S. Route 1 North (approximately 40 miles) to Rockland.When you reach Rockland if you’re traveling from southern Maine,
go straight through the first two traffic lights.
At the third light, turn left onto Main Street.
Follow Route 1 North for just a little less than a mile.
Turn right on to Front Street.
Turn right again and come down over the hill. You’ll see the schooner. Come through the gate and park.If you’re coming from the west (Augusta),
at the intersection of Route 17 and Route 1 (at McDonalds), turn right and go about a tenth of a mile.
Turn left on to Front Street.
Take your first right, down over the hill and you’ll see the schooner. Come through the gate and park.If you’re coming from the north (Bangor),
go straight through the intersection at McDonalds.
About a tenth of a mile later, turn left on to Front Street.
Take your first right, down over the hill and you’ll see the schooner. Come through the gate and park.
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MidCoast Maine is home to a thriving food scene that has gained national attention. The area is dotted with small farms, the shores and water full of terrific seafood like lobster, mussels, and some of the best oysters in the country.
Breakfast: There is no shortage of good breakfast food and coffee in the area. Rock City Coffee, located on Main Street in Rockland, is where we get our coffee for the schooner. They also offer a breakfast and lunch menu. Home Kitchen Cafe is a delicious choice for breakfast or lunch. Their varied menu features everything from huevos rancheros to lobster benedict and massive cinnamon rolls, all made from scratch.
Lunch: The Midcoast area is covered in seafood shacks and roadside restaurants for lunch. Claws, McLoon’s, and Hazels are all local classics and great options on a nice summer day. If you’re walking around town, Clan MacLaren is a great choice for sandwiches, salads, and soups.
Dinner: There are so many outstanding restaurants near us, it's hard to choose, but here are a few. Farm to table restaurant Primo is celebrating its 25th year in 2025, is situated on a four and a half acre farm just south of Rockland in Owl’s Head. Sammy’s Deluxe, located on Main Street just a short walk from the shipyard, is a crew favorite. They offer a small, constantly changing menu that features the best of Maine, New England, and American cuisine and ingredients. Suzuki’s Sushi Bar and North Beacon Oyster offer incredibly fresh seafood, much of it caught locally. Ada’s Kitchen offers homemade pasta and pizza in an informal and lively bistro setting on Main Street.
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There is a large variety of hotels and bed & breakfasts in the Midcoast area. Here are some that we recommend.
The Rockland Harbor Hotel is conveniently located on Main Street. It is a large hotel with amenities like free breakfast, and has been recently renovated. 250 Main is a new boutique hotel in the heart of Rockland.
The Granite Inn, LimeRock Inn, and Berry Manor Inn are all BnB’s within walking distance of the shipyard and downtown Rockland. Each offers great breakfasts in historical buildings.
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There are a number of museums that cover a large variety of topics and are worth visiting in Rockland.
The most famous museum is probably the Farnsworth Art Museum, located right in the middle of Rockland. Maine has a long history as a summer destination for artists, and the Farnsworth has a fantastic collection of work from Maine artists spread across a large campus comprised of multiple historic buildings. They also have great rotating exhibitions, and it is easy to spend at least half a day exploring their collections.
The Center for Maine Contemporary Art is located across the street from the Farnsworth and is another good art museum focusing on contemporary art, housed in a relatively new and very cool building.
On the more nautical side of things, the Maine Lighthouse Museum and the Sail, Power, & Steam Museum are also within walking distance of Main Street. The Lighthouse museum is a small museum with a large collection of lighthouse items telling the stories of the 60+ historic lighthouses that dot the shores of Maine. The Sail, Power, & Steam Museum was actually founded by one of the original windjammer captains, Jim Sharp, who still runs the museum today.
The MidCoast area also offers a variety of outdoor activities. Camden Hills State Park offers 30 miles of hiking trails that lead to places like the summits of Mt. Battie or Mt. Megunticook, which offer beautiful views over Penobscot Bay.
Owls Head State Park provides access to the Owls Head light, built in 1852, 100 feet above Penobscot Bay on a granite promontory. There is also a small beach with views of Rockland and a picnic grove.