SHORE EXCURSIONS

OVERVIEW

Cruise the nutrient-rich waters off the rocky shores of Maine looking for whales, dolphins and seals that feed there in great numbers. As you head out to sea, you will pass the Old Sow, the Western Hemisphere’s largest tidal whirlpool, a phenomenon caused by the enormous range of the turbulent tides and the physical characteristics of the ocean floor. Still, whales are the star attractions of this cruise. Species such as humpbacks and minkes frequent these waters to gorge on the abundant plankton and fish larvae carried in the coastal currents. It is a breathtaking sight to see humpback whales acrobatically breaching the water’s surface, waving their flukes up and down, and feeding to fatten up for their winter migration south. Minke whales are smaller, but no less impressive. They have sharply pointed snouts that appear first when they breach. Be sure to look for porpoises, seals and bald eagles as well.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise into waters typically teeming with whales, porpoises, and seals.
• Keep an eye out for humpbacks, minkes and other species of whales that feed there.
• Look for other marine life and sea birds, too.
• See where the Old Sow, the Western Hemisphere’s largest tidal whirlpool, occurs.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise to Campobello, the idyllic Canadian island where Franklin Delano Roosevelt summered for decades and visit attractions that offer insight into the life of the 32nd President of the United States. You will cross the border while cruising on a lobster boat that will offer panoramic views of the naturally beautiful island, much of which is protected by parkland. At the visitor center, you will become familiar with Roosevelt’s early years at Campobello and how he was stricken by polio on the island at age 39. You will also visit the 34-room Roosevelt Cottage, Franklin, and Eleanor’s cedar shingle-covered summer house, which is furnished with period pieces and personal effects. The interior reflects the design principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement that was popular at the time. Nearby, you will find the scenic Friar’s Head rock formation and the 19th-century Mulholland Point Lighthouse, the only lighthouse that Canada and the United States share.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire the gorgeous views while cruising to forested Campobello Island on a lobster boat.
• Delve into the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the island’s visitor center.
• Tour the 34-room cottage where FDR and his family summered for decades.
• See a lighthouse built in 1885 that Canada and the United States share.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a scenic and remarkably enlightening drive around Eastport, a small city with an abundance of unique characteristics. Along the way, the local guide will share anecdotal stories that only an insider would know about Eastport, which has the distinction of having the deepest port on the East Coast and being the least populous city in Maine. It is also home to the only remaining stone-ground mustard mill in North America. Built in 1903 to supply mustard to the once-thriving sardine industry, Raye’s Mustard Mill offers a glimpse into Eastport’s reliance on fishing. Much of the city was heavily destroyed during the Great Fire of 1886, which started in one of the eight sardine factories on the waterfront. Lobstering is still an important industry although it too faces challenges as you will discover at a lobster pound, where these iconic Maine crustaceans are kept in water until sold.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a panoramic drive through Eastport that presents a host of intriguing attractions.
• Learn about the heyday of Eastport’s sardine industry and the Great Fire of 1886.
• Stop at a lobster pound that holds these iconic crustaceans in water until ready for sale.
• Hear about Eastport’s highs and lows from an insider’s perspective, as the guide is a local.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a leisurely walk through the historical district of Eastport, which runs along the eastern waterfront of Moose Island. The city has always revolved around the sea, although lobstering and scalloping have mostly replaced the sardine-canning industry, which once thrived along Water Street. You will pass a former canning factory and the fisherman statue that recognizes the city’s long association with the sea. It lies in the shadow of the WaCo diner, the oldest such establishment in Maine. Much of Eastport had to be rebuilt following the Great Fire of 1886, which especially destroyed the commercial wharves. From the southern end of town, you will see the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge, which connects Maine to Campobello Island in Canada. It is named for America’s 32nd president, who spent summers on the island. Be sure to ask about the Old Sow, the Western Hemisphere’s largest tidal whirlpool, which lies offshore along the international boundary.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk along the historical waterfront, much of which the Great Fire of 1886 destroyed.
• Learn about the heyday of Eastport’s sardine industry and why lobstering replaced it.
• Gaze out over Campobello Island, where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt summered.
• See where the Old Sow, the Western Hemisphere’s largest tidal whirlpool, occurs.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise around Passamaquoddy Bay on a working lobster boat and help the crew with some basic lobstering activities if you like. Once you board the vessel Lady H, you will head into the bay where the crew’s lobster pots have been set. You can lend a hand as they pull them in or just sit back and watch as the daily caught is taken out of the baited traps. Besides lobsters, the traps often catch crabs, scallops and other edible marine life. Lobstering fuels the fishing industry in this part of Maine, and this experience will allow you to observe it up-close with a crew that will be happy to answer any questions about their work. The boat will cruise near Old Sow, the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere, a phenomenon that the rapidly changing tides cause. Also, keep an eye out for the bay’s abundant marine life that includes porpoises, seals and perhaps even a whale.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise through the bay off Eastport on a working lobster boat.
• See firsthand how lobstering is done and pitch in, if you wish.
• Look for marine life such as porpoises and seals.
• See the Old Sow, the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.