Cruises
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Cruises |
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A whale watching cruise out of Bar Harbor will become one of your all time favorite experiences. The gentle giants are both frightening and lovable. But those aren't the only cruises you can take. Other boats go out daily to show you Seals, Puffins, Lobsters and Lighthouses. And there's the sailing cruise. The whale cruise takes all day but the others only take an afternoon or even a single hour. On all of them you need to bundle up. Out on the water the air turns frosty and the wind picks up. On all these trips you need advance reservations. They sell out. The office for the sailing cruise is in the small building on the walkway in front of the Bar Harbor Inn. The office for all the others is in the building to the left of the parking pier. |
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The four masted schooner Margaret Todd moors next to the parking pier with its sails furled. It takes passengers on sailing cruises three times a day: a short one each morning, a long one each afternoon, and a short sunset cruise each evening. On each one you get to see the crew unfurl and raise the sails and you get the thrill of racing along with the wind at full speed. If you've never been out on a sailing ship this is a truly magnificent experience, plus you get to see Frenchman's Bay, Hancock and Schoodic Points, and, according to wind and tide, the open ocean. Yes, the sunset is beautiful, and mornings are pleasant enough, but we recommend the full length afternoon cruise. |
| The Whale Cruises are the featured event. Since they're gone all day, they're the biggest boats with the most amenities. They have viewing decks with seating, two enclosed cabins with big windows for viewing, restrooms, and snack bars. They have big 1300 horsepower engines and state of the art navigation systems. Even though they serve food and drink onboard, you're welcome to bring your own. You're guaranteed to see plenty of whales. They have radar and tracking technology to find them, so they can usually take you right to them. But if for some reason they can't find them, you get a free rebooking on any other date of your choice. We can't recommend these cruises enough. If you do one nonhiking thing while you're here, take a whale cruise. Many annual visitors take one every year. But we cannot emphasize enough that Frenchman's Bay and the Gulf of Maine get cold and windy. DO NOT wear shorts, sandals, or light Summer clothing. At the least you need long pants, a wool or flannel shirt and a hooded parka. Many veterans wear long underwear, a heavy ski type sweater and gloves. Also be aware you'll be far out on the open ocean and you may encounter rough seas. Seasickness is common. |  |
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They've combined the Lighthouse and Puffin Tours into one three hour trip. And it's a great trip. You learn about the history of Maine lighthouses and see three really nice ones at Winter Harbor, Petit Manan and Egg Rock. The island of Petit Manan is the largest Puffin colony in Maine, so you'll see plenty of Puffins. But you'll also see Razorbills, Common and Arctic Terns, Guillemots, Bald Eagles, Harbor Porpoises Seals and Osprey. The boat has a small cash only snack bar, or you can bring your own food and beverages. You'll get close, but if you want extreme closeups like the photo at left you'll need a good telephoto lens. This cruise is not as hyped as the Whale Cruise, but it's really spectacular and one you'll talk about for the rest of your life. We cannot emphasize enough that Frenchman's Bay gets cold and windy. DO NOT wear shorts, sandals, or light Summer clothing. At the least you need long pants, a wool or flannel shirt and a hooded parka. Many veterans wear long underwear, a heavy ski type sweater and gloves.
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| The Seal & Lobster Cruises have been combined into one and it's become a real fan favorite. You get to see the cages pulled up and Lobsters extracted. Once the crew put rubber bands around their claws, you get to step up for a close and personal experience with the Lobsters. A naturalist teaches you all about Lobsters and the Lobstering process. Then you visit Egg Rock, a popular Seal hangout. You definitely get close to the Seals but if you want an extreme close up you need a telephoto lens. The only problem is the P.A. system is drowned out by the wind and the engine so you won't hear all of what the naturalists are saying. To avoid this, as you get on, ask where the naturalist will be speaking from, and grab seats close to there. We cannot emphasize enough that Frenchman's Bay gets cold and windy. DO NOT wear shorts, sandals, or light Summer clothing. At the least you need long pants, a wool or flannel shirt and a hooded parka. Many veterans wear long underwear, a heavy ski type sweater and gloves. |  |
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