Calling All Adventurers! Sail the Maine Coast on a Windjammer for an Unforgettable Vacation
Photo credit: Tracy Sheppard
Vacations are for relaxing, recharging, and re-grouping. Whether it’s a three- or 10-day trip, you and your best friends or family can soothe your souls and touch the beautiful blue sea on an all-inclusive and unforgettable sailing adventure with the Maine Windjammer Association. The sailing adventure checks all the boxes for the perfect vacation, leaving Mother Nature in charge to deliver selfie-worthy scenery.
Photo credit: Schooner Stephen Taber
Choosing from eight boats in the fleet, you can select smaller and more intimate boats accommodating as few as 16, or opt for larger and more expansive ships, big enough for 40 people. Each boat has its own personality with a different captain and crew adding to the fun. Take this divine opportunity to stow your cell phone and ignore your office email. The sea breeze, camaraderie of the crew, community of guests, and the magic of Maine will be more than enough for you.
Your days are spent among the thousands of islands in Penobscot Bay and beyond, using the wind alone to make way to the next anchorage. You can join in shipboard activities, like hoisting the sails or taking a turn at the wheel while you share the waves with seals and porpoises and pass by lighthouses on your vessel’s voyage. Or you can read a book, nap, and simply relax in the subtle movement of the boat. In the afternoon, the windjammer drops anchor in a harbor so you can explore quaint fishing towns or uninhabited islands. From sunbathing to stargazing, you’re right in the heart of breathtaking coastal scenery on land or sea.
Photo credit: Melinda B. Hager
The food may just be the best part of the cruise. Served family style in the galley or on deck, sumptuous meals are scratch-made in small galleys using local ingredients. Enjoy everything from fresh breads made in wood-burning stoves, soul-stirring stews, and artful salads to hearty hors d’oeuvres, magnificent roasts, and irresistible desserts. The highlight is the island lobster bake on the beach, topped off with s’mores and fresh air adding to the savor. Don’t worry about packing on the pounds; you can stay active by hiking the nearby islands or hitting the harbor in a dinghy, kayak, or standup paddleboard.
Forget the Airbnb and throw the itineraries away. Boat outside the box and book a windjammer cruise today.
Photo credit: Fred LeBlanc Photography
The Maine Windjammer Association is the largest fleet of working windjammers in America. Based in Rockland and Camden, eight historic windjammers offer all-inclusive vacations from three to 10 days. Accommodations for solo travelers, couples, and families are available on boats with cabins for 16 to 40 people, ages 10 and up. Themed cruises vary from music to mixology and photography, yoga and wellness, gourmet or wine-tasting, to lighthouses and more. Make the most of your Maine memories with a “Land and Sea” sailing vacation package and stay two nights in one of the cozy Historic Inns of Rockland or at a Camden Premier Inns before or after your cruise.
For more information on what to expect on your windjammer cruise, visit sailmainecoast.com to request a free brochure packet. Follow the Maine Windjammer Association on Facebook. Click through the gallery below for more images of Maine Windjammer Association vacations!
