July 31 - Camden, ME

Camden Yacht Club Mooring

This was the type of cruising day we'd like to have every day...blue skies, great temperature, light winds and most of all very laid back. We were only traveling 16 miles today so we enjoyed a beautiful morning in the harbor of Belfast. We watched a few boats leave and a seal looking for his breakfast, as we enjoyed ours on the flybridge.

Our destination today was Camden, a picturesque town in the center of Maine's mid-coast region, nestled at the foot of Camden Hills on Penobscot Bay. Its slogan is “Where the Mountains Meet the Sea” and is considered by many visitors (us included) to be one of the most beautiful places in New England. Coming into the inner harbor was enchanting...boats of all kinds and sizes, old buildings, action going on everywhere and the beautiful mountains as a backdrop to it all. To maximize space in the inner harbor, mooring is done on small floating piers, like the one we used on Mount Desert. We were lucky enough to be able to tie up to the pier furthest into the harbor. Giving us an unobstructed view of the Windjammers docked here. Camden has a large fleet of these tall-masted schooners. A Windjammer is a type of merchant sailing ship used in the 19th to 20th century, there are ten docked in the harbor during the summer months. Some are used for short day cruises and others can be booked for overnight cruises. The day cruises came in and out of the harbor all day, filled with passengers wanting to experience the same sights we'd seen on our way into Camden. What a wonderful day to be on the water.

We went ashore for lunch and then wandered around this quaint little town. We found out there's a river that runs through (and under some of the buildings) town that drops into a waterfall at the head of the harbor. We sat on the balcony of one shop enjoying a free cup of coffee and the view of the harbor and falls. Everything about this town is beautiful. We'd love to stay longer, but they have a regatta here this weekend and all the inner harbor moorings are reserved, so we will move on in the morning.

Coming into Camden Harbor

Four of the Windjammers that are docked in Camden. They are L-R Grace Bailey (1882), Mary Day (1962), Lewis R. French (1871) and Angelique (1981). 

The Appledore is a day cruiser that was built in 1978.

A view of the harbor from a little shop on Main Street. Can you spot The Pearl? 

Another view of the harbor from Harbor Park

The falls

Our view off the bow 

A video of the action in Camden Harbor