Thanks for the charter of “Queen of the Cove”, We had a great time and will book again sometime in the future. The boat was comfortable, easy and fun to operate and with the electronics, easy to navigate. Maine is beautiful and the weather the week of our charter was perfect. We particularly liked Fox Island Thoroughfare. That’s the location of the photo with my “Queen” the bow pulpit of “Queen of the Cove”.

LOCATIONS: Primarily exploring old historic marina’s and ports: Castine, Camden, Rockport, Searsport, Belfast, Boothbay Harbor

VESSEL: The Ellis 36 Express Cruiser “Liberty”.

The Ellis 36 “Liberty” on Charter in 2019

NARRATIVE: From Camden, you can take ‘day trips’ (to and back) to Rockport and Searsport. Camden’s inner harbor ‘floating docks’ are unique (to me). It is less expensive and easy to take your own tender or you can use the ‘launch service’ back & forth. Make sure you visit the many fantastic Maritime Museums such as Bath’s Maine Maritime Museum and Searsport’s Penobscot Marine Museum (20 min walk from pier). Also, Castine has a great city tour on a golf cart – “Scarlett” ctouringc@gmail.com

Our week with family visiting was much more memorable with the addition of Ellis’s Too Priceless to enjoy. It comfortably held 10 of us for many day trips to show our South Carolina cousins where the real beauty is – the rocky Maine coast! We are currently in-between boats and this 36’, while a bit larger than we were used to, was a great size and very easy to maneuver.

Our most memorable trip was, well, a memory for many reasons. It was a perfect day and we set off from Western Bay, destination Little Cranberry Island, otherwise known as Islesford. The intention was to visit the museum, artisan shops, the quaint churches on the island and of course, lunch at the Islesford Dock Restaurant where the food is delicious! We did manage to accomplish all that but not before dealing with a typical Maine “suddenly-from-out-of-nowhere” fog bank on the way over. It just came rolling right at us as we came around the bend just before Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. AND hung with us for the rest of the trip over, clearing out only just as we approached the island dock. While some rental operations might be skimping on bare-bones equipment, this Ellis was fully equipped with sophisticated computers that really did save us that day.

Photo of Bass Harbor Lighthouse courtesy of acadiamagic.com

While waiting for our table for 10, we did all the stops we had wanted to see. After leaving the church which allowed time for reflection, we had a good laugh over what each of us secretly pondered while reflecting in that quiet chapel. Let’s just say all the thoughts tied to “thanks for a safe trip over here” to “please let us have a safe trip back” or “please let the sun burn this fog off while we eat”. Prayers were answered and the trip home was crystal clear so our company could really enjoy the beauty of the islands and Park mountains from the south side of the area.

P.S. The team at Ellis is great as well. I would know. I recently published a customer service satire, critical of the lack of high service standards in many establishments these days. Ellis will never make it into book II unless I change my tactic and pen a book about how it should be done!

Here are some “destination ideas” as you put together your plans for chartering with Ellis Boat Charters.

LOBSTER BAKE ON MERCHANT’S ROW
The perfect Maine day. Merchant’s Row is a collection of islands right off the coast of Mount Desert Island that includes some of the most beautiful islands on the East Coast. Treat your group to a day on the water by setting off from Southwest Harbor or Northeast Harbor in your Ellis Boat charter, motoring by the famous Bass Harbor lighthouse, and casting anchor close to one of the islands.

EXPLORE BAKER’S ISLAND, ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
Baker’s Island is part of Acadia National Park and home to the famous Baker Island Lightstation, which marks the entrance to Frenchman’s Bay. The famous Baker Island “Dance Floor” is a series of huge slabs of granite found on the south shore, smoothed flat by the tides. Explore this historic island and enjoy a picnic lunch, while overlooking Mount Desert Island’s rugged coastline.

DINNER OR LUNCH AT ISLESFORD DOCK
Dock your Ellis Charter boat at the storied Islesford Dock Restaurant, where you can enjoy classic Maine fare, as well as the works of local artists at the Islesford Artist’s Gallery.

SOMES SOUND
Explore what is arguably the only Fjord on the East Coast. It is a body of water running deep into Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. Its deepest point is approximately 175 feet (50 m), and it is over 100 feet (30 m) deep in several places. The sound almost splits the island in two. Somes Sound was named for Abraham Somes, who was one of the first settlers on the island. Ask your captain to bring you here to view beautiful ocean-front houses and Acadia’s mountains.

MARSHAL ISLAND
Great Island hiking and a wonderful less-known sand beach, with a picturesque cove (Sand Cove) for anchoring. Take the tender ashore for a short picnic on the beach. If you want a bigger adventure, book the boat for two days with a Captain and camp out on the island overnight. Your captain can pick you up the next day to continue your adventure. Details about booking campsites on the island are here: https://mcht.org/preserves/marshall-island

BAR HARBOR TOUR
Want to check out Bar Harbor but take the scenic route? Tour along the Eastern part of Mount Desert Island and up to Bar Harbor, where she can dock while you explore Bar Harbor. If you have plenty of time, you could even stop by Schoodic Point or Winter Harbor.

WILDLIFE VIEWING
The waters around Mount Desert Island are filled with spectacular wildlife viewing. If you’d like to search for whales, porpoises, or various birds, look no further!