9 Jul 2024 - Portland Harbor Boat Lighthouse Cruise

 

This morning I worked on a few RV maintenance tasks including re-terminating a CAT 5E cable on an external router antenna connected to my WiFi Ranger system.  I also started on cleaning and treating my wipe seals on the slideouts and repairing an opening on the underbelly.  Before long time got away from me and it was time to head towards our 1415 hrs boat tour.  So quick shower and away we went.

The boat tour we booked was with the same company we used for the trolley tour yesterday, so check-in was at the same place and parking was at the same place. 

 

We boarded about 15 minutes in advance and exited the harbor right on time.  There were about 

25 passengers.  The boat had covered seating on the lower deck with chairs and tables.  There was a full bar with snacks On the top deck there were just chairs, and that is what everyone opted to use with the best viewing.  Our tour guide, a Navy Veteran, was top side with us.  

The route of this boat tour took us out of the harbor at Long Wharf and down the coast past several lighthouses to the Portland Head Light, then a winding cruise through several islands and back to Long Wharf,  Tour duration was expected to be 105 minutes.

Dashed line was our tour.

 Leaving the harbor we passed a yacht sales "lot".  Once on the open water we were surrounded by various vessels, everything from cruise ships to Coast Guard cutters to research vessels.  

Rounding the point we saw our first lighthouse of the day, Bug Light. 
 

As we traveled along I headed below and got Doreen and I a little adult beverage!  

We really enjoy the scenery on the water, being a couple land lubbers!  The buoys are interesting along with all the other sights and sounds.  

Not far after was Fort Gorges which was built during the Civil War.  When completed in 1864, Fort Gorges was already deemed obsolete due to technological advancements in rifled artillery and high-explosive ammunition developed during the Civil War. Fort Gorges hosted a live-in caretaker after the Civil War, and acted as a storage facility in both World War I and World War II.  It is Portland City property and is apparently open for exploring at your own risk.

Just around the point was the Spring Point Light

All up and down the coast were small buoys that marked lobster trap routes.  They were very colorful and each was colored differently.  Lobstermen have to get their specific color and pattern registered and then they display them on their boats and use them to mark their lobster traps.  We passed literally hundreds of different colored buoys.  Here are a few:

Along the shore was Fort Preble which was built in 1808 and added to through 1906.  The fort is located on the South Portland waterfront. In 1952 the fort was sold to the State of Maine and became what is now the Southern Maine Community College campus. The Portland Harbor Museum lies within the walls of the fort.

A ways down the coast the Portland Head Light came into view.  It was amazing to see it from the ocean side and that we had just visited it on the trolley tour yesterday.

In the distance we could get a better view of Ram Island Ledge Light Station that we did yesterday. Marking a rocky outcrop in Portland’s Harbor, Ram Island Ledge Light appears to soar straight out from under the sea at high tide. It was built in 1905 as a no-frills conical granite tower with an accompanying skeleton pier.

On House Island, a private island in Casco Bay, was Fort Scammel.  It was built in 1808.  Located on the west side of the 24 acre island, the three-bastion granite fort was designed for harbor defense and boasted parapets, munitions bunkers, and a parade ground. In 1954 the fort was bought by private owners to prevent it from being dismantled. This picture shows just a small portion of the Fort.  

As we passed the next island, Peaks Island, we saw kids jumping off the dock into the chilly water.

In between the islands were various sites including osprey nests

A lighthouse decoration in front of one of the beautiful homes we passed.

Another osprey nest on a marker

One of the final areas we passed was Halfway Rock.  Birds, sea gulls and sea lions were sunning themselves on there.

As we neared the end of the tour, heading back towards the harbor we passed a massive yacht that is purportedly owned by Arthur Blank, the owner of Home Depot! The yacht's official name, dreAMBoat, likely incorporates the initials of its owner, Arthur Blank. The estimated value of Arthur Blank Yacht Dreamboat is a staggering US $180,000,000.  We were told it arrived up here to avoid the latest hurricane down south.

 

This behemoth we passed, the "Empire State", is a Merchant Marines training vessel. 

 

This view of the Empire State is from our parking lot

That is it for today.  We stopped at a couple souvenir shops on the way back to the parking lot, and then made our way back to the campground to check on little Miss Liberty.  She is doing great, so much better than yesterday.  The meds are undoubtedly working and then the vet removing the broken nail has to feel better for her.  The bandage will stay on for a couple more days before we remove it, and then the meds (antibiotic and doggie aspirin) will continue for a couple weeks.

We have two more days here before we move to Massachusetts.  Tomorrow we may take the free campground trolley down to Old Orchard Beach for a little while.  Thursday we will do the normal :day-before-we-leave" stuff plus we are planning to have dinner with Mike Scott, one of our Fort Des Moines Little Leaguer's.