Seattle -> Boston -> Maine -> Mystic -> Seattle

[Yeadon]

I'll be in Boston over the weekend, then on to Maine, then Mystic for the show, all before heading back home to Seattle.

Things I enjoy: beer, wooden boats, American & maritime history, things having to do with the sea, outdoor stadiums that serve beer, rare books & vintage clothes (well, the wife does, though so do I), funky old ship chandleries, the oldest bar in town, local farmers markets, seafood, and great towns that tourists usually never frequent.

Any tips on things I should do or places I ought to see?

[SteveClausen]

What part of Maine are you visiting?

[Yeadon]

On Monday or Tuesday, we'll drive from Boston north to Maine. We have a pretty undeveloped agenda. I'd like to see Portland, and a long long stretch of the coast. We'll need to turn around Thursday or Friday morning to wander back to Mystic for the show.

What parts would you recommend?

[Uncle Duke]

On Monday or Tuesday, we'll drive from Boston north to Maine. We have a pretty undeveloped agenda. I'd like to see Portland, and a long long stretch of the coast. We'll need to turn around Thursday or Friday morning to wander back to Mystic for the show.

What parts would you recommend?

You'll be driving up to Brooklin to visit Wooden Boat, yes?

[Canoez]

You'll be driving up to Brooklin to visit Wooden Boat, yes?

More than likely not if he wants to do things other than drive. Just the driving from Boston to Brooklin would ruin the better part of two whole days.

[SteveClausen]

Portland is worth a day, nice small city, visit Clint Chase if you can hale him.
Boothbay Harbor - nice picturesque little Harbor town, worth a stay. Some wooden boats in Harbor for sure. You really get a sense of being on the water from almost every spot in town.
Friendship has a nice Maritime Museum, small working craft well represented.
Camden is another beauty of a Harbor Town.

[pcford]

You might consider taking a translator...they talk funny in those parts. Don't say I didn't warn you.

(and the summer weather is disgusting.)

[Gerarddm]

Camden is heaven on this earth.

[BrianW]

We stayed here a couple years ago...

http://alehouseinn.com/

...in Portsmouth NH. Nice guys. Rooms were a bit small, but had an iPad in every room. Easy walking around town to different restaurants and bars.

[Fitz]

Boston: USS Constitution and naval yard environs, old burial grounds, lots of pubs, duck boats if you like, Harbor Islands, Bunker hill. Museum of Fine Arts, many other museums. You should have no trouble filling the schedule.

You missed the Corpse Flower blooming at Franklin Zoo.

Enjoy.

[SteveClausen]

Sea dog brew pub in Topsham ME if you like Beer
Gritty's McDuffs in Portland

[woodpile]

If you're in the mid coast region of Me. http://www.dolphinmarinaandrestaurant.com/
The best fish chowder I've ever had, quiet, beautiful area, not a lot of tourist traffic. Also close to the Maine Maritime museum in Bath, a must see based on your enjoy list.

[Yeadon]

Thanks, keep 'em coming. I'm making a list.

[JimConlin]

There are baseball teams of varying grades. Boston Red Sox, Pawtucket Red Sox, Portland Sea Dogs.
Maine Maritime Museum in Bath.
Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA.

[Mad Scientist]

+1 to USS Constitution. If you're much over 5'6", be prepared to duck (constantly) when below decks.

If you wil be in Boston for a few days, there are buses that visit all the historic sites.

Tom

[Hwyl]

PM about to be sent

[James McMullen]

I went to Maine once, and remember it was quite beautiful. I especially remember they had this goofy-looking substitute for Dungeness Crab there, called "lob-stah" or something like that. It wasn't quite as good, but it came in big chunks and was a pretty acceptable alternative, really. And they had this great clam soup too. They also had these fluorescent red hot dogs for some reason, but I can't tell you much about that cause I was afraid to try them.

[StevenBauer]

PM sent. Or about to be sent.


Steven

[Tom Painter]

If your taking scenic Rt 1 downeast......you might like to stop by the Apprenticeshop in Rockland and Walter Simmons' shop in Lincolnville on your way. Just keep a weather eye out for those tourist traps..

[Woxbox]

I'll second the notion that it would be easy to waste most of your time driving. Best to cover less distance and do and see more. Also be aware that as you drive up Route 1, you're near the water but it's very frustrating -- you see very little of it. And most of the waterfront is private - it's not like, say, California and Oregon where there are frequent access points. What you need to do is find someone, pay if you must, to take you out on the water for a day. That's the only way to appreciate the Maine coast. Driving just doesn't cut it.

[Daniel Noyes]

If your big on going to the oldest bar in town... how about the "Oldest Bar in the country" Union Oyster house just outside Fanuiell Hall Boston makes that claim and est. 1820's it's pretty convincing.

Old Ironsides as mentioned above is a must see.

You could start at boston and drive North along the shore and not make it to the NH border in a weeks time if you stoped only for a few munites at every important nautical history spot.

There's the Salem derby warf and Friendship East Indiaman, PEM museaum, charter sails on Chebacco boat Fame, House of Seven Gables, Nahant beach, Swampscot beach, Chamberlain Alpha dory at Marblehead Hist.Soc. Marblehead light wich features prominently in hundreds of historic yachting photos, Manchester Yacht Club home club of Edwin Boardman and Sewanhaka cup champion scows Manchester and Massachusetts, Gloucester port, Phil Bolger and Friends boat design home office, Montgomerys yard home of the "Fish Class Cat", Centenial; first boat/dory to sail single handed across the Atlantic 1876, Rockport harbour/halibut point rock quary and Colonial era anchor on display, Wingasheek beach (beautifull) Essex Ma Ship building museaum, yards that turned out the famous Gloucester Fishing Schooners, also Chebacco Boat A.D. Story, Harold Burnhams Yard, Ipswich historic district More existing pre 1720 homes than any town in the country, Newbury Pert Lowell Co. oldest comercial dory shop in opperation builders of the Town Class sailing dory, My dory shop, I'm building a Banks dory hull from Gardners lines for Centennial, Newburyport Maritime Museaum, shoping, Newburyport launched hundreds of Fast Packets (clipper ships) and was building ships barks schooners 150'+ into the late 1800's, Amesbury Lowells Boat Shop founded 1790's dory builders, Salisbury great beach, amusments, food....

there that gets you to the NH border.

Portsmouth, Newcastle, Ordiorne State Park beach and WWII historic site are awsome,
Strawberry Banke in portsmouth is a old home museaum and has recently constructed a 60+ ft Piscataqua river Gundalow replica.

[potomac]

It's almost been twenty years (man, that's tough to say), but I found Portland quite charming. That was the first time I'd been sailing in the ocean. I count it as one of the great memories of my life.

[Hwyl]

Wow Daniel, I was just going to suggest driving the 1A from Boston to Portland anyway.
But don't forget to stop at the Gift Shop in Thomaston, Maine
http://www.maine.gov/corrections/industries/index.html

There is actually an outlet in York, I have not been in the for yonks http://www.woodstogoods.com/store/about.php

[James McMullen]

Oh man! I wann see everything on your list, Daniel! One of these times when I come to NY with Katie, I'm gonna hop on a train north and come see some of that. I especially wanna see whaling museum stuff, too. Is Nantucket the place for that?

[Woxbox]

New Bedford has the best whaling museum, but Nantucket's is well worth checking out, too. It is a remarkable corner of the country for this stuff now that I stop and think about it. I've lived in the region since I was 6, my dad always took us to the museums, I've always sought them out myself, and yet there are a good number I still haven't visited. Box of chocolates.

[Yeadon]

If your big on going to the oldest bar in town... how about the "Oldest Bar in the country" Union Oyster house just outside Fanuiell Hall Boston makes that claim and est. 1820's it's pretty convincing.

Old Ironsides as mentioned above is a must see.

You could start at boston and drive North along the shore and not make it to the NH border in a weeks time if you stoped only for a few munites at every important nautical history spot.

There's the Salem derby warf and Friendship East Indiaman, PEM museaum, charter sails on Chebacco boat Fame, House of Seven Gables, Nahant beach, Swampscot beach, Chamberlain Alpha dory at Marblehead Hist.Soc. Marblehead light wich features prominently in hundreds of historic yachting photos, Manchester Yacht Club home club of Edwin Boardman and Sewanhaka cup champion scows Manchester and Massachusetts, Gloucester port, Phil Bolger and Friends boat design home office, Montgomerys yard home of the "Fish Class Cat", Centenial; first boat/dory to sail single handed across the Atlantic 1876, Rockport harbour/halibut point rock quary and Colonial era anchor on display, Wingasheek beach (beautifull) Essex Ma Ship building museaum, yards that turned out the famous Gloucester Fishing Schooners, also Chebacco Boat A.D. Story, Harold Burnhams Yard, Ipswich historic district More existing pre 1720 homes than any town in the country, Newbury Pert Lowell Co. oldest comercial dory shop in opperation builders of the Town Class sailing dory, My dory shop, I'm building a Banks dory hull from Gardners lines for Centennial, Newburyport Maritime Museaum, shoping, Newburyport launched hundreds of Fast Packets (clipper ships) and was building ships barks schooners 150'+ into the late 1800's, Amesbury Lowells Boat Shop founded 1790's dory builders, Salisbury great beach, amusments, food....

there that gets you to the NH border.

Portsmouth, Newcastle, Ordiorne State Park beach and WWII historic site are awsome,
Strawberry Banke in portsmouth is a old home museaum and has recently constructed a 60+ ft Piscataqua river Gundalow replica.

This is a very impressive list, Daniel. Thanks! Also, if you're at the show in Mystic, I'd love to buy you a beer.

[Yeadon]

So, I landed in Boston earlier this evening, and have since taken a hike over to the Charles River Basin where I saw the sunset. For a Seattleonian like myself, it is extraordinarily hot here. My iPhone claims it's something like 93f here right now. Seems that I've grown soft since my stint in Florida and North Carolina.


An extremely fuzzy photo of the Charles River Basin.

[James McMullen]

Ninety-three whats? Surely not degrees?!?

Sweet Jeebus! That's frightening!

[Gerarddm]

...and no doubt almost as humid, too.

Still, I'd take 10 degrees off that and bring it over here any time recently.

[BrianW]

Yeah, the Pacific North Wet crowd is not going to like the weather over there. I've got a headstart, given my work location, but I still hate it.

BTW, I thought Plymouth Rock was cool too.

[woodpile]

IMHO you've got a great list here considering the words of Tim Sample, formerly 1/2 of the Me. comedy duo "Burt & I"
"Most people go to Maine for only three things, see a lighthouse, see a moose and eat a lobsta"
Enjoy and have a safe happy trip.

[camillo]

Two places that I highly recommend on the trip from Boston to Portland or beyond: Billy's Chowder House in Wells, Maine(216 Mile Rd, Wells, ME), and easy stop off the highway. Sit in the bar - it's like sitting on the dock of a the bay, watching the time fade away, with incredible food and beer. In Portland, hit the Harbor Fish Market. For ten bucks, or whatever you want to spend, you'll get a pile of fresh lobster meat right off the boat. (9 Custom House Wharf Portland, Maine). You'll want to take both places back to Seattle with you.

[Daniel Noyes]

This is a very impressive list, Daniel. Thanks! Also, if you're at the show in Mystic, I'd love to buy you a beer.

yeah it's hot the last couple days, weve been breaking records set in the 1930's

reading the list It occurs to me how much I didnt include...


Gloucester also has the fishing schooner Adventure under restoration, a big boat and the first knockabout schooner and the highliner for years in the Gloucester fleet.
Lannon harbour tours at Gloucester.

Going inland but still water related

Battle fields at Lexington and Concord where the shot heard round the world was fired, also Concord bridge and river, Walden Pond where a replica of Thoreaus cabin stands and there is good hiking, Thoreaus bok a trip on the Concord and Merrimack rivers will lead you to the town of Lowell where there is excelent industrial revolution exibits at the National Park and restored and opperating Boot Mill, also at Lowell The Francis Gate wich has saved the mill town from the Merrimack river 3 time now over 160+ year period, they last "droped the gate" in 2005!!! a century and a half after it's construction.

I wont be at Mystic this year, a bridge too far, I will be in Boston Jamaica Plain today finishing off a week long youth model boat building class, today we sail the boats at Jamica Pond!

happy travels.

[Daniel Noyes]

if you see anything from any of the above...


USS Constitution

[SteveClausen]

New Bedford has the best whaling museum, but Nantucket's is well worth checking out, too. It is a remarkable corner of the country for this stuff now that I stop and think about it. I've lived in the region since I was 6, my dad always took us to the museums, I've always sought them out myself, and yet there are a good number I still haven't visited. Box of chocolates.

Yup, New Bedford, Herman Melville's old haunt, has a nice whaling museum.

If you make it up to Boothbay Harbor, make sure to take the 2 hr cruise on the Eastwind Schooner. 62 foot wooden schooner built by Herb Smith and his wife Doris, 5th boat of that size they have built.
The Eastwind is one of the most beautiful boats I've ever laid eyes on. It's a reasonable price for cruise, but just being on the boat is awesome, esp. if the wind is up she really moves.

[rbgarr]

The America's Cup catamaran series will be underway (performing?) in Newport RI during the time you're in the NE. Viewing from Fort Adams State Park: http://www.sailingworld.com/racing/a...MjAxMjg0NDE2S0

[samclem]

This thread makes me fairly homesick being born and raised in the NE, however, like most in the PNW I do not miss the heat and humidity. My parents says it's been "Warm" there almost all year.

[Paul Pless]

I'll second the notion that it would be easy to waste most of your time driving. Best to cover less distance and do and see more.

Less is definitely more Tim when it comes to driving in New England. I'm sure since you've been contacted privately by the likes of Steven Bauer and Gareth you'll be well taken care of. looking forward to seeing y'all next week.

[rbgarr]

Tim and Kara just left for their hotel down the street after sitting here with us watching the fireworks that ended the Windjammer Days festival. We had a good sail out among the schooner fleet this afternoon before they got off on a dock in the inner harbor to watch the schooners enter and anchor under sail. They had lobster rolls for dinner and came by for a beer after. Tomorrow they plan to head down to Portland to visit Steven and Clint.

Maybe they will post some photos of their day here. It was great to meet them and the weather looks great for the Mystic weekend....

[Yeadon]

Tim and Kara just left for their hotel down the street after sitting here with us watching the fireworks that ended the Windjammer Days festival. We had a good sail out among the schooner fleet this afternoon before they got off on a dock in the inner harbor to watch the schooners enter and anchor under sail. They had lobster rolls for dinner and came by for a beer after. Tomorrow they plan to head down to Portland to visit Steven and Clint.

Maybe they will post some photos of their day here. It was great to meet them and the weather looks great for the Mystic weekend....

Thanks Dave, we had a great time out on Boothbay Harbor and during the fireworks!

[Yeadon]

Here's Dave (rbgarr) sailing his Shields 30. We had nice and warm westerly winds, probably 9 knots or so.




So, I get this lobster roll phenomena now.

After Dave dropped us off, we went to the Boothbay Lobster Wharf. It was kickass. My wife took a bite and nearly cried. Even I let out a little yelp of appreciation. it was just that good. Lots of great local beer, too.



(More photos when I have more time.)

This evening, we'll be back down to Maine for a Portland Sea Dogs baseball game with the Bauers.

[Mrleft8]

Here's Dave (rbgarr) sailing his Shields 30. We had nice and warm westerly winds, probably 9 knots or so.



So, I get this lobster roll phenomena now.

After Dave dropped us off, we went to the Boothbay Lobster Wharf. It was kickass. My wife took a bite and nearly cried. Even I let out a little yelp of appreciation. it was just that good. Lots of great local beer, too.



(More photos when I have more time.)

This evening, we'll be back down to Maine for a Portland Sea Dogs baseball game with the Bauers.

Wow!... I had NO idea that Dave was so cute!!!!!

That lobster roll looks OK.... Too much claw meat, but better than a lot of places which fill them up with "other" stuff......

[camillo]

Can't have too much claw meat. And I'm basically drooling looking at that thing! (the lobsta roll)

[Willin']

My ultimate business plan is to sell lobster rolls comprised soley of knuckle meat. Of course the price of such a rich product would have to target a similarly rich demographic, hopefully making me one of them. The trick will be to how to dispose of that nasty claw, leg, body and tail meat profitably.

Just kidding, the lobster roll is one of those pleasures that folks situated elsewheres will never quite understand. To taste that manna, while sitting on a dock overlooking a Maine bay and smelling that smell, watching that sea and feeling that sunshine, well that's almost indescribable.

Glad you got to see some of the good stuff. As usual, in your brief stay, you just scratched the surface.

Cheers,

Mark

[Woxbox]

And let's hear it for a big steaming pot of fresh-picked mussels, too.

[StevenBauer]

The Seadogs are up 3-2 but the Fishercats are threatening.

[camillo]

And let's hear it for a big steaming pot of fresh-picked mussels, too.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

[StevenBauer]

[Yeadon]

Go Sea Dogs!

[StevenBauer]

I didn't even realize you switched from the Emerald Marine hat to a Seadogs hat. Hey, what do you want for that hat? I always wanted one of them thar EM hats.



Steven