Ken Textor
Ken Textor 58, has been cruising along the New England coast for more than 30 years. When not sailing, he writes about boating for Cruising World, SAIL, WoodenBoat, and numerous other magazines, books and newspapers. Based on the Kennebec River in Maine, he says there are still secret coves and little-used anchorages along the coast that he’s never visited – but he’s working on that.
Focus on: Damariscotta Lake, Maine
“It seems impossible a lake this empty could be so close to Route One,” my brother-in-law Rob said as we idled away from the state launch ramp on the western shore of Damariscotta Lake. “Where is everyone?” he wondered....
Boothbay’s Back Doors
Tips from a Maine boating veteran on accessing this great destination. Boothbay Harbor’s immense popularity sometimes makes it hard to enjoy. But with a little “local knowledge” of anchorages, entertainments and eateries, you can avoid the crowds (mostly) and...
Focus on: Sebago Lake, Maine
Few lakes can put you in the center of things while also giving you feeling of getting away from it all. But Sebago does all of this and more. Maine’s deepest (300 feet) and second largest lake (45 square...
Focus on: Swan’s Island, Maine
Off the beaten path, Swan’s Island offers 2 sides of the same coin for a passing sailor or cruiser. The north side’s Mackerel Cove and the south side’s Burnt Coat Harbor are both worth a stop, but don’t expect...
Focus on: Scarborough, Maine
The Scarborough River may be the least Maine-like destination on the Maine coast. The area around the mouth of the river resembles, at first glance, a minor-league version of the Jersey Shore. If you’re approaching with your boat in...
Focus on: Merrymeeting Bay, Maine
What’s worth a 12-mile side trip inland from Maine’s coast? Merrymeeting Bay, of course. As a unique body of water comprising rivers, swift currents, marshes, several towns and darn few other boats, Merrymeeting is as its name implies: A...
Focus on: Castine, Maine
By Maine standards, the sheltered river port of Castine in the northeast corner of Penobscot Bay is sort of backward. Normally, boaters travel up a long river before arriving at a harbor town. But in Castine, it’s the other...
Focus on: Belfast, Maine
Belfast arrived a little late to the party that saw many Maine ports change from sleepy, commercial ports to pleasure-boat shangri-las in the 1980s. But sometimes the late arrivals can make a pretty grand entrance, and the city of...
Focus on: Searsport, Maine
Searsport is a deceptive mecca. Located just 4 miles east of Belfast in the northwest corner of Penobscot Bay, it’s really just a cove with no protection from southerly winds. As such, there are few moorings in the harbor,...
Focus on: Camden, Maine
Camden is a port where timeless Maine has been displaced by cell-phone Maine. Like a scaled-down version of Martha’s Vineyard, it’s where the known and want-to-be-known frolic amid a backdrop that was once oriented only to the seas and...
