Hi everyone! What a summer it’s been so far! I’ve loved working with the team here at Casco Bay Lines, and getting the opportunity to learn more about the place I’ve called home my entire life.

Each summer, visitors from all over come to Casco Bay Lines and choose the Bailey Island Cruise. I’d never been to Bailey Island before, so I decided to hop on the Aucocisco III to check it out.

The Bailey Island Run leaves our terminal at 10 a.m. from June through Labor Day, and cruises two hours down the bay to beautiful Bailey Island. Our longest cruise, this trip takes you past some of Casco Bay’s most iconic sights – Ft. Gorges, thousands of lobster pots, Portland Headlight and Eagle Island.

When you arrive at Bailey Island, you have two hours to explore the island or, if you want more time on the boat, we also offer the Noontime Cruise, departing from Bailey Island using a separate ticket. This is a great option for those looking to glide through Pott’s Harbor and around Eagle and Haskell Islands before returning to the dock at Cook’s Landing.

As for me, my stomach was rumbling by the time we got to Bailey Island, so I decided to skip the Noontime Cruise and to visit Cook’s Lobster & Ale House for some lunch! They have a great menu filled with Maine favorites – steamers, fresh mussels, and, of course, lobster.

I filled up on lunch and had a few minutes to explore the island before the 2 p.m. departure back to Portland. As we cruised back to the terminal, I daydreamed about lobster rolls, watched the islands pass by, and thought about how lucky I am to call a place like this home!

It turns out, I’m not the only one who feels this way. A lot of people have submitted their Bailey Island photos to our #CruiseCascoBay photo contest! Don’t forget, use #CruiseCascoBay to show us how you enjoy the islands and you’ll be entered to win an awesome Casco Bay-themed prize pack including four tickets for a Casco Bay Lines cruise, shirts from Cook’s Lobster and Ale House, and more!

To check the schedule or get more information about our Bailey Island cruises, visit our website.

The post Cruising to a Summer Favorite, Bailey Island appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

Realizing that we’re not the only ones who crush on the islands, we recently got to thinkin’… how could we come up with a way to show our love in an even BIGGER and BETTER way than we had before? And how could we make sure that everyone had the opportunity to join in?  And then, just like that, an idea was born.

For the next six weeks, Casco Bay Lines will be all islands, all the time. We’re launching a brand-new video featuring these beauties and, each week, we’ll be focusing in on an island, sharing fun facts, photos and blog posts to pay homage to these magnificent places and to highlight what makes each one unlike any other.

And that’s not all. We want you to share what it is that you love about the islands of Casco Bay by capturing it in a photo so we’re launching the Cruise the Islands of Casco Bay photo contest!

Here’s what you’ll need to know in order to participate:

• We love it when you tag us in your Casco Bay adventures, so keep that up. We’re looking for your photos of any of the islands (not just the one we happen to be celebrating at the time), our ferries, or Casco Bay.
• You can submit one photo per day once the contest begins using this form on our Facebook page or by tagging us in a photo on Facebook or Instagram and using #CruiseCascoBay.
• At the end of each week during the contest we’ll randomly draw a winner and share their photo on our Facebook and Instagram pages – make sure to follow us to see if you’re a winner!

Each of our winners will take home a cool Casco Bay-themed prize pack full of goodies from Casco Bay Lines (a four-pack of cruise tickets!) and a bunch of our Casco Bay-loving friends including Sea Bags, Maine Maritime Museum, Andy’s Old Port Pub, Shipyard, Amtrak Downeaster, Cooks Lobster & Ale House, Portland Harbor Hotel/Inn at Diamond Cove, Flowfold and Old Port Magazine!

We’re kicking the festivities off on Saturday, August 4^th with a whole week dedicated to Long Island. We can’t wait to share the love.

The post Cruising (Crushing On) the Islands of Casco Bay appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

The islands offer biking for all levels of cyclist, and with views like the one off Seashore Avenue on Peaks, we’re not sure what’s stopping you from strapping on a helmet and peddling around! Plus, our crew makes it a cinch to hop on board with your bike.

Here are some quick tips to get your biking adventure started:

Step 1:
Pack your bike bag (or backpack) with snacks, water, and sunscreen.

Step 2:
Pick your island – we don’t think you can go wrong here, but we’d suggest heading out to Peaks to bike the 4-mile loop around the island or hop on over to Chebeague to take on a 6-mile loop which offers ample opportunity to take a break at one of the island’s amazing beaches.

Step 3:
Don’t forget your bike ticket. Tickets are $6.50 for adults and $3.25 for children and can be purchased at the terminal along with your regular passenger fare on the day of your trip. If you don’t have a bike, you can rent a bike by the hour on Peaks Island from Brad’s Bike Rental & Repair.

Step 4:
Roll aboard and enjoy the ferry ride to your destination.

Step 5:
Disembark and start pedaling!

It couldn’t be easier to enjoy Casco Bay’s islands by bike, and with the best of the summer still to come, what are you waiting for?!

The post Exploring the Islands on Two Wheels appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

If you take the 5:45 p.m. ferry from Portland to Long Island, you’ve probably seen one of our favorite passengers, Watson the Bullmastiff, with his mom Maxine headed home from a long day at work. (Dogs can ride too with their own ticket!)

What’s so special about this two and a half-year-old gentle giant, you ask? Well, in addition to his dashing good looks and affinity for island life, he’s also a certified therapy dog.

Watson lives on the east end of Long Island with his mom and dad. After spending summers on the island growing up, Maxine moved to the island full time in 2013, and she and her husband bought their home there in 2016.

Around that time, they brought an 8-week-old Watson to the island, and his journey to becoming a therapy dog started not long after. When he was just 12 weeks old, he started in a puppy class where he was exposed to different situations like loud noises, different people, and other dogs. He was such a good boy that he was given a STAR puppy award!

After that class, Watson (and Maxine’s) education continued – they took an adolescent puppy class, basic obedience 1, 2, and 3, and the Canine Good Citizen test. Finally, they underwent three supervised visits and screenings by a representative from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs at Cedars Nursing Home and Watson officially became certified as a therapy dog.

Five days a week, Watson and Maxine board the 6:45 a.m. boat from Long Island to head to work. During the day, Watson tags along with his mom to Flowfold’s headquarters in Scarborough, hanging with some of his four-legged friends while Maxine works on production and design of Flowfold’s minimalist outdoor gear.

But Watson’s favorite time on the mainland is during those hours before or after work, when the pair can be found putting Watson’s skills to work, visiting his favorite residents at places like the Maine Veteran’s Home on Route 1 in Scarborough, Cedar’s Nursing Home, Spring Harbor Hospital, and several other local businesses. He’s also been known to show up from time to time at Long Island School!

At the end of a long and fulfilling work day Maxine and Watson climb aboard their boat home and spend the trip knitting, reading, talking with friends, and napping (at least in Watson’s case). Here at Casco Bay Lines, we know that our customers depend on us to get to and from the islands. And we know that many of our customers (both two and four-legged) have people on the mainland who depend on their arrival every day. We’re awfully proud to play even a small role in Watson’s work!

Impressed by their commitment to helping others, we asked Watson and Maxine if sometimes the days seem long. Her response? They both love kicking back and relaxing on the ride home across Casco Bay. And living on an island is like going on vacation every time you go home. Watson just wagged his tail and smiled.

From time to time on our blog we’ll be featuring stories from island residents. Casco Bay Lines remains committed to fostering strong relationships with our island communities. If you have an interesting story, feel free to reach out to us.

The post Ferrying our Four-Legged Friends appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

Hi everyone! I’m happy to be joining this incredible team – even if it’s just for the summer! I am currently studying sales and marketing at Plymouth State University and I couldn’t think of a better way to put my studies into action (and enjoy summer on the Maine coast) than helping to market Portland’s iconic ferry, Casco Bay Lines.

Born and raised in Portland, I grew up with those red, yellow, white and black ferries chugging along in the background of my childhood. It wasn’t until my first day on the job here that I realized I’ve only ever taken a ferry to Peaks Island for the day. I had never taken advantage of any of the other awesome options for getting out on the water. And, when Caity (CBL’s Sales Director and resident Jill-of-all-Trades) heard I’d never taken one of our specialty cruises, she quickly moved that to the top of my “To Do” list. Market research!

So, on a recent sunny Saturday, I packed a backpack with lunch and some sunscreen and took advantage of the great weather to collect some qualitative data first-hand! There are so many different cruises to choose from. And they’re all a little different. For me, the choice was easy. I needed to find out why locals consider the Mailboat Run the best kept secret in Portland. How had I missed this?

After picking up my ticket at the terminal, I boarded the Maquoit II and headed straight for the upper deck where I knew I’d have the best view

of Casco Bay. It was really cool to see Portland’s working waterfront from this angle—lobstermen hauling traps and cargo ships chugging in. I even got to see some of the wildlife that calls Casco Bay home; a few seals and cormorants splashed around as we glided down the bay.

Cruising along, map in hand, stopping off at each island, taking notes and listening to the Captain talk about the history of Casco Bay, I realized what the magic is – the Mailboat Run is literally a lifeline for the residents of the island communities. The conveniences of living on a college campus, for example, are nowhere to be found. Instead, what you have, is a completely awesome dedication to a different lifestyle.  And, when you ride the Mailboat, you get to be a part of that – even if just for a few hours, and even if you’re really more cut out for that college campus life…

The trip was a huge success. And I’m even more excited to spend my summer working with the team at Casco Bay Lines, learning the ins and outs of marketing a place as beautiful as Casco Bay!

The post A New View of Casco Bay appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

Most people know us as Portland’s iconic ferry system—yellow, red, and white boats that work day-in and day-out to transport people to and from the islands. There’s no doubt – this is our thing.

But… what about those of us who just want to get out on the water? In that case, what you’re really looking for is a boat ride. A moment or two with the salty breeze whipping through your hair. Leaving all your cares on shore, no particular destination you need to reach, soaking in the sun. Ahhhhhhhh…

What’s that you say? You don’t own a boat? No problem. We do! And, with several different options to choose from, we think that a Casco Bay Lines cruise might be the perfect way to get yourself, your in-laws who are visiting, or your kids, out on the water this summer.

We make it easy to cruise the bay—just pack a bag with refreshments of your choosing, sunscreen, and an extra layer, grab your ticket at our terminal located on the Maine State Pier, and come aboard!

Here’s a quick look at each of our specialty cruises:

Peaks Island Run: If only have an hour or so, soak up some sunshine and salty summer air while you enjoy the quick crossing to Peaks Island. If you’ve got a couple of hours, hop off the boat and grab some lunch, explore the beaches, and don’t forget an ice cream for the ride back.

Mailboat Run: This cruise offers a unique chance to experience Maine’s rugged coastline onboard a true working boat. The mailboat delivers freight of all shapes and sizes to the island communities year-round, and we think this trip is one of Portland’s best kept secrets.

Diamond Pass Run: This seasonal cruise takes you along the shoreline of Little and Great Diamond Islands. Take in the beautiful cottages and get a glimpse of island life as the boat travels to four different stops.

Sunset Run: What could be better than watching Portland shimmer in the sunset with a picnic dinner and a thermos of wine? Relax and enjoy the evening ocean breeze while the ferry navigates the moonlit waters of the bay.

Sunrise Run: This one’s for the early birds. Join us for the first departure of the day and watch Casco Bay’s working waterfront come to life. Catch Portland’s fishing fleet headed out for the day and lobstermen hauling traps as the sun comes up.

Moonlight Run: Come aboard and watch the harbor lights twinkle in the moonlight as you make your way through the moonlit waters of Casco Bay. This seasonal favorite is only available from June to September.

Bailey Island: This summer-time staple begins June 23^rd for the season and is the perfect way to spend a whole day out on the water! Listen as the captain narrates the history of Casco Bay while you cruise past lighthouses, forts, and 19^th century summer cottages. Enjoy a 2-hour layover to explore Bailey Island or to grab lunch at Cook’s Lobster & Ale House before getting back on board.

What are you waiting for? No matter your schedule, we’ve got the perfect cruise for your summer adventures. Visit our website to learn more about all of our cruises.

The post Looking for a Summer Escape? Come Cruise Casco Bay With Us! appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

With warmer weather on the way, we thought it might be fun to dream a little and plan for your spring and summer on Casco Bay. Here are our top five ideas for your adventures:

1. Take the Mailboat Run down the bay. Whether you live here, or you’ve got visitors in town from away, we think our Mailboat Run is hands-down the most interesting way to cruise Casco Bay! Twice a day the Maquoit II delivers mail and other goods to islanders and offers landlubbers a glimpse into island life (plus a gorgeous view of Casco Bay).
2. Plan the perfect date night—pack a picnic and some wine for a romantic sunset cruise. Summer nights in Maine are near perfect – add in a cool ocean breeze and the beauty of Casco Bay, and what could be better? Our Sunset Run cruise lets you relax in the twilight of a perfect Maine day while Portland shimmers in the distance.
3. Explore World War II ruins on Peaks Island. In its heyday, Battery Steele stood guard over Portland Harbor, keeping it safe from invaders during World War II. Today, the fortification stands empty, and ready for exploring.
4. Starting June 23, hop on board the Aucocisco III for a can’t-miss summer classic—a trip to Bailey Island. In addition to being the home of Cook’s Lobster & Ale House, one of the island’s claims to fame is a one-of-a-kind bridge. The Cribstone Bridge was built in 1928 out of individual granite ties, and connects the island to the mainland. Its unique construction has kept the bridge standing strong for close to 90 years with little to no maintenance. Adding to the cool-factor, the bridge is the only one of its kind in the world!
5. Dance the night away on a music cruise. Here’s some inside scoop: our first music cruise of the 2018 season is scheduled for June 16 at 8 p.m with The Hurricanes – keep an eye out, tickets should be available on our website in the next couple of days! All music cruises are 21 plus, feature a cash bar, and sail rain or shine.

Check out our seasonal and cruise schedules online and start planning your spring and summer adventures today!

The post Springing to Life on Casco Bay appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

The answer is: a trusty compass, a whole complement of gadgets, and our eagle-eyed crew.

Since our earliest days, technology advancements have changed the way we navigate Casco Bay, but our main goal of getting you back and forth to your destination safely and reliably hasn’t changed.

Before every boat had radar on board, captains would have to “navigate by compass and time” – using speed and time to calculate the distance between their waypoints for each of the islands. To do this, they had to factor in things like how strong the current was running, and what direction the wind was blowing.

Today, we navigate using a mix of the old and the new.

Here are a few things on board our boats that we use to help navigate:

• Compass—the Holy Grail of navigation instruments; keeps our captains headed on the right course. Each boat has a compass mounted right to the helm.
• Radar—lets us know what targets are around the boat; islands, other boats, and aids to navigation all show up on the screen.
• VHF Radio—allows us to talk to the Coast Guard, other boats, and our team on the mainland.
• Chart Plotter—an electronic chart that tells us things like: where each island is located, the depth of the water, and where the buoys are positioned.
• Depth Sounder—shows us how much water is under the boat.
• Paper Chart—while the compass is the Holy Grail, our paper charts are our lifeblood—a paper backup to our chart plotters. With our compass and charts, we can go anywhere!

On days when a gale force wind is blowing snow sideways or fog has socked in across the bay, the checks and balances these tools provide are even more important. But we have one more tool at our disposal that most people wouldn’t think of—our deckhands.

Perched high in the wheelhouse, the captain has a 360 degree view of the boat, but in inclement weather you’ll find our deckhands standing watch around the boat—keeping a weather eye on the horizon for any obstacles that may be in the boat’s path.

Navigating Casco Bay is more complicated than turning the boat east away from the city and heading for an island; it requires knowledge of the area provided by charts, a keen eye, and a few gadgets. Thankfully, our captains are expert navigators capable of blending the old paper chart and compass ways with newfangled technology like radio and radar.

The post Following the Compass Arrow: Navigating Casco Bay appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

“This morning in the fog was pretty challenging, visibility and weather is a big challenge,” he tells me as the last of the morning’s fog is burning off. “Safety is our top priority.”

Bill started with Casco Bay Lines 28 years ago as a deckhand. He was trying to stay out of “mischief” while living on Peaks Island as a merchant sailor. Over the years, he worked his way up to Captain – an integral member of our crew. He’s humble though. And even though he’s quiet at first, he’s clearly a funny guy. So instead of taking credit for his accomplishments he describes it like this: when you start as a deck hand, they give you a bunch of marbles, when you’ve lost all of your marbles, you become a captain.

Like all Casco Bay Lines captains, he can pilot every boat, so he travels all over Casco Bay throughout the week on our different runs and cruises, meeting islanders and visitors from all over the place. It’s the people—young and old—he says who make Casco Bay such a special place to live and work.

Bill married an island girl and tells me that, even though he loves all of the islands for their totally unique identities, he’s especially partial to Great Diamond because that’s where she’s from.

Over the years, he’s seen a lot of island kids grow up, get married, move away, and, in some cases, come back to Casco Bay. He jokes that Parker, a Casco Bay Lines deckhand who grew up on Great Diamond Island, was a “terrible pain when he was a kid, a bundle of energy,” but he’s turned into a great adult. Young people, like Parker, make the place happen, Bill says.

“There are a lot of moments,” he answers with a chuckle when asked what makes Casco Bay Lines special. And based on his stories, he has seen it all—from couples getting married on the Bay Mist to families heading to say their final goodbyes to loved ones.

For Bill—and for a lot of us here at Casco Bay Lines—the best part of the job is getting to be part of these moments and part of the Casco Bay Lines community —seeing families come back year after year, watching kids grow up, and building connections with our riders.

While you can’t always see Bill, or our other captains, as they steer the ship, you can rest assured that while you’re headed down the bay with your family, or hopping over to Peaks for a picnic lunch, he’s got everything under control. And you can focus on creating new memories and enjoying some of those moments that Bill takes such pride in.

From time to time on our blog we’ll be featuring stories of our fantastic crew to highlight their different roles, personalities, and connection to Casco Bay, our customers and our ferry line. If you have a particular staff member who you feel should be highlighted here, feel free to reach out to us!

The post Meet Our Crew – Captain Bill Wanzer, a Man of the People appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.

Our friend Shannon over at FitMaine braved the elements for an off-season trip to Peaks Island—exploring Battery Steele, walking along Seashore Avenue, and scrambling along the rocks at Torrington Point are just as much fun during colder weather.

Shannon’s trip inspired us. We know that the brisk months are just as great for cruising Casco Bay, but maybe everyone would like a friendly reminder!

Casco Bay is no less beautiful in the off-season and our cabins are heated, so you’ll stay toasty warm while gliding through the sea smoke on the way to your destination. Take a page out of the FitMaine book and pack your snow clothes, a thermos full of hot cocoa or coffee, and some lunch before heading out to explore the snowy and rocky coast of Peaks, Great Diamond, Long, Chebeague, or Cliff Islands.

Of course, you can head out to any of the islands on our regular trips year round, but did you know that some of your summer cruise favorites happen year round too?

If outdoor exploring in cooler weather isn’t your thing, grab that picnic lunch and hop aboard the mailboat for a cruise. The boat leaves the dock daily at 10 a.m. and again at 2:45 p.m. and you can take in the sights, learn about the history of Casco Bay, and watch the Maquoit II unload freight down the bay. You can watch Casco Bay’s beautiful sunrises and sunsets out on the water (even in the middle of February) without ever having to leave the boat.

In our opinion, there’s no bad time, or wrong way, to explore Casco Bay on a Casco Bay Lines ferry. Check out our website for more information and our cruise schedule.

The post Cruising Casco Bay Isn’t Just a Summer Thing appeared first on Casco Bay Lines.