Maine is rich in Native American history and many of our landmarks still carry the original names given to them by members of the First Nations. Because we love learning about the history of our area, we dove into the archives of local experts like the Island Institute, the Maine Historical Society, and Bates College to research the original names of our beloved islands and boats.

Aucocisco—Migrating tribes often named things using unique wayfinding words—for example, the estuaries of Casco Bay are filled with a lot of bird life, so the Abenaki word “Aucocisco” meaning “a place of herons” is a fitting moniker for Casco Bay (and one of our boats). The bay was also called “Bahia de Cascos” or “Bay of Helmets” by Portuguese Explorer Estêvão Gomez who mapped the area in the early 1500s.

Bailey Island—The island was originally named “Newaggin” by local Abenaki tribes. The word means “swift current place,” a nod to the strong pull of the currents off the coast of Harpswell.

Chebeague Island—It may be hard to believe, but underground freshwater springs can be found running all over Chebeague Island. That’s probably why the Native Americans called the island “Chebeague” meaning “isle of many springs.”

Machigonne—A birds-eye view of Portland will show the land of the city jutting out into the sea. The Algonquian tribes who called the region home named it “Machigonne” meaning “great neck.”

Maquoit—The word “Maquoit” means “bear place” or “bear bay.” Maquoit Bay sits near the mouth of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Rivers, where salmon traditionally ran in great numbers, drawing bears to the region.

Wabanaki—In 1606, five of the region’s Native American tribes—the Abenaki, Penobscot, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Maliseet—united as the Wabanaki Confederacy. Members of the Wabanaki Confederacy lived all over Maine and Eastern Canada, which is the first place to see the sun rise each day. The word “Wabanaki” translates to “the people of the first light.” When we added the Wabanaki to our fleet back in 2014, students at Long Island Elementary school submitted the winning name for the vessel.

To learn more about this history of Casco Bay Lines, visit our history page.

The post What’s in a Name? Exploring the Heritage of 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.

We think the best way to combat this feeling is to grab the kids and get out on the water. What could be better than feeling a cool ocean breeze blow through your hair while you ride the Machigonne II to Peaks Island for an end of summer adventure?

Just a 17-minute boat ride from our dock, Peaks Island is one of the most visited, and family-friendly, islands in Casco Bay. In the late 19^th century, visitors took to calling the little island “the Coney Island of Maine,” and while you won’t find any carnival rides or Coneys (a classic Coney Island hot dog), you can grab a bite from the hot dog stand just up the hill from the ferry landing before you head off for your adventure.

It’s likely that the kids need to burn off some of energy. Rent bicycles (or bring your own, just don’t forget your bike tickets) and tour the island—it’s full of places to explore.

When you hop on your bikes at Forest City Landing, head up the hill and take a right on Island Avenue toward Seashore Avenue. If you’ve got older kids and are feeling adventurous, you can bike all the way around the island, about four miles. That trek might be too far for little legs, but there’re plenty to do just a short ride away from the dock.

If you and the kids aren’t up for the ride around the island, there are some great beaches closer to town that are perfect for soaking in the summer sun (don’t forget  your sunscreen!), splashing around in the water, or building sandcastles.

After spending some time in the sun, we’d recommend scooting over to Battery Steele, where you can explore the grounds of a long-retired military fortification. In its heyday, Battery Steele protected Portland Harbor from invaders during World War II, and was one of the largest batteries in the United States.

From Battery Steele it’s a nice easy cruise back into town with some amazing ocean views.

Biking and adventuring will definitely work up an appetite and there are great kid-friendly places close to the dock where you can grab a bite to eat overlooking Casco Bay—Peaks Island House, Cockeyed Gull, or the Inn on Peaks are our favorites!

No trip to Peaks Island is complete without an ice cream from Down Front. Before you hop on the ferry home, stop in and pick out your favorite flavor to savor on the trip back to Portland.

We know the end of summer brings the blues, but you’ve still got time for a family adventure before the school bell rings.

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