I booked this trip online after reading reviews. I was still apprehensive because one never knows. I am going to tell you - STOP WORRYING about this personal tour! The rebuilt boat is spotless and beautiful. The bench is comfortable and could seat 3-4. Folding chairs are perfectly comfortable for the tour. We brought snacks with us but were too excited by the beauty around us to eat. We asked many questions of our guide that were easily answered. It was a cloudy evening, so try as we might, the sunset didn't cooperate, but other spectacular sights did. The private tour was more than I hoped it would be for our family. The guide and the captain were personable and intuitive. They wanted us to enjoy our evening out. We walked away that evening with a better sense of thr islands, wildlife, and waters around Portland. Do not hesitate to take this quiet tour and make it what YOU want!
Our charter was at the end of July 2017, a group of four including myself. Our pick-up point was the Water Taxi pick-up/drop-off, which is located right behind the big, red buoy in the Bell Buoy Park and next to the Casco Bay Terminal parking garage off Commercial St. The pickup point is shared by different water taxi boats, with lots of customers, so you might be a bit anxious waiting for the right boat. But just look for the ship's name MONHEGAN, and ignore the rest!
The Monhegan arrived as expected, and on time. The pilot John? and the guide Matthew warmly welcomed us onboard with helping hands, and provided us with comfortable, dry seating. Excellent! Matthew sat down with us with a map and gave us an overview of our trip, which was great. I really appreciated the personal attention from our guide, who actively gave us information and insights on the different locations we were passing by lighthouses, big ships, various sights around us.
Upon entering open waters outside the harbor, the boat got caught up for a few minutes in rough waters. I started to get queazy, and let the crew know. Matthew made a snap decision to skip the open waters, and head back towards the islands for calmer cruising. He offered me cold seltzer water to see if it'd help, and also asked John to drive the boat to avoid rolling as much as possible I felt he made a noticeable effort to do so. All of this was helpful in my seasickness going away, and I was able to enjoy the rest of the charter without further problems.
In lieu of the open waters, we stayed longer around the islands. This gave us a chance to tour the summer homes on the islands, as well as to look for ospreys and bald eagles. We were lucky enough to find 2 bald eagles sitting by their nest. On the way back, we also encountered a group of seals perched on a tiny rock island! And all the while, we had an amazing sunset and very colorful clouds all the overcast gray had magically disappeared once we cast off. What exuberance!
Some tips for this trip:
1 Park at Casco Bay Terminal Parking Garage, which is right next to the pick-up/drop-off point. If that garage is full, park at DiMillo's Restaurant parking lot open to public it's the next closest lot available. Prices are about the same. Just forget about street parking on the opposite side of Commercial St -- it's impossible to find a spot.
For those that might experience sea-sickness, 2 Eat well before the cruise, and 3 take a dose of Dramamine when you eat. And though there are lots of restaurants on Commercial St, they are pretty much all packed solid, so do leave plenty of time for it.
4 Bring a light jacket or sweater, because it will get chilly heading back into the harbor, even in the dead of summer. That's Maine for you!
5 Sunglasses are a must.
Conclusion:
The tour description says folks could bring their own food and drinks, but I found it to be nearly impossible to eat, not only because I was a little seasick but that there was no time to focus on food. We were relatively busy listening to the guide and looking at different sights, that it would have been difficult or very impractical to have a meal.
About the Monhegan: The boat was clean and orderly, and the engine running quietly and smoothly. Matthew made sure we were seated comfortably in dry seats 3 to a bench at the rear of the boat, plus 1 folding chair. The Monhegan does have clear plastics that can be rolled down and zipped together tight to keep out the winds. Matthew did exactly that on one side of the boat while heading back in. Engine fumes are directed away completely so you won't smell anything that might make you sick if you're sensitive to exhaust fumes. No complaints at all, the boat was impeccable!
This trip was memorable, and it's sure to become a part of our family lore and storytelling. The skies turned out absolutely beautiful that evening, and we were enthralled by the whole experience. Although we rolled a little in the rough waves in that one instance, I felt the pilot and the guide took firm measures to keep the rest of our trip a success. The personal attention and detailed guiding are very much appreciated, my hats off to Matthew! And for the effort on John's part to keep the ride as smooth as possible, thanks! If one had the option to request specific individuals on the charter cruise, I'd say, request Matthew and John most definitely! This rates as one of the most memorable boat outings of my life, and I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone visiting Portland, Maine.