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Plan to take a puffin cruise in Maine, then be sure to book a stay at our historic inn. At Newagen Seaside Inn, every accommodation is equipped with comfortable beds, charming coastal decor, and premium amenities like free Wi-Fi and fun activities. Choose between private cottages or traditional guest rooms, which both boast sparkling views of the nearby ocean.
What to Know Before Visiting
This is a great way to see these unique birds in their natural habitat! They’re only around for a few months each year, so here’s what you need to know before planning a trip. This trip includes an extended viewing of Petit Manan Lighthouse on one of only seven islands in Maine where endangered Atlantic puffins nest. Experience the majestic scenery of Schoodic Peninsula as well as part of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Join us for the opportunity to see the wonderful wildlife and breathtaking views on the coast of Maine. From the comfort of a boat, you’ll see puffins darting in and out of the water to feed, floating along in groups, and buzzing around in the air like brightly colored nerf footballs.
How Did Puffins Disappear from Maine?
Puffins are frequently sighted on the water and often seen as close as 25 feet from the boat! The boat will circle the island for about 30 minutes during your puffin tour. The migratory seabird colony on EER is protected during the breeding and nesting season. No people, other than Project Puffin biologists, are allowed on the island. The puffin and lighthouse tour also stops by Schoodic Island in search of eagles and other wildlife. The boat then takes a scenic ride along Schoodic Peninsula to view a bit of the shoreline of Acadia National Park.
CAP'N FISH'S CRUISES
As the Gulf of Maine warms due to climate change, lobsters are migrating farther northeast for cooler temps and consistent food—all the way out to the pristine waters around Machias Seal Island. The area is currently the most profitable haul along the Maine coast. Due to differences between Canadian and US lobstering regulations (season, haul limits, gear, etc.), boats from both countries feel slighted at times.
WHALE GUARANTEE
The crew and staff were great and they really took time to make our tour extra special. We highly recommend this company to all who want to experience an once in a lifetime experience. Though there are several puffin tour operators, I chose Hardy Boat for a couple reasons. Their tours are shorter, but the company guarantees puffin sightings—or you’ll be credited toward a future tour. They also partner with National Audubon’s Project Puffin, which helped create the first restored seabird colony in the world more than 40 years ago.
Puffins and Bird Guide cruise to benefit wildlife refuge, July 9 - PenBayPilot.com
Puffins and Bird Guide cruise to benefit wildlife refuge, July 9.
Posted: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
About Our Boothbay Harbor Boat Tours
First, there’s the land dispute about who owns the island. Canada and the United States have each claimed ownership. Let’s be honest – the puffins really own this island — thousands of them. In late September 2023, an out-of-control fire burned through the historic buildings on the Port Clyde dock. The Monhegan Boat Line office was badly burned, but the boats kept running.
Join me on these Penobscot Bay bird-watching cruises - Bangor Daily News
Join me on these Penobscot Bay bird-watching cruises.
Posted: Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Whale Watch & Puffin Combo Cruise
Unless, perhaps, it’s raining, or you feel the need to stick close to the snack bar. Being early to queue up meant we were able to stake out a bench at the back of the Hardy III’s top deck, as the seats around us quickly filled. And don’t forget your binoculars; unless you have excellent distance vision, you’ll be squinting to see birds hundreds of feet from the boat. Given that I live only a few hours’ drive from Maine, I went with a US-based puffin tour. Find out more about the road trip and the best places to stop in this post.
In addition to the nesting seabirds, other species commonly spotted are guillemots, eiders, gannets, shearwaters and storm-petrels. Our team does their best to provide you with a high quality experience and has a long-history of conducting successful trips. However, wildlife moves around all of the time so we don’t follow the same route for every trip. That means that these cruises may run longer than 4 hours, so plan accordingly.
Truly a magnificent “Seafari” for all nature lovers with seals, blue heron, an occasional whale, and other coastal wildlife along the way. Although I was able to book a same-week cruise, I don’t recommend it unless you’re already planning to be near the harbor where the boat launches—in my case, this was New Harbor, across from Boothbay Harbor. Making a last-minute reservation means you’re limited on tour days and times, and also makes it exceptionally difficult to find a decent local hotel with availability. Puffins live at sea most of their lives, only coming to land to build a nest and mate. Puffins love being around each other, but don’t like people so much; that’s why the puffin tours in Maine have to be carefully planned.
To date, Hardy Boat has donated $200,000 from its ticket sales to Project Puffin. Our tickets cost $35 per person, for a 1.5-hour Saturday-evening cruise. An Audubon naturalist narrates each cruise, which gives invaluable insight into the birds and their habitat. Visit Maine and see the beautiful coast, whales, puffins, and other wildlife with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises – the most experienced coastal boat tour company in the region! Departures leave from historic Boothbay Harbor, Maine seven days a week from mid-May to mid-October. When visitors stay at Newagen Seaside Inn, they are just minutes away from all of the best things to do in Boothbay Harbor!
The e-mail confirmation for our trip with Hardy Boat said to arrive on the dock 45 minutes prior to departure. We got there an hour before, and were surprised to find that the line was already at least 15 deep. People also weren’t especially observant of social distancing, but that’s a different story.
The distant island of Matinicus is one of the most underappreciated islands in Maine, though that’s how the locals like it. Below, we’ve detailed the location and the port of call for many different tours. To start your puffin excursion, you can visit the Puffin Project offices in Rockland, Maine.
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