schooner cruises | MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

Each month has its draws, but for many, fall is the best time of the year for a cruise with the Maine Windjammer Association fleet. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Maine’s Midcoast, and the Penobscot Bay region glows in the harvest hues of Mother Nature’s fall colors from mid-September through October. From the water, the Maine Windjammer Association captains watch as color sets in and the reds, yellows, and oranges of the hillsides bathe the entire region in fall foliage vistas. Add in a fabulous fall sunset and you can only imagine the beauty of fall cruising along the coast of Maine. Each month has its draws, but for many, fall is the best time of the year for a cruise with the Maine Windjammer Association fleet. For those not quite sure, here are six reasons to book a fall cruise this year.

Fall fleet events are among the favorites

The Camden Windjammer Festival, which is typically celebrated annually on the Friday and Saturday before Labor Day, is canceled this year. Instead, the fleet has organized an event called the Windjamboree where the fleet gathers at a destination they choose the day of the event, and small boat shenanigans are organized that evening. Captain, crew, and guests all partake in the race in hopes to win the coveted Oar Award.

Then, just a few days later, the Maine Windjammer fleet finishes out the season at the WoodenBoat Sail-In on September 11, 2021. The whole fleet gathers, with a few additional windjammers, at WoodenBoat School for the annual end of the summer mussel feed. Enjoy more small boat shenanigans fun, fine music, and lots of laughs and conversation with other guests. Dancing encouraged!

There’s still availability for last-minute planners

While availability changes daily, and not every cruise still has openings, it’s worth asking. You don’t have to assume that there’s no room on the boat because you wait to make your plans. The early bird may get the best choice of cabins, but the last-minute planner can still find cabins available. Call your favorite windjammer directly to learn more about availability this fall.

Best sleeping weather

There’s just about nothing better than sleeping on a boat. Whether you choose to enjoy a cozy bunk or to sleep on deck with the stars and moon to light your night, that gentle rocking of the boat will put you to sleep quickly. Add in a fabulous day, pulling lines on deck or exploring islands and taking in the ideal September temps, a great dinner, and it’s no wonder you sleep well on a windjammer. September and October offer cooler nights and days too. You’ll enjoy snuggling under the covers, perhaps with a good book. We challenge you to get through more than a few pages before you nod off, snug as a bug in a rug…. And that’s another reason….no bugs in September.

From music to mocktails and lighthouses in-between – great fall-themed cruises

Whether you seek a where-the-wind-takes us or a themed cruise, you’ll find it in September within the Maine Windjammer Association fleet. From a lighthouse cruise on the Schooner Mary Day to learning the art of bar craft on Schooner Ladona to the Wine Dine & Chocolate cruise on the Stephen Taber, and music cruises galore in the Victory Chimes, you’ll find just the right cruise in September. Some like a more structured cruise while others love the idea of getting up in the morning and the captain deciding where the boat will go that day. Some cruises include a little of both elements! From structured to unstructured and from help-the-crew to relax-with-a-book and take in the foliage views, you’ll be treated to a great cruise in September.

Harvest cuisine

From apple pies to squash dishes and hearty roasts, you’ll enjoy fresh fall fare on your September and October cruises. Talented chefs scour the markets for the freshest produce, meats, and offerings, and you can be assured that feasts aboard your September and October cruises will be delicious. From soups enjoyed on deck as you cruise at 10+ knots down Penobscot Bay in a fresh fall breeze to Pumpkin Pie for dessert, your fall feasts will be among the greatest memories you bring home from your windjammer cruise.

Maine’s brilliant fall foliage

There are few sights more beautiful than seeing the changing fall colors in the hills as they slope to the sea. Mother Nature’s harvest hues paint a patina of color that will mesmerize the mind when seen from the water. There are not many ways to capture this view other than from the deck of a windjammer. For those who yearn to experience the sight of New England’s fall foliage, seeing it from the deck of a windjammer simply can’t be beaten. The longer you go into October, the more brilliant the colors get. What day will the leaves turn? We’d be rich if we knew the answer to that question. Fall colors depend on a number of factors including summer temps, rainfall, changing daylight hours, and more. However, generally by late September, the leaves will start to turn and by mid-October, the colors will be approaching peak. The later in September or early October you cruise, the better the fall colors.

You can visit each of the Maine Windjammer Association’s individual vessels online at their websites by clicking below.

Schooner American Eagle

Windjammer Angelique

Schooner Heritage

Schooner J & E Riggin

Schooner Lewis R. French

Schooner Ladona

Schooner Mary Day.

Schooner Stephen Taber

Schooner Victory Chimes