Tailored Sailing Adventures

The Maine Windjammer Association offers a wide range of specialty cruises to appeal to various other interests of the seafaring adventurer. Whether bird and wildlife watching, wine and cheese or chocolate tasting, knitting, painting, or photography; passengers can enjoy their favorite hobby while windjamming along Maine’s rugged coast, for a truly unique vacation experience.

Wind Tasting Cruises-wine neophytes and seasoned oenophiles alike enjoy professionally guided samplings of vintages from around the world. Each glorious day of sailing ends with an informal, professionally conducted tasting. Guests learn to appreciate savoring wine with different parts of the palate while relaxing on deck and enjoying the scenic splendor of the Maine coast.

Pirate Adventure Cruise – Sail away into the legendary world of spirited pirates, scallywags, and undesirables. Swashbucklers may be called upon to defend the ship by sword or cannon, or may be forced to walk the plank as they search for pirate treasure. This is a fun-filled adventure for the would-be buccaneer of any age.

Art and Photography – Shutterbugs, illustrators, and painters delight in Maine’s picturesque sea coast. Flora and fauna, lighthouses, coastal architecture, spectacular sunsets, and tall ships under sail are captured by brush, drawing pencil, or camera lens from the unique perspective of the decks of a windjammer.

Festivals – Dovetailing with the Maine Boat Show, Lobster Festival or the North Atlantic Blues Festival, many windjammers offer the opportunity to combine several days of great sailing with a weekend of feasting and music and carnival festivity.

Lighthouses – Sparking the imagination of landlubbers and sailors alike, the lighthouses scattered along Maine’s coast were a once vital part of maritime life. There’s no better way to see them than from the sea; sail with story-telling captains knowledgeable of the histories of various lights. These cruises visit as many as a dozen lights or more!

Whale, Bird, and Naturalist Cruises – No one can guarantee a whale’s whereabouts, but schooner captains have good luck finding finback, humpback, minke whales, and other marine life. Seals sun themselves on rock outcroppings, pelagic birds and eagles soar overhead some cruises venture to see puffin colonies. Windjamming is a great vacation choice for the wildlife enthusiast.

Knitters’ Weekend – Knitting and sailing have gone hand in hand since the middle ages, when sailors first knitted fishing nets. Guests are encourages to bring their own project or to learn to design a gansey sock, a nautical sweater, or a hat from patterns provided by a local knitting expert who sails as shipmate and instructor.

Music and Story-Telling Cruises – The windjammer captains are terrific story-tellers; cruises showcase these talents whether the stories are of Maritime History or Down East legends. Folk songs and sea shanties round out the evenings guests are encourages to bring their instrumentals and their voices.

Longer Cruises, Weekend Getaways, Kids and Family, Seamanship – There’s a windjammer cruise for everyone. There are cruises to Nova Scotia and Gloucester for those who enjoy the excitement of a longer sailing vacation. Many of the windjammers offer shorter trips for folks who cant get away for an entire week. Some vessels offer cruises catered toward families with young children, offering guests a nice balance of time together and alone, with hands-on leaning activities for children and a chance to meet new friends. Hands-on activities for adults are featured on Seamanship cruises that offer instruction in navigation and practical skills training.

For more information, contact the Maine Windjammer Association, 800-807-WIND or check out the website at www.sailmainecoast.com.