Bar Harbor Maine Bed and Breakfast – The Saltair Inn, a Waterfront B & B

Ships in the Bay

Ships of all sizes come to Bar Harbor, and many of them find their way to the waters behind the Saltair Inn. From lobster boats to luxury yachts, watching them cruise through Frenchman Bay is one of our favorite spectacles. And yes, that's a helicopter on the back of that boat.

Floridian, 228 feet

Formerly owned by Greg Norman and named "Aussie Rules". Currently owned by Wayne Huizenga, founder of Blockbuster Video and owner of the Miami Dolphins.

Floridian

Aspen Alternative, 120 feet

Captain Dave Zimath says of his trips to Maine, "Long stretches of the Maine coast are completely unspoiled. Rugged, forested regions, they look much as they did in Herman Melville's day."

The Cat, 319 feet

Running between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia from around Memorial Day through Columbus Day, The Cat features a cafe, a bar, a casino, duty-free shopping and four TV movie lounges. Traveling at about 55 MPH (that's 48 knots for all you sailors out there), the one-way trip takes about three hours. To drive it would take you about 11 hours.

The Cat

A few of our guests have taken The Cat to Nova Scotia for a day trip, and they have come back to say it was a very long day on a boat. Nova Scotia is a beautiful place, but unfortunately there is not much to do in Yarmouth. And to get to Halifax takes about three hours by car, but the ship is not in port long enough to get there and back before it returns to Maine. Our advice is to go to Nova Scotia, but go for more than one afternoon.

Margaret Todd, 151 feet

Conceived and designed by her owner, Captain Steven Pagels, the Margaret Todd is the only four-masted schooner to work New England waters in over half a century. She sails from the Town Pier three times a day, including a very popular sunset sail, when she can be admired in the Bay behind the Saltair Inn.

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This private yacht had a former life as an icebreaker under the command of the Canadian Coast Guard.

Stewardship

Stewardship is a local transport boat that has been spotted bringing construction vehicles to and from the Sand Bar at low tide.

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Kayaks, 17 feet 6 inches

Sea kayaking is a very popular activity here on Mount Desert Island. There are three outfitters in Bar Harbor, and one in Southwest Harbor. Paddle around the Porcupine Islands or through some of the more remote waters on the western side of MDI. Click this photo for some pics provided by our friends at Aquaterra Adventures.