Maine Maritime Museum

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Our next stop wouldn’t take us far. It’s less than 35 miles from Augusta to Topsham Maine. Normally we would travel farther between destinations but there were many more things we wanted to do in this part of the state. It would have been possible to simply stay at the Augusta Elks Lodge for another 5 nights but we would have needed to pack up everything to drive the rig to the dump station in front of the lodge and then back to our site. Once we go through all the hassle to move, we figured it made more sense to simply head to the fairgrounds in Topsham where we would have a full hook up site and have the opportunity to catch up on laundry. We had gotten information on the fairgrounds as to where the camping sites were on the rather large grounds and also confirmed they were still open for the season. We arrive to find maybe a dozen or so rigs all lined up along a tree line and we picked a spot away from the one with 5 kids running around. Later that evening, the camp host stopped by to check us in and collect money for the 5 nights we plan on staying there.

At Topsham Fair

The following day we head out to a nearby attraction - the Maine Maritime Museum. It’s only a 10 mile drive from camp in the town of Bath. The museum sounded like a fun place to explore. It is a 20 acre campus with a large number of displays and buildings that celebrate the shipbuilding history of the area. It is situated right on the bank of the Kennebec River.

Maine Maritime Museum

Museum Building

One additional activity they offer at the museum is a boat ride on the 56 foot long M/V Merrymeeting. This boat can take up to 50 passengers. They have several boat tours during the day including choices of 1, 2, and 3 hour rides. Each takes a slightly different route but buying cruise tickets also incudes the entrance fee for the museum. Even though my inner Gilligan told us to pick a different tour, we selected the 3 hour tour which would depart midafternoon. We arrive around 10:30 and are informed one of the volunteers would be leading a 45 minute tour of the grounds of the museum in half an hour. This gives us a few minutes to look around before meeting for the tour.

Carved Figure Head

Layout of the 1909 Wyoming

About a dozen visitors showed up to learn about the history of shipbuilding in the area and the museum itself. Our guide was definitely into the subject and we learned a lot that we wouldn’t have picked up simply by wandering around and reading signs. This was the shipbuilding yard that produced the largest wooden schooner ever made. Built in 1909, the 450 foot “Wyoming” is long gone but they do have life sized representation of the ship with its bow, stern and 6 masts placed on the grounds to scale.

Our Tour Group on the Move

In the Blacksmith Shop

Learning Maritime History

After the tour, we start to wander around on our own. Our first stop was at the Donnell House. This 1892 Victorian home was the shipyard owner’s home. There was another volunteer that welcomed us in and showed us all around. It was a neat place with lots of displays and pictures of the home over the years. The woman giving the tour was extremely into the history of the owner and his family and this house. I think she could have kept talking about it all the way up to the time of our boat ride.

Beautiful Donnell House

Inside Donnell House

Glass Art

Big Wheel

Dining Room

Next stop was the Miller & Joiner Shop. This is a rather large building and being a woodworker, I found it to be an interesting stop. There are lots of old saws and specialty tools used for shipbuilding.

Shipbuilding Displays

Large Saw

Old Machinery

We were getting hungry so we head back to grab lunch from the car before continuing to explore the museum. The next stop was a building dedicated to the Bath Iron Works (BIW). This is one of the shipbuilding businesses still in operation with its factory less than a mile up river from the museum. We had driven by the place on our way to the museum and it definitely looks to be a very large employer in the area based on the number of cars in the parking lots. There was a short movie on a loop that went into the history of shipyard that dates back to 1884. During World War II, BIW was launching a destroyer for the Navy every 17 days. For the last several decades, BIW only produces boats for the defense department.

Bath Iron Works Displays

Old Aerial Photo of BIW

BIW Just Up River from Museum

Another recent addition to the museum is one dedicated to the last remaining example of an American clipper ship - the Snow Squall. This ship launched from Portland Maine in 1851 and ran aground at the tip of South America in 1864. In the 1980s, several expeditions took place to retrieve the remains of the vessel which are now on display here.

The 1851 Snow Squall on Display

The Maritime History Building is the main museum building with a lot of displays and exhibits.

Ornate Figure Head

Old Rangeley Lakes Guide Boat

We spent well over half an hour just wandering through the various rooms. There were lots of interactive displays that were informative and one whole room was dedicated to the various sounds of bells and fog horns that are used all along the coast of Maine to keep ships safe.

Room with River View

Model Ship

Old Town Canoe

Working Light Display

Bell from the 1898 Steamship Portland

There are several more building to tour before we head out for our boat ride. Some housed old watercraft while another was dedicated to lobstering which is one of the big industries in the state. We saw the Merrymeeting coming back to the dock from its most recent tour, so we knew we were close to boarding.

Nicely Carved and Painted Eagle

Bouy Display

Lobster Traps

Small Lobster Boat

The Merrymeeting Returns

The last building we got a chance to explore was the Watercraft Restoration Center. This one was possibly the most interesting to me since this is where active boatbuilding takes place. There were several craftsmen to answer questions and explain what they do here. Much of the work is training people on the art of wooden boat building and they had several examples of smaller boats in various stages of completion. If I lived nearby, I could see myself taking a class just for the fun of it.

Boat Frame Clamped Up

This One is Further Along

Pirate Ship for Kids

As 3:30 approached, we head over to the dock with the small group of people here for the 3 hour cruise. I’ve included a map of the planned route from the museum’s website. The plan is to head south along the Kennebec River to the Atlantic Ocean then head northeast about 5 miles before reaching the Sheepscot River. From here we will head north another 5 miles before reaching the Sasanoa River which will take us west back to the dock at the museum.  It’s about a 32 miles round trip. When I looked at the aerial view ahead of time, it looks like a boater would need some really good maps or GPS in order to navigate the maze of islands and bays. I suspect that the captain has made this trip hundreds of times and should have no problems. This boat has an open air upper deck as well as closed lower deck. There are only so many seats up top and they seem to be the preferred place for the tour. We opted to sit at the bow of the ship on a bench.

Our 3 Hour Tour

Boarding the Merrymeeting

Our View from the Bow

We know there will be 7 or 8 lighthouses along our route and we get to the first one at Doubling Point just a little over a mile into the trip. Shortly after that is another navigation aid called the Fiddler’s Reach Fog Signal.

Doubling Point Light

Fiddler's Reach Fog Signal

The crew consists of the captain, a bartender and the guy narrating the trip and telling us about the various lighthouses and other sights along the way. With the 30 or so people on board, we seem to get a good heads up on wildlife sightings as well. Bald eagles and osprey were the easier ones to spot but we occasionally saw some dolphins and otters but they were much more difficult to get decent pictures from a rocking boat.

Nice Place Along the Kennebec River

Bald Eagle in Treetop

Bald Eagle on Navigation Marker

Next lighthouse was at Squirrel Point - just over 6 miles into the trip. Built in 1898, this one is appears to be well taken care of. There is the keeper’s house as well as the rescue boat shed and ramp.

Approaching Squirrel Point

Squirrel Point Light

A little more than 8 miles into the cruise is Perkins Island Light. Also built in 1898, this one is only accessible by boat so it doesn’t look to be as well maintained.

Perkins Island Light

Osprey in Nest

As we got closer to Fort Popham State Historic Site at the south end of the Kennebec River, our guide started to warn us about rough seas ahead on the open waters of the Atlantic. We could definitely see white caps crashing on the shore of the islands that have two more lighthouses - Pond Island and Seguin Island. The home on Wood Island looks to be a very nice place although a bit isolated.

Islands at End of Kennebec River

Homes in Bay Point Maine

Isolated Wood Island Home

Even though we had been warned, we had stayed out on the lower deck at the bow of the ship as we were approaching Pond Island Light. The next thing we knew, we were all covered in water from a large wave that hit us broadside. We decided to head inside the covered lower level and have a snack we had brought along. For the next 10 minutes or so, the boat was rocking and rolling. There were hundreds of bouys marking lobster traps in this part of the trip. I suspect that the captain can only do so much to avoid them given how rough the water was.  My stomach was starting to feel a bit unsettled but fortunately we made it to the much calmer waters of the Sheepscot River before things turns bad for me.

Pond Island Light and Rough Waters

Inside the Merrymeeting

View from the Stern

Hendrick’s Head Lighthouse was the last one we would pass on our cruise. This one is quite old - 1829. It felt nice to be back in very calm waters but it was now about 5:30 and sunset was only an hour away so it was cooling off quickly.

Hendrick's Head Light

Once we turned onto the Sasanoa River, it felt much more intimate with both sides of the river being just a few hundred feet away. There were lots of boats tied off to mooring balls. The vast majority of them appeared to be lobster boats. The homes along this stretch were also much smaller and looked to be affordable.

Calmer Waters

Lobster Boat

More Modest Home

There was a section before we reached the Kennebec River that had some nicer homes and a fair number of sailboats. The sun was getting close to setting and we were getting some great colors.

Sailboats

Sunset

As we came under the Wilder Memorial Bridge, we could see the sun setting and the cranes that are at the Bath Iron Works.

Chris at Her Spot on the Bow

Approaching the Kennebec River

As we passed by the shipyard, there was a patrol boat keeping a close eye on us. Given the nature of the work done here, it’s not too surprising that they don’t want anybody getting too close - even if this cruise ship likely passes by here several times a day. We pulled in and had to make our way through a now closed museum. In fact one of the gates had been locked and the first crew member didn’t have the correct key to allow us to get out. This was quite the day. The museum was wonderful and the boat ride was fun - well worth the cost of admission.

Sunset Over Bath Iron Works

Idle Cranes

Looking Into the Dry Dock

The Captain Got Us Back from Our 3 Hour Tour!