We saw a fun looking 4-mast ship in Bar Harbor and booked a ride. Our schooner was called the Margaret Todd. We chose an afternoon booking and while it was a chilly day, it was rain free.
The ship did have a bathroom (aka head), but I would recommend you use one in town or before you board the boat.
Although the schooner had 4 sails, only 3 of them were raised on our sailing. Ben, Will, and Nick got to help hoist the sails. The captain gave some interesting information at the very beginning of the cruise. There are two high and low tides in Bar Harbor and they can vary by 15 feet! No wonder we could walk to Bar Island at low tide.
We were able to see a bald eagle on one of the islands with our binoculars, but no other animal sightings other than a few other birds. The cruise was 90 minutes long. We went out a little bit from the harbor, near Porcupine Island, and sat for a while. It was very quiet during that time, no fun facts or anything like that. We were able to walk around the boat though, so we could see the views on each side.
Plymouth Rock is located in Pilgrim Memorial State Park (Plymouth, Massachusetts). The park was about a half hour drive from our campground. The park is free and you can see both Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II just from walking around. There is a charge for the Museum and to go on the Mayflower II.
Will was very excited to see “THE ROCK”. His grandparents did try to warn him that it wasn’t as exciting as he thought it would be.
It was indeed, just a rock. There was a pavilion placed over the top of it to help protect it from the elements. The rock was identified as “the rock” 121 years after the pilgrims landed. Plymouth Rock was later split during the Revolutionary War and the one piece was moved to the town square for “liberty” inspiration. The two pieces were later reunited in 1880. The claim on the informational board that the original rock the pilgrims may have seen was 3 times larger; I guess due to weathering and splitting of the rock?
The Mayflower II is located in the park as well. It is a reproduction of the original ship, with some modern technology thrown in. The ship was smaller than I thought it would be. There were not informational signs, much to Will’s dismay, but there were employees throughout the ship to answer questions and to tell you information. There were 102 passengers on board with their animals, plus crew (20-30).
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We learned that the ship did not have a wheel to steer, instead it used a whip-staff to move the tiller, which moved the rudder. The crew worked in 4 hour shifts and kept track on peg board called a Traverse Board. The navigator also marked the knots on this board. It’s pretty amazing that they made it across the ocean without a wheel and only using a compass! Will was also shocked that they were not attacked by pirates, as King James ordered all his ships to be painted in brighter colors (yellow, red, blue, green).
The town is really cute with lots of shops and food options. We had a beautiful day for walking around.
Ben was interested in taking a harbor cruise. We found a great deal on Groupon (half off!) for Hornblower Cruises. We booked an afternoon 90-minute harbor cruise.
The first part of the tour was narrated by the First Mate. He gave lots of interesting information about local sights and history. The second part of the cruise was narrated by the captain, who was retired Navy and gave us lots of interesting information on the Navy ships we passed.
We saw sea lions sunning on piers, sea gulls and double crested cormorant (some species can dive 100 feet into the water!). We also passed the Cabrillo National Monument where the first San Diego lighthouse was located. You can still see it, although it is not in use. They found a better location for a new lighthouse. We also saw a three sided arch (Model Range Arch) that the Navy uses to help know where to put antennas on the ships.
It was sunny and warm, no shade on the decks, but there was a nice breeze, so it made it nice. I would definitely bring a hat and wear sunscreen. The staff was nice and mask wearing was definitely encouraged (required indoors).
