Windjammer Cruise

To me, the words "cruise" and "ship" together conjure up an image of a floating mega-hotel with too much to eat and too little to do. But if the "cruise ship" is powered by wind alone, with passengers helping raise and trim sails, well, that's a different picture. 

Early in June, I took a four-night, three-day sailing cruise on Penobscot Bay in Maine aboard the 65-foot, 121-year-old windjammer Isaac H. Evans.

Before we sailed, I had some serious reservations about being cooped up with a bunch of strangers aboard a small ship for that long. That's why I rented a sea kayak and took it along in case I needed to escape. 

Paddling around the islands in Penobscot Bay in the evenings was a joy. But I didn't need to escape. Life aboard a sailing ship was escape enough.

The accommodations on the Evans are perfectly comfortable if you can live without  much space or a private bathroom (two heads, one with a shower, are located on the forward deck) . Each cabin has either two cozy solo berths or a double bunk (some with a solo berth above). All have a tiny sink with hot and cold running water, reading lamps, and just about enough space to get dressed and undressed.

You spend most of your waking hours on deck, in the communal spaces in the galley or aft cabin, or exploring the waters and islands. The galley and aft cabin both have woodstoves that nicely drive off the damp and chill of early June. If you're in your cabin, you are reading or sleeping.

Margie, admiral of the galley, prepares abundant and excellent food on an antique wood-fired range.

Passengers aren't required to help on the windjammer, but I appreciated all the opportunities to work off the abundance of food. I helped Captain Brenda and First Mate Shawn haul up the anchor and raise and lower the sails, coil the lines and put up the deck canvas. That provided major total-body workouts at least once a day. Anyone who wanted to was allowed to participate.

The Evans also carries a rowing skiff and a sailing skiff for going ashore and exploring around the islands where you anchor each night.

Bring good raingear and insulating layers to wear under it. We faced some very challenging cold, windy, rainy weather on our first day. That only made us appreciate the perfect weather we had for the last two days. We went ashore and explored Camp Island, then enjoyed a lobster bake on a quiet beach on Russ Island.

The run across Penobscot Bay on our last evening was perhaps the highlight of the trip for me. With a brisk wind out of the northwest, we sailed close-hauled into a spectacular sunset. The ship was heeled over so far the port railing was occasionally in the water. It was exhilirating.

Theme Cruises

One of the things that attracted me to the Isaac H. Evans was their theme cruises. My trip was called a "wellness cruise," with opportunities to try Tai Chi and Yoga and to participate in discussions on healthy living.

Like everything else on the ship, passengers are free to participate -- or not. I liked the combination of activities offered, as well as the chance to lounge on deck and read occasionally, too.

Other themes include a sail/hike cruise to Isle au Haut, and a coastal cleanup cruise.

But whether you choose a theme cruise or just a cruise, the entire sweep of Penobscot Bay is a beautiful backdrop for an adventure.

Windjammer Central

The Evans is just one of the 12 tall ships that make up the Maine Windjammer Association.

Each of these boats is a little different. Some are old, others much newer; some have auxiliary engines, some don't; some welcome families with kids, others are adults only. The largest, the Victory Chimes, is a 3-masted schooner that takes up to 40 guests; the smallest, the Mistress, takes just 6.

Spend a few days aboard one of these vessels helping with the sailing and daily chores, and you'll get a better appreciation of just how strong the women and men were who explored the world on sailing vessels. And why so many of them loved to sail the seas.