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Bar Harbor

Location: Frenchman Bay
Mile Marker: Mt. Desert Island
Lat / Lon: N 44° 23.480' / W 068° 11.940'
Depth: 20-30 ft

2.33

(3)

2.33 out of 5 stars

Holding:

4.67

Poor, Sand, Grass

Wind Protection:

1.00

Open and exposed NE thru SE

Current Flow:

2.50

Wake Protection:

1.00

Open and exposed NE thru SE

Scenic Beauty:

3.00

Ease of Shopping:

4.67

Shore Access:

3.00

Bar Harbor Town Dock dinghy dock. No charge.

Pet Friendly:

4.00

Cell Service:

5.00

WiFi:

1.00

Review for Bar Harbor

Reviewed by: Franz Schneider, Rhino, on Sep 7, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 75'
Draft: 7.5'

Overall Rating:

1

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

1

Current Flow:

2

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

2

Ease of Shopping:

4

Shore Access:

1

Pet Friendly:

3

Anchored in the harbor outside of the mooring field. We let out 200 ft of chain on a 155kg Rocna; we held like we were bolted to the bottom. And that's the end of anything good about the harbor. One sometimes two cruise ships arrive every other day and dump up to 6000 people like a plague of locusts upon the town. The shutters from the cruise ships run continuously back and forth, combined with the tour boats and hardworking lobstermen the area is like the spin cycle on a washing machine. We had plans so endured for four nights. The alternative was a slip at $10.00 a foot.

The dinghy dock was overcrowded with boats for the commercial boats in the mooring field - so not easy to use. There was a dumpster for our bag of garbage but it was labeled commercial fishing use only. We called the Harbormaster and were told to ignore the sign (friendly and helpful people). We rented an electric car and going to the top of Cadillac mountain was a great idea, however it was crawling with people (e-car was $350.00 but we also did provisioning with it-so it was a moderate ripoff instead of a complete one). There was an excellent farmer's market on the green.

All restaurants had a 40 minute wait at least. We bought uncooked lobster at a reasonable price and feasted onboard enjoying lobster risotto and toasting the cruise ship taxis as they zipped past,

Sunsets over the harbor were spectacular. Some boaters seem to love Bar Harbor but there are dozens of better places within 20 miles.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer

Review for Bar Harbor

Reviewed by: Jonathan Libby on Aug 5, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 38'
Draft: 6.0'

Overall Rating:

2

Holding:

4

Wind Protection:

1

Current Flow:

3

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

3

Ease of Shopping:

5

Shore Access:

5

Pet Friendly:

5

Cell Service:

5

WiFi:

1

I spent 2 nights at the mooring for 35$ a night. Harbor Master very friendly. Problem is several tour boats go right through the morning field to access the dock to pick up and disembark passengers. They were within 20 feet of my mooring all day and into the evening. The noise of their tour speech and their wake were disturbing. Not much sailboat life at Bar Harbor.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer

Review for Bar Harbor

Reviewed by: Luke Carpenter on Aug 30, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 53'
Draft: 5.0'

Overall Rating:

4

Holding:

5

Wind Protection:

1

Wake Protection:

1

Scenic Beauty:

4

Ease of Shopping:

5

The harbor is open to wind from all directions but the moorings are strong and well spaced for swing. We held tight in 35+ knots. The dinghy dock is crowded but you can find a spot. The harbormaster is very helpful and let us use the commercial pier take on water.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer