Online Reservations for the 2023 Season Are Now Available! Our Season Begins May 11th!
Quick Details
Join us for an adventure out into Frenchman Bay and the Gulf of Maine to see the most sought-after iconic symbols of Maine: Puffins and Lighthouses!
Ride aboard state-of-the art catamarans with professional and knowledgeable naturalists and crew to see three island lighthouses, including Petit Manan, the second tallest lighthouse in Maine!
The tour begins in Frenchman Bay and visits Egg Rock which is home to the first lighthouse of the tour and a nesting colony of cormorants and gulls. Be on the look out for seals and eagles at Egg Rock! This island is part of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge! After visiting Egg Rock, the boat will pick up speed and head out to an offshore island called Petit Manan. This location, another National Wildlife Refuge island, is home to a nesting colony of Atlantic puffins! See not only puffins, but razorbills, guillemots, as well as common and Arctic terns!
We might also have a chance to talk with the researchers based on the island! We collaborate with Friends of Maine Coastal Islands NWR to educate the public about the seabirds that utilize the Refuge as critical nesting habitat. The research interns on the island talk with us via radio, giving us the chance to learn about their work on the island, the status of the puffins and other nesting seabirds, and history of Petit Manan Island.
The summer island intern program is vital to the seabird colony on Petit Manan. The interns keep a wonderful blog throughout the summer. We learn are great deal from them during the cruise!
The tour then stops by Schoodic Island in search of eagles and other wildlife. The boat then takes a scenic ride along Schoodic Peninsula to view the shoreline of Acadia National Park and visit Winter Harbor Light.
Keep an eye out for ospreys and harbor porpoise or watch lobstermen haul up their traps. After a cruise through the Porcupine Islands on Frenchman Bay, the boat then returns back to Bar Harbor.
Binoculars and/or a long zoom lens are strongly recommended for closer views, however they are not required to see puffins.
Binoculars are also helpful for viewing other wildlife such as seals and eagles. Binoculars are available to rent aboard the vessels for $5!
Photos featuring puffins were taken with a zoom lens. Puffins are about the size of a pigeon.
We follow wildlife viewing guidelines in order to prevent disturbance of the seabirds.
Due to the conditions of the seas heading out to the puffin nesting island, sea sickness can be an issue for some.
Here are some tips:
Yes! All ages welcome and kids can certainly enjoy this trip and learn a great deal!
Just a few things to keep in mind:
Join us for a spectacular nature cruise among the islands and shorelines of beautiful Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island. Take in breathtaking scenery, rugged maritime landscapes, and ocean teeming with wildlife.