A boat trip, around the scenic Mid Coast Maine area, geared towards Photographers!

Over the years, I have spent a lot of time on the water.  We live in Richmond, which is on the Kennebec River.  From my location, I have access to the Atlantic Ocean, six rivers, nine lighthouses, working lobster boats, one Civil War fort, Bath Iron Works, and all sorts of Ospreys, Eagles, Seals, and other wildlife.  And, we can do all of that in a 4 hour trip!

Being a pro photographer, owning a boat, and being a licensed USCG Captain puts me in a wonderful position to be able to guide other photographers around the area that I have been photographing for over 20 years.  The beauty, ruggedness, and history of the area is more than worth your time.

And, of course, if you have questions about your photography or would like one on one instruction, you have the perfect guide for that as well, as I have been working as a professional commercial photographer in Maine for over 17 years.  All of the photos on this page were captured in the area that we will be exploring.

My boat is a 22′ Key West center console, with cushioned seating and backrests up front.  Two or three people will work best for this layout.  With the center console, you have 360˚ of shooting possibilities, and we have storage for your gear.  The “Rockin’ Spartan” is equipped with a marine radio, chart plotter, and AM/FM stereo.  There isn’t a lot of room to “hide” on a center console, so make sure to bring warm/dry clothing.  If rain or fog are forecast, foul weather gear (rain gear) is a must.

I am a USCG licensed OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel) Captain.

For wildlife photography, I recommend a minimum of a 300mm lens.  For birds on our trip, you can expect to see Eagles, Osprey,  Terns, Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Seagulls, Eider Ducks, and the occasional Snowy Egret.  We will also see Gray and Harbor Seals, and maybe a Hooded Seal.  Possible lighthouses on our trip will include Doubling Point Light, the Doubling Point Range Lights, Squirrel Point Light, Perkins Island Light, Pond Island Light, Sequin Island Light, Hendricks Head Light, Cuckolds Light, Burnt Island Light, and Ram Island Light.  Some of these (Seguin, Cuckolds, Ram Island) are weather dependent, as they are in open water.  We can actually visit the lighthouses at Perkins Island and Burnt Island, and we can also dock at Fort Popham.

We can visit the towns of Bath, Wiscasset, Five Islands, Southport, and Boothbay Harbor, and if you want, we can stop for lunch at the Kennebec Tavern in Bath, or my favorite waterfront restaurant, Robinson’s Wharf, located amidst the lobster boats on the Townsend Gut in Boothbay.

And let’s not forget the lobster boats!  As a young man, I spent some time on a commercial fishing boat out of Boothbay Harbor, so I am always drawn to photograph Maine’s lobster boats.  We can even sit close by while the lobstermen (and women) haul their traps.  You can watch as they pull the traps, measure the lobster, cull their “shorts”, rebait the traps, and send them back to the bottom.  We can even add an out of focus lighthouse in the background if you’re lucky!

Pricing and other important stuff to know

Just want to go sightseeing?  We can do that too!

Our standard trip runs 4 hours, at a cost of $600.  Shorter trips are $200/hour with a 2 hour minimum.  Two people work best, but additional people can be added (up to 6) for $150 per person for the 4 hour trip. All photography tips, advice, and instruction is included!  We require a 50% deposit to reserve your trip, which is 100% refundable up to two weeks before the scheduled tour.  Cancellation within 48 hours of the scheduled trip will result in forfeiting the deposit.

For bad weather days- including rain and fog, we will try to reschedule your trip.  If we cannot reschedule, we will refund your deposit.  As Captain, a bad weather day will be at my discretion.  If we are “fogged in” for the day I will try to let you know ASAP, so you don’t make a trip to Richmond for no reason.  If there is rain in the forecast, we’ll take a look and make a decision together.

**Remember to bring WARM DRY clothing as there isn’t much room to hide on a center console!**

Special trips for Windjammer Days in Boothbay Harbor are on a first come first served basis.  Cost is $900 for a 6 hour trip for 2 people.  Each additional person, up to 6 people, is $200.  We can leave before dawn for golden hour photography in the morning, or stay in Boothbay until sunset for an afternoon trip.

We will meet at the town dock in Richmond, Maine, which is an easy 45 minute drive north of Portland. Take exit 43 off of Rt 295.  Take a right at the top of the ramp and follow Main Street for 3.5 miles into Richmond.  Take a right at the stop sign and a quick left into the Richmond Fort Park parking area, and be careful not to park in any spaces designated for boat trailers.

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There is a Subway and a Dunkin Donuts at Exit 43.

“Annabells”,  serves up delicious breakfast and lunch, and has coffee to go.

“The Old Goat”  has some of the best pizza around.

“Gary’s Quick Stop” has gas, snacks, and the best cheese steak in town.

There are restrooms at the dock.

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Please fill out our waiver and send it to me before your trip.

Sorry, no smoking on board the Rockin’ Spartan.

Ready to sign up or  map out a “special” trip?  Email me at Dave@maineimaging.com