By Edith Churchill,Special to the Sun Journal

Long Island Casco Bay

Seasonal Escapes June 2005

Island (Romance) getaway
A ferry ride in Casco Bay provides a breezy and scenic trip.

LONG ISLAND – Pick a day, an island, a time on the schedule and go. Pack a picnic or choose one of the islands with bayside dining. If it is very hot, you may opt for a cruise that weaves among the islands, basking in the sunshine and the cool breezes.

On a recent Sunday, that is just what we did. We decided to visit an island in Casco Bay. Polling our family, we opted for an adventure that would give us a chance to walk and explore, and we hoped it would include a beach. We grabbed a few granola bars, some water and headed to Portland. We caught the 11 a.m. ferry to Long Island, regretfully returning at 2:15 p.m. The day was perfect so we wished we could have stayed to take the last ride back.

Onboard the Island Romance: The trip is narrated to give you information on what you’re seeing. The ferry stopped at several islands along the way and passengers got off, as we went farther out. We spotted an eider duck in the waves. The captain told us that Great Diamond Island sparkles like diamonds in the early morning sun, hence the name. Do pack a sweater, even on a warm summer day, since the ride may be cooler than you expect. We did get cool on the boat and actually went below to warm up on the return ride. There are restrooms available on board. Refreshments are not available, though a water cooler is provided.

Long Island: We turned right from the dock for this adventure. At the intersection with Island Avenue, turn right again towards the tiny island center. We were looking for Beach Avenue to cross the island and go to Andrew’s Beach. Although our time was short, we were able to stop for a snack at the Spar Restaurant. We had delicious chicken fingers and ice cold pink lemonade. We sat on the deck to enjoy the lovely view of Casco Bay. Then we stopped in at the Long Island Store next door to check for future possibilities. If you forget a sweatshirt, you can grab one here. We were too full for the ice cream, though it was tempting.

Andrew’s Beach: Take the road across from the store; this is Beach Avenue. Note that there isn’t a sign for the beach, the only sign points the way to a gift shop. The walk to the beach of about a mile took us about 20 minutes. We enjoyed climbing on the smooth rocks and walking on the soft white sandy beach. The waves rolled gently onto the seaweed-strewn rocks. As the tide ebbed, a sandbar could be seen along the northern point of the crescent curve, possibly connecting to the island about a hundred feet off shore.

Beach Avenue is a very pleasant walk. The road is mostly shaded, with lots of lush foliage including several species of ferns. Watch for the very colorful, highly decorated home along the way. Oars form a fence, a blue bottle tree stands by the road, and flamingos stand among the driftwood and nautical decorations. One spot has buoys arranged in a colorful cluster. We also walked by the Chestnut Hill Inn Bed and Breakfast (207) 766-5272 and had fun dreaming of a future stay. We had to hustle a bit on the walk back to catch the ferry.

We were struck by the absolute friendliness of the islanders. Folks sitting in their back yards, drivers in old pickup trucks, fellow walkers along the roadways, to a person they greeted us warmly. What a caring community!

You may want to opt for a daylong outing by getting an early start so you would have time to walk to East End Beach, which is about 2.25 miles from the dock. The island is about 2.5 miles long.

At the dock: When you get off the Island Romance, walk to the end of the dock. There you have two choices. Left takes you past a lovely field of lupines and the road to East End Beach. Right takes you past the bayside parking area, community center and Long Island Historical Society building and on towards the tiny village center with the Spar Restaurant (207) 766-3310 and the Long Island Store. Note the dock area is parallel to Island Avenue and you can walk a loop from the dock, past the lupines, toward the village and back along the dock road past the community buildings to the dock. If you continue heading south, just beyond the village center is the Big Sand Beach, which was deserted on our visit.

Food: On Long Island, the Spar Restaurant offers bayside dining with indoor and deck dining. Picnic lunches and bike rentals are also available. You may also pick up a picnic lunch or an ice cream at the Long Island Store.

Three of the six inhabited islands have dining available: Long and Peaks islands, and Diamond Cove on Great Diamond Island. On Great Chebeague, you can order a picnic lunch at the Island Market. Many places in Portland also offer picnic lunches to carry along to any of the islands. An added benefit of planning to eat out on the island is that you will have use of rest facilities, which are otherwise limited, particularly on a weekend when the community centers and public buildings are closed. The five-hour Bailey Island Cruise includes a stopover so you can eat out or picnic on shore before returning.

Other Island Options: We took one of the passenger service trips to Long Island, in order to be able to get out and explore. Other island trips in Casco Bay are Chebeague, Cliff, Diamond Cove, Great Diamond, Little Diamond and Peaks. Note that Diamond Cove is a second stop on Great Diamond Island. Other ferry options include sunrise or sunset trips, moonlight excursions, mail boat runs, and cruises that are narrated to give you historic, scenic and wildlife information along with a relaxing and cool outing.

Fees: To Long Island, adult fare is $8.25; senior and children 5 to 9, $4.10. Note that each island has a different fare depending on distance. For instance, Peaks Island is $6.25, and Cliff Island is $9.50 and a cruise is more. For instance, the five-hour Bailey Island Cruise fare is $18.50. The parking fee in the garage is $1 per hour, or a daily charge is available.

Times: If you are looking for a specific island, you will want to call to be sure you schedule accordingly. But if you are just out for an adventure and your destination is flexible, you are able to catch the next boat somewhere! Ferries start leaving Portland on weekdays at 5:05 a.m., Saturdays at 6:30 a.m., and Sundays and holidays at 7:45 a.m. Each destination differs in frequency of trips, with many being hourly between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the schedule to plan your trip.

Pick up a summer sailing schedule to find complete times and fares. Casco Bay lines is on the Maine State Pier at Commercial and Franklin streets. Call (207) 774-7871 or check www.cascobaylines.com for information. When you buy your ticket, be sure to ask for a map of the island of your choice. We parked in the Casco Bay lines parking garage, which is very convenient.