'''Vinalhaven''' a town in the Fox Islands of Maine's Mid Coast.

Get in

Vinalhaven, being an island, requires a little bit of foreknowledge as a destination. The best route in from outside New England is to fly to Boston's Logan Airport. Get in before 11:25AM and you can catch a '''Concord Trailways'''[http://www.concordtrailways.com/concord_trailways.htm] bus to Rockland (for about $35--catch the bus first, and buy the ticket at the first stop--Boston's South Station). You'll get into Rockland around 4:30PM. The bus will drop you off at the '''Maine State Ferry'''[http://www.state.me.us/mdot/opt/ferry/maine-ferry-service.php] terminal parking lot, which is fortunate, because you'll have only a few minutes to catch the boat. Ferry tickets for pedestrians are still less than $15. The Ferry ride is a little more than 75 minutes. But unlike the plane or bus, you're not restricted to your seat. Riders effectively have free reign on all levels. And be sure you take advantage of it. The ride is fantastic (albeit impossibly windy and frequently cold). You'll pass two lighthouses, uncountable sailboats, and catch your only unfettered view of both the Fox Islands on one side and the Camden hills on the other. If you're really lucky, you might even glimpse an elusive seal (although they give the ferries a wide berth).

If for whatever reason you miss the 4:30 Vinalhaven Ferry, there is a contingency plan. You can catch a 5:15 ferry to North Haven Island. The ride is a little longer and even more interesting. When you arrive in North Haven, walk down the road to Smith's Boat Yard, and ask around for a skiff ride to the other side. People are generally friendly, and you shouldn't have a problem finding a lift. They'll run you across the sound to the North Coast of Vinalhaven. The going rate for a ride is circa $4USD. When you arrive, you'll find your cell-phone is probably useless, so there's a payphone where you can call into town and ask for a ride. If you don't know anyone in town, good luck to you--it's about a two hour walk with luggage.

Get around

With careful logistical planning, it is possible to get a car onto the island, but be sure you have at least three days to waste each way. There's a crazy convoluted system of reserving certain times and spaces on "the boat." Best advice: don't bother with it. If you MUST have a car on the island, ask a terminal employee where you should put your car to get in line. You can usually get on within 2-3 ferries of when you put your car in line. If there aren't 2-3 ferries left in the day, just sleep in you car (or you can run across the street to the '''Navigator Inn'''[http://www.navigatorinn.com/] if you must), but '''KEEP YOUR CAR IN THE LINE.''' If you leave, you lose your place in queue. You'll get onto the first boat 90% of the time because many VH residents put their cars in line, ride the last boat home, ride the first boat back the following morning, and catch the second in their car. This means that the first of the day is the least competitive.

If all this is too much, forget it all. The island itself is only 5 miles long by 7 miles wide (in a crescent shape), with 49 miles of paved road. This means that for any given journey, you'll never need to go more than 5 miles (or thereabouts). Despite the way the locals seem to drive, walking on the roads is a safe means of transportation. You can also rent some pretty disreputable bikes from the Tidewater (free if you're staying there, $10/day otherwise). But by and large, you'll have no trouble hoofing it wherever you need. Additionally, most of the tourist-catering business folk are perfectly happy to pick you up wherever you are and bring you to their services (and the nice ones will take you back or drop you off wherever you need).

See

  • '''Lane's Island''' - Protected by the Nature Conservancy, this beautiful preserve is a must-see. If you have one day on the island, you want to do a picnic lunch here. There are numerous paths around the serene little island, and they are frequented by many dog-walkers and friendly "summer people." There's a sizable field for Frisbee and other such games, and picnic tables around for your use. Everyone knows about it, so don't expect the place to yourself.
  • '''Fox Rocks''' - One of the better kept secrets of the island. Fox Rocks is an outcropping of granite closer to the center of the island with a fantastic 360 degree overlook. Off of Northhaven Road.
  • '''Tiptoe Mountain''' -
  • '''Brown's Head Lighthouse''' -
  • '''State Beach''' -
  • '''Perry Creek''' -
  • '''Polly's Cove''' -
  • '''Lawson's Quarry''' -
  • '''Booth Quarry''' -
  • '''Boom's Quarry''' -
  • '''Middle Mountain''' -
  • '''The Basin''' -
  • Do

    Buy

    '''Lobstah!'''. See "Eat" for more details.

    Eat

    Vinalhaven has a volatile economy for restaurants. If you've visited the island in previous years, don't come back expecting the same restaurants to be in the same place. This makes for some interesting exploring every time you return. But there are some reliable choices:

  • '''The Harbor Gawker''', (207) 863-9365. Good Americana food, fast-seafood, and great view in the dining room. Closest you're going to get to a fast food joint, but that doesn't mean it's fast (on the contrary, runs on island time). Well worth the patience.
  • '''The Pizza Pit''', Main Street, (207) 863-4311. Great pizza for an island. Great pizza for anywhere outside of New York, frankly.
  • '''What's Left Lobstah''', 365 N Haven Rd, (207) 863-4444, [http://www.whatsleftonvinalhaven.com]. Semi-fancy (for the island) dining with a good view. Great food, most of which involves lobster. Try the Lobster Bisk.
  • '''LOBSTAH!''' Ah, here it is! Do it yourself, fresh off the dock Lobster. Go to the town gas station and co-op (right next to the Ferry Terminal), and ask the attendant for lobster. She'll ask "Sheddahs or Hahd-shells?" Shedders are cheaper, but Hardshells taste a whole lot better. Your call. Refrigerate until time to cook. Drop in boiling water. Don't worry if they scream, it won't last long. (It's actually a whistling emmitted from the gaps between their shells as the air within the shells expands under the heat and bubbles up). Boil until you you can't pick them up by their feeler without having the feeler pop off. Server with lemon and butter.
  • You can also buy crabs at the co-op for pretty cheap. The lobstermen hate them, but some keep them around instead of throwing them back for a little extra change at the end of the day.
  • Trickerville Sandwich Shop. ater Street. A great sandwich shop. Fast, friendly service at a reasonable price.

    Drink

    The local Grocery store on Main street carries many common beverages. You can also find your favorite regular beers and whatnot at the '''Fisherman's Friend''' (left out of the motel, halfway down Main Street toward the ferry terminal). By and large, the Vinalhaven drinking culture is a more salt-of-the-sea, beer-drinking community. Fortunately for the more refined taste...

  • '''Island Spirits''', conveniently adjoining the Tidewater Motel, caters a modest selection of classier drinks than you should hope to find on a small fishing island.
  • Sleep

    Vinalhaven has little selection in its accommodations. The presumption is that in getting there, you probably have a friend or some family to stay with. There is however, a single inn, the '''Tidewater Motel''', 15 Main St., 207-863-4618, [http://www.tidewatermotel.com]. It's nicely equipped and renovated for what it is.

    Though it's doubtful that you could possibly desire anything homier, there are a couple of little Bed-and-Breakfasts a little further across town.

  • '''Libby House Bed & Breakfast''', 8 Water St, (207) 863-4696.
  • '''Payne Homestead''', 47 Atlantic Ave, (207) 863-9963, [http://www.paynehomestead.com].
  • '''Note: Camping is explicitly prohibited anywhere on the island'''. There are no campgrounds, so don't think you can just rough it if you're short of cash or shy of the island accents.

    Get out