3/24/20, 12)21 PMA Maine Windjammer Sail with Teens - Wherever Family

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GLO BA L T R AV E L E R T R A Z E E T R AV E L F X E XC U R S I O N S T H E T R UST E D S O U R C E FO R T H E MO D E R N FA M I LY

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Photo: Stillman Rogers

Sailing on a Maine Windjammer is not an ordinary cruise. The wind and weather

determine the course. You will rarely find shops at a port of call and on-board

activities are strictly BYO. But for us and for teen-aged Mary, our week on the

Angelique was a great adventure

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A MAINE WINDJAMMER SAIL WITH TEENSby

N OV 1 , 2 0 1 7

© Cynthia Farmer | Dreamstime

AGE S P E C I F I C / T E E N S

Barbara Rogers

3/24/20, 12)21 PMA Maine Windjammer Sail with Teens - Wherever Family

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Photo: Stillman Rogers

After boarding in Camden, Maine, we dropped our gear in our cabins.

Fortunately, our duffel bags fit at the foot of our bunk beds, because these tiny

compartments below the deck had no storage space, just a few hooks on the wall.

But we didn’t plan to do anything but sleep there, and the bunks were really

comfortable.

Before we headed back up on deck, Mary, seldom seen without her phone, made

a final Facebook scan, switched it off and dropped it into her duffel, “I don’t

expect I’ll have WiFi out there,” she laughed, “and I’d hate to drop it overboard.”

So much for my worries about her being disconnected.

Photo: Stillman Rogers

3/24/20, 12)21 PMA Maine Windjammer Sail with Teens - Wherever Family

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Life on a sailing ship quickly takes on its own pleasant rhythms, and we all found

our favorite spots to read, talk with other passengers or just watch the shore and

islands slide past. We spent most of our time on deck. When sails needed

attention, we gave the crew a hand hauling lines. Mary’s favorite job was standing

on the flat roof of the deckhouse, furling Angelique’s red sails — a job she became

quite skilled at.

There were two other teens on board, and the three played rummy occasionally,

but for the most part everyone hung out with their own families, which seemed

why people had chosen a Windjammer cruise.

Meals on Board

It didn’t take Mary long to make friends with the cook, and she was soon helping

chop potatoes for chowder and making salads in the dining room, where we ate

family-style breakfast and dinner. Meals were plentiful and tasty, made from

locally produced meats, vegetables and seafood — Angelique supports local

farms and fishermen in provisioning for its cruises.

Buffet lunches were served on deck: creamy fish chowder and hot biscuits, hearty

salads, grilled chicken and sausages, smoked salmon, cheeses, fresh fruit and

fresh-baked cookies and bars. As we passed the window of the tiny galley we

wondered how all this bounty could be prepared in such a tight space.

Photo: Stillman Rogers

Going Ashore

3/24/20, 12)21 PMA Maine Windjammer Sail with Teens - Wherever Family

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Photo: Stillman Rogers

Each day brought a new landfall: an island village with a few crafts studios and an

ice cream stand, EB White’s boathouse where he wrote his books and the beach

of an uninhabited island where we spent an evening eating lobster around a

campfire. An island clambake is a staple feature of almost all Windjammer cruises,

an idyllic long summer evening with a glorious sunset.

Shore stops, however, are not the main events. Sailing is. There is nothing like

flying along the water under full sail, no engine sounds, just the wind in the sails

and the slap of waves. The romance of that hooked us all, from the teens to the

great-grandparents on board.

What to Expect

There are few frills on a Windjammer. You won’t need

dressy clothes — jeans, shorts and T-shirts, with a

sweatshirt and rain gear, are the standard dress. Hats

and sunscreen, because there’s not much shade on

deck, rubber-soled shoes and something warm to sleep

in pretty much does it for clothes. Bring reading

material, games (there are some on board already) and

your own travelers’ tales to share with other

passengers. Angelique is one of only a few

Windjammers that welcome younger teens or children. The Isaac H. Evans is

another exception, and welcomes families with young children, as well. Some

Windjammers set aside certain sailings as family cruises. You can get information

on these and others from the Maine Windjammer Association.