Alarms were set early on our Sunday morning, as we were set to depart on a “ferry ride” to Seguin Island at 7:00 a.m. sharp. We left the hotel on schedule, with enough time to swing in Dunkin’ Donuts to pick up a mobile order of maple-bacon croissant sandwiches and iced tea. Just after we parked at the Popham Beach State Historic Site, near our departure dock, I received a text from the boat’s captain that he was ready to go.
The ferry ride was more of a boat ride, as we were the only passengers and near the boat’s capacity. Emmie and I sat in the back while Amanda, Noah, and Eilidh shared a bench in the front. We made it through a choppy, cool, 25-minute boat ride to Seguin Island. There was no dock at the island, so when we were close, we took off our shoes and socks, rolled up our pants, and made our way to shore. Amanda and I were off the boat first so we could assist the kids.
Amanda, Eilidh, and Noah sat in the front of the boat. The big waves and choppy ride provided a source of entertainment for Eilidh, who laughed throughout the trip.
Our landing spot at Seguin Island.
In the background of the stairs is a tramway that is only used occasionally to transport supplies. It is marked several times as being extremely unsafe for walking.
The Seguin Island lighthouse building is part-home, part-museum.
Several benches yielded fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean.
We had roughly three hours to explore the island before our return ferry ride. It was a cool spot, with an iconic lighthouse (the second-oldest in Maine) and a handful of well-maintained trails to hike. We spent our time hiking, sampling wild blackberries, climbing rocks, and learning about the lighthouse. The lighthouse keepers had been there since Memorial Day and led the tour to the top of the lighthouse, where we took in some stellar views of the picturesque island.
The trails were well-maintained and well-marked, making the island easy to navigate.
Emmie loved picking blackberries from along the North Trail.
The return trip wasn’t as choppy, and an inflatable rowboat connected the shore to the main boat for our return trip. The time on the island went by quickly and it felt like a true McMillin vacation experience. Ferry service only operates on Sundays during the summer and is limited to about 25 passengers each day. We’re fortunate our dates aligned and spots were available to visit the untouristy island during our time in Maine.
