Video QuickTour: Bath, Maine, Part 2
February 19, 2013
httpv://youtu.be/bYpIJDovuUI
In Part 2 of our video series on Bath, Maine, Capt. Ed Rice of River Run Tours and New England Boating host Tom Richardson start off at Doubling Point, a sharp bend in the Kennebec River that features several interesting and historic aids to navigation. After spotting a bald eagle, Rice and Richardson head upriver past the Thomas Plante House and stop in at the Maine Maritime Museum, where boaters can dock for free and tour the facility’s beautiful grounds and historic buildings. The museum campus occupies the site of a former shipyard that turned out wooden sailing vessels in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Among these ships was the 450’ Wyoming, a 6-masted behemoth launched in 1909. Today, the museum exhibits include the recreation of a working shipyard sawmill and a collection of early-American rowing craft.
In stark contrast to the museum is its massive modern neighbor, the Bath Iron Works, distinguished by a huge, blue drydock. This engineering marvel actually moves to and from midriver before partially submerging to allow large ships to launch or load. As Rice points out, boaters must give the entire shipyard a wide berth or risk being detained by security personnel, especially if a military ship is being serviced at the facility.
After passing below the 2 bridges (10’ clearance when the railbridge is closed), Rice and Richardson arrive in downtown Bath, which boasts a new floating dock system with pump out and free tie-up until 10:00 p.m. From here boaters have ready access to downtown Bath’s many restaurants and shops, as well as a grocery store and the weekly farmer’s market.
For boaters wishing to stay overnight, the Kennebec Marina offers slips and moorings, and also has an outdoor restaurant overlooking the river.
Overall, Bath is a lively and unpretentious city steeped in maritime history—and it clearly plans on making boats and boaters a part of its future.
For more information on boating in Bath, check out our full Boater’s Guide section on the city by CLICKING HERE.
For information on River Run Tours, contact Capt. Ed Rice at (207-504-BOAT) or visit his website by CLICKING HERE.
- Rice runs hourly, half-day, full-day, evening and custom tours of the Kennebec and Sheepscot Rivers, including coastal locations, in his safe, seaworthy and very stable 25’ pontoon boat. He can also arrange picnic lunches and can take you to and from waterside restaurants by boat.
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