Kennebunkport Harbor

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Welcome to Kennebunkport Harbor

THINGS TO SEE
PLACES TO EAT
PLACES TO STAY
WHERE TO DOCK

KENNEBUNKPORT, KNOWN LOCALLY AS “THE PORT”, ACTUALLY HAS TWO DISTINCT FACES, IF NOT PERSONALITIES—AND A THIRD FACE FEW EVEN KNOW ABOUT. THE PORT, ON THE EAST BANK OF THE LOWER KENNEBUNK RIVER, IS DECIDEDLY UP-TEMPO AND ATTRACTS HUGE CROWDS OF DAYTRIPPING SUMMER VISITORS. KENNEBUNK, HOWEVER, IS ON THE WEST SIDE AND IS AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE TOWN, ATTRACTING SIGNIFICANT CROWDS TOO, BUT USUALLY WITH A LONGER TERM VIEW ON HANGING AROUND.


In any case, the river is a terrific harbor for safety and most anything else you might want. It’s also home to two full-service marinas (the Kennebunkport Marina and Chicks Marina), two resort/marina complexes (Nonantum Resort and the Yachtsman), and two private yacht clubs (Arundel and the Kennebunk River Club).

Chicks is easily the best-known marina in town. In the 1980’s it gained national notoriety as the place where President George H. W. Bush kept his Fountain powerboat. The marina is named after Booth Chick, who owned and ran the facility for nearly 25 years, mostly with a paternally benevolent attitude toward transient boaters. His famous Labor Day parties emphasized his generosity.

These days, Chicks is a much quieter place: well-heeled and spic-and-span, and designed mostly for transient yachts. It and the nearby Kennebunkport Marina are both within easy walking distance of the throbbing center of The Port’s summer tourist center, Dock Square. Thousands daily throng this downtown mecca, which comprises scores of restaurants, tour trolleys, curio shops, boutiques, galleries and anything else you might want for a summertime diversion.

A walk into downtown will take you past many new buildings that attempt to look like old-time Kennebunkport. The buildings are jammed together closer and closer until you get to Dock Square, where much of the architecture is simply continuous shops without any space between them. Fortunately, these are one- and two-story structures with a turn-of-the-century, mercantile look to them. Clapboards and cedar shingles still dominate many storefronts, along with chalkboard restaurant menus nailed to the walls.

Be forewarned that the river gets so crowded in midsummer that it’s best to call the marinas at least a week ahead of time if you want an overnight berth. By sundown on a Friday night, virtually all slips are taken.

If beaches are your passion, you’ll want the Kennebunk side of the river. Gooch’s Beach and Kennebunk Beach are hugely popular and help define the town. Trollies, rented bikes or a cab are the best way to get to the beaches.

If you’re seeking tranquility and small-boat adventure, there is yet another side of Kennebunkport that bears mentioning: the Kennebunkport marshes, a rare treasure that few visitors realize is there or bother to investigate. Getting to the marshes is simple. Halfway into a rising tide, take a dinghy, skiff, canoe, kayak or paddleboard to the head of the harbor and under the “Taintown Bridge” (Rte. 9). Bear to starboard, go around one bend in the stream and suddenly all of Kennebunkport’s summer activity fades into silence.

You are surrounded by tall marsh grass and a natural world that seems totally out of sync with a summer tourist town. The most familiar faces on this waterfront are those of blue herons that gaze at you impassively, or sandpipers hurrying about their shoreside chores, or at twilight a raccoon that might amble away from the river’s edge, back into the jungle of marsh reeds.

The only humans in these marshes are ghosts from forgotten shipyards. One hundred years ago, ships up to 200 feet were born on these banks. Pilings of forgotten piers can still be seen. Locks that once held the waters high for launchings are still plainly visible. Depending on the tide, this side journey can run up to three miles inland, past fields full of cattle or corn and a slice of Maine long forgotten by many.

GETTING THERE
Chart: NOAA 13286

The Kennebunk River is located on the southwestern Maine coast, midway between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Portland, Maine. The region is bounded by the Mousam River in the southwest and Goosefare Bay to the northeast, with the principal tidal estuary of the Kennebunk River in the middle, just west of Cape Arundel.

The Kennebunk River, which is the approach to the separate towns of Kennebunkport and Kennebunk, is about 2 nautical miles southwest of Cape Porpoise Harbor. Green flashing bell “1” off Cape Arundel is the leading buoy for the river. Large houses and hotels line the beaches north and south of the river’s entrance, which is flanked by a set of stone jetties. The Kennebunkport Breakwater Light, a 25′ tall, white skeleton tower with a red, triangular daymark, sits on the end of the eastern jetty. The entrance is well marked and straightforward.
The dredged channel leads upriver to a point about 60 yards below the Taintown Bridge, about one mile from the jetties. Two buoys and 2 spindle daybeacons mark the port’s approach. The river’s controlling depth is 4′ to 6′, and the mean range of tide is about 9′.

Dockage, Moorings & Service

The Kennebunk River has several marinas and facilities for recreational boaters. The ones on the river offer gas, diesel, ice, water and marine supplies. Boaters can re-provision in Kennebunkport/Kennebunk, where many shops and restaurants are close to downtown. The river gets very crowded in summer, and it’s best to call the marinas a week ahead of time if you’re planning an overnight stay.

  • Chicks Marina (207-967-2782, VHF 9): Full-service marina offering fuel, repair and transient slips. Can handle boats up to 150′. Located within walking distance of downtown.
  • Kennebunkport Marina (207-967-3411, VHF 9): Full-service marina offering fuel, repair and transient slips. Also offers boat and kayak rental. Within walking distance of town.
  • Yachtsman Lodge & Marina (207-967-2511, VHF 9): Luxury resort and marina near town.
  • Performance Marine (207-967-5550, VHF 9): Offers transient slips for boats up to 100′, gas and diesel, storage, outboard service. Located on Kennebunk side of river.
  • Nonantum Resort (207-967-4050): Located south of town on the river. Offers a dinghy dock for guests, sailing and fishing charters, kayak rentals and tours, and more.

Anchorage

Anchoring in either the Kennebunk River or at Cape Porpoise is a tricky proposition. At either location, you’ll have to set 2 anchors to prevent your boat from swinging through the fleet. When anchoring in the Kennebunk River, set one anchor upstream, one downstream, and check the soundings carefully. Don’t rely on the chart because the river tends silt in.

Launch Ramps

There is no public launch ramp on the lower Kennebunk River. Both Chicks and the Kennebunkport Marina have ramps, but charge a fee for use.

Harbormaster

Boat & Kayak Rental

Getting Around

  • In Kennebunkport, catch the Intown Trolley, (207-967-3686), just off Dock Square, for an hour-long tour of the entire Kennebunkport area.

Provisions

  • Village Marketplace (207-967-5204)

Things to See & Do

  • If you like historic or architectural walking tours, guided or self-guided, try the Kennebunkport Historical Society (207-967-2751) at the Nott House on Maine Street. If you’d rather not walk, catch the Intown Trolley (207-967-3686), just off Dock Square, for an hour-long tour of the entire Kennebunkport area.
  • Boaters can visit the grounds and gardens of the chapel of St. Anthony Monastery and Shrine, home of Lithuanian Franciscan monks who welcome visitors by water. Go at high tide, though. Otherwise, landing in the salt marshes can be a messy affair. The best place to land is at the gazebo on the south-facing point just upriver from GC “11.” A boardwalk leads from the gazebo to the grounds, which are breathtakingly beautiful. Huge expanses of green lawns are shaded by towering ancient maple and oak trees, lending a parklike atmosphere to the shrine.

Where to Eat

No less than 30 eating establishments are within easy walking distance of the river. Here are a few:

  • Clam Shack (207-967-2560): Located at the Taintown Bridge, this shack serves some of the best fried clams you’ll ever taste.
  • Edgewater Inn (207-967-3315): Located at 126 Ocean Avenue, the inn serves breakfast so tasty, elegant and filling you won’t want to eat again until tomorrow
  • Kennebunkport Inn (800-248-2621): Located on Dock Square, this inn offers square meals at reasonable prices.
  • Federal Jack’s Pub & Restaurant (207-967-4322): Located at 8 Western Avenue, this pub offers fresh-brewed beer and affordable lunches.
  • Alisson’s Restaurant (207- 967-4841): Located on Dock Square, Alisson’s offers plain Maine fare and (possibly) respite from the crowds.

General Information

Chamber of Commerce (207-967-0857)

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