South Portland

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Welcome to South Portland, Maine

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

Fishermen try their luck off of Bug Light at the entrance to Portland Harbor.
Photo Joe Devenney

SOUTH PORTLAND CAN BE CONSIDERED TWO-FACED, BUT THAT’S ACTUALLY A GOOD THING. THE CITY’S INDUSTRIAL FACE CAN SEEM FOREBODING, ALTHOUGH IT’S A FAR CRY FROM THE MOONSCAPE REFINERY PORTS OF THE GULF COAST. BUT THE LESS OBVIOUS FACE IS QUITE WELCOMING TO VISITING BOATERS.

When you arrive in South Portland, the most prominent structures are oil terminals and large petroleum tanks. In fact, South Portland boasts of being the second-busiest port for petroleum products on the East Coast.

Thus, handsome Bug Light Park, home to beautiful flower gardens and a nice launch ramp, lies nestled between less-than-handsome oil-loading and -discharge facilities. (Note: a new petroleum-tank beautification project involving large-scale murals is slated to begin in May 2010.)

When approaching the harbor from the south, it’s easy to forget the steel and concrete of South Portland. This is especially true at Simonton Cove’s Willard Beach, a popular anchorage for local boaters. Located just off the big shipping channel at the southern entrance to Portland Harbor, Willard Beach has a soft, sandy elegance that few expect to find within a city. Other beaches south of this spot, among them Danford Cove, Maiden Cove and Ship Cove, can also be accessed by boat.

Just north of Willard Cove is another notable “SoPo” landmark: Fort Preble, which guards the west side of the harbor mouth. From the sea, Portland Harbor looks a bit like an armed camp, and it was exactly that during World War II, the Great War, the Spanish American War, the Civil War and the War of 1812. Portland Harbor has always been considered a key shipping port and a strategic objective, a fact that was never lost on foreign and even domestic aggressors. Although they are now largely overgrown and aging semigracefully, huge granite or steel-and-concrete fortifications can still be seen pretty much wherever you look: on House Island in the channel fairway, on the Diamond Island Ledges farther up the channel and on the outer sentinels of Cushing, Peaks and Jewell Islands. Today the old forts add to the area’s charm.

Fort Preble can be reached via the Spring Point Light Shoreway. Like Bug Light Park, the Shoreway encompasses a 1.5 miles of park greenery. As mentioned, Bug Light Park offers trailerboaters easy access to the harbor and Casco Bay via its big launch ramp with lots of parking. The park’s 9 acres of finely trimmed lawns, flower gardens, and spectacular views look about as inviting as anything Fredrick Law Olmsted could have conjured up for bigger cities up and down the East Coast. But the park’s shoreside origins are anything but glamorous, as it was fashioned out of the combined sites of an abandoned lighthouse and a huge shipbuilding operation that contributed greatly to the Allied victory in World War II.

Although shipbuilding eventually became South Portland’s signature industry, the city started more modestly. Breaking away from the nearby town of Cape Elizabeth in 1895, South Portland originated as a largely residential community with small industries like the nineteenth-century chewing-gum factory that temporarily gave the city the dubious distinction of being “the world’s chewing-gum capital.” Various mills and smaller shipbuilding operations dominated the waterfront until the Liberty Ship expansion began in 1940.

South Portland’s Liberty Ship Memorial represents the pride of the city. Not at all a grim reminder of the past, the open, cheerful memorial includes child-friendly exhibits and a playground. For history buffs there are also easy-to-read plaques and a self-guided tour honoring the 30,000 workers who turned out 236 of the ugly duckling ships between late 1940 and early 1945.

As you work your way southwest along the waterfront and into the Fore River estuary, the scenery varies between big, mostly empty shipping terminals and small, quiet riparian neighborhoods, complete with handsome Victorian-era homes. A marina here and a cluster of moored pleasure boats there indicate that South Portland is a city that caters to transient boaters. Spring Point Marina, tucked behind Spring Point, and Sunset Marina, just inside the mouth of the Fore River, are 2 of the 3 marinas in South Portland.

The third marina, South Port Marine, located near the Casco Bay Bridge, is a popular spot among transient boaters. Just be careful to stay inside the channel when getting to and from the marina. The narrow channel and the mud flats surrounding it are what give South Port Marine its reputation as the quietest marina in Portland Harbor. Moreover, both a huge shopping center and a convenient, old-fashioned, neighborhood-style shopping district are within easy walking distance of the marina.

Boaters who intend to visit South Portland for a few hours can tie up for free at the Knightville floats at Thomas Knight Park, on the other side of the Casco Bay Bridge. From Knight Park it’s an easy walk to the nearby shopping districts and restaurants.

Boaters in shallow-draft vessels can explore even further upstream into the Fore River’s Long Creek branch, which makes up the last trickle of the South Portland waterfront. Even with I-295 running parallel to the tidal creek, the scenery is almost bucolic. Blue herons, snowy egrets and osprey can be seen along the shore, which are lined by giant maples and oaks.

GETTING THERE:

Charts: NOAA 13292, 13290

South Portland is located roughly 40 miles northeast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and 110 miles southwest of Bangor, Maine. As it shares Portland Harbor with the larger city of Portland, South Portland is best approached by first finding the offshore mark of the Portland Lighted Horn Buoy (PLHB) “P” (43°31.6’ N, 70°05.5’ W), which replaced the old Portland Lightship decades ago. Arriving at PLHB from either the southwest or northeast, look northwest and head for the white tower of Portland Head Light (43°37.4’ N, 70°12.5’ W), which is a prominent 101-foot spire on the western shore about seven miles away. Keeping it to port, continue to look northwest and head for Spring Point Ledge Light (43°39.1’ N, 70°13.4’ W), whose white sector will keep you in the main channel and whose red sectors will let you know when you are outside the broad main channel. Once past Spring Point, you are in Portland Harbor and need only follow the large, lighted and closely spaced green buoys to turn southwest into the harbor and eventually the mouth of the Fore River. The South Portland recreational waterfront starts about a half-mile southwest of Spring Point Light and runs for nearly two miles to the large, prominent Casco Bay bridge (a bascule bridge), which spans the southwest end of Portland Harbor. Traffic in all channels is heavy throughout the day and only moderates after dark.

Dockage, Moorings & Service

  • Dockage and moorings are plentiful in South Portland, and several marinas and boat clubs can be found along the shore between Spring Point and Mill Cove. In all cases it’s wise to call ahead for accommodations, especially on weekends.

  • South Port Marine (207-799-8191): Full-service marina at the base of the Casco Bay Bridge. Because of heavy traffic and substantial wakes in Portland Harbor, many transient boaters try to find a slip here. Offers fuel, transient slips, hauling, rigging, laundry, showers, WiFi, provisions and ships store.
  • Spring Point Marina (operated by Port Harbor Marine) (207-767-3254). Full-service marina located at the northeast end of the South Portland shore. Offers transient slips, many of which are protected from the surge. Fuel, hauling, provisions, on-site restaurant, laundry, showers, WiFi, hauling, service.
  • Sunset Marina (207-767-4729): Full-service marina located midway between the other 2 marinas. Offers transient slips, fuel, water, electric, WiFi, restaurant, showers, laundry, hauling.
  • Centerboard Yacht Club (207-799-7084; VHF 68;): Located almost exactly halfway between the ends of the harbor, Centerboard has a reputation for being very helpful to members of other clubs. Offers transient moorings.
  • Free daytime dockage can be found at the Knightsville Floats at Thomas Knight Park, on the west side of the Casco Bay Bascule Bridge. The park offers easy access to the shopping district and several restaurants. For helpful boating information of the docks, go to City of South Portland.

Anchorages

  • There is a mooring field west of the Centerboard Yacht Club where you may be able to anchor (as long as there’s room). Beyond the Casco Bay Bridge, you can find numerous well-protected spots with good holding ground to drop the hook inside the Fore River, as long as you stay outside the channel.
  • There are also numerous protected places to anchor among the islands in Portland Harbor. The western shorelines will obviously afford more protection from swells and prevailing summer southwesterlies.

Launch Ramps

An excellent municipal launch ramp with ample parking is located at Bug Light Park on Spring Point. This ramp affords quick access to Portland Harbor and the ocean. Fee required.

Harbormaster

Things to See & Do

  • A top attraction in South Portland is the Greenbelt and its associated walkways, parks, beaches and museum. The actual Greenbelt is a three-mile paved trail that winds along the South Portland waterfront and connects almost all of the city’s parks. It links on its northeast end to the Spring Point Shoreway, a 21-acre park and walkway running from Fisherman’s Point to Bug Light Park, and also connects with the swimming area at Willard Beach. For more information on walkways and parks, contact the South Portland Parks Department (207-767-7670).
  • Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse on Spring Point can be reached via the long granite jetty.
  • Shoppers can reach the 137-acre Maine Mall (207-761-9679) via the City Bus Service (207-767-5556).

Where to Eat

  • Joe’s Boathouse (207-741-2780): Popular eatery that’s part of the Spring Point Marina complex at the northeast end of the shore. Contact the marina for information on dockage.
  • Saltwater Grille (207-799-5400): Dock-and-dine restaurant that’s big on seafood dishes and located near Sunset Marina. Contact the restaurant for dockage information.
  • David’s 388 (207-347-7388): Serves homey, neighborhood fare.
  • Beale Street Barbeque (207-767-0130): Located near the bridge at the southwest end of the harbor.

General Information

Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce (207-772-2811)

Photo Gallery

A view of the Portland skyline from Bug Light Park. Photo Joe Devenney

Mill Creek Park’s fountain and lily pads seem a world away from the South Portland waterfront. Photo Joe Devenney

A windjammer and tour boat pass the lighthouse at
Spring Point Ledge. Photo Joe Devenney

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welcome hotel guests

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HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests