Peaks Island

Written by Jenny Yasi | 16 June 2009

Whole Dog Camp is located on Peaks Island, three miles off the coast of Portland Maine. You can drive your vehicle right onto the Casco Bay Lines ferry or if you're here just for the day, drop off your stuff at the ferry, park your car on the mainland, and walk.  (Go to www.cascobaylines.com for schedule parking options, and ticket prices. On Sunday, park for free on Portland streets). No one has ever gotten seasick on the short ferry ride back and forth to Peaks, the boats are very pleasant, comfortable and friendly. Commuter's celebrate the end of the working day together, especially on Friday, so bring a beer if you don't want to feel left out of the party.

A few fisherman still live here,  also contractors, lawyers, teachers, computer geeks, chefs, carpenters, artists, musicians, gardeners, commuters -- all kinds of friendly people!  You'll find several small shops, two churches, a k-5 school with playground, a grocery store (sells pizza and sandwiches), laundry, three or four excellent restaurants, a coffee shop, library, clinic, sailing club with tennis courts, horses available for trailrides (www.horseislandcamp.com), and more. It takes an hour to walk around the island.

Whole Dog Camp is a ten minute walk from the boat, at the heart of miles of island trails, abutting 100 acres of conservation lands. You can play on the beach, go for a bicycle ride, or bring a triathalon wetsuit, and cold ocean water won't stop you from enjoying beautiful swims along the coast. Rent kayaks, or go for day fishing or sailing charters, take the mailboat cruise down the bay. Island speed limit is 20 miles per hour or slower, so expect lots of cyclists, golf carts, pedestrians and people walking dogs.  Find the Battery Steele -- an old gun emplacement battery, with a long dark echo-chamber tunnel below (we like to sing there), spectacular views and a nice picnic place above.  On the first Friday of the month, island artists open studios and gardens to visitors. If your dog is well behaved, most island restaurants (as well as many waterfront establishments in the city's Old Port) welcome him or her on their outside decks. Or buy lobster, scallops, and crabs from fisherman on the island, or catch your own mackeral or stripers when they're running (June/July) and have a cookout.

If you crave more excitement, take a ferry boat ride further down the bay, visit some of the other islands, or take the fifteen minute ride back to Portland.