The Camden Windjammer Festival returned to the Mid Coast for its 27th year. The beloved tradition is a two-day celebration of maritime culture and history.“We’re preserving, you could say, some heritage skills just to handle them and we’re able to pass that on to the public,” said windjammer captain Noah Barnes.Historically, most windjammers were cargo ships. Now, many are passenger vessels. Barnes’ windjammer, Schooner Stephen Tabor, just celebrated 170 years.”Basically, she’s the same way she was in 1871.” Newer vessels are built to mirror and preserve that history, right down to the wood fired stoves in tight galley kitchens below deck. During his sails, Barnes takes his passengers on a multi-day sail around some of the many Mid Coast islands. For him, the windjammer festival is just one stop along the journey. It’s an opportunity for windjammers to come together and dock overnight, creating what’s known as the largest meeting of windjammers in the northeast and honoring a special piece of Maine history. “Once you get out of the harbor for the first time and you raise the sails and the sails load up and the boat heels over and leans into the wind and starts to go – you just see this look on everybody’s face and it kind of plucks a couple of heart strings, Barnes said. “It’s an indescribable feeling.”
The Camden Windjammer Festival returned to the Mid Coast for its 27th year. The beloved tradition is a two-day celebration of maritime culture and history.
“We’re preserving, you could say, some heritage skills just to handle them and we’re able to pass that on to the public,” said windjammer captain Noah Barnes.
Historically, most windjammers were cargo ships. Now, many are passenger vessels. Barnes’ windjammer, Schooner Stephen Tabor, just celebrated 170 years.
“Basically, she’s the same way she was in 1871.”
Newer vessels are built to mirror and preserve that history, right down to the wood fired stoves in tight galley kitchens below deck.
During his sails, Barnes takes his passengers on a multi-day sail around some of the many Mid Coast islands. For him, the windjammer festival is just one stop along the journey. It’s an opportunity for windjammers to come together and dock overnight, creating what’s known as the largest meeting of windjammers in the northeast and honoring a special piece of Maine history.
“Once you get out of the harbor for the first time and you raise the sails and the sails load up and the boat heels over and leans into the wind and starts to go – you just see this look on everybody’s face and it kind of plucks a couple of heart strings, Barnes said. “It’s an indescribable feeling.”
