Casco Bay Ferries

Commuting by Ferry on Casco Bay


Fire boat - our fire and rescue transport		Bay Mist - January 2001

Maquoit II - March 2000


Maquoit II - March 2000		Maquoit II - March 2000

The ferry leaves Cliff Island at 06:15 and gets to Portland between 07:30 and 07:40. The next ferry leaves Cliff at noon and gets to Portland somewhere around 13:15. Commuters return from Portland at 17:45 and arrive on the island no sooner than 19:00. The above photos show the 85 foot ferry in some chop but she runs in much rougher weather. The biggest hindrance in storms is the ability to land and transfer passengers and freight safely, although there have been a few times over the past years where a run or two has been cancelled due to severe winds. If the Maquoit II is out of service for any reason, the trip is made on one of the two 65 foot vessels


Machigonne in Portland- May 2000		Machigonne by Fort Gorges - May 2000

The Machigonne is a car and passenger ferry which runs regularly between Portland and Peaks Island. Due to high costs and varying tides, the Machigonne does not service the other islands except by advance reservation and even then, most people consider chartering this only if they have large trucks being transferred. The occasional auto can carried aboard the Maquoit II, when tide and weather allow, but most folks know that Peaks is the only Casco Bay island that vehicles can "commute" to.

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