Cutler
13 miles SE of East Machias via Rte. 191
The coastal scenery northeast of Cutler, known as the Bold Coast, makes for an impressive drive or hike.
Bold Coast Charter Company (tel. 207/259-4484) operates cruises from May through August out of little Cutler harbor to Machias Seal Island (which is claimed by both Canada and the U.S. as territory; stay tuned). Captain Andy Patterson’s 40-foot Barbara Frost tour boat sometimes lands ashore and sometimes doesn’t, but either way viewing of puffins and razorbills is almost guaranteed. Patterson also makes occasional trips past Libby Island and its lighthouse, a 42-foot-tall, solar-powered granite lighthouse built in 1884 in an extremely foggy spot 4 miles out to sea. The 5-hour bird-watching tours leave around 7 or 8am and cost $160 per person (not recommended for kids under 8, even if you wanted to pay that rate for them). You board the boat at Cutler’s boat ramp on the harbor. Tours for the whole summer fill up months in advance—Captain Andy starts taking reservations in January.
We should note that Cutler is more than a fishing village: It was once an important navy communications outpost, its proximity to Europe and northerly location making it ideal for communicating with submarines plying European waters.
Those two dozen or so big antennas poking up above the coast? They’re said to make up the most powerful VLF transmitter in the world, as this quiet headland was for years considered a very high-risk target in the event of war. If you’re an aficionado of things military, be sure to have a look. However, you should also know that the base’s usefulness has greatly diminished in modern times, and the equipment is now operated by civilian personnel; most of the navy property, located on a scenic peninsula, is now being redeveloped.
The coastal scenery northeast of Cutler, known as the Bold Coast, makes for an impressive drive or hike.
Bold Coast Charter Company (tel. 207/259-4484) operates cruises from May through August out of little Cutler harbor to Machias Seal Island (which is claimed by both Canada and the U.S. as territory; stay tuned). Captain Andy Patterson’s 40-foot Barbara Frost tour boat sometimes lands ashore and sometimes doesn’t, but either way viewing of puffins and razorbills is almost guaranteed. Patterson also makes occasional trips past Libby Island and its lighthouse, a 42-foot-tall, solar-powered granite lighthouse built in 1884 in an extremely foggy spot 4 miles out to sea. The 5-hour bird-watching tours leave around 7 or 8am and cost $160 per person (not recommended for kids under 8, even if you wanted to pay that rate for them). You board the boat at Cutler’s boat ramp on the harbor. Tours for the whole summer fill up months in advance—Captain Andy starts taking reservations in January.
We should note that Cutler is more than a fishing village: It was once an important navy communications outpost, its proximity to Europe and northerly location making it ideal for communicating with submarines plying European waters.
Those two dozen or so big antennas poking up above the coast? They’re said to make up the most powerful VLF transmitter in the world, as this quiet headland was for years considered a very high-risk target in the event of war. If you’re an aficionado of things military, be sure to have a look. However, you should also know that the base’s usefulness has greatly diminished in modern times, and the equipment is now operated by civilian personnel; most of the navy property, located on a scenic peninsula, is now being redeveloped.