While I recommend that all Hidden Pond guests experience the Rugosa Lobster Boat Tour, I just learned about a new excursion offered by the captain. The Goat Island Lighthouse Tour is a 2-hour cruise up the coastline to Cape Porpoise Harbor where guests are able to disembark and explore the island and its light. The tour is $40 for adults and $30 for children and is offered on a regular basis (depending on the tide schedule).
Here are just a few reasons why this tour is truly unique and super cool:
- Captain John Smith, known for both his Oscar-worthy role in Disney’s Pocahontas and for having one of the most common names in history, discovered and named Cape Porpoise and its harbor.
- The first keeper of the lighthouse, John Lord, was paid an annual salary of $350 for his work. But heck, who would complain if there is a lifetime supply of lobster swimming around in your backyard.
- In 1990, Goat Island Light became the last lighthouse in Maine to be automated. Don’t worry, by “automate” I don’t mean “replaced with a giant disco ball”…although that would make for a popular Kennebunkport nightlife spot.
- For a time during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, secret service agents lived at Goat Island, which offers a good vantage point on Bush’s estate at Walker’s Point.
So, for all these reasons and more, I believe that this is a must-do trip during your stay in Kennebunkport. Call us at 207-967-9050 to book your Hidden Pond vacation and ask how you can take in this excellent nautical exploration.
May the Goat Island Lighthouse guide you here…
**A special thanks to New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Tour for providing me with a great nighttime read and brief history lesson.
