We spent an evening on a sunset cruise in the Belfast Harbor! We set sail aboard the 85 foot Schooner Charm and we loved it.

My family and I arrived around 5pm and set sail from Thompsons Wharf shortly thereafter.

The Schooner Charm takes guests daily around the Harbor during the summer months. Every part of our adventure was seamless, from buying our tickets, to cruising along the shore, to disembarking the boat afterwards! 

We bought our tickets from their website where you choose the date of departure and which outing you want (morning, afternoon, sunset or private charter).

Today we just showed up, gave them our name and climbed aboard. It was just that easy! 

The dock leading to the Charm was clean and sturdy. At the boat they had large steps that assisted you getting on deck. There were also two crewmates to assist anyone who needed help. For us, the boarding process was so smooth, but people with limited mobility would also be able to board with relative ease. 

Before embarking on our journey, Captain Jack (yes he’s really Captain Jack) gave some comedic safety notes before taking off. The main one being the boom.

If you’re unfamiliar with sailing, the boom is a large wooden beam that moves across the boat when it’s turning. You really understand the name boom if you get hit with it and knocked off the ship! Captain Jack of the Schooner Charm

As you can tell, he was a great skipper and made the voyage delightful.

The ship was beautiful, well-kept and comfortable. There’s even a ‘head’ (bathroom) on board! Complimentary drinks were provided including water, soda, wine, and beer. The crew were attentive, handing out drinks. They even took care of all the empty cans while also running the ship. 

Unless you book a private charter you will most likely be on the boat with other parties. Normally I'm not a fan of crowds, but I found this to be an excellent chance to make new friends. (Or you can just enjoy the sail without mingling. It's up to you.)

We motored out of the harbor passing all the boats tied to their moorings. On the way out we spotted a seal poking her head out of the water. As we cruised through the harbor everyone aboard followed the nautical tradition of waving to our fellow boaters.

Once out of the harbor the sails went up! It look two crewmates, each one pulling a rope to hoist the sails. All three sails were up in no time and we were relying on the wind to get to our destination. 

During the excursion you could either sit on the cabin overhead or walk around. If you go, remember to bring a sweatshirt, because even on the hottest days it can be chilly out at sea!

During our sail we spotted seals, porpoises and of course plenty of seagulls. I believe a seal and a porpoise were following us! My husband ended up telling a porpoise dad joke resulting in him almost being thrown overboard… by me. 

While on out on the water we saw working boats, including a barge hauling wind turbine parts. We also saw a ton of marker buoys. These are used by lobstermen (or lobsterwomen) to locate their lobster traps. In the future we plan on visiting a working lobster boat and writing up an article!

At sea we got to enjoy a gorgeous view of the Maine coast. This particular harbor has the best sunrises and sunsets in my opinion, but unfortunately tonight we didn’t get a top tier sunset. It was still beautiful, though!

Once back in the harbor the sails were lowered and the boat's motor brought us back to our dock. As we made our way back to the marina, we passed various other vessels, including some tugboats. 

The Schooner Charm has a perfect 5-star rating on Google. From my experience, I’d have to agree! The crew and captain were friendly, funny, and generous, and they made the trip more special. They answered all of our questions and even allowed passengers to assist in the sailing process. Though it should be noted that everyone on our cruise took the night off and let the crew handle it!

Would I book this sail again? Absolutely, 100%.