My family of four loves to be on the water. Without a boat, we depend on tours. With COVID we were sensitive to how companies were dealing with tours. We found the PERFECT situation with a 2 hour trip on the Owl. It was 4 of us - 2 adults and 2 teens - on a boat that held 6. Captain Sarah was our guide. She skillfully took us into the Bay, giving us history, answering questions, providing insider Maine tips and giving us space to feel the wind in our hair. It was a perfect sunny and windy day so we were moving. The boat is beautiful, clean (sanitized btwn trips, too), and good ole fun. I'd highly recommend this company. read more

See all

Before we even get to the cruise, itself, we want to say hi to GRACE.  She was operating (almost said "manning") the company's table dockside when we showed up for our cruise.  From her first "Hi, can I help?", she was welcoming, cheerful and helpful. We chatted like we were old friends and she regaled us with stories and information.  She is a terrific person to have front of house, although we are sure that she is employed in many other aspects of the operation. Thanks! Captain Devon!  A most able seaman, yes I am mixing ranks, but here it's a description,  not a rank!  Capable, knowledgeable, social and clever.  His handling of the Owl seemed effortless. There was not a moment during our 3 hour cruise when the conversation seemed forced or stilted. He even made a joke of the fact that we didn't see any wildlife.  And he unintentionally upsold us on the lobster bake cruise for next year, all while piloting the cutter.  The company needs to hold on to this man. The 3 hour sail was amazing and we made many great and lasting memories. Thank you to all involved. read more

What an amazing sailing trip on the beautiful cutter Owl! I highly recommend this trip especially if you have had some experience sailing and do not get nervous when the boat "tips". Our captain was highly skilled at navigating a comfortable, fun sail, as well as knowledgeable of the boats in the harbor and Classic sailing boats in general. If you have a passion for beautiful wooden boats and a spirit of adventure on stunning Penobscot Bay, this is the trip for you. read more

We took the first morning cruise on the Olad and really has a great time. The vessel is beautiful and well maintained. The captain and mate were friendly and very professional. Being the first run of the day the weather was a bit of an unknown and the wind was pretty high. The captian dropped the sails and they quickly got them reconfigured to make it a more pleasant trip for everyone.This is not a narrated tour, which we really appreciated - the beauty of the bay and the sound of the wind and the hull in the water are beautiful. The crew was happy to answer questions, though. read more

Our sail on The Owl was great. We took my sister-in-law and her husband on their first sail of Camden Harbor. Captain Wilson put my brother-in-law at ease. The weather cooperated and we had a wonderful afternoon. I had booked the entire boat for the 6 of us...my husband and I, my brother and his wife, and my husband's sister and her husband. Highly recommend for enjoyable sailing. read more

We are local to Rockport and yet this trip was so informative and novel for us. Our captain was so very kin, friendly, knowledgeable and thanks to him and the breath taking views of the harbor, wrapped in mist we once again re-affirmed how much we love living here. This trip should be a must for every visitor of Camden and the area, highly recommended for friendly hosts and value for the money! read more

Had a great boat ride yesterday (Saturday Memorial Day Weekend). Perfect weather, friendly crew, great scenery.

Jeff and Raine (sp?) gave us a marvelous and unforgettable afternoon cruise. The weather was beautiful and conversation was totally enjoyable. I would definitely go cruising any time with those two on the Olad! read more

It was a great experience, loved it! 2 hours was the perfect amount of time. Captain Lincoln and his deck hand were professional and informative. read more

See all

We had a great time sailing with Sarah. We opted for the smaller sail (capped at 6 people), which was great. Sarah is awesome at what she does and super fun. I like that it's BYOB so you can save some $ there. We would've brought food had we not gone to dinner before. I wasn't sure if this would be corny but it was totally worth it. A classic New England experience and a great time. Book online to save the convenience fee. And as other people mentioned, don't forget cash to tip. read more

Schooner Olad - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

See all

The most fun we had in camden was on the olad! There was a storm moving through and captain Alex wanted to wait instead of merely cancel. Finally, he gave us the green light. It was still raining and we had our doubts, but he got us out in the bay and out of the rain. It was amazing!! Alex and first mate Devin love what they do. They are knowledgeable and very friendly!! This is a must do! read more

See all

We had the best time on the 2-hour cruise during our honeymoon! Captain Lincoln and his first mate Phoebe were top notch. Professional, friendly and welcoming, very knowledgeable. It's BYOB so we brought a few beers and enjoyed the views and water during our sail. My husband even got to help hoist the sails. Would highly recommend to anyone! read more

Schooner Olad - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

See all

We rented the whole boat for a family group of 29 people. Three generations were present, and everyone had a fantastic time. The captain and his first mate were very personable and very accommodating. We'll definitely be back. read more

This was not our first sailing on the Olad, and won't be the last. Captain Aaron and crew were wonderful, and we had a great day on the water. read more

My family and I had a Blast on this sail trip! The guys running the ship were so friendly and out going making the experience even more awesome. Highly recommend. read more

Schooner Olad - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

My husband and I enjoyed a beautiful evening cruise onboard the Olad. The crew was knowledgeable, helpful, and fun. It was our first time sailing and even though the wind didn't cooperate the sky did. A little rain lead to multiple rainbow sightings and a gorgeous coastal skyline. I would recommend this trip to anyone vacationing in the Camden area and would come back and do it again. read more

See all

This is a magnificent schooner with a great crew. We sailed around for a few hours enjoying the coast. Well worth the time and money. Don't forget to tip the first mate read more

Schooner Olad - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

great sail as always, whenever we have guests in from away we take them on a sail on the Olad, they always love it...

We had an awesome time. My family agreed this was the best part of their trip. Everyone was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The lobster was amazing! The views were beautiful. Would highly recommend! read more

One of my favorite things to do! The experience is wonderful and the crew is equally as great. I most recently did a Sunset Cruise and enjoyed every minute of it. We brought our own wine and snacks, and a blanket. Great views and great company. Highly recommend! read more

Schooner Olad - View from sunset cruise. Camden harbor. - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

We eagerly returned for another 2-hour Olad cruise five years- almost to the day- after our first one. It was the high point of our Maine vacation. This time we went in the morning- at 1000, and the weather was perfect, there were plenty of birds and sea animals, and we almost had the boat to ourselves with only 6 or 8 aboard. The captain and his small friendly crew made our day perfect. They even gave us a photo of ourselves when we returned - free ! They allow you to bring your own lunch, wine and even your dog, if you wish. The Olad store up on the main street of Camden had lots of souvenirs- hats and shirts, etc. The Olad "office" under an umbrella on the pier was easy to find when we arrived. Parking in the nearby public lots was not a problem. The price of the cruise was right and parking was free. . read more

See all

We had a great morning sailing with Capitan and his first mate Mat. We had a strong breeze this morning and so the sailing was great. The feel of this old wooden boat was different than today's sailboats. It was a special morning. Great time. read more

My wife and I enjoyed our three hour sail on the Cutter Olad Owl. The weather was beautiful and It was a relaxing sail on call seas. The smaller Owl includes six passengers and one captain/crew. That and the voyage length allowed for a more intimate sail. read more

Great captain. Nice history lesson. Very kind to children. Great smile. Very professional. Can't wait for a four day trip out to sea.

The captain and mate were terrific pointing out all the sights. Our grandson got a chance to help raise the sails. We even spotted some sunfish. And with just about 20 people on the boat it was the perfect number. We plan to take this sail every time we visit Camden! read more

Sailing aboard the Owl is an absolute pleasure. Captain Sarah was skilled and knowledgeable and made single-handed sailing a cutter look easy. The Owl sails like a dream, and she is immaculate and very well-maintained. This really shows when you see the Owl (and the Olad) alongside the other charter boats in Camden-there us no comparison. The owners and supervisors of these boats clearly prioritize attention to maintenance and hiring top quality captains. Will charter with them again. read more

Always a great time sailing on the Olad. We have made this a priority for our summer vacation for years. Beautiful boat, great people and fantastic scenery. An event not to be missed. read more

Went on the sunset cruise tonight! Our captain and first mate were amazing, full of information and took photos of us and we were able to take a few home too. Highly recommend doing this cruise it was our most favorite thing to do while in Camden read more

The Olad is a beautiful ship, but I am sorry to say that the trip is NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY. We had beautiful weather and a nice morning breeze for our sail and were excited to take the kids along with us. We sat right up at the front of the ship so the kids could steer and learn from the captain. Very early on, we realized that the captain (Aaron) did not really have a filter. His language was definitely not child appropriate, and we felt trapped on the ship. Furthermore, he spent most of the cruise talking about himself rather than pointing out the scenery, history and wildlife. Also, safety was not really taken seriously on board. We had a very hard time convincing our daughter, who is nine, to wear her life jacket because she saw younger children on board who were not wearing theirs. The crew didn't step in at all. Even if it's not required by law, it seems like they should strongly encourage the use of life jackets for all children. We walked away very frustrated and disappointed by the experience. We took a trip earlier in the week on Captain Jack's lobster boat and would highly encourage families to consider his trip instead! read more

The best part of my trip. I missed the 2:30 cruise on a Saturday and was pleasantly surprised when the lady worked with me to get on another boat. So I ended up going on a Sunday 2:30 boat. It was great. The scenery. The two Captains told great funny stories that kept everyone entertained and also took pictures. It exceeded the price to be honest. Most boat rides are $100+. But this was great. I highly recommend it! read more

See all

While visiting Camden for two short days we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather by going on a sunset sail. We walked down to the docks and found various schooner booths set up side by side. We stopped at the Olad and were immediately greeted by two ladies who answered all our questions about taking a sail. We reserved our spots on the schooner and were told to be back 30 minutes before departure. When we came back we took care of payment quickly and boarded the schooner on schedule. The schooner was full with about 20 to 25 people on board. Several minutes later we were on our way out of beautiful Camden harbor and into Penobscot bay. Once out of the harbor, the sails were raised (with the help of a volunteer from the ship) and the engine was shut off. The sail was very peaceful and quiet with the sun slowly setting behind the harbor and hills. Captain Matt and his first mate were very personable and provided lots of information about the area as we sailed along. Captain Matt also let anyone that wished take the helm for pictures or a few minutes of steering. About half way through the sail the wind diminished and was almost non existent, however the Captain was still able to sail us back to the harbor just as the sun was going behind the last hill without using the engine....he was very skilled at capturing even the slightest of wind with the large sails. As we were coming back into the harbor, the first mate walked around the ship and provided photos in envelopes to all of the families or couples that he had taken earlier on the sail...and at no additional charge! Overall it was a very pleasant experience to sail on the Olad. The staff were very nice and made the 2 hour sail fun and relaxing while providing neat information about the area. Oh and I forgot to mention it was byob so that was a plus (although we brought cups of coffee from the local barista!). read more

Schooner Olad - Sails up with a light wind - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

See all

So I got talked into this boat ride, and was pleasantly surprised. I carry a 100 ton license and grew up in a resort town with "harbor cruzzzers" generally this is boring to me. This was by far the best one and I plan on coming back for a day trip next summer. The sailing master ( Aaron) is very smart and if you listen to him it won't take long to see that this really is a passion with him. The boat is incredibly maintained almost bristol, and I notice little things... very little. Reaction to simple comments were met with seriousness that most people would not get. Boaters know from how a captain pulls from the dock what they are in for. As for safety I would not question it... youre on a boat 10 feet or 100 pay attention. read more

Magical day with the crew - lobster bake at Warren State Park with a beautiful sail and learned so much from Aaron and Louis! Will definitely do this again when we are back at Camden. Book it! You will not be disappointed!! read more

We loved our trip on the Schooner Olad. Captain Matt and his deckhand Steve were very professional and informative about the history of Camden and the greater Maine area. Despite it only being the two of us for the sunset cruise they decided to take us out anyway. I would highly recommend a trip on the ship if you are in the area. Pick up a drink and a few snacks and just prepare for the total relaxation that this cruise offers. read more

Enjoyable. Crew was friendly and the first mate Dillion talked with everyone asking where they were from, etc. I wasn't sure if we were going to check in at the boat or if there was an office, but when we got close it was obvious. There is a table under an umbrella that says OLAD and you get your boarding pass sticker there. read more

Fantastic time on Olad! Went on recommendation from a local and we're so glad we did! The captain Chris ok but if u can go on with Devon His first mate, you like us will be thrilled! Devon knew a lot and mingled with all us tourists! His love for sailing is infectious and made me want to learn sailing!!! Devon gave us great travel tips as well! There are many boats to choose from but I highly recommend you ask for OLAD AND THE BOAT DEVON GORDON IS ON! Good work mate! read more

What a fabulous time we had in the Olad! Captain Matt and his crew mate Devin gave us a enjoyable 2 hr cruise. Captain Matt extremely personable and we really loved every minute of our cruise! I also found the personal in the store on Main St and the website to be very helpful. Wonderful time spent in Camden and glad we decided to climb aboard the Olad!! read more

I did a 2 hour cruise, and it was the highlight of the weekend. The crew (Matt and Mike- I think) were very nice, and both interesting to talk to. They were very informative and knowledgeable. They let the kids steer a bit when we were out on the water, which was fun for them. They also took and printed out pictures for everyone on the cruise (no extra charge). The boat was very clean, comfortable, and we had great views. The crew definitely loves their job and you could tell. I highly recommend doing the tour. I definitely recommend bringing some sweatshirts, it gets pretty chilly out on the water. read more

We had a fantastic trip. Our captain and first mate were super qualified and friendly. We saw lots of wildlife and enjoyed the scenery.

Such an incredible experience! We loved our sunset cruise- The staff made us feel so welcomed. Highly recommend!