Not everybody on North Haven island has a basement, as we saw on a jaunt ashore. Think of it as local color, as seen from a cruise aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

Yes, thar it is, as seen from an Eastport Windjammers whale watch in nearby Canadian waters.

For more whale watching experiences, take a look at my Lolling with Whales photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

I would have called it a lifeboat, but it does get used for excursions to shore during a typical cruise aboard the schooner Louis R. French.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

Many cruise ships to Rockland, Maine, are too big for the harbor itself. Instead, they drop anchor just beyond and ferry their passengers to the town.

This is how it looked from the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer.

For more schooner experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

Pleasure boats are everywhere in Camden Harbor at the height of summer. It’s iconic Maine, after all. This detail was noted aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer as we set out for five days of prime sailing.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

On a clear day, the North Atlantic turns this incredible blue color.

This was seen aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer while plying Maine’s Penobscot Bay.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions. You won’t get wet.

It’s a daily ritual if you want to go sailing. The breakfast dishes have been cleaned up and put away. Now the real fun begins aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

This is the Louis R. French at its berth in Camden, Maine. Cruises begin the night before departure as passengers arrive to settle in for their first night aboard.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.

We were passed by this sailboat. It still looks breathtaking and even scary.

Seen from a cruise aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer.

For more schooner sailing experiences, take a look at my Under Sail photo album at Thistle Finch editions.