Win a Great Maine Vaction and Cruise

One of the things we like to do on the Sailing Ship Olad, is to donate our time to great causes, like Youthlinks. They are currently fund raising through a fabulous raffle, where you could win a phenomenal  “Maine Vacation.” The tickets are only $25.00, and there is only one month left to buy them at: www.mainedreamvacationraffle.com So please help them, and buy some tickets.

The lucky winner and companion will enjoy three nights at the Samoset Resort on the Ocean, including a round of golf.  They will dine each night at a different restaurant: La Bella Vita Ristorante, Rockport; the Craignair Inn & Restaurant, Spruce Head; and The Youngtown Inn & Restaurant, Lincolnville.

The winner will also be treated to a biplane tour over Penobscot Bay, courtesy of the Owls Head Transportation Museum, passes to the Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland and of course a sail aboard the Schooner Olad, Camden.

The prize also includes round-trip airfare for two from Boston to Rockland, courtesy of Cape Air, and $500 in spending money courtesy of Bangor Savings Bank.  Travel is June 7th -10th and the drawing is in May.

Youthlinks is a program that provides after-school programs that include community service, leadership and enrichment opportunities to all youth anywhere in mid-coast Maine. Teens in the after-school programs learn skills, build self-esteem, cultivate social responsibility, develop leadership abilities and connect to their peers, to adult mentors, and to their communities. After-school programs are free for participating youth. Youthlinks is funded through a combination of state grants and the generous donations.

April Fooled on the Schooner Olad

April Fools' Day came a day late this year! On April 2nd we started working on the Schooner Olad getting her ready for the 2013 season. We decided to begin the annual spring fitout by sanding the masts. The Weather Channel predicted 48 degrees and sunny...it was 32 and cloudy!  However, Captain Matthew Ondra and our new mate Jeff Beck endured and made some real progress, while Chrissy Shyne and I worked at the varnish on the cabins and rails.

It is always a great feeling when the boat work starts. It makes me realize that soon I will be out in the bay sailing. It won’t be long before I will be setting sails in the lee of Curtis Island lighthouse with friends, new and old, enjoying Penobscot Bay with me!

Happy Spring!

Jeff Beck on the Mast of the Schooner Olad

Spring in Camden, Maine 2013

Spring is finally here! Last week’s foot of snow is quickly retreating and the first flowers are just starting to poke out of the ground.  Sailing may seem a ways off but the crew of the Olad is already in high gear getting her in tip top shape for our Friday, May 17th season opening!   A special thanks to those of you who have already made plans to come back this season, we are thrilled to be a part of all of the weddings and special events you have planned.  We would also like to thank the Friends Of Maine’s Seabird Islands for working with us to offer a special bird watching trip to be held July 18th.  That is just one of the many special events we have planned for the season.  For the complete list please visit the Special Events link on our website or give us a call (207)236-2323.

I have enjoyed a wonderful ski season, but after 15 years and over 140 thousand miles on  Penobscot Bay all I can do is day dream of that warm, fresh southwesterly breeze filling the sails and taking me across the bay. I look forward to sharing my passion for sailing and our beautiful coastline with you all!  I hope you can join us for another great season on the Schooner Olad!

The Perfect Maine Holiday Gift For 2012

Christmas is almost here and a great gift is a "Schooner Olad Gift Certificate". If you would like to purchase a gift certificate please call 207-236-2323 and we be happy to get your order in the mail. You may also send a check to: Schooner Olad, P.O. Box 432, Camden, ME 04843. The cost is $37.00 per person, and that includes tax and shipping. Please include how many certificates you would like and the amount of passengers you would like each certificate to be for, along with a return address and a phone number where you can be reached. Please call me if you have any questions. I would be more than happy to answer them. (207)236-2323

Sincerely,
Aaron Lincoln
Captain/ Owner

Olad Gift Certificate

Maine Fall Foliage Sailing

It has been a wonderful season and some of the best sailing is yet to come. The breeze is up and the colors are spectacular. The autumn sunsets are always exceptional and the fall foliage is getting to its prime on the Camden Hills. Enjoy the colors and the crisp fall air onboard the Schooner Olad as we wind down the last 3 weeks of our season. Also, stop by our store on the Camden Public Landing for our Fall 10% Off Sale on everything in the store!

As we get close to the end of the season, folks start to ask us when we stop sailing. Here is your answer! This year our scheduled closing date is Sunday, October 21st; we will be offering two hour tours at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 3:00p.m. for the rest of the season. Click here to make your reservation today!

Camden Maine Windjammer Festival 2012

It won’t be long before the tall ships, the windjammers; the schooners will all be in Camden harbor. I hope everybody gets a chance this Labor Day Weekend to come down and see the “Camden Maine Windjammer Festival” and enjoy all of the activities.  The fleet will be arriving on Friday August 31, 2012 between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. We still have some tickets available for the 12:00 pm “windjammer Sail-in” trip on Friday. Everybody will get a chance to see the boats at the dock in Camden, but only a hand full will get to sail by them with all of their sails up. Also, the Schooner Olad still has some tickets available for our regular tours, during the festival, as well.  If you want to buy tickets call 207-236-2323 or go online at https://secure.maineschooners.com/reservations/new/1 .Camden Maine Windjammer Festival

Join the Schooner Olad for our Sunset Sails!

Our last trip of the day is by far the most relaxing and most romantic. Unwind from your day as you enjoy the calm sea breeze and the lovely scenery Penobscot Bay has to offer. Watch for wildlife, lighthouses, big estates, and other gorgeous ships. But the most beautiful thing you will see on this sail is the magnificent sunset. As you sit aboard the Olad watch the sun go down behind the mountains, the only mountain range that touches the Atlantic Ocean from here to South America. This sunset is truly unique. We also have a cushioned cockpit that will make your sail with your friends or family even more intimate. We do not provide food or drinks on the boat but there are no restrictions to what you can bring. The Captain simply doesn’t have the heart to charge $5 for a beer but feel free to bring wine and cheese or anything else you would like. Check our website or call us for times and availability.

The Schooner Olad in the Great Schooner Race!

Check out the Schooner Olad sailing by the Rockland Breakwater during the Great Schooner Race on July 6th! It was truly a magnificent day for passengers and crew alike!

The weather has been perfect here in Camden Maine. If you are in the area why not experience Camden in a very unique and enjoyable way by joining us for a ride aboard the Schooner Olad!

Join us for a Lobster Bake in Camden, Maine!

If you are vacationing in Maine or if you live in the area why not participate in an enjoyable, rare, and truly Maine experience! On July 17th from 2:30-8:45pm the Schooner Olad is hosting a very special event: a half day sail and a lobster bake! Spend a relaxing afternoon aboard the Olad while she sails around Penobscot Bay. The Olad will sail through the archipelago of Islesboro to Warren Island. Explore Warren Island State Park while the crew prepares a Maine lobster bake for you and your family! Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity!

4th of July Fireworks Sail on the Schooner Olad

Happy Forth!

 

The past few days have been beautiful and these sunny days are suppose to continue!

While you’re in town for the Forth of July don’t miss a relaxing and enjoyable sail aboard the Schooner Olad! It is the perfect activity to do on your vacation!

Also, we have a special half day sail and lobster bake coming up on July 17th! The Schooner Olad will sail around Penobscot Bay and through the archipelago of Islesboro to Warren Island. Spend time exploring Warren Island State Park while we prepare a traditional Maine Lobster Bake for you!

 

Special Father's Day Sail and Summer Solstice Sail in Camden, Maine

We’re off to a great start to the season here in Camden, Maine!

May offered up some very warm and sunny days, perfect for sailing! Although June is a little shy in getting warmer, this coming weekend looks to be beautiful.  Sunny and in the 70’s!

We hope you’ll consider joining us for a great sail and if you want something “extra special”, why not come sailing on Father’s Day or for our Summer Solstice?

The Father’s Day sail, on June 17th , will feature Dad. Dad gets to sail for half off if accompanied by a family member and our sailing times that day are 10-12a.m., 12:30-2:30p.m., 3-5p.m., 5:15-7:15p.m., or sunset sail from 7:15-9:15p.m. Come on and treat Dad right!

Our Summer Solstice sail is on the longest day of the year, June 21st from 4:15-6:15a.m. That’s right, it’s early so you can be the first to witness the sunrise from the comfort of the Olad while enjoying warm coffee or tea and fresh baked goods. The colors of the sunrise will amaze you and if it’s anything like last year, it will be truly spectacular, including porpoises dancing around the boat and seals busying themselves with fishing for their first meal of the day. Cadillac Mtn. is also a special place to see the sunrise, but why be surrounded by a large crowd when you can be on the Bay with only a few individuals sailing peacefully on the Olad. The word must have gotten out that last year’s trip was unique because we are already half booked, so don’t wait!

As usual, the Olad team looks forward to greeting you on the dock or in the store and we look forward to a fabulous summer in Camden.  See you soon!

The Official Start of the 2012 Season

Well, we are ready. We have been for two weeks. The Crew needs something to do so I said, "Why not run  a weekend early." And so we begin the year with a soft start. The schooner will make its first sail with passengers on Friday May 11, 2012 at 12:30 pm. The schedule will be as follows. We will run a 12:30pm trip and a 3:00pm trip on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We will be closed Monday thru Wednesday..  Then, we will have our  official Start on Thursday May 17, 2012, and run the full schedule starting this day.(10:00am, 12:30pm, 3:00pm, 5:15pm) I am so excited.

Maine Sailing

Captain Lincoln

Let’s Go Sailing on The Schooner Olad out of Camden, Maine 2012

Here we are again, just days from the start of the 2012 maintenance program. It was an amazing 74 degrees in Camden, Maine yesterday, a record I believe for March. So, I feel like we might as well start fitting out early so we can go sailing sooner. I’d start May 1 if I could… I am just itching to be out on the water. This will be my 13th year sailing the Schooner Olad and I am still excited, and I feel that speaks of how wonderful the Olad is to sail, how great my crew is, and how amazing my guests are.

If you have been sailing with me over last five years the faces are going to seem familiar. Matthew just got back from his winter adventure. He sailed from Spain to the Canary Islands then across the Atlantic to the Virgin Islands then to Jacksonville, Florida on a friend’s boat.

Molly just finished the last day of the Camden Snow Bowl yesterday. She runs the ski school there where she taught hundreds of kids to ski and snowboard. Molly lives on Ragged Mountain and is often the first person on the hill. She snowshoes from home to the edge of the ski trails the snowboards the rest of the way, to the lodge, as part of her daily commute.

I am sure they will have plenty of new stories to tell.

What about the captain? Well, I spent the winter working on the schooner to keep it looking Bristol. In my down time I keep busy reading. I love having new history and boating material for each year. On of my prides is that people come back year after year and are amazed I can teach them something new and different on each trip.

As far as the Olad, she just had her 85th birthday this year, but you would never know it. She is in pristine shape, and looks like she was just launched the other day. She can’t wait to start sailing out of Camden, Maine either.

We will see you soon.

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