eight miles and a quarter distant.
Turnip Island is a small bare rock NW. from Jaquish Island, and two hundred and seventy-five yards off. It is on the
eastern side of the entrance, and is very bold-to on its eastern side, but the other sides are bounded by shoals.
There is no passage between it and Bailey's Island, but there is a good channel between it and Jaquish, which Tumip laland.
leads to a narrow strait (fit only for light-draught vessels) between Bailey's and Jaquish islands. This strait
is called JaquUli Cut, is full of ledges and bare rocks, and has seven feet at mean low water.
Jaquish Island has already been described, on page 420, as a small, low, rocky island SB. from Tumip Jaquish Island.
Island and a little over two hundred yards 8. from Bailey's Island, from which it is separated by Jaquish
Cut. A grove of spruce and fir occupies about one-third of its surface.
On the western side of the entrance to Mericoneag Sound lies Haskell's Island. It is N. of Little Mark Island six hundred
yards distant, extends in a NB. and SW. direction seven-eighths of a mile, is eighty feet high, mostly bare,
and under cultivation. The northeastern end is the lower, and has scattered groups of trees and a number Haskeirs Island.
of houses upon it; and its eastern shore is tolerably bold-to. On its northern side it is indented by two small
coves, — the easternmost of which is called Great Harbor Cove, and is used as an anchorage by fishermen; while the other is
smaller, shallower, and has no name.
Three hundred yards off the eastern shore of Haskell's Island and six hundred yards NB. f N. from Little Mark Island is a
bare rocky islet, known as Great Mark Island. It is forty feet high and bold-to on its eastern side, but its southern side is
shoal ; and between it and Haskell's Island there is a passage with ten feet at low water.
The eastem^shores of Mericoneag Sound are formed by Bailey's Island, which lies NB. by N. and BW. by 8., is two miles
long, irregular in shape and quite narrow. Its southwestern end shows a bare bluff appearance, and the
summit of this bluff is covered with a thick growth of spruce and is sixty feet high. Near the middle Balley'S Island.
of the island the land descends to a height of forty feet and again rises to sixty. It again descends, as it
approaches the northeastern end, to forty feet, and again rises to sixty feet, thus giving the surface an undulating appearance.
The upper end of the island is mostly cleared land dotted with houses and under fine cultivation.
On the western side Bailey's Island is indented by a long and narrow but deep cove, called Mackerel Cove, which is an
excellent harbor and is very much used. It makes in a NB. direction between the southwestern end of the island and a low
gently sloping point, about forty feet high, making out from the western shore of Bailey's Island about 8W. The cove is half
a mile long and has a uniform width of about two hundred yards. It is perfectly free from obstructions,
and affords excellent holding-ground, although somewhat exposed to 8W. winds. On its northern side. Mackerel Cove.
Bailey's Island is separated from Orr's Island by Wills' Straits, a rocky channel three hundred and fif\y
yards wide. This passage (through which six feet at low water can be carried) is very much used by small light-draught
vessels, but it is so narrow, crooked and full of ledges that no stranger dare attempt it. At half-tide or high water a N. by W. or
8. by B. course made good will carry a vessel safely through, but at low water no one course will do it. (See page 422.)
The northeastern shore of Bailey's It<land is indented by two coves, of which the easternmost only is important. It is
called Horse Cove, (see page 423,) and is a very convenient anchorage.
The southeastern end of Harpswell Neck presents a regularly sloping hill about one hundred feet high, cleared and thickly
settled. The land is under cultivation, as indeed is most of the peninsula- On its southern side it sends
off a long, low, rocky point, nearly three-quarters of a mile long and veiy narrow, called Potts' Point; Potts' Point.
and between this and the northern end of Haskell's Island is the eastern entrance to a most commodious
laud-locked harbor, called Potts' Harbor. This excellent anchorage is contained between the southern shores of Harpswell Neck
on the north, east and west, and Upper Flag Island and Haskell's Island on the south and southwest, and is further protecte«)
from westerly winds by Horse Island and Little Birch Island.
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432 ATLANTIC COAST PILOT.
The northeastern point of Harpswell Neck is tolerahlj low, and called Stover's Point, on the western side of which the
land falls away to the southward and westward and forms a semicircular cove, called Harpswell Harbor or Stover's Cove.
Here Mericoueag Sound ends and Harpswell Sound begins.
Harpswell Neck is an irregularly shaped peninsula, about eight miles long, making off from the mainland in a 8W.
direction, between Harpswell Sound on the east and Middle Bay on the west. Its shores are much indented
Harpswell Neck, by coves; its surface is undulating, varying from forty to one hundred and forty feet in height; it is almost
entirely cleared and under cultivation ; and is thickly dotted with houses, forming the town of Harpswell.
Harpswell Harpswell Harbor, or StOYer's Cove, as it is mostly called, is the first indentation of importance on the
Harbor. eastern shore of the neck. It is a semicircular cove with from two to four fathoms water, contained
between Stover's Point and the main shore, and is three miles and an eighth above the entrance to Meriooneag
Sound. It is about half a mile wide and the same distance long, and is unobstructed.
Olark'8 Cove is the next indentation on the eastern shore of the neck, one mile and three-quarters above Stover's Point, and
is of little importance, as at low water it is nearly all bare. It is separated by a low and narrow point from Merrlman's Cove,
another small, shallow and unimportant cove, with three feet at low water, and only used by those who live upon its shores.
Just to the northward of Merriman's Cove the shore is deeply indented by two long and narrow but shallow coves. The
westernmost, running IT NE., is called Widgeon Cove, and is three-quarters of a mile long and nearly all bare at low water. It
is likewise of little importance. The eastern cove, which runs into it, has a NB. and BW. course, and is
Mill Cove. called Mill Cove. It is a mile long and from an eighth to a quarter of a mile wide, and is nearly all bare at
low water ; but seven feet may be taken through a very narrow and crooked channel for about a third of a
mile up the cove. Its eastern shores are formed by a long, narn)w and irregularly shaped peninsula, terminatiug in a broad
round head eighty feet high, called High Head, which is two miles and three-quarters above Stover's Point. This peninsula
separates Mill Cove from the upper part of Harpswell Sound.
Stoyer'B River empties into Harpswell Sound a mile above High Head and is three miles long. The northern part of the
river is called Harpswell Cove.
llie eastern shores of Harpswell Sound are formed, as stated before, by Orr's Island and part of Great Island.
Orr's Island (see page 422) is large, of considerable height, lies NB. and 8W., and is about three miles long. It is thickly
settled, and the surface is diversified with wooded slopes and cleared and cultivated lands studded with houses. The wood-
lands are mostly near the southern end, but wood is behig rapidly cut and the appearance of the land
Orr's Island. constantly changing. The island is one hundred feet high, and on the western side is indented by two
coves. First is Beal's Cove, which is situated about a mile above the entrance to Wills* Straits, runs about
8W., and is nearly all bare at low water. The other, which makes in about five-eighths of a mile above it, is called Reed's
Cove, is wide but shallow, and the approach to it is obstructed by ledges. There are two more small shallow coves to the north-
ward of Reed's Cove, — the northemraost making in on the extreme northwestern end of the island. They are not named,
and are of no importance.
On its northern face Orr's Island is indented by a very long and narrow cove called Long Cove, nearly a mile and a quarter
- long and only about two hundred yards wide. Six feet at low water can be taken up to about five-eighths
Long Cove. of a mile from its mouth, and it is perfectly sheltered. Its shores are from eighty to one hundred and
twenty feet iu height.
On its eastern shore Orr's Island has one small cove one mile above its southern end, called Cow Cove. It is of no impor-
tance. On the southern side is the large and commodious cove called Lowell's Cove, nearly half a mile
Lowell's Cove. long and a third of a mile wide at its mouth, which affords capital anchorage in from three to five
fathoms, sofl muddy bottom. The northeastern point of Orr's Island is connected with Great Island by a
bridge crossing the head of The Gurnet.
The western shore of Great Island, which forms the eastern boundary of the upper part of Harpswell Sound, is steep and
Ijigb^ — the summit being over one hundred and forty feet above high-water mark, — and the land is wooded. Approaching
Stover's River the shore is lower and much cut up by small coves; and a creek, bare at low water and called Strawberry
Creek, empties into the Sound a little over a quarter of a mile below the mouth of the river.
From the mouth of Stover's River to Doughty's Point, the northwestern point of Great Island, is a mile and three-quarters,
and the shore-line is much cut up by small unimportant coves. The land is nowhere liigher than sixty
Doughty's Point, feet, and has a very gradual slope towards the water; and a few houses will be seen on the summits. Doughty's
Point is narrow, quite low and wooded, and forms the northwestern end of Great Island, the southern shore
of Prince's Gurnet and the western point of the entrance to Long Reach.
Long Reach. On the northern side of Great Island there is a long cove running to the southwestward, two miles and
a quarter long, with an average width of five hundred yards. This is Long Reach, and it nearly cuts Great
Island into two parts. A strip of land seventy-five yards wide alone separates the head of the reach from another narrow and
irregularly shaped cove which makes in on the eastern side of the island abreast of Pole Island and one mile and a half above
Long Point. Long Reach affords comfortable anchorage, in thirteen feet at low water, seven-eighths of a mile fn)m its mouth.
Prince's Point is long, low, and forms the southern extremity of a peninsula making out from the
Prince's Point. mainland and bounding Hai*p8well Cove on the east. It laps Doughty's Point, — its southern end bearing
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MEBICON1LA.G AND HARPSWELL SOUNDS. 433
about W. from that point ; and between the two is a narrow and crooked passage called Prince's Gurnet, with seventeen feet
at low water, leading into Long Reach. From the junction of Long Reach and Prince's Gurnet a narrow channel leads to the
northeastward into Buttermilk Gove and Simon's Onmet, (see page 412.) The latter is bridged by a permanent bridge
connecting Great Island with Buttermilk Point on the main. This passage ib, therefore, not available for vessels, and small
boats only can use it.
A nule and a half above Prince's Point is the head of Stover's River, nere the narrow water-way which formerly existed
has been filled up by meadow-grass.
Several small and unimportant islands lie within the limits of Mericoneag and Harpswell sounds. Coming into Men-
coueag, and when abreast of the northern end of Haskell's Island, you will see, bearing about N., a small,
bare, rocky island a little to the eastward of Potts' Point and close in with the shore. This is Ram Island, Ram Island.
which is nearly a quarter of a mile fh)m shore, and bears B. f N. from the extremity of Potts' Point. There
is no passage between it and Potts' Point, — the deep water running up into a pocket behind the island.
Ram Island is surrounded by shoals; and beyond it there are no islands in the passage until you are past Bailey's Island
and approach the northern end of Orr's Island, when there will be seen bearing about NB., atid close to
shore, a small rocky islet called Wyer's Island. This is a bare islet connected with Orr^s Island by a chain Wyer'8 Island.
of bare rocks, and is a little over two hundred yards from the shore and surrounded by flats. Westward
of it the shoal water extends a quarter of a mile with less than six feet.
Passing Wyer's Island, there will be seen well over towards the Great Island shore a small bare rock, lying about a hun-
dred and fifty yards off the northern end of Orr's Island and three hundred yards from the shore of Great
Island, called Dog's Head. It is surrounded by shoal water and obstructs the entrance into Long Cove, — DOfl'S Head.
the channel leading into that cove passing between Dog's Head and the Great Island shore. The passage
is narrow, — the shores on both sides being flat; but fifteen feet at low water may be carried through.
Six hundred yards above Dog's Head is Uncle Zeke's Island, a bare rock, lying nearly in the middle UnclB Zeke'8
of the Sound, and surrounded by ledges and flats which extend over two hundred yards from the rock to Island.
the eastward; but on the channel side the islet is tolerably bold. There is a crooked passage, with fourteen
feet at low water, between Uncle Zeke's and Great Island, but it must not be attempted by strangers.
A small bare islet, not named, lies about a hundred yards from shore off the mouth of Strawbeny Creek, and is connected
witli Great Island at low water.
Another small nameless islet lies two hundred yards 8. from Prince's Point and the same distance W. fh>m Doughty's
Point, — the passage into Prince's Gurnet leading between them with seventeen feet at low water. Above this there are no
islands in the passage.
, DANGERS
IN APPROACHING AND ENTERING MERICONEAG AND HARPSWELL SOUNDS.
I. Coming trwm the Ekutward. — ^A vessel bound into Harpswell from the eastward will meet Math
no obstructions until she is within a mile of Mark Island Monument, where the channel
passes between Jaquish Island and Mark Island Ledge. This dangerous sunken Hark Island
ledge lies SB. by S. f S. from the Monument, three-quarters of a mile distant, and Ledge..
SW. by W. from Jaquish Island, nearly a mile distant. It has three feet at mean low
water, and is at times awash ; but there are from four to nineteen fathoms water all around it A
black spar-buoy (No. 5) is placed on the western side of this ledge, to which a good berth must be
given by vessels coming from the eastward. (See page 428.)
Jaquish Ledge, which is on the northern side of the channel, is a long point making off from
the southwestern end of Jaquish Island to a distance of two hundred and seventy-
five yards. It is nearly all bare at low water, is quite bold-to, and is not buoyed. The Jaquish Ledge.
channel between it and Mark Island Ledge is five-eighths of a mile wide.
Passing Jaquish Ledge, there will be seen to the northward a red spar-buoy (No. 2), which is on
the southern end of Turnip Island Ledge, lying a quarter of a mile W. by S. \ S.
from Turnip Island, bare at low water, and bearing from the Monument E., a little Turnip Island
over three-quarters of a mile distant. Vessels should not attempt to pass between this Ledge.
ledge and Turnip Island, as there is a ledge with ten feet at mean low waier two hun-
dr^ and fifty yards NE. from the buoy. Ledges also extend from Turnip Island to the southward
two hundred and fifty yards.
From the southeastern end of Ram Island a bare ledge, called Bam Island Ledge, extends in a
SW. direction, and is surrounded by shoal water to a distance of six hundred yards from the island.
Off the southern end of this shoal ground, in four fathoms, is placed a red spar-buoy (No. 4). There
arc four fathoms water between it and HaskelPs Island, in the passage leading into Potts' Harbor.
The western shore of Bailey's Island is bold-to, and may be approachSi very closely with four
fathoms water; but the shore of Harpswell Neck, from Potts' Point to the southern side of Stover's
Point, is lined with flats, and must not be approached by vessels drawing twelve feet or more nearer
than a quarter of a mile,
c. P. — I. 55
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434 ATIJVNTIC COAST PILOT.
A little over half a mile E NB. from Ram Island is a ledge with sixteen feet at low water, called
Interval Shoal. It is not buoyed, and is only dangerous to vessels of heavy draught.
Interval Shoal. It lies exactly in the middle of the passage, — being six hundred yards from either
shore, — and at low spring tides it has fourteen feet.
The eastern side of Stover's Point is bold-to, and may be closely approached with four fathoms
water ; but off its northern end, and obstructing the entrance to Harpswell Harbor, is
Stover's Point a long shoal, called Stover's Point Shoal, which extends in an B. J N. direction three
ShoaL hundred yards, and is bare at low water for nearly the whole distance. A black spar-
buoy (No. 1) is placed in good water off the eastern point of the shoal as a guide to
Harpswell Harbor. Just to the westward of this buoy, apparently in the middle of the entrance to
the harbor, will be seen another black spar-buoy (No. 3). This buoy is in four fathoms, about twenty
yards to the northward of Stover's Ledge, which has about one foot at mean low water and lies close
in with the northern side of the point. Vessels entering the harbor must leave this buoy to the
southward.
Off the northwestern point of Bailey^s Island, and obstructing the entrance to Wills' Straits,
extends a long shoal vrith dry ledges, NE. by N., four hundred yards. Vessels standing across this
point must give it a berth to the southward of a quarter of a mile to avoid the ledge. It is not named
nor buoyed. Three hundred yards NB. by N. from the dry part of these ledges there is a sunken
rocky obstructing the approach to Wills' Straits and dangerous for vessels beating in or out. It lies
about three hundred yards off the western shore of Orr's Island and nearly opposite to the black
buoy on Stover's Point Shoal. It has eleven feet at lowest spring tides; but there is deep water all
around it.
After passing Stover's Point Ledge the next danger met with is a ledge dry at low water, lying
nearly in mid-channel, and called Merriman's Ledge. It is one mile above Stover's
Merriman's Point and three hundred and seventy-five yards from shore, and extends in a NE. by
Ledge. N. and SW. by S. direction for nearly six hundred yards. For one-fourth of this dis-
tance it is dr}' at low water and it is not buoyed. There is a shoal spot with thirteen
feet at low spring tides to the southwestward of it and about two hundred yards from shore. Vessels
beating in or out must beware of it if they draw twelve feet water.
Passing Merriman's Ledge, the next danger is Dipper Cove Ledges. These extensive shoals
make off from the southern point of the entrance to Reed's Cove, have from eight to
Dipper Cove seventeen feet upon them at mean low water, and the shoal of liie ledges is between
Ledges. seven and eight hundred yards N. by E. J B. from the southern point of the entrance
to Reed's Cove. Vessels must not stand to the eastward of the summit of High Head
bearing NB. J N. This bearing clears not only Dipper C^ve Ledges, but also the flats off Wyer's
Island.
Nearly opposite to Dipper Cove Ledges, and a quarter of a mile S. by W. | W. from the eastern
point of Clark's Cove, is a ledge with six feet at low spring tides, called Clark's
Clark's Ledge. Ledge. It lies three-eighths of a mile NE. from Merriman's L^ge and is not buoyed.
To avoid it, vessels must not stand to the westward of Stover's Point bearing SW.;
but when once past the long point separating Clark's and Merriman's coves they may stand close
in to the mouth of the latter with safety.
Opposite to Merriman's Cove, and off the shore of Orr's Island, extensive flats and ledges make
out to a distance of six hundred yards with less than five feet at mean low water ; and from Wyer's
Island a long shoal extends towards High Head four hundred yards. These together form a very
extensive piece of shoal ground, and so obstruct the channel as to render the passage unsafe for stran-
gers. The channel at High Head is only about fifty yards wide.
The northern shore of Orr's Island is also quite shoal, and vessels must keep the Harpswell shore
aboard. The shoals also extend out from Great Island to Zeke's Island ; but yessels may go close to
the latter, leaving it to the .eastward. After passing Strawberry Creek there are no shoals in the chan-
nel of Stover's River, — the rule being to keep the middle of the passage.
SAILING DIRECTIONS
FOR APPROACHING AND ENTERING MERICONEAG AND HARPSWELL SOUNDS.
I. Coming from th^ Ekutward. — When Bald Head bears N. by E. J B. and Half- Way Rock
Light-house W. J N., with fourteen fathoms, hard bottom, steer NW. by W. | W. for Mark Island
Monument, carrying not less than five fathoms, and passing nearly midway between Jaquish Island
and Mark Island Ledge. On this course continue until you are abreast of Turnip Island Ledge buoy
and three-quarters of a mile from the Monument, with sixteen fathoms water, when steer N. ^ W. for the
northeastern end of HaskelPs Island, carrying not less than sixteen fathoms water. When the northern
end of Great Mark Island bears W NW. and Turnip Island B SB., with sixteen fathoms, muddy bot-
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MEBICONEAG AND HARP8WELL SOUNDS. 435
torn, steer NB. f N., having High Head a little open to the northeastward and carry- Sailing DireC'
ing not less than ten fathoms water. On this course, vnshing to anchor in Harpswell tions—Meri'
Harbor, when abreast of the black buoy on Stover^s Point Shoal and you are in thirteen coneag and
fathoms, steer N. by W. J W,, carrying not less than eleven fathoms water, until the Harpswell
buoy bears SW. J W. and is about two hundred yards off; when steer W NW., and Sounds.
anchor at discretion in from two to four fathoms, soft bottom.
But, if bound up the Sound, continue the course N£. I N., carrying not less than five fathoms
water, until you are exactly between the long point separating Clark's and Merriman's coves and the
southwestern point of Reed's Cove, having them bearing N. and S., respectively, with seven fathoms, soft
bottom. High Head will then bear NB., and you must steer for it, carrying not less than five fathoms,
until vdthin two hundred and fifty yards. Then steer B NB., passing High Head at a distance of one
hundred yards in four fathoms water, and continue until Dog's Head bears B. by S. } S., a quarter of
a mile off, and there is five fathoms, soft bottom. Now steer NB. by N. J N. past Uncle Zeke's
Island, with not less than twenty feet water, and continue the course until the small islet off the mouth
of Strawberry Creek bears B. by N. J N., when steer N. } B. into Stover's River, carrying three and
a half fathoms water. After entering the river the chart will be the best guide, — ^the general rule
being io keep the middle of the passage. Seventeen feet at mean low water can be taken up to Prince's
Point tlirough a narrow and crooked channel.
The above courses pass nearly half a mile to the westward of Jaquish Ledge ; six hundred and
fifty yards to the eastward of Mark Island Ledge; two hundred and fifty yards to the westward of
Turnip Island Ledge; one hundred and twenty-five yards to the eastward of Interval Shoal; two
hundred and seventy-five yards to the eastward of Stover's Point Shoal ; two hundred and seventy
yards to the eastward of Merriman's Ledge ; one hundred and seventy-five yards to the westward of
Dipper Cove Ledges ; the same distance to the eastward of Clark's Ledge; one hundred yards to the
westward of the flats off Orr's Island and Wyer's Island; and one hundred yards to the eastward of
High Head.
DANGERS
IN APPROACHING AND ENTERING MERICX)NEAG AND HARPSWELL SOUNDS.
11. €knnin0 from, Seaufard or from, the Southward. — Coming from the Southward, the first
prominent object met with is also an obstruction to the approaches to Harpswell, and is called Half-
Way Rock, — a bare rocky islet, elevated about sixteen feet above high-water mark, and about one hun-
dred and fifty yards square, with no vegetation of any kind upon it, and surrounded