Hell’s Half Acre, Merchant’s Row

I didn’t have a huge desire to visit the islands south of Stonington. They have a reputation as one of the most beautiful spots in Maine, but they’re hugely popular (ie. lots of boat traffic). They also have a reputation for lobstermen with bad attitudes. I’m used to the sound of engines and some roll at 4 am every morning as they begin their work days, however, there are stories of locals purposely running large wakes and harassing pleasure craft that didn’t make the place seem too inviting. But, too many people talked about it and one couple specifically gave us anchorages to try so we were on our way.

Hell’s Half Acre is the name of one of the three islands that create the Hell’s Half Acre anchorage. There were only three other boats in the anchorage and one left as we were arriving. The rock ledges can be intimidating as they appear at low tide, and it’s amazing to see the sand bars that appear that connect the islands. There were kayak campers on the island, and the island is not big, so we settled for a circumnavigation tour by dinghy rather than going ashore since our walk would have been completed in 20 minutes. Still, a fun and beautiful place to visit.