I have to start out by saying that I'm a kayak novice. But with that said, I think any level…read morekayaker (is that even a word?) would love the water access that Esther's offers. The service was seamless, the college kids very sweet and helpful as were the people who were enjoying their boats and/or striking out from the marina. No, 'Hey, this is a no wake zone' jokes shouted down at me. Pierce Island is across from Esther's so you can def make a really lovely day of it!

I love this place so much!! I can't say enough good things about it. First of all, this was one…read moreof the only places not too far away that had both kayaking and paddle boarding, so that was a plus. Second of all, one of the women who works here is super nice. They're pretty laid back here, and have let me go overtime on the paddle board. It's always been crowded here and mostly I've managed to come here on good weather, when the tide is low. Lastly, if you're going to make this an all day trip, please go to BG's Boathouse. You can paddle over there, and there are maps on the kayaks. The owners of Esther's will also tell you how to go. There are also cute, little islands where I've seen people have picnic lunches. Esther's is literally one of the cutest, friendliest places. I'm so glad I found this place.

We were seated having lunch at the Oar House when we noticed that a harbor cruise was sailing next…read moreto our dining location. I checked online and was happily surprised that there was room for their next sailing. The check-in process was easy after booking our tickets online. We went to the booth and they handed us our tickets. Boarding was also an easy process and soon we were sailing away. We chose to sit on the left of the boat to have more of a shaded area during our 4 PM sailing. It turned out to be perfect as many of the landmarks happened to be on the left side of the boat. We were also able to see the ones mentioned on the right when the boat turned around as we chose not to get up from our seats during the 1 hour and 15 minutes of sailing. It was a super pleasant day as we enjoyed being out on the water and listened to great commentary. There was a lot of history and general information that was super interesting. Staff was super nice and helpful. This was a great way to end a beautiful day in Portsmouth!

We easily found metered street parking on Russell St (near Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel)…read more Street parking is free until 12pm on Sundays. But we planned to go to lunch afterwards, so I took a picture of the # to pay for parking using the parkmobile app. We arrived 9:40am for our 10am boat ride on a Sunday. There were maybe 8 parties waiting. We picked up our paper ticket. We didn't start boarding the boat until maybe 5 min before our sail time. They sell drinks and snacks on the boat. There's also garbage & recycle bins and toilets. I would recommend sitting outside. There's seating all around the boat. At the very front, there's lack of shade. We sat on the port side (left) of the boat. It was a bit chilly on the water. The captain pointed out sites of interest. You can't really hear him when you're inside. He also pointed out things on the port (left) and starboard (right), so you just end up moving around to see what he's talking about. Definitely bring an extra jacket and hat. The whole ride was maybe 1 hr 15 min by the time we returned to the dock.

Top notch experience! They are very well organized from the instructions you receive after…read moreregistering to the check-in process and parking for $5 for the duration of your trip. It was great that it was a live narration rather than a recording. So many interesting facts along the way. We took the shoals island tour that included 1 hour at Star Island. The option to take a 1/2 hour tour or explore on your own for about an hour was available. Plenty of time to look around. Snacks and drinks available in boats are affordable or you can bring your own snacks. Overall a great experience.

We went on the M/V Thomas Laighton to and from Star Island…read more These folks are tops in their business. Not only a pleasant trip but also a superb narration of the historical significance of the details and also the points of interest along the route. Comfortable, full bar, snacks and great views.

We had a great time on the boat with Captain Jon. He is very knowledgeable, about the area and…read moreabout the fishing/lobster'ing, and he is very friendly. Our trip was customized to fit our family's needs and everyone enjoyed themselves. I would highly recommend!

Wow, what a fantastic experience! I highly recommend Captain Jon for an amazing boating trip. He…read morewas so knowledgeable about Maine and everything around us. He gave us a really wonderful, informational tour of the area. Aside from all of the information he provided, he was very personable and created a great experience for us aboard. We all felt very safe the whole time and saw some really cool things along the way!

I highly recommend Casco Bay Custom Charters…read more We sailed with them for a special family event in July 2020. We gathered to release our father's ashes at sea. The team we worked with to plan the event were flexible with our plans including location, departure, and the actual release. They provided helpful information about purchasing a biodegradable urn and how to structure our minimal program - especially as we had young children participating (ages 4-11). They will work with you to create your ideal experience.

Our small family really enjoyed this private charter experience. The crew was super friendly and…read morevery knowledgeable. The boat was comfortable and the tour included some hardy snacks and drinks. Would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a private Charter tour in the area.

Captain Greg did a great job getting each of us on the fish and working to make sure each member of…read moreour party had a memorable time on our 4 hour striped bass charter. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a solid charter trip in Southern Maine!

I'm proud to make sure Captain Greg gets a Yelp page set up by a happy customer. We just had the…read morebest four hour in-shore fishing trip met our needs for safety, for fun, for success (everyone caught bait fish and striped bass) and for an education about the area and about fishing in general. CAPTAIN GREG IS A GREAT GUIDE. The trip was easy to setup on the phone and easy to pay for with PayPal. Highly recommended.

BEWARE! Went in for gas leak, came out with $1000 gas/oil pump repair and got stuck out on the…read morewater again after it was supposedly fixed. Brought it back and was told couldn't find the problem. Went to another place and they diagnosed it in less than five minutes! Fuel filter was leaking. Called and complained and was told it was my fault for not changing fuel filter every year.

I have now brought my boat to Island Marine for 3 seasons for regular maintenance and motor issues…read moresince moving to York. Island Marine is on their service game! Service is their business so their not trying to sell you a new boat or repower your boat. They understand the importance of having your boat on the water for the short season we have in the north. Their service times are the best in the area as well as the price! I personally will only take my Mercury outboard to a Premier Mercury Service Dealer because it shows the dealers commitment to the customer and their business. Just walk into the main office and you will immediately notice how clean and organized they are. You will also see ALL the technician's Mercury certifications with the CURRENT YEAR. If you are in Maine or New Hampshire you need to give Island Marine the opportunity to service your boat! - Tight Lines