Ohio

From the 50 State Visitor Guide :

O.R.C. Ann. 2019§§2950.01 through 2950.99.  AWA Compliant

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

3 days for initial reg. of residence or “temporary domicile” if in state for more than 3 days. §2950.04.  Those employed for more than 3 days or more than 14 aggregate days in a calendar year shall register w/in 3 days. Ohio SOR interprets “day” as beginning when you spend a night.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Residence restriction: 1,000 ft. from school, preschool, or child day-care premises.  §2950.034. Per Ohio SOR office, applies only to certain types of resident registrants. Does not apply to visitors not yet required to register. Procedure available for removal from registry after departure.

Duration & updates:

10 years to life. Updates:T1 – annual, T2 – 6 mo.T3 – 3 mo.§2950.15.

Most recent visit: Cuyahoga Valley Nat. Park – July 2026

Ohio’s rules for visiting registrants are a mixed bag.  The bad news is that you only get three consecutive days in-state before you will be required to register.  However, according to the state SOR office they interpret “day” as beginning when you spend a night (so the first partial day when you enter doesn’t count), and supposedly it’s the fourth day that trigger’s registration.  Still, it’s a pretty short period of time.

After that the news gets better.  There appears to be no limit on return visits per month or year, so technically you could leave Ohio for a day or two, return and start the clock all over again.  Also, although certain types of resident registrants face a 1,000 ft. residence restriction from schools, preschools, or child day-care premises (§2950.034), according to the SOR office this does not apply to visitors not yet required to register.  Lastly, if you do end up on Ohio’s registry there is a procedure available for removal after departure.

On the last leg of my 2026 Northeast tour I left enough time to stop in Ohio at someplace I’d never considered before.  If the Cuyahoga River sounds vaguely familiar, it has the distinction of be the river that caught fire in the 1960’s from being so polluted. 

Brandywine Falls                                        The Ledges

Ohioans banded together, cleaned up the river and turned the entire Cuyahoga Valley into the unexpected recreation wonderland it is today.  I saw several of its points of interest (see photos) but as usual hadn’t left enough time to see everything.  Stopped at the Boston Mill Visitors Center.  There is even a scenic train ride but I wasn’t there on the right day.  Gotta come back for more next time!

Previous visit: Cleveland - June 2025

In early June 2025 I was, as usual for Ohio, in no danger of testing any of these rules.  I was on the return leg of a tour of the Northeast, entering the state from Pennsylvania on I-80 early on a Tuesday morning on my way to spend an afternoon and evening in Cleveland.  But because Ohio interprets “day” as beginning when you spend a night, this day and my entire Cleveland adventure would be “off the books” as far as the state SOR office was concerned.  Only when I awoke the next morning at the most disgusting Motel 6 I’ve ever stayed at that (however, since then the Badlands Motel in Kadoka, SD has struck a new low) Ohio Registry Day 1 would begin – and I’d be out of state by that afternoon.

Century Village, Burton, OH

But my first stop was Century Village in the town of Burton, about 20 miles east of Cleveland.  This is one of those small town parks where they bring together authentic old buildings from the region and make it look like a village – and this is a particularly nice and large one.

Next stop Holden Arboretum which is also on the east side of town.  They have a trolley type ride you can take through the gardens, and adventure woods and a loop hiking trail to see the nearby canyon.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Once in downtown Cleveland my first stop was of course the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  It is Cleveland’s must see attraction and it lives up to expectations, but one thing I discovered while trying to find someplace to park is that instead of creating waterfront open spaces, Cleveland has used that prime real estate for attractions like the Hall of Fame, FirstEnergy Stadium and the Great Lakes Science Center.  The Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art aren’t downtown, they are a few miles east, and they are of course great museums. 

Cleveland Museum of Fine Art

I’m sure the Hall of Fame and the Stadium are exciting places most evenings, but outside of its attractions Cleveland has, I would say, successfully avoided a decaying retail district by not trying to have one in the first place.  Instead it’s a successful mix of government buildings and corporate headquarters.  It was tough to find a place to eat! 

On my way westbound out of state I made one last stop at the ironically-named (for us PFR’s) Lake Erie port town of Sandusky.  I was there to inquire about a ferry to Pelee Island, which is in Ontario.  My question was, do you have to go through customs before getting on the ferry in Sandusky, or do they do that on Pelee Island (so technically you could go there and get sent back)?  Answer: Sandusky, so NO Zee, you can’t flirt with Ontario here.

However … there are a few other islands out there in Lake Erie (Kelley’s Island and the Bass Islands) that are in Ohio and look like a fun day day trip.  I took the brochures and said to myself, maybe next time.

Previous visit: May 2023 

National Museum of the Great Lakes, view from the bridge of the cargo ship, 

with downtown Toledo in the background

 I wasn’t expecting much from the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, but it turned out to be one of the high points of my entire trip.  Not only is it a great museum, they also have an entire cargo ship tied up to the dock next door that you are invited to tour all of (for a small additional fee) including the cargo holds!  Also a tugboat!  

In addition, this museum is but Phase 1 of a gigantic riverfront “Glass City Metropark” currently under development.  Phase 2 which includes an ice skating pond, kayak rentals, Market Hall and campground (note for future reference) was scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend not long after my visit.  By the time you’re reading this it’s all open for business!

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler

New York State

Including Adirondack Park, Buffalo – Niagara Falls

Erie Canal

From the 50 State Visitor Guide :

N.Y. C.L.S. 2019 Corrections §§168

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

10 calendar days for initial reg., after “establishing residency” (not defined), and for updates. §§168-f, 168-k.  In-state workers required to register if present for more than 14 consecutive days or an aggregate period exceeding 30 days in a calendar year. §168-a.

Visitors: Per NY SOR office, 10 consecutive days or 14 per month. NOTE: Partial days count (except just passing through).  Procedure available for removal from registry after departure.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Certain laws may impose a 1,000 ft. residency restriction from schools and child care facilities for registrants on parole or probation.   

Duration & updates:

20 years to life.  Updates: L3 & “sexual predators” 90 days; all others annually.  §168-h.

Most recent visit: July 2026

When I called the New York State SOR office in June 2020 and again in August 2023,  here’s what they told me: visitors get 10 consecutive days or 14 per month before being required to register. Translation: like many other states, New York’s SOR office is simply applying their requirements for new residents and in-state workers to visitors too.  It also follows that if, like hundreds of thousands of others, you’re a New Jersey or Connecticut resident commuting daily to your job in New York, you’ll also have to register in New York.

The nice lady at the SOR office also said that partial days do count (except “just passing through”); e.g. if you’re staying in NJ or CT and making daily trips into NYC to see the sights or to work, each one of those trips will count toward your allowable total.

Care for a little bike-railing?

In early July 2026 I entered New York from Vermont, on the return leg of a Northeast and New England road trip.  This was also the second time in New York on this trip. On my previous pass through the state I visited New York City (see separate blog post) and racked up two days on both of New York’s visitor calendars (consecutive and cumulative days per month) – except that, Oops! Day 1 that time was June 30 and Day 2 was July 1.  So as I returned to New York a week later I was restarting the consecutive day clock and only Day 2 counted toward the cumulative clock.  Confused yet?

Adirondack Experience                                   Howe Caverns

On this pass I planned three days in New York State.  Day 1 (Cumulative Day 2) was a leisurely trip through Adirondack Park ending with a reserved campsite at Cayoga Lake State Park.  I visited many of the same attractions as on my previous 5/25 trip (see below), and the weather was a heck of a lot better this time.

On Day 2 (Cumulative Day 3) I visited two places I’d never been to before – Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and the Corning Museum of Glass (in Corning).  Just these two stops took all day even though I didn’t give either of them as much time as they deserved. For one thing, they’re pretty far apart.  I also shoehorned in Howe Caverns – because the last time I was there I was 8 years old and didn’t remember anything about it.

Baseball Hall of Fame

Upon leaving Corning I decided to go check nearby Tompkins Campground at Cowanesque Lake Reservoir, which I had been to before, just to see if they had any sites available.  Lucky for me they did!  But that introduced a little wrinkle into my day counting in New York, because – Doh! – this campground is just over the border off I-99 in Pennsylvania!

How did that affect my New York count?  If I had struck out at Tompkins and returned to NY to find a motel, my next day in that state would’ve counted as Day 3 (Cumulative Day 4) no matter what.  But since I spent the night in PA and had no NY destinations the next day because I was just trying to get to Ohio, New York considered that I was “just passing through” and that day did not count!  Tadahhh!

Corning Museum of Glass

Previous visit: Adirondack Park, July 2025

In late May 2025 I entered New York State from Massachusetts for a five day tour (including partial days), the main destinations of which were Adirondack Park and the Buffalo – Niagara Falls region.  On this trip the only clock that mattered was the 10 consecutive day clock, and even on this ambitious trip I would be spending only half the allowable time in New York.

On Day 1 I just found a hotel to stay at but that was a destination so it counted.  Day 2 I took a leisurely trip north through the east half of the park.  Instead f having park attractions, most are privately operated.  Examples:  Revolution Rail, where you can spend a few hours rail-biking (!); Natural Bridge and Caves Park (very nice); US Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid.  High Falls Gorge is part of the park.  That night I camped at Coles Creek State Park along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Natural Bridge & Caves Park

Day 3 I cruised through the west half of Adirondack Park, south on Routes 56 & 30 and west on Route 28.  I had visited the Wild Center and Adirondack Experience Museum on a long ago previous visit so I just made note of them this time.  This region has many lakes and rivers with water sports and campgrounds.  I needed to get closer to the NY Thruway so I’d be closer to my next destination of Buffalo – Niagara Falls.

By the way: The weather totally sucked the whole time I was there.  Late May is too early to visit this part of the country!

Small Town Notes:

Gloversville – The infrastructure built to support the previous mining and logging economy is more than the current tourist and recreation economy can sustain.

Malone – Okay

Fort Covington – Wow, and not in a good way.  And does there have to be a pot shop on every corner?

Potsdam – Looking good, but not because of tourism.  It’s a college town.

Previous visit: Buffalo – Niagara Falls, June 2025

Day 4:  The weather continued to totally suck the whole time I was in Buffalo – Niagara Falls.  Temperatures were in the 40’s and overcast and it was also Sunday, so as you can imagine the place was mostly a ghost town.  I admit that didn’t allow Buffalo to shine its best light – I can only tell you what I saw.

Niagara River Gorge

I decided to go to Niagara Falls first.  But because I’d already been there a few years ago I decided to go to Whirlpool State Park this time instead.  The bad news is that to get there you have to drive on the most inappropriately named road ever constructed – Niagara Scenic Parkway.  Wow is it ever in bad shape!  The good news is the Whirlpool and the gorge are pretty amazing.

My second stop was Martin House, Buffalo’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed building (you see them throughout the Midwest).  Because it was Sunday the last tour had been at 2:30 pm but the Barton House was open.  Unfortunately no indoor photography! 

Martin House

Next stop – Erie Canal Discovery Center, disappointing because the exhibit is small and the canal lock next door is still undergoing renovation which looks like it’s gonna take a while.  However on weekdays there are canal cruises, walking tours and nature trails.

As is my custom my final stop of the afternoon was Downtown Buffalo which like I said was a real ghost town.  Although, that made it easier for me to walk into the Anchor Bar without a reservation to have my required dinner of Buffalo Wings.  I rode Buffalo’s above & below ground subway and found it to be clean and had more people riding than I would have expected at that hour.  As I looked out the window at Buffalo’s main streets it seemed clean and well kept, but most of the storefronts were obviously empty.

Wings at the Anchor Bar

My last stop of the evening was Canalside, Buffalo’s attempt at a trendy waterfront district.  There is a Naval & Military Park next door.  The problem is twofold:  Despite the City’s best efforts it’s disconnected from downtown so it can’t help revitalize anything, and like so many American cities Buffalo’s interstate highway system barricades the city from its riverfront.

As I admit, I didn’t see Buffalo at its best.  The morning of Day 5 I was on my way to Pennsylvania.

Small Town Notes:

Ellicottville – A successful ski town.

Salamanca – Doing okay.  Seneca Nation headquarters.

Lessons from a medical emergency in New York

After a previous pass through New York that had earned me one day on each of the state's consecutive and cumulative calendars, my ex-wife and still BFF returned to New York State on the Long Island Ferry from Connecticut.  We spent the entire day visiting my BFF’s relatives, so that was a destination and that made this Day 2 of my allowable 14 days. 

I want to interject here that unlike many of my BFF’s friends and relatives, who hate me to the point where they aren’t even allowed to know we spend any time together, this particular group has a family member who has now served 15 years of a life sentence for what as you can imagine must be a very serious crime.  Although there are many differences between his offense and mine, including the fact that they all believe he’s innocent, an I’m not, still they now have a life experience that makes them more understanding of my situation and I was welcome in their home.

Also, news flash – between 12/23 and our next visit in 4/24 the police arrested a second person in the same decade old crime spree that led to this family member’s arrest.  That second person has now pointed investigators at the same third person as the “real perpetrator,” giving new hope to my BFF’s relatives.

After our day-long visit my ex and I retired to our reserved hotel room.  Our intention was to participate in a Wreaths Across America event the next day at Long Island Cemetery where her father is buried. 

Frank & Sons - Everybody's favorite bakery in Mastic, LI

However, overnight my BFF became very seriously ill.  I had become similarly ill two days earlier – at a restaurant.  At the time I wondered if it was food poisoning, but now that my ex was also ill it was obviously some kind of 24 hour bug.  The bad news was that due to a pre-existing medical condition she became much more seriously ill than I had.  We were unable to attend the Wreaths Across America event which had been the primary purpose of our trip!  Instead she spent the entire day either in bed or running back and forth to the bathroom, and I spent my Day 3 of my allowable 14 days in New York caring for my best friend.

Now I would like to use this story of an unexpected major change to our travel plan to illustrate how such a change could affect you as a registered traveler.  The silver lining to our experience was that her illness happened on a day we were already intending to spend in New York State, at a hotel where we already had the next night reserved.  Although it took my ex several days to fully recover, she was feeling well enough to travel as planned by the following day.

Suppose that hadn’t been the case?  Suppose I had ended up having to take my BFF to a hospital for several days – as has happened in the past.  Not only would that have been super expensive, it would have extended our stay in New York State by several days AND extended my travel for several days beyond what I had reported in Florida. 

Suppose also that instead of New York we had been in a state with super-short grace periods for visiting registrants, where I had only hours to leave before an obligation to register would take affect?  Tennessee (48 hours), Wyoming, Nebraska and Kansas (all 3 business days), Illinois and Florida (3 days aggregate per calendar year) come to mind.  My registry status could have been called into question just when my ex-wife needed me most.  This is why you must be very careful about the rules of your destination state while traveling.

Nevertheless, on the morning of Day 4 of my allowable 14 days in New York my BFF and I set off early – we had to be home in Tallahassee by the end of the next day because each one of us had family obligations starting the day after that.  And we made it! *Whew!* 

For another example of this problem, enter “medical emergency while traveling” in the search box on my main page. It should bring up a medical emergency in Arizona and how I handled that.

 Previous visit: May 2023

Fort William Henry near Lake Champlain

In May 2023 I was staying at my brother’s house in New Jersey for four consecutive days to attend his interment and celebration of life.  His house is so close to the New York state line that the closest town is in New York.  I was helping my sister-in-law out with the preparations and clean-up and that took me on daily trips into New York State, each with a destination e.g. the Shop Rite supermarket. 

Presumably every time I went with her to town to pick up food or gasoline that was a “partial day” trip that counted toward my allotted 10 consecutive days or 14 per month, because technically I wasn’t “just passing through.”  I had a specific destination in New York State.

On the fourth day it was time to say goodbye to my sister-in-law and travel north up the New York Thruway on my way to Vermont and Maine.  If I had done no sight-seeing in New York State that day it would have been considered “just passing through” and according to the SOR office would not have counted toward my total. But instead I stopped to see Fort William Henry, a French & Indian War site, and that meant I had a “destination” in New York State.

Not to worry – that’s a total of four consecutive partial days, well below my allowable total of ten consecutive days.  Fine.

On my second pass through New York I entered from Massachusetts, spent two leisurely days traveling across Upstate New York before exiting on I-90 into PA and Ohio.  That’s two days on the consecutive day clock and two additional days on the aggregate day clock for a total of six days.  Again, not to worry – it’s still well below the 14 aggregate days you and I are allowed to be in New York without triggering an obligation to register.

Among the stops I made on this second pass through New York State were: Erie Canal; Cherry Valley Museum, which wasn’t scheduled to open until Memorial Day but there were people getting the place ready who invited me in for a tour; Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame; Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark, and if you don’t know who Gerrit Smith was you should look him up; Seneca Nations Onohsagweide Cultural Center; and two privately operated rock outcroppings – one called Rock City Park and the other called Panama Rocks.  Both really impressive.

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler

New Hampshire

No I didn't climb this mountain.  I found this photo in Google Images!

From the 50 State Visitor Guide :

NH R.S.A. 2019 §651-B:1 through 651-B:12; Admin. Code Saf-C 5501.01 through 5506.7

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

Five business days for initial registration and updates. §§651-B:4, B:5

Visitors: “Residence” defined as more than a total of five aggregate days during a one-month period (but not a calendar month per NH SOR office). §651-B:1(XIII).

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

None. 

Duration & updates:

Tier 1 – 10 yrs. Tiers 2&3 – life.  Petition to remove – T1 – 5 yrs. T2 – 15 yrs.  Updates:  T1&2 – 6 months.  T3 –3 months.

The one hour ride at Conway Scenic Railroad

Most recent visit: July 2026

New Hampshire’s SOR law is unusual in that while there are a few states cruel enough to limit registered visitors to only a few days per calendar year (Florida, Illinois and Alabama come to mind), this is one of the few states that has an aggregate standard per month – specifically five aggregate days.  Also, although the state law is silent on whether the words “one month period” means a calendar month, the nice lady at the New Hampshire SOR office was NOT silent.  She said that “month” means any 30 day period whether a calendar month or not.  Thanks for nothing.

Beyond that small number of days, however, New Hampshire is pretty easy to get along with, since at a state level at least it has no residency, presence or other restrictions. Local restrictions may apply and as with so many other states you must assume that any partial day will count against the five day total.  So to that degree you can travel the state without worry.

On July 4, 2026 I spent my Independence Day driving from my brother’s house in Rhode Island to my reserved campground in southern Maine.  You can’t get to Maine from any direction, of course, without passing through New Hampshire.  And since I had extra time that day I stopped at Portsmouth to see Strawbery Banke (yes that’s spelled correctly) which is a National Historic Site that preserves an entire neighborhood from the 1700’s. 

Left: Sample preserved building at Strawbery Banke

Right: Weaving demo - Note: this photo might have been illegal if taken in Maine

Inasmuch as it’s an intact Colonial Era neighborhood, it’s like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia – but I think Strawbery Banke is actually better because (a) there are more buildings in a more compact area, so you can see more for less, and (b) whereas many of Colonial Williamsburg’s buildings are reconstructions, nearly all of the larger number of buildings at Strawbery Banke are preserved originals.  Yet it much less known.

If I had not stopped anywhere in New Hampshire I would’ve considered myself “just passing through” and not counted that day towards my allowable 5 days per month.  But I did stop, so for counting purposes this was Partial Day 1.

Conway Scenic RR Station

Four days later, after my Maine adventure (see previous posts), I again passed through New Hampshire with stops, so that became Partial Day 2.  Entering that morning on US 302, my first stop was the tourist town of North Conway, home of the Conway Scenic Railroad.  They offer several train rides ranging from all day down to one hour.  I took them up on this shortest ride, concerned that the route south might have gotten cluttered with tourist crap since the last time I was here decades ago.  But no – I’m pleased to report a scenic train ride.

From North Conway I continued on US 302 with the intention of riding the Mt. Washington Cog Railway.  I didn’t realize the cog railway is part of a larger tourist attraction that, once you commit to it, will be expensive and take most of the day.  Note to self: Next time, make sure to allow enough time.

The Flume at Franconia Notch

With Mt. Washington subtracted, I added a different attraction that I could do in a couple of hours – Flume Gorge, near Franconia Notch State Park.  Wow!  I’ll definitely do that again next time!  Flume Gorge is one of several attractions in the Franconia Notch area including Connon Mtn. Aerial Tramway, The Basin, Indian Head and Granite State Railway.  Note to self: Next time, make sure to allow enough time.

It was late afternoon and I was soon crossing over into Vermont.  So as you see, I spent two partial days in New Hampshire but never spent a night.

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler

FLIRTING WITH CANADA

Whale Watching in New Brunswick

Travel Alert 2026:

This Canada-flirting opportunity DOES NOT bring you into contact with US or Canadian customs

A few years ago I visited the International Peace Garden, which is open to Americans but part of it is in Manitoba.  I blogged about that.  Since then I’ve returned to the U.S.-Canadian border looking for other places along the US-Canada border where Americans are permitted inside a hermetically sealed little chunk of Canada.

Given the current repressive climate against PFR’s that has come to be known as the Epstein Shadow, combined with the violent climate against immigrants and others deemed suspicious at our borders, I now warn any current or formerly registered person against putting yourself in any situation where you might come into contact with U.S. Customs unless you have a valid passport in hand.

Fortunately, you won’t see any Customs or Border Control personnel while Whale Watching in New Brunswick 10-15 miles into Canadian territory. Instead you’ll see whales.

One thing I want to make clear is that this is just a game.  Nobody is trying to sneak across the border.  I don’t even want to do that and it would violate the rules of the game – which are that it has to be a bona fide place where any American is allowed to be without a passport.  So let’s play the game:

From the 50 State Visitor Guide: Maine

M.R.S. 2019

Offenses committed before Jan. 1, 2013: M.R.S. 34A §§ 11201 through 11256

Offenses committed on or after Jan. 1, 2013: M.R.S. 34A §§ 11271 through 11304

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

Convictions before Jan. 1, 2013:  Registrants have 5 days to register with the state Bureau of Identification (generally in writing) and 24 hours to register with local law enforcement using a form provided by the Bureau.  §§11222-11223.

Employees and students (and probably visitors) in the state must register with the bureau w/in 5 days and with local law enforcement w/in 24 hours of working for either (1) more than 14 consecutive days in the state, or (2) for an aggregate period exceeding 30 days in a calendar year.  §11224.

Convictions on or after Jan. 1, 2013: Registrants have 3 days to register with the state Bureau of Identification (generally in writing) and 24 hours to register with local law enforcement upon establishing a residence, using a form provided by the Bureau.  §§11282-11284.  “Residence” means 14 consecutive days in the state, or 30 days in one year.  §11273(12).

Procedure available for removal from registry after departure.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Restriction on Contact with Minors:  For registrants convicted after June 30, 1992 of an offense against a person younger than 14, Maine prohibits the knowing initiation of contact with a person younger than 14 in a “sex offender restricted zone,” unless the parent consents or the contact is for employment purposes.  “Sex offender restricted zones” include schools other than high schools, day cares, parks, playgrounds, and other places “where children are the primary users.” M.R.S. § 17-A:261. 

Duration & updates:

10 years to life.  Duration of reg. requirement and frequency of updates are determined by date convicted and tier.  §§11222, 11285.

Eastport, ME Whale Watching Tour – July 2026

Flirt Rating – B+

It so happens that on my first trip to Maine in 2021 I had snagged a seat on a whale watching tour boat in Boothbay Harbor, which isn’t so far east of Portland, only to see no whales.  The silver lining was that the tour boat company issued “standby tickets” to all passengers, good through the end of the following season. 

Long story short I kept going back and back – but never saw a whale!  As a result I was returning to Maine every year, not seeing a whale, and never seeing much of Maine either!

While preparing for my July 2026 Maine trip I noticed on my Rand McNally map one of those little red boxes that denote a point of interest.  It was in the water, on the Canadian side of the international boundary (!) and it said:

“Largest Whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere”

WHOA !! What’s that ?! And I wonder if there’s a boat tour of it ??

When I searched for a tour I found Eastport Whale Watching Tours, wherein said whale watching is entirely in Canadian waters and includes a side trip to see the whirlpool.  Sign me up!

Whale Watching Boat

What is the Eastport Whale Watching Tour?

This tour is much different than the one in Boothbay Harbor.  That tour has a large boat (capacity 125) and they head out into the ocean, look around and come back.  This tour uses a much smaller boat (capacity 25) and never leaves intracoastal waters which are much more placid – see map.

The only tour offered was an afternoon tour leaving at 1:30.  Their website also offers charter fishing trips – presumably in the morning and also in Canadian waters – so if you’d rather fish than whale watch then give them a call (see phone number on boat photo).

First stop was the Largest Whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere.  NO, it’s not like the death-defying whirlpools in Pirates of the Caribbean or The Odyssey. Instead there is a large area of a cove in the bay where the water slowly circles around, and you can’t really see that from a small boat.

One of many whirlpools

However !! Around the perimeter of the large whirlpool, where the whirlpooling water rubs up against the surrounding non-whirlpooling water, it kicks up a bunch of smaller whirlpools that are really cool! See photo.  Note: I asked our tour guy what is the best tide to see these whirlpools and he said, incoming tide generally but peaking the last two hours before high tide. 

We were at about 4 hours before high tide, so good but not best viewing.  I feel lucky.  I assume they move the whirlpool around in the tour schedule so you see it at the best available time, but for best viewing you should consult a tide schedule before making your reservation.

East Quaddy Lighthouse - Note Canadian Insignia

Then it was off to see whales!  Looking at the map you will see the tour heads eastward about 10-15 miles in New Brunswick intracoastal waters until it comes to East Quaddy Lighthouse. Note that this lighthouse is at the tip of Campobello Island, which is Canadian.  I’ll get back to that later.  For now it’s enough to say we were surrounded pretty close on almost all sides by Canadian islands and mainland.

Canadian whale watching boats - Note flag on stern of boat at left.

Wouldn't it be cool to whale watch on a sailing boat?  Well you can't - it's based in New Brunswick.

When we got to the whale watching spot we were not alone.  Three other small boat whale watching tours – all Canadian – were plying the same waters.  I soon realized, these guys all know each other, they’re out here every day, they know where to look for the whales, and they’re on the radio with each other so if anybody spots a whale the other boats come running.  So in that way it was more like a whale chase than a whale watch.

Proof that I saw whales in Canadian waters

And YES we saw whales.  I myself saw several and managed to get a decent photo of one.  Also, the crew were not on any strict schedule.  The tour was scheduled as 1 1/2 hours, but as long as there were whales to be chased we chased them for almost an extra hour. 

Then one more pleasant surprise.  As the boat returned to shore they stopped at a couple of lobster traps they have in the water for just this purpose.  The tour guy pulled one out and gave a lobster talk – see photos.  You could never do such a thing on a big boat like at Boothbay Harbor.

Lobster talk

Verdict: Great Tour!  The fact that it’s all in Canadian waters is just the icing on the cake.

Other so-called “international” points of interest

Roosevelt-Campobello International Park – A total no-go. 

President Roosevelt had a summer home on Campobello Island, NB, just across the bridge from Lubec, ME.  This same island has the East Quaddy Lighthouse at the other end – see photo above.  Now the whole island  including the lighthouse is an “international park” focusing entirely on a US president, yet there’s no way to get there without a passport.  I asked the guy at the checkpoint (I walked up to it – didn’t drive!). No exceptions, no work-arounds.  What a bunch of dickheads.  As for Lubec, it’s quaint all right, but not prosperous.

St. Croix Island International Historic Park – Flirt Rating - F

The island is in the middle of the river but in Canada.  Too bad you can’t get to it.  On the US side there is a small display and an overlook.

Town of Calais – Quaint Rating – A;  Flirt Rating – D

If you want to see quaintness in a town that’s also big enough to have interesting stuff to see, try Calais.  The St. Croix River is small at this point, with just a two-lane bridge at the crossing, and there is a downtown riverfront park, so you can look longingly at New Brunswick if you like, but that doesn’t give it great flirt rating.  Note: Wabanaki Cultural Center.  I assume St. Stephen, NB is just as good, but we can’t go there.  Oh well!

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler