Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Monhegan Island, Maine. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES: Non-United States citizens will need a valid passport and may need a tourist visa. Consult your nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for details. Canadian citizens should carry proof of citizenship in the form of a passport or birth certificate.
HEALTH: Birdwatching on Monhegan poses no major health hazards, and insects are not an issue this late in the year. While on Monhegan, we walk everywhere, and while the roads and most trails are good, some are rocky and irregular. Sturdy, supportive footwear is important. There will be two ferry crossing of about one and a half hours each. The ferry passes through open, sometimes rough water; bring motion sickness medicine if you are susceptible, or think you might be, to motion sickness.
Note that no doctors, pharmacies, or other medical services are available on Monhegan Island. Be sure to bring adequate supplies of personal medications with you.
Finally, we urge everyone to follow our clothing suggestions. Inadequate gear produces more discomfort than all other causes combined.
PACE OF THE TOUR: Our daily schedule will depend on weather and circumstance. We’ll have pre-breakfast walks most days, return for breakfast, and then have longer walks in the morning and afternoon broken by a very informal sit-down or porch picnic lunch. All walking is of short to at most moderate duration. Afternoons will be a repeat of the mornings, but to different destinations. During our stay we’ll certainly visit many spots repeatedly, but there’s more than enough to do.
CLIMATE: September weather is hard to predict. Daytime highs should be in the 60s and 70s, with rain or fog possible. Along the coast, you can expect cooler weather with overcast skies and onshore winds; temperatures may be in the 50s or lower. Rain, wind, and fog are always possible. Layered clothing and proper rain gear are essential to accommodate a variety of weather conditions.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be staying in a comfortable, standard motel in Portland and at the rustic but extremely comfortable Island Inn on Monhegan. Note that on Monhegan we may use the Island Inn’s nearby Pierce Cottage, which does not have water views but does have heat (lacking in the main building), sometimes an advantage in mid-fall. If you would prefer an ocean view over heat, please let us know and we’ll check availability for you. Note: There are no elevators in either facility; luggage will be delivered to your room, but you may have to walk up two or three flights of stairs.
There are no phones in the guest rooms in either building, but the lobby of the Island Inn does have a house phone that can be used with a calling card. There is a wifi connection in the lobby of the main building of the Island Inn.
Both the Island Inn and Pierce Cottage are non-smoking facilities.
DRESS: Informal throughout.
TRANSPORTATION: The transfer from our first night’s hotel in Portland to our ferry will be in a 15-passenger window van; travel time is approximately 1.5 – 2 hours. Participants should be able to ride in any seat in tour vehicles. Transportation to Monhegan Island from Boothbay Harbor is aboard the Balmy Days II; approximate travel time is 85 minutes each way. Our vessel is equipped with motion stabilizers and has inside seating with restrooms and a snack bar.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail. Both the Island Inn and Pierce Cottage are non-smoking facilities. The state of Maine prohibits smoking in public places. Smoking is also prohibited on the ferry, at the Island Inn, at Pierce Cottage, and in all of Monhegan’s wild lands.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information and Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Monhegan will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: October 2010