Blue Hill Bay is located on the western side of Mount Desert Island and north of Swans Island. Blue Hill Bay is 20 miles northeast of Vinalhaven and 30 miles southwest of Corea Harbor.

The image above is a view from the east looking west over the entrance to Blue Hill Bay near Western Way on South Mount Desert Island. The point of land to the left (south) is the northern tip of Great Gott Island, and to the right is the southern tip of Bass Harbor Head. Just beyond Bass Harbor Head to the right, Bass Harbor itself can be seen.

Use NOAA Chart 13313.

Blue Hill Bay can be approached via two passages near Mount Desert Island. The northern approach involves going between Great Gott Island and Bass Harbor Head, while the southern approach requires passing Swans Island and Placentia and Black islands.

North Approach

The northern approach (east to west) starts flashing green gong buoy “1,” which is located at an approximate waypoint of N44 13.271 W68 17.790. Once you have safely navigated to flashing green gong buoy “1,” set a new course of about 286 degrees magnetic for 1.6 miles to pick up red and white bell buoy “EB.” This is the beginning of a narrow 14-foot-deep passage between Bass Harbor Bar and Bass Harbor Head. On the other side of this thin passage is red and white gong buoy “WB,” which carries you into Blue Hill Bay south of Bass Harbor.

South Approach

From the south, first navigate to red and white Morse (A) buoy “LI” just north of Long Island. The buoy is located at an approximate waypoint of N44 08.334 W68 20.526. Once you have picked up red and white Morse (A) buoy “LI,” set an approximate course of 339 degrees magnetic for around 4.4 miles where you will find green can buoy “1,” which is west of Placentia Island. (Make sure you give green can “1” plenty of room to port, as a five-foot-deep rock ledge is just to the west of the buoy. From here, you can head north into Blue Hill Bay.

Local Notices to Mariners are now exclusively available online from the U.S. Coast Guard.