The Pemaquid River is located off Johns Bay on the west side of Pemaquid Neck about three miles north of Pemaquid Point and eight miles northeast of Damariscove Island. The river empties into Johns Bay at Fort William Henry and is about two miles in length.

The image above is a view from the west looking east over the entrance to the Pemaquid River where it empties into Pemaquid Harbor. Off to the right (south) side of the image is the town of Pemaquid Beach and Fort William Henry, a stone fortress built in 1692, and a fun place for visitors to explore.

The main round portion of the image above is sometimes called Pemaquid Harbor (the true Pemaquid Harbor is where the departing sailboat is located), while farther off in the upper-right-hand corner of the image is the continuation of the Pemaquid River. Notice the thousands of small dots (lobster pot floats) dotting the harbor on the apparoach.

There are three marine service and marina facilities on the Pemaquid River, but there are no overnight transient dockside slips available here. If you’d like to tie up at a mooring for the night, Pemaquid Beach Boat Works administers the moorings on the river near its mouth. If you need to top off with gas or diesel fuel, the Pemaquid Fisherman’s Co-op pumps both.

Use NOAA Chart 13293.

The Pemaquid River is reached via an approach from the west through Pemaquid Harbor. The main danger on the approach to the Pemaquid River is the obvious lack of aids to navigation. Although there is a south passage from Johns Island, the Knowles Rocks are an issue, and most boaters find the entrance from the west to be easier.

From Johns Bay, first set a course to intercept the area near waypoint N43 52.455 W69 32.335. Once you have arrive at your waypoint, set an easterly course of about 094 degrees magnetic and follow that heading for about .7 mile. This course will take you north of Beaver Island, through Pemaquid Harbor, and then to the entrance of the Pemaquid River at Fort William Henry.

Inside the river’s mouth you will find red and white buoy “P.” This marks a boundary between four-foot depths to the south (notice the small powerboats on the right side of the river above) and 14-foot depths on the north side (notice the sailboats). There are more moorings upstream, some private some owned by Pemaquid Beach Boat Works.

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