The town of Belfast and Belfast Harbor are located off Penobscot and Belfast bays, south of Searsport and north of Islesboro Island. A more specific description places Belfast 28 miles west of Mount Desert Island and 78 miles northeast of Portland.

The image above is a view from the northwest looking southeast over the town of Belfast and the Passagassawkeg River where it meets Penobscot Bay. (Penobscot Bay is the large area of water that is located in the upper right-hand portion of the image.)

There are two marinas in town (the Belfast Boatyard and Belfast Public Landing) and they both have transient dockage for visiting boaters. Additionally, both facilities administer the moorings in the harbor--look for instructions on the individual mooring you tie up to. If you need repairs, the Belfast Boatyard has a 30-ton lift, and if you’re low on fuel, Belfast public landing pumps both.

Belfast Area history dates back more than 200 years. In 1765, John Mitchell was making a voyage from Boston to points east and was captivated by the wilderness at the head of Penobscot Bay. He decided the area would be ideal for a settlement and relocated to the area along with 35 friends. Many of the founding fathers wanted to name this new settlement Londonderry, but a strong-willed settler, John Miller of Belfast, Ireland, made a protest and a coin was flipped. Belfast won.

The harbor and waterfront was the hub of commercial activity. The Belfast area had many active shipyards. Searsport alone, just to the north of Belfast, was home to eleven yards and to more shipmasters than any other town in America. Between 1810 and 1890, more than 200 ships slid down the railways in Searsport and in 1887 alone, more than 1,200 vessels arrived in local ports.

Bustling Belfast carried the spirit of enterprise into the 20th century. Shipbuilding declined as road and rail travel improved. During the 1940s the area embraced the shoe business and two busy poultry processing plants were built. Waldo County took to chicken rearing in a big way as local farms supplied the factories with up to 200,000 birds a day.

Information Courtesy Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce.

Use NOAA Chart 13309.

The town of Belfast is approached from the east via a passage through Penobscot and Belfast bays. Even though you can use a more direct route (along the southern or northern shorelines of Belfast Bay), we will discuss a central route that allows boaters coming in from the north (Penobscot Bay) or south (West Penobscot Bay) to safely make their way into Belfast and the mouth of the Passagassawakeg River.

From Penobscot Bay or West Penobscot Bay, first set a course to intercept flashing red, red and white Morse (A) buoy “II,” which is located off the northwestern and of Isleboro Island. The buoy is located at an approximate position of N44 23.196 W68 54.912.

Once you have successfully made you way to flashing red, red and white Morse (A) buoy “II,” set and follow a new course of approximately 325 degrees magnetic for about three miles. Here you will find flashing red bell buoy “2” marking Sleets Ledge in Belfast Harbor.

Lastly, chart your way toward Belfast by setting and following a course of about 319 degrees magnetic for 1.1 miles until you reach red nun buoy “4,” which is just off the Belfast waterfront.

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

Major airlines fly into Portland International Jetport (100 miles south) and Bangor International Airport (37 miles north). Daily commercial air service is also available to Knox County Airport. There is limousine service from Portland and Bangor airports, and car rentals are available at all three airports.

The Belfast Municipal Airport provides charters nationwide and into Canada. Helicopter service is also available.

Information Courtesy Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce

Belfast Municipal Airport

Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce

Belfast Calendar of Events