Porpoise Cove Inlet

About

Local Notices to Mariners:

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

Introduction:

Cape Porpoise Harbor is primarily a harbor of refuge for lobstermen and their boats, but with an easy to navigate deepwater channel, it makes a convenient stopover point for cruisers. The harbor is about three miles east of Kennebunkport and the Kennebunk River, and although infrequently visited by recreational craft, there is good holding for anchoring out in the main channel, and the area is very well protected from the weather.

Navigating the Water:

Use NOAA Chart 13286.

Red bell buoy “2” marks the star of the approach to Cape Porpoise Harbor, followed by red nun “4.” Goat Island lighthouse (flashing white every six seconds; horn), in combination with the aforementioned bell buoys make Cape Porpoise Harbor easy to navigate, even in bad weather. Eight-foot depths can be found along most of the length of the harbor, but so can hundreds of lobster pot floats (visible in the aerial image above), which require special attention.