At Broad Reach Adventures, we take pride in being a women-owned and operated business. Founded by Rev. Dr. Capt. AbbyLynn Haskell, our company is built upon the vision, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit of a woman leader in the outdoor adventure industry. Read more here.
Intimate Settings: With a commitment to exclusivity, each of our 6 boats carries no more than 6 guests, ensuring a personalized and intimate atmosphere.
Stellar Reputation: Boasting a remarkable 4.99 average rating based on 600 reviews across 6 online platforms, our dedication to excellence speaks volumes.
Diverse Experiences: Explore numerous cruising adventures with our 8 types of Experiences based in the Portland and South Portland areas.
Unmatched Exploration: Delve into the heart of Maine’s crown jewel, its rugged coastline. Seeing Portland and the surrounding Casco Bay from the water is the finest cruising location on the East Coast.This unique opportunity provides the change to discover the rich wildlife, including seals and bottle nose dolphins, active lighthouses, picturesque islands, meandering rivers, and bustling harbors.
Wood Island Lighthouse from 1808 to this day continues to be a navigation light and fog signal to mariners in the Saco Bay. There were 43 Light House Keepers between 1808 and 1986, when the light became fully automated. The “Friends of Wood Island Light” (FOWIL) are responsible for the care and maintenance of this national treasure as well as giving guests an opportunity to tour the facility in the summer. We encourage you to check out the FOWIL website and consider becoming members, volunteering or/and coming on a tour. Of the 65 lighthouses in the state of Maine we believe this is one of just 8 locations that has been restored and that visitors can tour both Lighthouse and either the Keeper’s House or Museum and is located on an island. In our opinion, this is the best restored Keeper’s House we’ve seen! Abby and Bob are active FOWIL volunteers.
Barbara Burke was the Broad Reach Sailing guest that visited Wood Island on September 13, 2019. Barbara is the Granddaughter of Charles Burke, who was the Lighthouse Keeper during the time period that the Keepers House was restored to in 1906. Barbara’s Dad Wyatt was born while Charles was the Keeper at Wood Island and he lived on the island for his first 7 years.
On Saturday evening October 12, 2019 a call went out from AbbyLynn and Bob Haskell, new FOWIL volunteers this season and also operators of Broad Reach Sailing. They found out unexpectedly that their guest for Sunday’s excursion was none other than Barbara Burke, granddaughter of Charles A. Burke (1905 – 1914) who was the first keeper to serve in the newly redesigned keeper’s house and is the focus of all our restorations. Her father, Wyatt and his twin brother Wallace were born during Keeper and Mrs. Burke’s time on the island and spent their first 6 years enjoying growing up out there. Barbara was visiting the area from Missoula, Montana…
“I couldn’t imagine having a more wonderful experience. I booked a trip to sail past the lighthouse my father and his twin brother had lived on the first seven years of their lives. I ended up with an introduction to the wonderful folks that have restored and maintain the lighthouse and keepers home and a personalized tour of the premises. All on a gorgeous sailboat, expertly crewed and ending with a world-class opera aria in the language of my choice. I can’t recommend this trip strongly enough. Even without a personal connection you get all the other wonderful aspects of a truly marvelous trip. Go sailing!”
