AN ARCHIPELAGO of 30 or 40 islands lies between Deer Isle and Isle au Haut. Merchants Row, as they are know collectively, is unsurpassed for beauty anywhere in Maine. The islands are all darkly wooded and fringed with white and pink sloping granite shores. Tight passages wind between them, and harbors are everywhere. Even the names of the islands are evocative—Sprout and Potato, Enchanted and Grog, Round, Bare, and Green. Other names remind you that for every island, there is rock—Hells Half Acre and Devil and Wreck Island.
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Some islands have old quarries and stone wharves. Crotch Island is once again a working quarry and one of the few places where this fascinating operation can be observed.
COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
Most of the islands in Merchants Row are privately owned, but four—Wreck, Round, McGlathery, and Russ—belong to environmental groups. Several others are part of the Maine Island Trail.
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The most frequently used anchorages are at McGlathery, between Round and McGlathery, between Camp and Bold, between Bold and Devil, and at Merchant Harbor. There are many other places to drop the hook for a short time or for the night. The major anchorages are described here. The pleasure of discovering the gunkholes is left to you.
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You can be dazzled by these islands, wandering among them and distracted by their beauty. But the distances are small, and there are lots of hard spots. Keep the chart in hand and keep track of where you are at all times. Navigation is much more difficult in fog, so save this magnificent cruising ground for a sparkling day. It may be the most beautiful place in the world.