The coastline of southern Maine trends in a north/south orientation. From the area starting in Portland and the greater Casco Bay, the coast makes a turn and swings to a more-or-less east/west orientation. Local sailors say that sailing towards Canada is heading east.
The entire coastal area to the east (and a bit north) of Penobscot Bay is known as Downeast. The numerous coastal towns and villages of the central coast thin out, and the few marine services around cater to the local lobster fleet instead of pleasure vessels.
Compared to the rest of Maine, this part of the coast is a bit more remote, but it’s no less scenic. And one of the jewels of Downeast is the Roque Island archipelago. Located only about 30 miles from the border with Canada, the 8 or so islands form a large circular harbor. The biggest of the islands is Roque itself, and its highlight is a rarity for rock-strewn Maine – a mile-long sand beach.
With so many islands the archipelago is full of anchorages, and Madrone tucked into a small nook in a shallow bay between Roque Island and Marsh Island. The tall pines, rocky shores, and solitude all could have easily been dropped directly from the Pacific Northwest. Madrone felt right at home.
