The Maine Attraction

the Maine attRaction

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A pair of Boston Whalers helps a busy doctor enjoy the Down East lifestyle to the fullest Story by Jennifer Chesak | Photos by Mike Calabro

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Beyond the many sailboat masts dotting the marina, stark white church steeples rise out of the gold- and red-tinged treeline.

Bucksport’s harborfront on the Penobscot River is storybook Maine. And for Dr. Ian Dickey, owner of a 345 Conquest, it was in books that he first learned about the beauty of the area. “What do you think of when you think of Maine?” he asks. The answer, for him, is author Stephen King.

The master of horror lives just upriver in Bangor in a mansion—with a cast-iron spider-webbed gate—not far from Ian, who has been a fan since he was young. The anecdote goes that when Ian was still in the womb, Ian’s grandmother gave his mother a copy of The Shining for future story time. Later, Ian, a Vancouver native, had the chance to visit Maine while attending a wedding. He fell in love with the state. When his work as an orthopedic surgeon and orthopedic oncologist later brought him to the East Coast, he was thrilled.

Not long after his move, Ian bought a Whaler 170 Montauk and then followed that up with a 285 Conquest and then a 345 Conquest. Now he uses the 170 as his taxi boat to travel down the Penobscot from Bangor to Bucksport. He ties it up next to the 345 and then hops on that to tour Penobscot Bay or the Atlantic. “They’re my girls,” he says, standing on the dock at the marina admiring the beauties in his side-by-side slips.

For visitors and residents of Maine, the Penobscot River aords picturesque views and classic East Coast charm. For Dr. Ian Dickey, exploring by Whaler is the best way to soak it all in.

After shoving off from Bucksport, Ian captains the boat past Maine’s Fort Knox, located on the west bank in Prospect. “ere are two Fort Knoxes,” he explains. “ere’s the one in Kentucky that everyone thinks of, and then there’s ours. Bangor used to be a big deal.” e fort’s batteries were indeed built to protect the lumber mecca the town was back in the mid-1800s. e Conquest slips under the nearby Penobscot Narrows Bridge. e newly built cable-stayed span features two towering obelisks with one hosting an observatory, offering 360-degree views of the river, bay and surrounding towns.

Once under the bridge, Ian pushes the throttle of the triple 300-hp Mercury® FourStroke Verados. He looks back at the wake and smiles. “at’s what I grew up with, a Merc,” he says of the small Whaler model he had as a kid and its 10-hp engine. “With these Verados, there’s no noise, no smell. You know you’ll get back.”

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Ian was no stranger to boating. His father was the head of the West Coast shipyard. He constructed boom boats for the logging industry and also built the Vancouver fireboats. “I’ve lived a very nautically inspired life,” Ian says. “I was very blessed that we spent so much time on the water.” e family boated on British Columbia’s Sakinaw Lake. “You could cut it in bits and it wouldn’t sink,” Ian says of the family’s small Whaler,

paying homage to the iconic Boston Whaler image in which founder Richard Fisher is shown floating around in a cut-in-half 13-footer. “e Unibond construction became a big selling feature for me,” Ian adds.

When he first moved to Maine, buying a Whaler from Port Harbor Marine was a no-brainer. “When I bought the Montauk, I thought it was the perfect boat,” he says. “It’s so portable and so seaworthy. With the reverse chine, it’s so dry, too. I’ve been out in 4-foot waves and remained dry. I could take it out on the ocean and then throw it on the trailer and take it over to a friend’s lake. And that’s how I got into Whaler Nation,” he adds with a laugh.

Eventually, Ian wanted to upgrade to get a few extra creature comforts for all-day or overnight trips, but he wasn’t willing to give up his Montauk for use on Pushaw Lake, just north of Bangor. At first, he bought a 285 Conquest, which he loved, but then he caught sight of the big guns, the 345. “One of my favorite features is the autopilot,” he says. Ian shows off with a “look Ma, no hands!” gesture as he idles near the historic Fort Point Light. e lighthouse was built in 1836, and its nineteenth century Fresnel lens remains in use today.

“You have everything that a Whaler sportfishing boat has to offer,” Ian continues, raving about the 345. “And you have the superiority of

Ian knew as soon as he laid eyes on it that the 345 Conquest was his boating destiny. He and his crew often take advantage of the Whaler’s many amenities for entertaining. (Opposite, top left) The heavily reinforced walls of Maine’s Fort Knox.

“I’ve lived a very nautically inspired life,” Ian says. “I was blessed to spend so much time on the water.”

Marshall Point Lighthouse, located in Port Clyde, West Penobscot Bay

In the waning hours, the 345 Conquest shines as a beacon in the harbor. Locals drifting past offer admiring glances before leaving Ian to enjoy another pleasant evening onboard.

“I could take the Conquest out in the height of summer or on a rainy day in the fall and return without a blemish.” the finish, design and durability.” Ian admits that the only fish his Whaler will probably see is a piece of sushi, but he likes having the reliability of a boat that a hardcore fisherman would trust. Add in the amenities like a ceramic cooktop in the galley and an electric grill on deck, and it doesn’t matter who caught the fish, it can still be prepared and eaten right onboard.

Ian captains the boat into the harbor at Castine to a favorite lunch spot. e gleaming 345 is the center of attention. It even garners stares from crewmembers aboard a much bigger vessel, the T/S State of Maine, the training ship for the Maine Maritime Academy. Ian ties the boat up at Dennett’s Wharf, makes his way up to the patio and orders a heaping plate of steamers and a lobster roll.

While Ian has no trouble embracing and devouring Maine culture (he even describes himself as a “Mainiac”), he retains quite a soft spot for the Pacific Northwest, where he still owns a house. “e Conquest is the ultimate Vancouver and Seattle boat,” he says. “I could take it out in the height of summer or on a rainy day in the fall and return without so much as a blemish.”

Of course, Maine has plenty to offer for boaters and adventure seekers, as well. e town of Belfast is just to the south on Penobscot Bay at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River. It features a beautiful seaport and charming Greek and Gothic Revival style architecture. South of Belfast is Camden, which is known as a high-class summering

hotspot. But it fills up in February, too, when the annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships are held there. One of the most epic Maine destinations is Bar Harbor to the east, which is also the jumping-off point for Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Visitors to the park can enjoy cycling, hiking, birding and just listening to the waves crashing up against the rocky shoreline. Bar Harbor has a wealth of shops, restaurants and inns for refueling, resting up and passing time.

As Ian enjoys his lunch, locals and other boaters stop by to say hello.

Dr. Dickey and his new boat have been a fixture at Dennett’s Wharf all summer. e peninsula where the town of Castine is located was once a lucrative fur and lumber trading site. Its history can be seen in its antique architecture. And authors such as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow have honored the town’s beauty in their literature.

After every last steamer has been shucked and consumed, Ian makes his way back onboard and steers the Whaler towards Bucksport. e afternoon sun casts a warm glow on the Verso Paper Mill on the west side of the harbor, and the whitewashed town gleams in the distance. Storybook Maine, for sure. Fittingly, across the street from the marina sits an old pub, MacLeod’s Restaurant, owned and operated by George MacLeod, a former college roommate of none other than author Stephen King. Ian heads there often to grab a drink and chat with George about the author who inspired his love for Down East.