For decades, schooners referred to as “windjammers” have sailed up and down the Maine coast carrying vacationers from May to October. This year, however, the pandemic has delayed the season and there are concerns that it may not start at all. 

Already Boothbay’s 58th Annual Windjammer Days, scheduled for this week have been canceled. Likewise, the Maine Windjammer Association has canceled its 44th Annual Great Schooner Race, scheduled for July 2 and the Parade of Sail scheduled for July 10 in Roclkand.

The eight schooners of the Maine Windjammer Association are all still tied to the docks. 

Noah Barnes, captain of the 149-year old schooner Stephen Taber and operator of the schooner Ladona told WABI-TV, “It’s three weeks before we start operating, and we still don’t know if we can. One vessel has already pulled the plug on the season. I think that there will be others to follow, and that’s a bit of a tragedy.”

“The uncertainty of all of this is most wearing. It’s exhausting.”

The Windjammer Association worked with the state and the Department of Marine Resources to craft guidelines that would allow them to operate.

“We arrived at what we all agree was a workable, safe, pathway forward.”

Barnes says he doesn’t disagree with the efforts being made by Governor Mills and Dr. Shah to keep Maine safe, but he says a major stumbling block is a lack of access to testing in the state.

“I can’t get my crew tested, and I can’t test myself unless we’re visibly showing symptoms. And if I can’t get my crew tested, then I’m not going to operate.”

Even if the testing problem is solved, he says some of his guests aren’t comfortable or able to come.

“About half of the people are saying, you know what? We’ll see you next year. It’s just not going to happen for us this year.”