Photography Cruise on the Grace Bailey

 -August 4-8 2026

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Sail with the Schooner Grace Bailey on this unforgettable four-night adventure along the coast of Maine with Down East Staff Photographer, Dave Waddell.

Workshop Description

We’ve partnered with Schooner Grace Bailey, on this unforgettable four-night adventure along the coast of Maine with Down East Staff Photographer, Dave Waddell. As an authentic coasting schooner originally built in 1882 and now set up for passenger comfort with newly refreshed cabins, enjoy the living history of coastal Maine in action as we sail around the islands of the Penobscot Bay. Slow down your pace of life and experience the majestic coastline from the perspective of the sea. Anchor every evening in a quiet cozy cove, explore shoreside walks on the hard-to-reach islands and treat yourself to fresh seafood and local hearty fare from our onboard chef.

This is a photo retreat, not a workshop. The aim is to create a unique, inspiring space for creative and visual arts professionals to connect, share ideas, and talk openly about what is or isn’t working in their practice. Conversations will unfold naturally, but we’ll begin with themes like sustaining creativity, staying inspired, and avoiding burnout. Each morning after breakfast, we’ll gather for a brief group discussion, then break for a full day of sailing and free time. Participants are encouraged to keep conversations flowing informally throughout the day. In the evening after dinner, we’ll reconvene for another short discussion to wrap up the day’s topic—before doing it all again the next day.

All photos (except where noted) were taken by Dave during a multi-night trip on Grace Bailey in 2025. Here's some words from Dave about his experience last summer.

"The slower sailing pace of a few days off-grid with destinations only dictated by the wind and tide is, in my opinion, a welcome and refreshing pause from the technological blur of the modern world and for visual artists and photographers, can be an incredible way to hit the creative reset button. Being fully immersed in a remote, raw and beautiful environment in a way that also so authentically connects you to the history, culture and traditions of that place is a truly valuable experience that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. As a photographer (who was “working”) I’m pretty sure I never put my camera down. There was always something to photograph, between the fascinating and constant activity on deck, to the goings-on in the galley, to the ever-changing slideshow of islands, lighthouses and lobster boats sliding by on the other side of the rail, the options for image-making were quite literally endless, every corner of the boat is photogenic. We also made numerous stops along the way where guests could go ashore, sometimes in small towns or fishing villages and other times to uninhabited islands for lobster bakes and exploratory hikes...all not to be experienced without a camera in hand."

Accommodations 

There are three different types of cabins. 

A Double Bed Cabin has one full-size bed.$2,205 per person

A Bunk Bed cabin has two single size beds, stacked in authentic nautical bunk-style with one over the other.$2,205 per person. Note that a bunk bed cabin would be a shared cabin for a solo traveler. 

A Private Single Cabin has one single bed.$2,420 for single

Please note that the pricing is PER PERSON not per cabin. 

Itinerary