Portsmouth Harbor and Piscataqua River, NH/ME
Portsmouth Harbor and Piscataqua River, NH/ME
New Hampshire meets Maine on the Piscataqua (pronounced “pis-KA-tuh-quah”) River. The Abenaki name was used by Capt. John Smith in 1614 but the spelling wasn’t regularized until 1623, the same year that the very first colonial saw mill was completed on this river’s banks.
The well-marked, deep-water entry to Portsmouth Harbor was designed and is maintained for the passage of large naval ships, making it easy for smaller vessels to navigate under the right conditions.
The Piscataqua River leaves Portsmouth Harbor west of New Castle Island to start its winding northward course up into rural New Hampshire. Pleasant communities with considerable yachting activity line the banks.
Marinas, Dockage, Service & Navigation
Plan your boating trip on the Portsmouth Harbor and Piscataqua River, NH/ME. Browse marinas, dockage, service yards, and navigation alerts.
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Boating Destinations near the Portsmouth Harbor and Piscataqua River, NH/ME
From the shelter of the Inner Harbor marinas, there is plenty to see and do in Gloucester. The area's history is long for an American town: Gloucester was first settled only 3 years after the pilgrims landed in Plymouth. Gloucester is best known, however, for the Georges and Grand Banks fisheries. The largest and best-known seafood business (Gorton's) gave us the iconic fisherman image of a man in slickers and a sou'wester hat. Gloucester was one of the land-based settings for Sebastian Junger's book "The Perfect Storm" about the sad demise of a local fishing boat, the Andrea Gail. While you're in town, tip a cold one at the Crow's Nest (334 Main St., 978-281-2965) in honor of the crew.
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