Everyone who is able to should take a walk on the Rockland Breakwater. It takes me about 45 minutes from the parking lot, round trip back to my car. Your speed will vary but I think I’m somewhere in the middle: not the fastest or slowest.
Here’s some general advice on how best to do it:
Safety and Comfort
The Breakwater is almost a mile long and when you add the walk from the parking lot, you can expect to walk about two full miles. Be prepared for that: wear good shoes, hydrate, watch the weather, check the tides.
The Breakwater is a pretty flat walk but not without hazards. The granite blocks are irregular and have some pretty big gaps. Plenty of people have been injured walking it. Use caution, take your time and you’ll be fine.
Don’t walk the Breakwater when there’s danger of thunderstorms. People have been struck by lightning there.
A tide over 11 feet will make the top of the Breakwater wet. Usually this isn’t dangerous but together with wind, storms or cold weather, it can be. Know when it’s high tide and what the predicted height is. Tide charts for Rockland Harbor can be found here.
Parking Lot Sign
The town gives this advice on a sign at the parking lot:
Walking the Rockland Breakwater can be a wonderful experience and excellent exercise. In order to make it more pleasant and safe, we suggest you note the following:
- The Rockland Breakwater is 7/8 mile long. Be sure you are up for the distance.
- The surface of the Breakwater is rough and there are some large gaps between the stones. Proper shoes are a must. Be very careful as you walk. Be especially careful with young children. A fall on the breakwater can result in SERIOUS INJURY.
- Do not walk the Breakwater in bad weather. The surface is very slippery when it is wet. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES walk the Breakwater in an electrical storm. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AND KILLED ON THE BREAKWATER.
- THERE ARE NO RESTROOM FACILITIES at the end of the Breakwater EVEN WHEN THE LIGHTHOUSE IS OPEN.
- THERE ARE NO TRASH RECEPTACLES ON THE BREAKWATER OR AT THE LIGHTHOUSE. Please carry back what you carry out.
Getting there
Parking for the Breakwater is at the end of Samoset Rd. Note that parking is officially only from sunrise to sunset, though I’ve never had a problem being there a bit before sunrise or after sunset. Do respect the neighbors: don’t trespass and keep the noise down. There’s no plumbing so make sure you won’t need a toilet before leaving. Here’s a map:
Things to Look For
As you walk, you’ll see holes drilled in the granite. Most of these were part of the quarrying or cutting process. All of the granite was taken from local quarries where it was cut using pneumatic drills and feathers and wedges. Here’s a video about how feathers and wedges work.
You can also see a row of rusty holes along the west side of the top cap, evidence of a long-ago fence or handrail on that side.
About halfway out, there’s one capstone that goes all the way across. This may or may not mark the halfway point but it has long been a tradition for local youth to yell “Ice Cream” when they step on it, meaning a trip to Dorman’s is in order right after the walk.
Watch for wildlife: a group of seals tends to congregate as the tide falls on rocks at the Samoset end of the Breakwater. They’re far enough out that people usually don’t bother them and they can be seen resting on the rocks. Plenty of birds can be seen here: herring gulls and purple sandpipers are the most common but also look for loons, osprey, mergansers, etc. Harbor porpoises can sometimes be seen surfacing.
The Breakwater is a great place to watch boats come and go from Rockland Harbor. Rockland is home port for many schooners doing multi-day trips. You can watch them leave and return. Check their schedules if you want to plan ahead but Monday morning is a good time to see them outbound and Saturday morning is often when they return. There are day sailers and lobster boats galore, the ferries to North Haven and Vinalhaven, and plenty of yachts and private boats.