Vacation Rentals by Owner

Such a wonderful, restful time at the cottage.

Guest: Mihku and family, Portland, Maine
Date of Stay: 10/02/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Such a wonderful, restful time at the cottage. We had a mix of weather with several warm sunny days, a bit of fog and finally, rain, as summer surrendered to autumn. Able to gather some wild medicinal “gold thread” and mussel shells for an art project… So, so peaceful. Thanks again. We’d like to return next year.

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Wonderful. Quiet

Guest: Richard and Elizabeth, Carlsbad, CA
Date of Stay: 09/25/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Wonderful. Quiet. Great weather - - good for hiking. A bit like the Northwest with humidity. Thanks!

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Thank you much for opening your home to us

Guest: David and Holly, Lincolnville, Maine
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

… for allowing us this (last minute) opportunity, honeymoon-style. This has been a glorious week filled with moments we will treasure, always. The Crow’s Nest is a cozy and charming place and we certainly appreciate all the warmth and thought provided us. We wanted for nothing. The books, games, and films are a nice touch. Everything we needed was precisely within reach (and so clean!). Again, we thank you. PS. TO ALL…. Here on Islesboro and EVERYWHERE, , never forget to explore the side roads….

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Thank you for welcoming us all

Guest: Maureen and Michael, Holliston, MA
Date of Stay: 08/29/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

(.. 4-legged family members included)to stay at your lovely Crow’s Nest Cottage. This has probably been one of our best vacations, great to really (really) get away and enjoy nature, sea, sun, and family. We loved the beach at Hutchins - made that spot our own by building a fire pit out of stone and harvesting mussels for dinner one evening, cooking them on the beach. The bay was calm and great for kayaking off of Pripet... Your home is comfy, cozy and very welcoming.

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Thanks for a wonderful stay in Crow’s Nest!

Guest: Simon, Pia, and Eloise, Saint-Bruno, Quebec
Date of Stay: 08/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Thanks for a wonderful stay in Crow’s Nest! The relaxing best of the island was just what the doctor ordered!

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Each day was laid before us as a gift

Guest: Jean and Steve, Syracuse, NY
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Each day was laid before us as a gift - - to open and use as we chose - -as is every day, I suppose. An island holiday, however, makes choices much easier.

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What a wonderful place this is!

Guest: Cheryl and Skip, Suzanne and Dan, E. Hampstead, NH
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

We have had a great time at your welcoming cottage. Everything one needs is provided and the island itself is a magical place. We explored different beaches and trails every day. Saw deer in the backyard! Relaxed and ate meals on your beautiful deck and watched sunsets from the wooden swing at Big Tree Beach. Had beverages and treats on our daily visit to Dark Harbor Shop. Thank you so much for the information package. Couldn’t ask for more in a vacation. PS. The stars are incredible here!

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Very pleasant stay

Guest: Deb and Liz, Delmar, NY
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Very pleasant stay - - excellent weather for the kids, sailing 5 days in a row - - a miracle. The house is very well equipped and everyone was comfortable. Thanks!

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I am 12 years old.

Guest: Karen's son
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 01/16/12

To me, this vacation was fun, I loved riding my bike to Durkee’s with my friend, fishing off the little dock across the street, and going to Big Tree Beach because it has a swing. I rented kayaks [on the mainland, from Duck Trap Kayaks] and slept in a tent. At first I thought it was going to be bad because there are no cell phone bars and no cable but there were so many things to do that it was fun. And there were lots of movies! It was great!

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Wonderful experience, staying on Islesboro!

Guest: Karen and family, Danvers, Ma
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 01/16/12

Our first visit. Very relaxing. Weather amazing! Beaches peaceful, we always had a beach to ourselves…. Town Beach and Big Tree our favorites!! (Kids loved the swing at Big Tree!). We explored the island and did meet Kristy Alley at Dark Harbor ice cream shop. Crow’s Nest was perfect for us!! The cottage was clean, airy, and was a delight to come home to every night. Dinner & drinks on the porch in the evenings. We spent a day off island so that the boys (12 years old) could kayak.

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Guest: Scott, Pam and Abby, the yellow lab
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Hot Hot Hot week. Came up with Abby our yellow lab. Almost every night was a swim at Turtle Head Cove beach…..Every night was off to see the sunset, most times it was at the lighthouse. Even had a fog evening - - I was hoping for one. Great for hours behind a camera. Took abolut 1,200 pix. Abby swam every day 2 -3 times a day. She skipped one day towards the end. If you can have your dog look at you and say, maybe tomorrow, then she has had a great stay alos.Took in a sunrise at Hutchins Island beach. Deer prints on the beach. ..Saw the bald eagle, but was not fast enough to get a snap off. Deer EVERYWHERE, even saw 2 fawns with spots, noticed all the fenced in gardens. How not to get right to sleep - - walk outdoors and meet up with a couple of running snorting deer. Walked around Hutchins Island - - very nice. Didn’t know you offered island hopping. Walked out to a small island off Hutchins Island. Hmmmmmm…. that’s an island, off an island, off an island - - pretty cool. Thank you.

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Guest: Veronica and David
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

We loved the cottage. It was perfect. Thank you for such a wonderful place to stay and enjoy the beautiful island. We had one day of rain but 6 days of fabulous 80+ degree weather. Thank you for the tips on places to visit, I think we’ve seen them all! The beach at Pendleton Point was great. The kids enjoyed walking along the rocks, searching for shells and playing in the water. Turtle Head was a great hike for the entire family and we were so excited about catching the sun-bathing seals at Hutchins Island….What a great vacation this has been for the entire family! Even our 3 year old son stopped in the middle of playing and said, “I love to come to Maine!” To top off all the fun we had, we enjoyed the ice cream from the Dark Harbor Shoppe and homemade pizza and goodies from the Island Market. One of our best vacations! Thank you!

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Guest: Sheila and Susan
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

So inviting and cozy. Relaxation has a new meaning now. Everyone is very friendly. We enjoyed Dark Harbor ice cream and I especially loved Apple’s. The Island Community Center is a great asset for all - - lunch is yummy; the island is lucky….This is a magical place - - the sun was out every day - - good food, good grilling, good times. Thanks!

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Guest: Sue and Dick
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

It was a wonderfully relaxing week. Cottage is perfect - - very charming and comfortable. Had everything we needed. Weather was great - - lots of sun, some rain, but not too much. Did some biking, but never did get the kayak into the water. Checked out all the points and coves we could find and really loved Turtle Head Point and Pendleton Point…..Vacation was great - - thank you for the use of your cottage.

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Guest: Kirsten, Sterling, and Ridley
Date of Stay: 07/24/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful cottage with us. Our trip was perfect! While I had seen the pictures on your web site, I had never been to Islesboro or coastal Maine at all. I was actually completely unprepared for the wonderful quiet and calm of the island.…We went to one or more beaches every day and we rarely ever saw anyone there. It was like having our own private sanctuary and place of beauty wherever and whenever we chose to go…. I also want to give you a big thanks for your lists, maps, directions, and reassurances. We collected bucketfuls of shells, rocks (and sand!). You really thought of everything which made the whole trip so EASY. There was nothing that we needed or wanted that wasn’t provided and a few things that we didn’t know we needed until we discovered you’d already provided them (dictionaries, annotated map, binder of information). It was so helpful.

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Guest: Heath and Tai
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Our first visit to Islesboro and we hope to return! It was a great-weather week: hot, and increasingly breezy and cooler by week’s end with one day of clouds, mist, and rain for good contrast. We sampled everything that was accessible to a family with a 2-year old. The playground structure receives high marks, as does the children’s room at the library, the swing at Big Tree Beach and the picnic tables at Pendleton Point, the mud at Hutchins Island and the shopping baskets at both grocery stores, ice cream at the Dark Harbor Shoppe too….One day we explored Camden and were amazed by its library and grounds - - an idyllic spot for the young and old(er). Another good ice cream day was had there…. Thank you for your lovely clean home - - it was just a great place to come back to the end of the day…This island is stunning - - so happy to have had the opportunity to be here for the week. Thank you.

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Guest: The Peebles (owners)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Spent a glorious summer week at Crow’s Nest with 3 of our grown-up kids. What a treat! A few spectacular not-a-cloud-in-the-sky days, warm, real summer weather. Great food, great walks, great reading, great family fun. Today saw a bald eagle sitting on a rock at the Turtle Head Cove Beach…. Was able to walk within a few hundred feet of it and take some wonderful photos before it flew off. Just amazing. Enjoy our lovely home and magical island.

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Guest: The Barrons
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Our son lives on the island with his family. We’ve been here before. Your home is very nice, and clean. We will be back in mid-August for another peaceful stay.

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Guest: Linda and Tom
Date of Stay: 06/19/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

(Excerpts from their 7 day journal): …..Opened the cottage at 4:00 PM, beautiful place, well appointed with everything. Thank God no TV! Had a celebration drink as we relaxed on the deck. Around 5 PM we headed north and made a small loop around Turtle Head region before returning to have dinner….Slept like you can only sleep on the coast, beautiful fresh clean air…..After combing a couple of more beaches, decided to do the Turtle Head hike. Beautiful moderate trail led us by the ocean and ended up at the tip of the northern end of the island….. Head to Dark Harbor, explore many little coves, some public, some private. Went to town beach. Found some nice sea glass and driftwood…..Had a great stay.

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Guest: Jean and Steve
Date of Stay: 08/15/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

Days folded gently into one another. The sky, the sea, the lovely meadows embraced us as their own.

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Guest: Pat and Dave
Date of Stay: 08/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

We had a great week with sun every day! We did a lot of canoeing, hiking and biking this week. Paddled around Seal Harbor (didn’t see seals...), Islesboro Harbor, and over to Warren Island State Park where we spent some time hiking around the island. We biked down to Coombs Cove, and took a picnic lunch to Hutchins Island. Yesterday we took another picnic lunch and biked to the trail head at Turtle Island and hiked around the Head. It was beautiful! … We took some steaks and charcoal and provisions to Pendleton Point one night for a supper cookout. This week’s speaker at the up-Island church was Jamaica Kincaid – very interesting. In all, it was a fun and relaxing week and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Guest: Emily and family
Date of Stay: 07/04/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

We had a beautiful week - - sun for out of 6 days! My son (18 months) loved the rock beaches and would collect rocks for hours. We spent a lot of time at Hutchins Island and watching the tide come in. During nap time and in the evenings we grilled out and relaxed on the deck. This was the vacation we really needed - -the first since our son was born! I was nervous that we would be without Internet (checking into work) but now I realize that was part of what made this vacation so special! This place was perfect for my family and I hope we can return someday! PS. 18 month old Colin especially loved all the sailboat pictures around the cottage. He now has a new word…..BOAT!

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Guest: Jenn and Michael
Date of Stay: 06/27/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

Jenn: We enjoyed a quiet a relaxing week, which was exactly what we needed. We explored the island end to end. Our favorite spot was kayaking in Seal Harbor each day with the seals. We took lots of long walks to Turtle Cove also. Thank you so much for having us at your cottage. Islesboro is now a special place for us and we hope to return. Michael: We really enjoyed the Crow’s Nest. It was clean, cozy, and comfortable. The bedroom was very nice. I’m so glad that Jenn found this place online. We’ve enjoyed visiting this special place. Somehow we managed to kayak at least for 4 days despite only 15 hours of sun. Hoping for good weather these last few days…. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality and the wonderful house. This is a nice island to visit. Paddling a kayak while being watched by seals was an experience!

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Guest: Paul and Shirley
Date of Stay: 06/20/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

June 20 – June 27 A delightful retreat - - slowed us right down, just what we wanted. Cottage a real treat – quaint but very comfortable and well appointed. Our weather left us wanting to see more sunshine - - in the week we had a total of 6 hours of sun on one day! But enjoyed the fog! We enjoyed our hiking and biking ventures on the Island to Turtle Head cove and Point and around Hutchins Island. The rocks are fun. We hope to return. P.S. The carrot cake at the Island Market is the best and ice cream with jimmies at the Dark Harbour Shop is very good.

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Guest: Marilyn and Marc
Date of Stay: 09/06/08 Review Submitted: 09/05/08

Beautiful! We had a fabulous time. So many adventures! Thank you for your hospitality.

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Guest: Jean and Steve
Date of Stay: 08/30/08 Review Submitted: 08/29/08

It took but a little time to fall into the comfortable rhythm of your cottage and this lovely island. When we weren’t being blessed with blue skies and ocean breezes we were sleeping in the glow of a shimmering full moon and star-studded sky. And what is Maine without a walk along a fog enshrouded beach? A bit of our heart will always be here.

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Guest: Janet and Bill
Date of Stay: 07/26/08 Review Submitted: 07/25/08

It has been very relaxing being island people in your pristine cottage if only for a short time. Thank you for making it possible. We will always remember our time here in the summer of ’08. Being here has been such a joy to us. Seeing the deer in the backyard and hearing the noise they make when they are frightened. Our own little cove not far from the cottage. Thank you so much for letting us share this.

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Guest: Sara and Family
Date of Stay: 07/12/08 Review Submitted: 07/11/08

We have had a wonderfully relaxing time - - enjoyed every minute of it. Crow’s Nest is a real home away from home - - we particularly enjoyed sitting on the deck and browsing through all your books and magazines. Islesboro is beautiful.

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Guest: Thalia
Date of Stay: 07/04/08 Review Submitted: 07/03/08

Crow’s Nest is certainly a charming little place to escape the hectic life. I sat on the deck and played guitar or just lounged in the sun, and then when it got too hot (that sun can be mighty fierce!), one could always flee inside to lie on the sofa and read for hours on end. By the end of the week I was utterly relaxed….

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Guest: Daphne and Nym
Date of Stay: 07/04/08 Review Submitted: 07/03/08

What a cozy, welcoming cottage! Here are some of the many things I’ve enjoyed or appreciated here: the crazy-angled apple trees on the front lawn, the little outdoor lamps that come on at dusk, the lovely open downstairs space that flows from one area to another (and stays cools even on hot days), the many attractive sea-themed images and maps on the walls, the comfy sofas, the firm and comfortable bed in the main bedroom, the extremely efficient ceiling fan in the same room, the beautifully made and efficient "telephone” show attachment,…..the list could go on and on from here. Turtlehead remains my favorite spot on Islesboro - - and one of my favorite places on Planet Earth. What a luxury to live for a week just 7 minutes’ drive away from that paradise...

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Guest: Alli
Date of Stay: 10/08/07 Review Submitted: 10/07/07

Giovanna, Thank you!We are back. Sadly. We could have stayed on a bit longer. We love the island, the scenery, the hiking, the views, that air! The cottage was adorable. We can tell you have put a lot of work and care into it. It was so open and easy. We were very comfortable. The kids really loved the apple trees. We loved watching them enjoy just being. Thank you for helping us find the hidden treasures. Turtle Head was our favorite! Stunning! We also spent quite a bit of time at Pendleton Beach and picnicked at Marshall Cove. We feel lucky to have spent a weekend on Islesboro, such a spectacular place!

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Guest: Rod and Marcia
Date of Stay: 09/08/07 Review Submitted: 09/07/07

[excerpt from a long, daily journal] Wow! What weather! Today was sunny and warm and humid. In fact, except for about 4 hours of cool and cloudy weather on the morning on Thursday every day has been sunny and warm..... On Wednesday we traveled to Rockland to visit the Farnsworth Art Museum featuring works by Jamie Wyeth. An excellent collection complimented by several interesting special exhibits.Any visitor to Islesboro should take a day to visit the Farnsworth........We have enjoyed the fantastic weather and the beauty and solitude of Islesboro once again.

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Guest: Maureen and Peter
Date of Stay: 08/11/07 Review Submitted: 08/10/07

Arrived on the 3:00 PM ferry, kayaks on the roof, food I the back of the van…. What a lovely house and lovely pond….Our spot at home sits in a silver poplar grove, so we were warmly welcomed by your poplars! On Sunday morning, several crows visited briefly before 6 AM. The unset over Meadow Pond last night was spectacular…. Islesboro is as beautiful as ever. Saw a bald eagle fly over the house at the end of the day…..The cottage is lovely, comfortable, and homey. All-in-all, a perfect 3 week vacation as we enter retirement. PS. No TV was wonderful!

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Guest: Willow, Bryce, Ann and Terry
Date of Stay: 07/21/07 Review Submitted: 07/20/07

We are leaving today. We came Saturday the 14th. We brought our bikes and biked all over. I really liked biking to Hutchins Island. Once we came too late and while we were on the island the tide came up and covered the sand bridge so we had to wade across! I collected 19 pieces of sea glass! We had a lot of fun!

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Guest: Suzie Wilson
Date of Stay: 07/17/06 Review Submitted: 07/16/06

Note from Suzie Wilson: It was a fabulous time. The cottage is so sweet -- enjoyed the comfortable stay among the nautical motif and well-equipped cottage. Islesboro is amazing -- so different from other islands I've explored. Simply gorgeous, homey, and certainly a place I want to revisit. Spent the week painting and exploring -- just love the Hutchins Island and the other "rock one" - saw seals, schooners, etc.Thank you again for sharing this beautiful spot.

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Guest: Gina Burd
Date of Stay: 07/12/06 Review Submitted: 07/11/06

Email from Gina Burd: I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how much Mary and I enjoyed our stay in your cottage. It was truly relaxing. The house was comfortable, the people were friendly, and it was just such a beautiful place. We absolutely fell in love with Turtle Head Cove, and spent a lot of time swimming and reading there. And, it was a great place for star gazing and sunsets!Thanks so much. We hope to go back next summer.

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Guest: Janet Wright
Date of Stay: 07/07/06 Review Submitted: 07/06/06

Email from Janet Wright: Thank you do much for working with us on the rental of your adorable cottage. We had a wonderful time and the wedding was beautiful. I hope that we left the cottage in good shape. I cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, swept and picked up. A great time was had by all! We worried about our teenage son but I think he really enjoyed the family time. I know I did. Thanks again, Janet Wright and family

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Guest: Giovanna & Dave Peebles, owners
Date of Stay: 06/30/06 Review Submitted: 06/29/06

We hope that our guests enjoy their stay at Crow's Nest cottage. Your comments about your experience are much appreciated.

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