Captain Bill Campbell is a second generation excursion boat captain in Boothbay Harbor. He has been taking people out on the waters around Boothbay Harbor, and to Monhegan Island, for 40 years.

Campbell started his life on the ocean at age 15, as a deckhand on deep sea fishing boats, and on the Squirrel Island Ferry, Maranbo II, with Capt. Bob Fish.

In 1981 Campbell's father, Capt. Bob Campbell, bought the Maranbo II and the Balmy Days from Captain Fish, and the two men teamed up to run them. The family fleet was started.

Later, in 1988, the Campbells had the Balmy Days II built to replace the original one, and in 1994 a sailboat was added to the fleet. The Bay Lady, a 31-foot Friendship sloop, carries up to 15 passengers. In 1996 the 47-foot Novelty was built to replace the Maranbo II.

The Miss Boothbay, the fourth boat in Campbell's fleet, is a 31-foot lobster-style boat used for fishing, sightseeing, small group charters and wedding transportation. It will take up to 28 passengers.

Bob Campbell died in 1999, leaving his son to carry on his legacy. After 40 years, the younger Campbell said he's never gotten tired of his profession.

“The Squirrel Island run is six or seven times a day during the summer,” Campbell said. “People ask if I get tired of it, but every trip is different.”

Capt. Campbell said he usually skippers the Balmy Days to Monhegan twice a week, and there have been times when it wasn't all smooth sailing.

“We've had rough days when we wished we hadn't gone,” he said. “One day a couple years ago, we had 17 people on board; eight were sick, and one lady passed out. The (good) weather forecast didn't follow through. It was a Northeast gale, and the wind was blowing hard.”

He said the woman who passed out came to and was fine, “but she didn't want to ride back with us.”

Campbell talked about another stormy day on the Balmy Days. Terry Arford was the captain.

“It was an all girl crew — a female captain and deckhands, and they got caught in a thunderstorm. It was close, and one of the deckhands screamed,” Campbell said. 

It is a common sight to see an all female crew on Campbell's boats, for which a 100-ton license is required to act as captain. Another female captain is Heather Hurford, who often runs the Novelty to Squirrel Island.

For questions or reservations call 207-633-2284 or 800-298-2284, or email info@balmydayscruises.com. For more information, see www.balmydayscruises.com