What is the best nautical chart for Bar Harbor, Maine?

What is the best nautical chart for Bar Harbor, Maine?

Meredith Perkins

If you’re searching for the best nautical chart of Bar Harbor, Maine, choosing the correct chart number matters. Frenchman Bay and Mount Desert Island are covered by more than one NOAA chart — and each offers a distinct visual experience.

Here’s how they compare, and which one we selected for our Bar Harbor collection.

The Two NOAA Charts That Cover Bar Harbor

NOAA Chart 13318 – Frenchman Bay & Mount Desert Island

NOAA nautical chart 13318 showing Frenchman Bay and Bar Harbor Maine with detailed elevation lines

Chart 13318 provides a close, highly detailed view of Frenchman Bay. It features:

  • Dense elevation and contour lines
  • Strong harbor labeling
  • Bar Harbor in clear focus
  • The Porcupine Islands
  • Detailed navigational markings throughout the bay

This chart feels intimate and geographically precise. It’s ideal for those who know these waters closely and want harbor-level specificity reflected in the design.

NOAA Chart 13260 – Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod

NOAA nautical chart 13260 showing Bar Harbor Maine within broader Bay of Fundy coastal sweep

Chart 13260 presents a broader coastal sweep. While it includes Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, and Frenchman Bay, the composition is more expansive and less densely contoured.

It includes:

  • Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay
  • Mount Desert Island
  • Acadia National Park coastline
  • A wider Maine coastal perspective

This chart offers balance and visual breathing room — allowing the coastline itself to shape the composition.

Why We Chose Chart 13260 for Our Bar Harbor Collection

While both charts cover Bar Harbor beautifully, our current Bar Harbor designs are created using NOAA Chart 13260.

We selected this chart intentionally for its broader coastal composition and refined visual flow. The sweeping perspective allows Mount Desert Island and Frenchman Bay to anchor the design naturally, without the density of tight contour lines.

On larger formats — such as silk scarves, fine art prints, and bedding — this scale translates more elegantly. It feels open, balanced, and distinctly coastal without appearing visually crowded.

If you prefer a tighter harbor-focused crop using Chart 13318, we’re happy to explore custom options.

How This Chart Looks as Decor

Silk Charmeuse Scarf

Square silk scarf faturing a nautical chart of Bar Harbor, Maine

The square format works beautifully with the broader sweep of Chart 13260, allowing Frenchman Bay and Mount Desert Island to frame the composition with natural symmetry.

Bedding & Home Pieces

Square throw pillow featuring a nautical chart of Bar Harbor, Maine.
Cotton Bedding Duvet Cover featuring a nautical chart of Bar Harbor, Maine

On larger formats, the sweeping coastal composition creates movement and scale — ideal for making a refined statement in a coastal home.

Why Bar Harbor Makes a Meaningful Gift

Bar Harbor is more than a destination — it’s tradition. Families return year after year for sailing, hiking in Acadia National Park, lobster dinners, and evenings overlooking Frenchman Bay.

A nautical chart of Bar Harbor makes a thoughtful gift for:

  • Maine housewarmings
  • Coastal weddings
  • Retirements
  • Sailors and boat owners
  • Anyone who considers Mount Desert Island part of their story

When a place carries memory, the gift feels deeply personal.

Explore Bar Harbor Nautical Chart Designs

Shop Bar Harbor Nautical Chart Gifts

Or request a custom crop centered on your favorite harbor, cove, or island.

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