The cove offers anchorage to small craft only, and is open eastward. There are two service wharves with float landings on the north side of the harbor at which gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and marine supplies can be obtained. Depths of 10 feet are reported alongside the service landings. Several fish and lobster wharves are throughout the harbor. A fleet of seiners operates from the harbor, and ground fish are shipped from the port by truck. Markets, provisions, restaurants, and lodging are available in town. There is no marine railway, but local fishermen ground out their boats for repairs.
Back Cove, a southwesterly arm of New Harbor, is used by local pleasure and fishing craft. A dredged channel leads to an anchorage basin that extends to near the head of the cove. In 2003, the controlling depth was 5.0 feet in the channel and 4.5 feet in the basin with severe shoaling along the edges. The channel and basin are subject to shoaling, particularly along the edges. There are a number of private and fish piers, but no facilities.
Long Cove, about 0.6 mile northward of New Harbor, is about 0.5 mile long and 250 yards wide at the entrance. It affords good anchorage in from 14 to 53 feet to within 400 yards of its head in all but southerly weather. It is used by local pleasure craft. The approach to the cove from the southward is clear from northward of Salt Pond Ledge, an unmarked ledge covered 8 feet about 0.4 mile south of the entrance. There are no facilities in the cove.
Navigation:
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New Harbor is on the western shore of Muscongus Bay, about 2.5 miles northeastward of Pemaquid Point Light. A lighted bell buoy is off the entrance to the harbor. A church spire in the village of New Harbor at the head is prominent.
The channel is narrow between a shelving ledge extending northeastward from the south point at the entrance and a ledge just inside it which extends halfway across from the north side and is marked at its end by a buoy. A 100-foot-wide channel then leads northward of a daybeacon between ledges to dredged anchorage basins. In 2003, the channel had a controlling depth of 9.7 feet to the first anchorage basin, with depths of 7.4 to 12 feet available in the basin; thence 6.0 feet to the second anchorage basin, with lesser depths along the edges and 0.1 to 6 feet available in the basin. Enter about 100 feet north of the daybeacon. The channel and basins are subject to shoaling, particularly along the edges.