Rock Harbor

Rock Harbor Review

A walk along Rock Harbor Road, a winding street lined with gray-shingle Cape houses, white-picket fences, and neat gardens, leads to the bay-side Rock Harbor, site of a War of 1812 skirmish in which the Orleans militia kept a British warship from docking. In the 19th century Orleans had an active saltworks, and a flourishing packet service between Rock Harbor and Boston developed. Today the former packet landing is the base of charter-fishing and party boats in season, as well as of a small commercial fishing fleet whose catch hits the counters at the fish market and small restaurant here. Sunsets over the harbor are spectacular. Don't be surprised to see a line of trees (real, though not thriving) marking the narrow boat channel out to the bay. New markers are installed each season.