You don’t need a passport to board the Northern Star and take one of its 13 weekly cruises on the international waters of Lake Memphremagog. Memphremagog Community Maritime, founded by a group of local residents and business owners, owns the boat. The Vermont nonprofit’s mission is to promote a love of the lake, offer environmental education and bring more tourism to the area. Memphremagog Science & Education Center, aka MemSEC, opened in July at the Gateway Center at the Newport Marina and offers its signature “Floating Classroom” program to students on the Northern Star.
In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger caught a ride on the four-hour international cruise to Canada and met the crew. The next long-distance Canadian cruise is on Monday, August 18; the trip costs $105 plus fees and includes lunch. The Northern Star runs scenic, brunch and dinner cruises into late October.
Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.
Why did you take this cruise?
I got a tip from someone recommending it. They wrote: “The ‘star’ of the show is Capt. Robbie Cannon, who is a salty dog with many stories to tell.” They got that right! Three-quarters of Lake Memphremagog is in Québec, and there are a number of pleasure cruises on the Canadian side. But this is the only one in Newport. The Northern Star is a great attraction for tourists, locals and students.
How was the ride?
It was a perfect day to be out on the water enjoying the lush scenery. Province Island straddles the border and is marked by buoys. We passed over the international boundary about 40 minutes into our trip, and because we never got off the boat, we didn’t have to visit customs. But you do have to provide a license or some sort of identification prior to leaving the dock. Most of the trip is in Canada. After a few hours, we circled Lord’s Island before turning back toward home. There were excellent views of the Saint Benedict Abbey and Owl’s Head Mountain.
What was the boat like?
The boat resembles a 1920s plumb stem canal cruiser with lots of polished wood. It is 65 feet long with two levels and many decks to explore. I hung out in the wheelhouse with Capt. Cannon, who has been piloting the boat for five years and is from Charleston, S.C. Douglas Casson Coutts, the founder of MemSEC and the education board chair of Memphremagog Community Maritime, was the historian on board, providing commentary about the lake and its inhabitants. It was a lovely afternoon on the lake, and I hear the fall cruise is a big hit with leaf peepers.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Anchors Aweigh | Cruising the international waters of Lake Memphremagog on the Northern Star | Episode 747: Cruising Into Canada”
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This article appears in Aug 13-19, 2025.
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