VESSELS AND CREW

Locally owned, family business

Kukui Charters is owned and operated by Mount Desert Island local Mike McEnroe and his family. Each member of the McEnroe family brings a unique skillset to the business that allows Kukui Charters to offer unique and unforgettable tours. Mike and his wife Dencie’s longtime local knowledge, their son Cole’s connections with commercial fisheries and daughter Jozette’s talent with handcrafted items are sure to provide you with an unforgettable experience. When you book with Kukui Charters, you're not just getting a tour—you're getting a behind-the-scenes pass to the real Mount Desert Island, straight from a family who's lived and worked here for years.

Mike & Dencie McEnroe are the long-time locals that own McEnroe Charters.
McEnroe family in the Kukui's cabin.
The McEnroe family on the Kukui on their way to an annual family camping trip.

l/c kukui

Kukui is a custom built 33’ aluminum landing craft built by Hard Drive Marine in Washington state.

Wondering where we got the name?

My father, Robert McEnroe, enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1959.  In 1967 my mother, father, two sisters and I were stationed in Hawaii.

The Kukui was a buoy tender, the second ship that my dad served on and is now in Alaska.

My father died in 1971 while serving in the USCG. To honor him and his love for the ocean that he’s passed on to me and my son, we thought “Kukui” would be the perfect name!

The inspiration behind Kukui's name.
  • Man with sunglasses and dog on a boat

    Mike Mcenroe

    OWNER AND CAPTAIN

  • Person wearing a backpack near a mountain lake

    DENCIE MCENROE

    PHOTOGRAPHER

  • Man wearing a cap and sunglasses filleting fish on a boat, wearing a green hoodie and red apron, with ocean background.

    Cole Mcenroe

    BOOK KEEPER, CAPTAIN

  • Woman holding a small fluffy dog outdoors, surrounded by trees.

    Jozette mcenroe

    ARTIST, PRODUCT DESIGNER

  • Man holding a small fish on a boat at sunset, wearing a black hoodie and sunglasses.

    Josh Ray

    CAPTAIN

  • Person in a cap and sunglasses on a boat, wearing an orange bib overall.

    KAT MURPHY

    TECH INTEGRATOR

Kukui is a landing craft vessel.
A metal boat docked at a pier, featuring a shark mouth design on its side. Several propane tanks are on board. A person in an orange cap is seated on the dock in the foreground, and American flag is on the boat. The background is foggy with a few boats visible in the mist.
A boat with a painted shark face docked on a rocky shoreline, with a ramp lowered onto the sand. Several black bags are on the boat, and there's a background view of calm water, distant hills, and a clear blue sky.

Kukui in the off-season

When the tourist season slows down and the temperature drops, the L/C Kukui keeps running! Did you know that the the Maine coast has over 4,600 islands? In the off-season, Kukui delivers crew & materials to some of the many outer islands in the MDI region! Kukui can also be found assisting with salvage efforts after storm damage.