Casco Bay separates Portland from the Atlantic Ocean. The large waterway is dotted by a dozen major islands, more than 200 islets and seven lighthouses. Picturesque is just one of many appropriate superlatives. An inexpensive way to enjoy this scenery is aboard a Casco Bay Ferry at the Maine State Pier. This essential transportation of island commuters is your ticket to great coastal sightseeing. This ferry is named Aucocisco, the Abenaki word for the bay. It means “a place of herons.”