Island Journal

Making It Here: The Island Electrician

With a truckload of parts and a helper by his side, Trenor Goodell has kept Goodell Electric alive on North Haven for over a decade. Island life, while posing unique challenges, offers an interdependency that Goodell attributes to his success at making it here. “That’s one thing about islands—we support… SEE MORE

Island Journal

Making It Here: The Island Lobster Marketer

Without the work that connects lobster with customers around the country and world, Maine’s iconic seafood would be a local, seasonal snack. And without that effort, the iconic lobsterman—who in 2016 shared in $533 million in sales—would be a quaint and anachronistic figure, perhaps reduced to part-time work. Thanks to… SEE MORE

man looking directly at camera sitting in dimly lit room

Island Journal

Making It Here: The Island Hotelier

One day this past summer one of my guests, visiting with his wife and enjoying a waterfront berth here at the Tidewater Motel on Vinalhaven, answered my customary query by responding that this had been the best day of his life and thanked me profusely for providing it. Imagine! He’d… SEE MORE

Island Journal

Making It Here: The Island Artist

Kaitlyn Duggan sees her life on Little Cranberry Island, also known as Islesford, as a seamless proposition. In exchange for the challenges of living and running a business on an island, she receives from that place an energetic zest that plows through all aspects of her life—potter, spouse, mom, and… SEE MORE

Island Journal

Making It Here: The Island Retailer

On a late autumn, hard-charging Thursday, Brian Krafjack starts the morning on the computer, spreadsheets open for inventory and bookkeeping, social media posts about freight arrivals and specials du jour. He and his wife Kathy own The Island Market & Supply on Swan’s Island. Like many island retail operations, TIMS—as… SEE MORE

Island Journal

Aquaculture’s Next Wave

Casco Bay, dotted with hundreds of islands and stretching over 25 miles from Cape Elizabeth to Cape Small, is seeing an upswing in what could prove to be a new economic engine for the area—shellfish and seaweed farming. “It’s a really interesting area for aquaculture in the state,” said Sarah… SEE MORE

Island Journal

Cornering the Island Fuel Market

When Pete Pellerin moved to Chebeague Island in 2009, he expected some basic necessities to cost more. But he wasn’t prepared for the expense of propane to power his stove and heat his home. And even though he was juggling five jobs, he wasn’t sure how he would afford it.… SEE MORE

Business

man working on building bottom of wooden boat

Island Journal

The Highliner’s Choice

For a fisherman—on the water daily, subject to the vagaries of weather—a boat is the thin membrane between life and death. Aesthetics in a fishing boat aren’t the most important consideration. A rugged, well-built structure that’s “seakindly” and will get a fisherman out and back safely and comfortably is. A… SEE MORE

oysters on a bed of ice with a menu board in background

Island Journal

An Oyster Story

An Oyster Story The source of that slurpy, salty goodness is the ‘taste of place’ BY CATHERINE SCHMITT At three in the afternoon on a Friday in January, all the seats are full at Eventide Oyster Company in Portland. Outside, the temperatures are plummeting, but inside the sun shines through… SEE MORE

Island Journal

Alaska’s Silvery Gold Rush

Every ounce is valuable. So valuable, in fact, that those difficult first cuts, if done poorly, will leave dollars on the floor. It’s mostly a mechanized process, but the head and tail are removed with a handheld knife. Then the fish’s glistening body is placed on a short conveyor belt… SEE MORE