Working Waterfront

Where on the coast?

Can you identify this week's "mystery harbor"? Here's a hint: It's most certainly on an island. If you think you know the answer, email us at: whereonthecoast@gmail.com. We'll send a copy of the 2015 Island Journal to the first five to correctly identify the island. SEE MORE

A 1970s-vintage postcard showing Beals Island.

Working Waterfront

Greetings from Maine!

If Maine is indeed "Vacationland," the state should be well-documented in postcards. And it is, as can be seen in Maine Memories: A Vintage Postcard Tour, by John Brunkowski and Michael Closen. SEE THE SLIDESHOW The couple had visited Maine in their RV for about 30 years, Closen says, "and… SEE MORE

Heather Leslie of the Darling Marine Center.

Working Waterfront

Coastal waters monitoring training offered at Darling Marine Center

The University of Maine Darling Marine Center in Walpole will host a coastal and estuarine monitoring workshop on Sunday, April 10 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aquaculturists, fishermen, researchers, teachers, citizen scientists, coastal residents, community groups and other interested individuals are encouraged to attend. No previous training is required. The… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

It’s all part of the deal

One weekend in January, my husband went away for an Island Institute conference. I planned a fun girls night dinner with a friend and my daughter, with calzones and homemade cookies and ice cream on the agenda. Midway through calzone making, my daughter, who had been running around moments before,… SEE MORE

The young Arthur Rothstein sets up his camera.

Working Waterfront

History spills from frame of film

The photo that prompted contact from Arthur Rothstein's family. In each issue of The Working Waterfront, we feature a vintage photo from along the coast that reminds us of how our corner of the world has changed, or not changed, as the case may be. In the November issue, we… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Seasonal ‘disorder vs. order’ conflict rears its head

I like the feeling of island living when the holidays are over and the new year has just begun. My husband Bruce has all of his lobster traps out of the water and his boat, the Barbara Ann, has been hauled out at a nearby mainland boatyard since the end of… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Washington County looks for boost in Bold Coast Byway

A small harbor west of Cutler. A plan to polish and market a 125-mile-long driving route through the portion of coastal Washington County known as the Bold Coast is… well, bold. The plan was drafted after the route—Milbridge to Eastport—was designated a scenic byway by the state Department of Transportation… SEE MORE

The shore at Roque Bluffs in Washington County.

Working Waterfront

Washington County’s population challenges point to immigration

Washington County is going to be a very different place in 20 years. Over half of our population is older than 45. Almost a fifth is 65 or older. Only a small percentage of the people who are now middle-aged or elderly will be working in 2036, and there just… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine Seacoast Mission stays modern, reaches eastern coast

Think of it as a floating community center. Hot coffee and a hearty breakfast are still served aboard Sunbeam V, the Maine Seacoast Mission's 75-foot long vessel which provides hospitality and fellowship to those living on Maine's Midcoast and Downeast islands. That part of the mission's story has been told… SEE MORE

The Islesboro ferry as seen from the Grindle Point Lighthouse.

Working Waterfront

Islesboro, Chebeague study high water impacts

High waters, whether from storm surge, rising sea levels or both, can cause costly damage to the coast. On islands, those high seas can have even more impact, damaging essential infrastructure and even leaving residences cut off from island resources and the mainland. That's why the state, through its Maine… SEE MORE