Working Waterfront

Imagination, creativity kindled in fairy houses

Reflections is a monthly column written by Island Fellows, recent college grads who do community service work on Maine islands and in remote coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. Alana Flanagan works on Vinalhaven with the school and Partners in Island Education; she leaves her fellowship… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Downeast to Casco Bay, coastal conversations float all boats

It must have been six years ago now that this paper made a concerted effort to add Washington County content. I recall raising grant funds to make it possible. The thought back then was that Washington County coastal communities shared a great deal in common with the island and remote coastal communities elsewhere in Maine. A… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Schooner Bowdoin readied for another 100 years

By Dora Thompson It was a dry winter for the historic schooner Bowdoin. The vessel, best-known for carrying explorer Donald MacMillan to the Arctic in 1913 and now owned and operated by Maine Maritime Academy (MMA), was out of the water this winter. It was one of the only times in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A year of teaching social justice

Life on North Haven can have an insular, sheltered feeling to it. This can be blissful—children roam free, parents confident in their safety, rides are freely asked for and given, and babysitters are abundant and trustworthy. The downside to our little Mayberry is that awareness of social injustice can be… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Fellows explore university-industry marine partnerships

Eight students from Maine universities delved into the science and practice of marine aquaculture recently, thanks to an innovative new program developed by the University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias. Students visited sites from Walpole to Eastport under the leadership of University of Maine Darling Marine Center… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Small, island-town values play well in big world

Benjamin Stevens of Islesford (Little Cranberry Island) graduated this month from Maine Maritime Academy in Castine. Every year, people from Maine’s islands buy all sorts of things. We buy clothes and shoes, tools and supplies, fuel and electricity, and groceries. Every island resident knows how challenging it is to get their… SEE MORE

High school graduation on North Haven in 2014. The grads wore the colors that corresponded to the colors of their lobster buoys.

Working Waterfront

Reversing island ‘brain drain’ falls to locals

As a high school teacher, I spend some time each year talking with students about their next steps. At North Haven Community School, we have a healthy mix in each graduating class of students attending four-year colleges, community colleges or trade schools, entering military service, or choosing to stay on… SEE MORE

The new transportation hub is a former marina in Winter Harbor.

Working Waterfront

Schoodic Marine Center to be transportation, visitor hub

The Schoodic Marine Center is opening soon for its first season and could boost visitation as well as facilitate on-the-water education and research opportunities in the less-visited part of Acadia National Park. The center, which is being developed at the former Winter Harbor Marine location, is expected to bring: increased ferry… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Mussels have a nose for good homes

For people looking to settle down, a location's odor can be a factor in whether they stay or go. Turns out the same is true for mussel larvae. Mussel larvae swim toward odors from adult mussels, and swim away from odors from predators, including green crabs and dog whelks, says Scott… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Tech center students build computers for medical research

SLIDESHOW BY LESLIE BOWMAN Among the students who travel to Calais for a variety of half-day vocational programs at the St. Croix Regional Technical Center, some are linking up with Stanford University for medical research. The first task students face in Jon Bragdon’s computer electronics class at the technical center… SEE MORE