Working Waterfront

The sublime joy of sailing, courtesy the Apprenticeshop

When power boats supplanted sailboats, the argument could be made that mariners were free of the reliance on the vagaries of the wind. But does that freedom to travel wherever and whenever outweigh the freedom one feels when gliding across the water in a sailboat? Those at the Apprenticeshop in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The man is gone, but the story remains

I never met Stephen H. Robbins Jr., a legendary offshore lobsterman of Stonington who passed away in July of this year. However, I do know Randy Olson, a marine-biologist-turned-filmmaker, who made one of his first movies about Stevie and his family, nearly 30 years ago. I watched this film again… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Seaweed, shellfish aquaculture are thriving on Hancock County coast

Seaweed, mussels, and scallops—these are some of the farmed seafood products that are enjoying great success among small aquaculture operations off the Hancock County coast. And business owners continue to innovate as they look to expand markets, share their technologies and know-how with newcomers, promote aquaculture as a sustainable industry,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The ocean and its feast for our senses

The ocean is a place for the senses. Living in the city, amidst the frenzy and the noise, the operative function is contra-sensual, a mix of cacophony and nonsense. We are blinded by the lights, insensitized by the feel of the urban space, and deafened by the chaotic mix. We… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

One man’s seaworthy seagull companion

As a lobsterman who’s spent six decades on the water, John Makowsky knows the meaning of lasting relationships—with the sea, with his boat, with his crew, and with his best friend of 16 years: a seagull named Red Eye. Makowsky hails from Long Island Sound in Connecticut, where he grew… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Thomaston yacht builder applies skills to land projects

After more than 30 years producing and servicing custom sailing and motor yachts, Lyman-Morse in Thomaston tacked in a different direction during the 2008 recession. While the core of their business is still building and servicing boats, company president Drew Lyman said expanded services now include “a wide range of… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Warm currents feeding Gulf of Maine outpacing cold currents

A much-used statistic says the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 98 percent of the world’s oceans. While one might imagine the warming is due to a “Bunsen burner-like” effect in the gulf itself, it actually results from two sources of water that feed the gulf. The effect is… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine’s cold water line blocks most sharks… for now

Since time immemorial, fishing has gone hand-in-hand with stories of spotting unusual creatures in the ocean. However, now with smartphones, those stories can be verified and generate headlines. In late August, a Cape Cod Times report shared how a fisherman saw a hammerhead shark near the coast of Chatham, Mass. That same week,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

For right whale protection—Is technology the future of lobster fishing?

Acoustic buoy releases and tracking software: These are high-tech options under consideration as ways to eliminate the potential for interaction between the lobster fishery and the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Ideas include raising traps from the sea floor by means of acoustically signaled lifting mechanisms, rather than hauling by… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

UMaine announces partners on floating wind project

The University of Maine will collaborate with New England Aqua Ventus, LLC (NEAV), a joint venture between Diamond Offshore Wind, a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation, and RWE Renewables, the second largest company in offshore wind globally, to develop UMaine’s floating offshore wind technology demonstration project off the coast of… SEE MORE