Working Waterfront

Casco Bay better for volunteer efforts

More than 100 volunteers and supporters of Friends of Casco Bay attended a Jan. 24 recognition ceremony honoring those who give their time to help protect the environmental health of Casco Bay. The Volunteer Appreciation Celebration was an opportunity for Friends of Casco Bay to thank all its volunteers, including those who monitor… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

On offshore wind, Island Institute weighs community costs, benefits

Renewable energy is critical for all of us as a response to climate-driven changes that are already impacting our fisheries and coastal infrastructure. It is important that we continue to move toward clean energy while also considering the costs inherent to energy generation. Leaders of island communities not connected to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Family launches Chebeague-based water taxi

Kevin Wentworth is not an island native, but his take on life there probably rings true with those who are life-long islanders. “Living on an island is a privilege, but sometimes it’s a struggle,” he said. To ease at least part of the struggle—and to fill a business niche—Wentworth and… SEE MORE

Leah Kruger and Jonathan Tetro take a "selfie" at the marina.

Working Waterfront

Living below deck, year-round

In the summer, marinas along Maine’s coast are like bustling cities filled to bursting with sojourners. But come late fall, the marinas that don’t shut down for winter transform into tight-knit small towns when a singular breed of tenant takes up residence: winter “liveaboards.” Unlike in more temperate parts of… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Conference: It’s time to plan for higher seas

It’s no longer a matter of “if,” but rather “when.” Maine’s 3,500-mile coastline is being buffeted by higher seas, bigger tidal surges and storms, all the result of climate change. Preparing for these impacts was the theme of a conference co-hosted by the pro-planning group GrowSmart Maine and the Island… SEE MORE

New marine patrol office Daniel Vogel (center) poses with Patrick Keliher

Working Waterfront

New marine patrol officer assigned to Stonington area

Daniel Vogel of Piseco, N.Y., is the newest member of the Maine Marine Patrol. He will be serving in the Stonington area. Vogel recently graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's 18-week Basic Law Enforcement Training Program. An additional 45-day marine patrol field training program will follow. SEE MORE

Low tide on the west side of Sears Island in Searsport.

Working Waterfront

The Gulf of Maine: return of the seaweed

By Susie Arnold, Ph. D. and Heather Deese, Ph. D. It may look the same from the surface, but the Gulf of Maine is changing faster than nearly all other ocean bodies. We’ve all heard about the rate of warming sea temperatures, but the seafloor is also undergoing major shifts.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Urchin harvest begins Downeast

The sea urchin harvest season began Oct. 1 and continues through March 3. Kasey Nicholas Smith, a student at the University of Maine at Machias, was aboard the Pandalus of Eastport, captained by George "Butch" Harris, to photograph the work. The boat's crew includes Clifton Smith Jr. and Frederick Moore IV.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Long-time merchant mariner reflects on sea lessons

By Isabel Reddy The ship, a 100,000-ton, 750-foot-long cargo transport, was in heavy weather. The anchor was banging away against the bow. Weighing around 1,600 pounds, it could do considerable damage. The captain, Mike Flanagan, responded to the emergency by telling a crew member, “Secure the anchor.” The crew member… SEE MORE

The Schwörers look up and out of their home on the Pachama.

Working Waterfront

The Swiss family climatologists

In the Arctic, islanders are being forced to abandon the land where they’ve lived for generations, because eroding coastlines and rising sea levels have made their homes uninhabitable. As permafrost melts and the ice retreats, they are losing the fishing and hunting on which their livelihood depends. In Nova Scotia… SEE MORE