Working Waterfront

Comfort me with mac and cheese

If ever there was a time when we all needed comforting, surely it is now. If ever there was a time when comfort food was a good idea, surely it is now. After we have filled our plates with mashed potatoes, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, chocolate pudding, baked… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

What the flood took, and what it didn’t

When we went to bed on Saturday night, the only thing on our minds was the leak between the addition and the original part of the house. The northeast wind and driving rain had forced a little trickle of water through the part of the house that had yet to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Democracy dormant: How we got here

Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America By Heather Cox Richardson, Viking/Random House (2023) Eventually, evil implodes. This might be the only perennial history lesson Heather Cox Richardson omits to highlight in Democracy Awakening, her new book outlining the social and political history of the United States. This corollary… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Lobster lady’s story meets lobster kids

The Lobster Lady By Alexandra Hinrichs, illustrations by Jamie Hogan; Charlesbridge Publishing (2023) Island Readers & Writers, an organization connecting children and books in communities on Maine’s islands and Washington County, recently sent Alison Johnson, director of its school programs, with author Alexandra Hinrichs, to Vinalhaven to speak to its… SEE MORE

Rockweed on the shore at low tide. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Rockweed harvesting is sustainable

Contrary to a recent article in this newspaper (“Illegal rockweed harvesting threatens environment,” November issue), rockweed harvesting is an environmentally sustainable practice that is crucial to the future of Maine’s working waterfront. The article took a surprisingly sour view of the industry, overstating the number of bad actors and instances… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Columbus, Squanto, and our original sin

This, the December/January issue of The Working Waterfront, prints between a couple of holidays that are sort of related—Indigenous Peoples Day and Thanksgiving. The history embedded in these dates is worth reflection, especially as our understanding of it has evolved in recent years. The 500th anniversary of Columbus arriving in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Where ideas are plentiful, but resources scarce

A few weeks ago, at a small library in South Thomaston, I had the opportunity to sit down with several Maine business owners. We were brought together by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to discuss its new grant to Island Institute for our revolving loan fund. Launched last year,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Kozak’s Acadia

[caption id="attachment_38924" align="alignnone" width="650"] One of the many boat trip tours led by ANP ranger-naturalist Maurice Sullivan in the 1930s. Some of them featured singalongs. PHOTO: COURTESY ACADIA NATIONAL PARK[/caption] Images of America: Acadia National Park By Anne Kozak with Josh Winer and Sam Putnam, Arcadia Publishing (2023) The story… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Columbus, Squanto, and our original sin

This, the December/January issue of The Working Waterfront, prints between a couple of holidays that are sort of related—Indigenous Peoples Day and Thanksgiving. The history embedded in these dates is worth reflection, especially as our understanding of it has evolved in recent years. The 500th anniversary of Columbus arriving in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A ‘common’ mistake, island schools

A common mistake To the editor: While I always enjoy reading The Working Waterfront and Tom Groening’s Rock Bound column, the one in the October issue has an error that I couldn’t let pass. The praise of Belfast Summer Nights is certainly justified; however the name of the “flat expanse… SEE MORE