Working Waterfront

Maine is not ‘full,’ and we need to act

By Tom Groening Most Mainers know the story of Flagstaff, the town in western Maine that was evacuated and then flooded in 1950 to create a back-up water impoundment for the Wyman Lake hydropower dam. It was a sacrifice made in the interest of the greater good, but the back-up… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Shellfish gets a closer look at fishermen’s forum

By Susie Arnold The first day of the annual Maine Fishermen's Forum, held in early March, is traditionally "Shellfish Day," focusing on Maine's bivalve fisheries. Presentations covering wild harvested bivalves and farmed shellfish yielded valuable insights. By commercial license numbers, the soft-shell clam is the state’s second largest fishery, following… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The fare that drives our fare

By Sandy Oliver If the Maine State Ferry Service’s latest fare schedule lasts long enough, Islesboro might just figure out how to be more food self-sufficient. “Sustainable” seems to be the word of the year, and sustainable local food is high on the “want” list. But the persistence of food… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Bigger boat for Peaks raises host of concerns

By Kim MacIsaac For nearly 150 years the Casco Bay islands of Peaks, Long, Little and Great Diamond, Cliff, and Chebeague have been served by numerous ferry lines which, by 1920, had coalesced into Casco Bay Lines. Prior to 1982, Casco Bay Lines was a privately-owned company operating passenger boats… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Band offers vacation from other roles

By Courtney Naliboff A while back, I wrote my column about the joys of playing music. I mentioned, briefly, that I had started a band with two other North Haven women. We’re called Bait Bag, and I’m happy to report that we’re still a band, with some recordings, some off-island… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

In praise of wood heat

By Barbara Fernald In the middle of winter, on a tiny island off the coast of Maine, I don’t think there’s a much better feeling than standing next to a wood stove, absorbing all the warmth I want. I love our stove, even with all the mess that accompanies wood… SEE MORE

The top of Cadillac Mountain on a busy summer day.

Working Waterfront

Acadia is at a crossroads

By Tom Groening I confess to having a sense of pride in Acadia National Park. Not that I have had anything to do with its founding or sustaining it, but as a Mainer, I feel good about it being here. None of the other New England states has a national… SEE MORE

An island family helps a boat land at Frenchboro's ferry landing.

Working Waterfront

Ferry watching on Frenchboro

Reflections is 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. By Natalie Hyde-Peterson The first time I visited Frenchboro, I got off the passenger ferry onto the town dock where… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The merits of living on Vinalhaven when illness strikes

By Phil Crossman Late last year I began to experience a pronounced discomfort in my abdomen and, towards the end of the year, on several occasions, it became much more than simply discomfort. I was sent to the Penobscot Bay Medical Center’s emergency room in Rockport for tests. Thus began… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

How do we bring a feminist approach to our work?

By Rob Snyder My daughter’s favorite new baseball cap has nothing to do with sports. It is light blue with the word “Feminist” embroidered across the front in hot pink. Her enthusiasm for the feminist movement is exciting to me, but according to her, it is cause for concern, confusion, and fear… SEE MORE