A view from Shackford Head in Eastport. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Staying on the path in Eastport

Reflections is written by Island Fellows, recent college grads who do community service work on Maine islands and in coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. The trails at Shackford Head State Park in Eastport can be confusing. With stunning views of Cobscook Bay, the park… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A humble prognostication for 2022

When I was asked about the prospects for 2022 here on our working waterfront, I immediately left my number with Hamilton Marine. Wayne called me back within three minutes. He said because of the COVID it would be hard to say what the next 12 months will bring. My local… SEE MORE

Ashley Bryan PHOTO: COURTESY ASHLEY BRYAN CENTER

Working Waterfront

Ashley Bryan: The prophetic voice

In the fall of 2020, the Bates College Museum of Art mounted a remarkable exhibition, “Let’s Celebrate Ashley Bryan,” in honor of a gift of the award-winning author/illustrator’s work that came to the museum the year before from Henry Isaacs and Donna Bartnoff Isaacs, the artist’s longtime friends and Little… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Bernd Heinrich races the clock

Racing the Clock: Running Across a Lifetime By Bernd Heinrich Review by Carl Little Bernd Heinrich boasts a double life. He is a brilliant field scientist, known for ground-breaking work, including numerous articles and books on a host of flora and fauna, from irises and chestnut trees to honeybees and… SEE MORE

Participants in Rockland's Station Maine program get out on the water. PHOTO: COURTESY STATION MAINE

Working Waterfront

Motor? Sail? Row your boat!

When someone who has never rowed before steps into a rowing shell on Megunticook Lake in Camden as part of Megunticook Rowing’s Learn to Row program, their eyes widen as they exclaim, “Oh, my gosh, this is tippy!” said Anna Goodale, the organization’s executive director and head coach. There’s lots… SEE MORE

Amanda Moeser of Lanes Island Oysters, who grows her oysters in the Royal River in Yarmouth. PHOTO: GRACE TERRY

Working Waterfront

Women moving into growing aquaculture sector

Libby Davis’s mobile raw bar, Lady Shuckers, was born from her desire to shuck oysters—and change the industry paradigm. “Being pushed enough to work harder and say, ‘Well, if you want to shuck, you got to be as good as the shuckers,’” Davis said, “who in my circle were all… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

New Mainers, ‘boomerangs’ reflect on choices

For years, Stephanie Pemberton and her husband discussed leaving Indiana, but weren’t sure where to go. That changed when Pemberton, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, accepted a three-month assignment at a Midcoast medical facility. “My husband and kids visited on Thanksgiving and we made the abrupt decision right then and there,”… SEE MORE

From left, W.G. Sayre, Ren Albon, and Nancy Sayre.

Working Waterfront

Castine community rallies around childcare

In the December/January issue, the Rock Bound column included observations about the nonprofit childcare center created in Castine by mostly volunteer efforts. We felt the success of this endeavor was worthy of its own story. In 2017, a couple of college professors from Pennsylvania who retired to Castine found a… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

‘This Island Life’

Photographs of island life made by Peaks Island resident Heather Wasklewicz were on display at the island branch of the Portland Public Library through January. Wasklewicz donated 20 percent of the sales of images from the show, which she titled “This Island Life,” to the library to support its programs.… SEE MORE

Island Institute President Anthony Chatwin

Working Waterfront

Building on centuries of tradition

I am an alewife guy. I know that sounds strange, but I am not alone. In fact, there is a community of us out there who have fallen under the spell of those small, silvery, oily fish that are hardy and resilient, and whose fascinating life cycle keeps them coming… SEE MORE