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

Working Waterfront

And the secret ingredient is…

I would like to humbly apologize to anyone who read my last column about oatcakes and who had baking failures because they followed a recipe in which I neglected to put oats in the list of ingredients. Two cups of oats! Two cups of oats! I so carefully edited my… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Equity can be workforce solution

“The neighborhood is changing” was the refrain from Lawrence Alexander, an equity educator who spoke at the Island Institute's Workforce Pathways Conference in October. The refrain suggests that if Maine is to thrive, it will be because we embrace change on almost every level, including changing who lives and works… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Our readers write: Bias, memories, and oatcakes

Bias is on left, too To the editor: I read with interest the Rock Bound column on “Citizen Hearst” in the November issue of The Working Waterfront. I follow the news media quite closely, especially as pertains to political reporting. I was disappointed, but not surprised to see the negative… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A good deed was the best medicine

It’s no secret that these are trying times. It’s a metaphorical rough ferry ride, with the news cycle and pandemic sending us up into an optimistic high, only to bring us crashing down into yet another trough. In a recent column, I wrote about the small gesture of leaving patches… SEE MORE

Burnt Coat Harbor Light on Swan's Island. PHOTO: COURTESY HARBORVIEW STUDIO

Working Waterfront

Light station restoration complete on Swan’s Island

After some 15 years of planning, fund raising, volunteer and preservation work by dozens of contractors, the town of Swan’s Island has completed the restoration of the Burnt Coat Harbor Light Station. There are four historic buildings at the light station—the light tower, the keeper’s house, the oil house and… SEE MORE

Donna Damon poses in front of a bulletin board in her classroom just before she retired. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENINGa

Working Waterfront

Who’s next—bringing in new community leaders

Chebeague Island’s Donna Damon started the October meeting of the Maine Islands Coalition by asking the 30 assembled members and guests an important question: “Who are community leaders?” Her second question may have been more important and telling: “Who will take your place?” The questions were at the heart of… SEE MORE

Marian Baker, at right, in her studio and gallery on Islesford. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Islesford potter wins crafts honor

The Maine Crafts Association (MCA), a statewide nonprofit organization that builds upon Maine’s rich craft traditions by nurturing a vibrant, supportive, inclusive craft community and strong individual craft artist practices, has named potter and educator Marian Baker of Yarmouth as the 2021 recipient of its Maine Craft Artist Award. The… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Who do we want to see on our streets?

It was a couple of years ago. A message on my voicemail urged me to come to Castine for a story about a municipal water tank being converted into an after-school childcare center. I probably rolled my eyes when I listened to the woman’s message. The project seemed a bit… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A different kind of hauling

PHOTOS BY BILL SAXTON/KELLI PARK For recreational boaters, this is a sad time of year, when the decision is made to have the boat hauled from the harbor by a boatyard to be stored somewhere on dry land. For fishermen, it’s a little different—many are welcoming the chance to sleep… SEE MORE