Portland–Lobster dealer Peter McAleney, of New Meadows Lobster on Portland Pier, said, “It couldn’t be any worse: tremendous wind with 65 mph gusts.” He then recalled, “Maybe the worst storm was in `77, but we had lobster.” This storm, at a time of next-to-no landings due to colder-than-usual water, hurled thirty-foot waves over his wharf and lifted the roof up. Then there was the problem of fresh water from the rain mixing with the salt water the lobster in his tank house needed to stay alive. He lost all the floats his lobstermen tie up on, his pump was torn away, the roof was partly torn off and the skylights gone. The wind lifted his cooking building up and set it back down again. He called DiMillo’s Marina “A total disaster” and said four boats sank there. The results of the storm, he said, “could be devastating to the [lobster] industry.”

Long Island–Trees and limbs and telephone poles fell on houses and across roads, leaving Long Island without power. Lobsterman Steve Train said, “This storm has caused the most damage I’ve seen on the island in 20 years”. Fishermen, unable to work at their trade, spent their time clearing the island of debris. “The Back Shore is covered with traps,” Train said, “we don’t know whose.” He said fishermen with gear set at 15 fathoms were nervous.

Boothbay area–Douglas Carter, the owner of Sea Pier, Inc., in Boothbay Harbor, reported that after Monday’s 60 mph, force 11 winds blew his roof off, he called Glidden Roofing, in Scarborough. “Do what you have to do,” he told them, explaining that he had 60 fishermen to take care of, and that he’d handle the insurance himself. Once assured that they wouldn’t have to deal with estimates and insurance, Glidden sent to New York to have new steel roof panels fabricated and trucked back to Maine. Glidden’s started installing the new roof on Thursday, and by Saturday, Carter and Sea Pier were back in business.

One boat sank in East Boothbay, going up the Damariscotta River.

Midcoast–Although Vinalhaven fisherman Walter Day described the storm as “pretty rude,” he said boats suffered little damage because the harbor’s lee shore.

At Spruce Head, the road coming onto the island became undermined, said John Petersdorf, of William Atwood Lobster Co. “The bridge didn’t go, but the road before the bridge washed out.” Atwood’s had to use its generator for 24 hours due to loss of power. Petersdorf reported very little building damage and that fishermen on the east side of the island had moved their boats to safety on the west side.

The fire department advised Spruce Head Island’s residents to evacuate, and Petersdorf said he and his family did so as well as the rest of Atwood’s 35 employees. But it was crucial that they return to work the following day, as Friday, April 20, was opening day for most of Newfoundland’s lobster fishing areas, which meant that Atwood had to ship the lobsters he’d already sold before the Newfoundland lobster hit the market and the price dropped. But by Friday morning, the price of lobster dropped dramatically all over in anticipation of the Newfoundland landings.

Southern Coast–The breakwater at Scarborough took a beating. Power was out there for a day. One fishing boat got loose, but fishermen retrieved it and found not many traps washed up on the beach, though that was not the case at Kennebunkport’s beaches, which were littered with traps and buoys.

To the west, in Kittery, although people suffered basement flooding, there was little commercial damage because fishermen and dealers took precautions and moved boats and equipment.

— Sandra Dinsmore

Cranberry Isles–The damage has been mounting due to flooding basements, torn asphalt roofs and loss of electrical power. We were without power in the town (two islands) for 38 hours. Bangor Hydro has advised that the main electrical cable coming from the mainland in Manset, Southwest Harbor, is damaged and we could lose power again at any time and that it could be a significant outage.

Our post office also sustained damage as major breakers landed against the small building. Wind Tuesday afternoon was recorded at 92 MPH but for most of the time sustained winds were in the 50s with gusts into the 70s. Our temperature has remained in the 38 to 40 degree F range throughout with near continuous rain.

With all of the potential for problems we really didn’t have too many trees down and only one major break in a high voltage line near Chris White’s home on the South Shore.

Island residents gathered at the Community Center for a hot meal by candlelight and gas stove. Only a few of us have generators.

Trust this gives you another aspect of island life. Only one ferry boat Monday or Tuesday, and no barging until the end of the week…. q

– Richard F. Beal, April 18, 2007