In a former island life, I made the best trade of my short existence up to that time. I wanted a boat to take me to Maine islands and Outward Bound wanted someone to teach its students what they could forage on their character-building “solos.” We were both perennially short of cash, so we resorted
Recreational, working waterfronts clash in Surry shellfish bid
Note: This story contains some changes from a version posted last week. SURRY — A controversy over a proposed aquaculture lease in Morgan Bay has morphed into a debate over the state’s aquaculture application process. Opponents of the lease believe the Maine Department of Marine Resources isn’t properly taking local concerns into account when considering
Those little river fish may bring big ocean fixes
Will the fish come back? Will the fish make it to their spawning grounds? These are the questions on the minds of fisheries biologists and river advocates this time of year, as they pay close attention to dam removals and other restoration efforts on streams and rivers. Many of these restoration projects began decades ago
Fuel-efficient lobster boat design moving forward
STONINGTON — Lobster boat designs were as different as the Maine harbors in which the boats floated in the early 20th century. But by mid-century, those competing designs blended into the easily recognized, now classic, modern Maine lobster boat, said Nathan Lipfert, senior curator for the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. The outer hull design
Legislative committee votes to restart climate change planning
AUGUSTA — A state legislative committee voted Thursday to put Maine back on track to develop a finished plan for adapting to its changing climate. “I think the committee understood how much we all stand to lose if we don’t plan for the future,” said Pete Didisheim, advocacy director for the Natural Resources Council of
Off-shore wind project takes tangible form
ORONO — The one-eighth scale prototype of a floating wind turbine unveiled Wednesday will change the wind power world, its developers asserted. Habib Dagher, director of the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, revealed the foundation of the center’s floating wind turbine technology and the prototype for a future five-gigawatt deepwater wind development
All charged up at COA: electric vehicles get a local boost
BAR HARBOR — Drivers may have “range anxiety” when it comes to contemplating the use of electric vehicles (EV). But various forms of pure and hybrid EVs are already in use and greater numbers are expected, as today’s sustainable-energy car, battery and infrastructure initiatives rapidly develop. College of the Atlantic recently took a step toward
Why we tell stories
Consider this story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn,” attributed to Ernest Hemingway, who allegedly won a $10 a bar bet with other writers, wagering that he could write a shorter story than they could. Humans are inveterate storytellers, and apparently always have been. Before we could write a story, we drew pictographs on a
Islesboro ferry replacement plans in the works
ISLESBORO — The ferry Margaret Chase Smith, which services Islesboro from Lincolnville, is expected to be in service for another decade or so. But a grant from the federal government will allow the state Department of Transportation to begin the design for a new ferry well in advance of the Smith’s retirement. The U.S. Department
The summer people: ‘It’s different now’
Looking out at the budding leaves and the boats in the harbor (sorry, couldn’t help rubbing it in), there’s a summer feel in the air. Sue Wheaton tackled my lawn a couple days ago, shaking her weed-whacker in the air and warning me to stay out of her way. Like many coastal Maine communities, Swan’s