When most of us look out over the waters of the Gulf of Maine, we tend to see things in two dimensions; the water looks pretty flat and it stretches out toward the horizon. Fishermen, however, make their living in the Gulf of Maine by thinking of the water in three dimensions—they are constantly observing
Seabird Clinic Takes Flight in Friendship
Some people who inherit a seaside cottage would just kick back in retirement, watching the gulls, loons, ducks and osprey wheel and dive in the bay. Not Cindy Mackie and Beth Settlemyer, who after lives elsewhere decided several years ago to share a vintage cottage on Muscongus Bay in the fishing village of Friendship. Last
“I Don’t Want to Scrub Any More Buoys!”
Many lobstermen around the Cranberry Isles take an extra person with them on their boats, and some captains even take two. The sternman keeps busy with a range of jobs that helps the captain haul traps in a timely manner. On the way to the first string of traps, the sternman will stuff herring into
North Haven Votes to Support Preschool
When co-teachers Wendy Cooper and Liza Waterman Marquis learned of the loss of Head Start funding for the Laugh & Learn Preschool on North Haven, unease filled their minds. “I was worried I would lose my job,” Cooper said. “I was worried we wouldn’t have the funds to continue running our program,” Marquis added. The
Acadian Redfish and Squid Ink
At the door to the Black Trumpet Bistro in Portsmouth, N.H., we were welcomed by a smiling hostess who directed us to sit at one of the large tables set up for the evening. We were there to eat five delicious courses of fresh seafood and talk about Community Supported Fisheries (CSF) as part of
Dine on the Dock
At the last moment, I was invited by native San Diegan and longtime commercial fisherman John Law to accompany him at Dine on the Dock, a seafoodie event intended to support locally-caught seafood and Italian cuisine. It was a cool May evening with a touch of clouds as we headed toward Pier 4 at Driscoll’s
The Island Reading Group
It was an invitation rich with possibility—the opportunity to meet with the Vinalhaven men’s reading group to discuss the third edition of Islands in Time. And for the first time ever, the men had invited their wives, most of whom are members of the Vinalhaven women’s reading group, for this ground-breaking joint meeting followed by
Island Power Company Tests Hydrogen Fuel System
Matinicus Plantation Electric Company (MPE) has installed a supplemental hydrogen fuel system on one of the engines in the powerhouse, and a couple of island lobstermen have recently added the hydrogen generators to their marine diesel engines in hopes of reducing operating costs. So far, the results look promising. Matinicus lobsterman Jarod Bray was at
Massive Belfast Food Storage and Processing Plant to Open in July
Midcoast farmers, fishermen and food entrepreneurs will have a new option for storing and processing food this harvest season, as a massive $2 million food storage facility will go online sometime in July. The facility, operated by Coastal Farms and Foods, will operate a freezer and cold and dry storage for produce and fish, a
The Red Phone
The bride had dreamed of exactly this kind of wedding day. The sky would be blue, the leafy trees green and white puffy clouds would be floating overhead, as she and her beloved, with their assembled guests, looked out over the islands of Penobscot Bay. And so it was. Few present could have hoped to