As a visual storyteller and a new resident of Maine, originally from coastal California, I have spent my first year completely absorbed by this state’s rugged beauty. Walking the dirt roads of Monhegan Island for the first time, I felt I was stepping into one of the most uniquely striking communities in the United States.
On Monhegan, the ecosystem of a glacially carved island meets the cold Atlantic not in a gradual slope, but in a deliberate, dramatic fashion. The water is so clear that the ocean floor is entirely visible from the wharf—the community’s central lifeline—and looks even more breathtaking from a drone flying 350 feet in the air. My initial sense was that Monhegan was a place of profound contrast between raw wildness and rich community, before I recognized how seamlessly they harmonize.
At dawn, a brilliant sunrise scatters light across the eastern cliffs where gulls nest, safely contained within the 70% of the island protected by a wildlands trust. By evening, a warm sunset washes over the historic buildings and quiet harbor on the community side.
While Monhegan is undeniably idyllic, life 12 miles offshore demands deep respect. Spending time with year-round residents is a powerful reminder to relish the ephemeral summer season—its sweetness accentuated by a long winter with its challenges but also its own quiet delights. As I imagine year-round life out there, a summer sunset on Fish Beach and a warm breeze offer a golden reprieve, serving as a reminder that this moment is temporary before the realities of four-season island living return.
Madison McClintock is a filmmaker and photographer based in Brunswick. She is the multimedia storyteller at Island Institute.
