The Working Waterfront newspaper reports on the people and forces that shape Maine’s coastal and island communities. As publisher, Island Institute’s premise is that the cultural, environmental, and community assets here are rare and valuable, and are worth fighting for.
Please join us to support this important nonprofit journalism.

Islesford
September 28

Going solar on Islesford is only option

FAILING CABLE, PROSPECT OF MASSIVE DIESEL CONSUMPTION, POINT TO SUN
In the 1970s, residents of Isle au Haut had finally had it with their World War II diesel generator and so banded together to invest in a seven-mile electric cable to Stonington. The cable, expected only to last 20 years, is now nearly 40 years old. But Isle au Haut residents are determined not to go back to diesel generation,…
Jeri Spurling
September 28

Maine’s cold water line blocks most sharks… for now

HAMMERHEADS, WHALE SHARKS SEEN MORE OFTEN OFF MASSACHUSETTS
Since time immemorial, fishing has gone hand-in-hand with stories of spotting unusual creatures in the ocean. However, now with smartphones, those stories can be verified and generate headlines. In late…
Craig Idlebrook
September 24

State’s largest private park system opens in Lubec

LUBEC COBSCOOK SHORES IS THE WORK OF BENEFACTOR GILBERT BUTLER
Lubec is accustomed to superlatives. As the easternmost town in the nation, home to some of North America’s highest tides, the iconic West Quoddy lighthouse and—for many weeks at least—the…
Sarah Craighead Dedmon
September 23

Machias farm is betting on hemp

CROP WELL-SUITED FOR THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ECONOMY
Ben Edwards planned to begin harvesting in mid-September, but a new variety of hemp matured almost overnight, possibly in response to heavy rains. “For whatever reason, this strain is maturing…
Sarah Craighead Dedmon
September 17

A powerful voice from a life that matters

QUESTION AT FORUM PROMPTS INQUIRY INTO OTHER LIVES
I was asked in the late spring if I would be willing to participate in a webinar with The Working Waterfront’s three other island columnists to answer questions about island living. Our…
Barbara Fernald
September 17

For right whale protection—Is technology the future of lobster fishing?

Acoustic buoy releases and tracking software: These are high-tech options under consideration as ways to eliminate the potential for interaction between the lobster fishery and the endangered North Atlantic right…
Laurie Schreiber
September 17

UMaine announces partners on floating wind project

PRIVATE FIRMS JOIN IN TECHNOLOGY TEST OFF MONHEGAN ISLAND
The University of Maine will collaborate with New England Aqua Ventus, LLC (NEAV), a joint venture between Diamond Offshore Wind, a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation, and RWE Renewables, the…
September 17

Readers react to Cowslip photo

In the August issue, we ran a photo of the U.S. Coast Guard vessel Cowslip calling at Monhegan Island. Reader Dick de Grasse of Islesboro writes: “Your photo of the Cowslip brought back Coast Guard memories.…
September 17

Tourism is a fragile pillar of island economy

PANDEMIC IN BALI HAS SENT YOUNG PEOPLE BACK TO THE FARM
It turns out that the Maine coast and Bali have something major in common. We each depend on tourism as a primary source of income, and economically the pandemic has…
September 17

Little island leaps lead to bigger steps

ISLAND FELLOW LEAVES ONE ISLAND FOR ANOTHER
From wharf to boat, boat to wharf, rinse, recycle, and repeat. Each island trip requires this momentary leap of faith. Trusting in that short span of wood, metal, or (occasionally)…
Dan Debord

Island Postcards

EPISODE 10: Keep the Light Shining

Two ambitious young women swam around the entire Island of Isle au Haut during the summer of 2019 to raise money for crucial renovations to the lighthouse.

WATCH ALL ISLAND POSTCARDS

 

SIGN UP FOR OUR
E-WEEKLY

Get the latest articles from the Working Waterfront delivered to your inbox every week.

SIGN UP NOW

THE WORKING WATERFRONT
LATEST ISSUE

A nonprofit publication of the Island Institute which has been published for over 20 years.

LEARN MORE