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.
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August 14
‘Locking up, locking down’—Belfast mariner explores inland waterway
John and Trish Worth traversed Erie and Champlain canals
By Tom Groening John Worth is a salty guy. Saltwater may not run in his veins, but he certainly has spent a lot of time in, on, and around the sea. He attended Maine Maritime Academy in Castine. He and his wife Trish ran Belfast’s first excursion schooner, the Sylvina Beal,for five years back in the 1980s. He and another Belfast…
August 14
Has Maine’s high court issued a public invitation to the beach?
Seaweed ruling may have impact on state’s public access precedents
By John Duff Maine’s unique history and lengthy coastline create a complex environmental and legal shorescape. The state’s common law recognizes private property interests that extend to the low water mark.…
August 14
Sustaining Maine's working waterfront
Land for Maine's Future program focuses on fishing infrastructure
The Land for Maine’s Future Board has selected six projects that will help protect and sustain Maine’s working waterfront. Through the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program, funds have been set…
August 13
A coastal conundrum—taxes or tourism?
Conserved lands may draw recreational use, but reduce tax rolls
By Sarah Craighead Dedmon Acadia National Park broke records this summer when more than 35,000 people visited on a single day. The increased traffic led to near-constant road and parking…
August 7
Airboats find a home in Maine waters
Vessels serve shellfish harvesters and marine law enforcement
Story and Photos by Kelli Park Long a staple for the swamps of the South, airboats are now finding their way into Maine waters. The flat-bottomed, fan-propelled vessels have grown…
August 7
Beaches are soft frontline in the climate change war
Conference airs resilience, science, and value concerns
By Tom Groening The sunny, vacation-vibe we associate with beaches was doused like a pelting thunderstorm at the 12th Beaches Conference in Kittery on June14. Instead of swimming and sunbathing, the…
August 7
Getting to know the Knowltons
Monhegan museum hosts retrospective of Maud Briggs Knowlton, husband Edward
By Carl Little Painter Maud Briggs Knowlton (1870-1956) and her husband, photographer Edward Knowlton (1860-1964), first set foot on Monhegan Island sometime in the 1890s. Traveling from their home…
August 7
Who says there’s nothing to do?
North Haven is buzzing this time of year, and that’s a good thing
By Courtney Naliboff I’m writing this from a point in time two weeks before the end of the school year, one day before the spring concert, and just over a…
August 5
Maine Boat & Home Show showcases state’s best boats
Rockland waterfront hosts annual event Aug. 9-11
Whether it’s to look at a boat or to buy one (or just spend a nice day out on the waterfront), the Maine Boat & Home Show, on the Rockland…
July 30
Casco Bay Lines responds to booming bay, city
Islanders worry about visitors, but CBL says it must serve demand
By Tom Groening Portland’s waterfront is booming—new hotels, restaurants, pubs, a marina—so it’s no wonder the ferry serving Casco Bay’s islands is responding to that activity, says Hank Berg. Casco…
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.
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