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November 28
Columbus, Squanto, and our original sin
Holidays should focus us on restoring Native status
This, the December/January issue of The Working Waterfront, prints between a couple of holidays that are sort of related—Indigenous Peoples Day and Thanksgiving. The history embedded in these dates is worth reflection, especially as our understanding of it has evolved in recent years. The 500th anniversary of Columbus arriving in the New World, marked in 1992, triggered a major reconsideration…
November 16
A 'common' mistake, island schools
Letters from readers
A common mistake To the editor: While I always enjoy reading The Working Waterfront and Tom Groening’s Rock Bound column, the one in the October issue has an error that…
October 31
On the lee side of Lee
Hurricane threat magnifies island resilience
On a sunny September Sunday, Hurricane Lee was still six days away. The spaghetti lines of possible storm paths did not bode well for the Cranberry Isles. We knew we’d…
October 31
The horror, the horror…
Halloween memories of terrorizing others
Over the years I’ve made the most of Halloween. It came naturally because haunts and hauntings were a part of the lives of my three younger brothers and me. I…
October 31
Wood, fire, and rocks
The elemental way of cooking is pleasing
Cooking food made it possible for ancient human bodies to divert energy from digesting food to evolving larger brains, according to biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham, who wrote Catching Fire, a…
October 31
A room of one’s own
Island group’s housing work pays off
Whatever the subject matter of my column is, the overarching theme is always life on North Haven. As Bill and I enter our 19th year on this little unbridged slice…
October 31
Fish are shrinking in size, according to new study
Larger populations are balancing out biomass
University of Maine ecology professor Brian McGill helped discover that the average body sizes of fish are shrinking as part of an international project with 16 other researchers. The team,…
October 31
The late Ted Hoskins understood fishermen
Robin Alden remembers his practical, visionary support
The following is an edited version of remarks by Robin Alden about Rev. Ted Hoskins’ work in fisheries in Maine and across the globe, spoken at his memorial service on…
October 30
‘Hub of marine research excellence’ planned in Harpswell
Quahog Bay Conservancy purchases former inn property
This story first appeared in The Anchor, a nonprofit newspaper and website covering the Harpswell community. It is reprinted with permission and gratitude. The Quahog Bay Conservancy plans to transform…
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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