Working Waterfront

A lesson in island living

Everything is harder when you live in a remote, rural town. Especially on an island. Especially in summer. When George Gershwin wrote about the easy livin’ of summertime, he wasn’t on a Maine island. Your houseguest’s forgotten prescription? The missing ingredient in the recipe you are making? (It was on… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Mills highlights housing wins

The lack of affordable housing impacts much of the state’s economy, and much of the economy impacts housing. That was one of the conundrums emerging from the Maine Affordable Housing Conference on Sept. 9 in Bangor. When housing options are few or too expensive, the workforce—which is already facing generational… SEE MORE

Ben Dinsmore, the new general manager and CEO of Casco Bay Lines.

Working Waterfront

Casco Bay Lines names new GM

Casco Bay Island Transit District, also known as Casco Bay Lines, announces the appointment of Ben Dinsmore as its next general manager and chief executive officer. A seasoned maritime professional with over 25 years of global experience, Dinsmore brings deep operational expertise, strategic leadership, and a personal understanding of Maine’s island communities. SEE MORE

From left, David Wyman, Donald Small, Steve Brookman, and Walt Murphy pose with their 1/16th scale model of the privateer Defence.

Working Waterfront

Remembering the ill-fated Defence

Wyman remembers the students working at making the sonar able to identify objects to the side rather than just downward. Passing over the location where the fisherman snagged his net, an unusual shape was identified. SEE MORE

This packing table is a featured original artifact that is part of Penobscot Marine Museum’s Sardineland exhibit.

Working Waterfront

Marine museum celebrates the humble sardine

The Penobscot Marine Museum invites the community to SardineFest 2025—a free, all-day celebration of Maine’s rich sardine industry history—on Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m in downtown Searsport. SardineFest has been generously sponsored by Hamilton Marine. SEE MORE

Boats gather off Frenchboro to memorialize and remember the late David Lunt. PHOTO: PETER RALSTON

Working Waterfront

An island patriarch is laid to rest

Dean Lunt, David’s youngest son, presided over the solemn event, with spiritual comfort provided by the Maine Seacoast Mission pastor who arrived on the Sunbeam. Following the committal in the small cemetery that the Lunt family had donated to the town, guests boarded a solemn procession of lobster boats... SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Hotchkiss’ latest explores theme of isolation

Mildred finds she enjoys listening as the women talk, seeing their conversation as knitting them together while their actual knitting created nets… SEE MORE

Filmmaker Laura Hamilton interviews Capt. Matt Ridgway general manager of the Chebeague Transportation Co. PHOTO: SUSAN STRANAHAN

Working Waterfront

An island lifeline at 50

CTC operates 4,000 regularly scheduled trips a year. In addition to transporting islanders, off-island workers, summer residents, visitors and school students, CTC also provides 24-hour emergency service, working closely with Chebeague's volunteer rescue squad. SEE MORE

The September 1901 launch of the USS Cleveland at Bath Iron Works.

Working Waterfront

Sliding into history: The tradition of the launch

The accompanying images show the September 1901 launch of the USS Cleveland at Bath Iron Works. Spectators packed the yard, standing shoulder to shoulder among scaffolding and shipyard debris to witness the Navy cruiser’s christening and launch. SEE MORE

A view of the harbor, framed by trees. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

When life gives you a library

Now the library is poised for a new chapter. It holds over 15,000 volumes and finds its home in a spacious and modern facility that would never have come to be without the 2008 tragedy. After many successful years as “just a library,” we feel like we can dream bigger. SEE MORE