Working Waterfront

Rewriting the storyline of island schools

My father had the honor of cutting the celebratory ribbon for the 150th anniversary of the Chebeague Island District 9 School House last month. At 93, and as the oldest living graduate, he can still remember specifically where he sat in the school room, “middle row, at the very end,”… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Island Reader’s offerings reflect passion for place

Every year since 2006 the Maine Seacoast Mission has published The Island Reader, a wide-ranging anthology of poetry, prose, and artwork by residents of Maine’s unbridged islands. And every year the literary/artistic smorgasbord reminds us that islands are special places that people call home. The 2023 edition, no. 17, gets… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Stonington’s ‘Discovery Wharf’ open

In the heart of Stonington, Maine’s highest lobster landings port, fisheries come alive at 13 Atlantic Avenue, home of the Discovery Wharf, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries’ vibrant interpretive center for visitors of all ages. The MCCF Discovery Wharf provides interactive experiences ranging from hands-on learning about sea creatures in… SEE MORE

The opening session of the 2023 Artists & Makers Conference.

Working Waterfront

When artists gather, sparks fly

The staff at the Island Institute’s Archipelago store and gallery again presented its Artists & Makers Conference this year after a pandemic pause, celebrating the theme “Together Again!” More than 100 attended to take in eight sessions, live music, Pecha Kucha-style storytelling presentations, and more. The vibe at the conference… SEE MORE

Umpire Pete Rand poses on the Maine coast. PHOTO: SOPHIE PAYSON-RAND

Working Waterfront

The summer game, as played offshore

When my son was 8, he asked me to stop coaching him in baseball. I didn’t ask him why. Instead, I swallowed my pride and simply informed the head coach of his minor league team that I could no longer help out. The coach took it well. In fact, in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Forecasting the Maine coast’s future

Dinosaurs never knew the coast of Maine. As rugged and timeless as it appears, our coast is a relatively new feature, formed and revealed as ice sheets melted away, roughly around the time the seeds of human civilization were sprouting roots around the world. No one could have foreseen back… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Vinalhaven’s volunteer of the year

[caption id="attachment_36116" align="alignnone" width="500"] Peter Richards, center, works with (from left) students Bryson Lane, Maevis Bryant, Faith McCarthy, and Noah Hufsey.[/caption] PHOTOS BY SHERI ROMER Peter Richards, a retired teacher from Georgia who has been living on Vinalhaven the last several years, was named by the Maine Principals Association as… SEE MORE

Eleven-year-old Jack Moore flies with the late Kevin Waters of Penobscot Island Air. PHOTO: COURTESY AVERY LARNED

Working Waterfront

Islesboro student flying solo at 16

[caption id="attachment_36036" align="alignleft" width="500"] Moore flies with an instructor. PHOTO: COURTESY AVERY LARNED[/caption] Living on an island and relying on a ferry to get to the mainland and the wider world might inspire a young person to seek other modes of transportation. But for Jack Moore, 16, pursuing an… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Broadband funded awarded to coastal communities

The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) has made 26 awards totaling more than $4 million in funding and support to community, regional, and tribal organizations. These initiatives will support community-driven broadband solutions that ensure universal connectivity, strengthen, and grow the number of partners thinking about digital equity and inclusion, and create… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Out of my lane—pinch-hitting as art teacher

As I settle into middle age, I find I can enjoy a sense of easy competency in most of the things I do. After 18 years of teaching and directing plays, I no longer fret over every detail, but can plan more generally and pivot and problem-solve as needed. I… SEE MORE