Working Waterfront

Islander teamwork rescues feathered family

As near as anyone has been able to tell so far, there were ever only two water-powered granite polishing mills in the world (one may have been in Springfield, Mass.), and only one powered by tidal water. The latter was on Vinalhaven and it was powered by big iron turbines… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Confronting a simple truth, a word at a time

I’ve been struggling with a simple truth visited on me recently, something that came much sooner than anticipated. It’s been suggested that writing about it might help me cope. I’ll try it one word at a time. The first word is “I’m,” short for “I am,” and “I am” is,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

My April Fool’s joke is a believable nightmare

I wrote the following April Fool’s column last month alleging that Gov. Paul LePage had decided to give the largest Vinalhaven ferry, the Capt. Frank Thompson, to Viking Cruise Lines to use as a gambling and pleasure venue: “Gov. LePage, claiming that the Maine State Ferry Service is unprofitable and… SEE MORE

The Vinalhaven Vikings girls basketball team celebrates its Class D state championship in Bangor on Friday

Working Waterfront

The team within the team also deserves praise

The Vinalhaven Lady Vikings, having won this year’s State Class D girls basketball championship in Bangor, brought the cherished Gold Ball trophy home to Vinalhaven. Coach Sandy Nelson and Assistant Coach Sam Bickford, both island natives, are a rare and cohesive team themselves, so passionate about and focused on the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Vinalhaven participates in women’s march

The Women’s March on Washington, a concept begun by one woman and a handful of friends just after Election Day, far exceeded their expectations. Two months later, it had become the distinctly inclusive voice of an astonishing five million people from every continent and from every state in this union.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Thankful for one president, bracing for another

It’s the season of Thanksgiving and I try, as always, to remind myself of the things I’m most thankful for. For the last eight years, our American president has been among those things. Although I now and then disagreed with him or wished he’d done more or less, I found… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Adventures in eating out

A new restaurant that opened up a while back had itself a maitre d’ and its own bartender and everything. They had a lot of live music and as a result the place was quite a draw some nights. They tapped the locals as waitresses and waiters and these folks,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Guests find motel romantic, fisherman- and mink-friendly

I customarily do an end of year wrap up of the summer’s high points at the Tidewater, the motel on Vinalhaven I own and operate. It’s a great business to be in. Almost without exception, every visitor is delighted to be here, happy to be on vacation, relieved to be… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Making lemonade not from lemons, but from love

Island legend, writer and historian Ivan Calderwood left his island home and land to the town of Vinalhaven for the purpose of providing a home for older islanders no longer able to adequately provide for themselves. The Ivan Calderwood Homestead is now Vinalhaven’s eldercare facility, home at any given time… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Town government: confidence or apathy?

The town of Vinalhaven’s administrative assistant, Barbara Philbrook, gave notice several months ago that she would be retiring this month. Until it was revealed that she’d only been working here for 46 years, most of us had assumed she’d been there forever, or at least since Vinalhaven gained its relative… SEE MORE