A kayaker explores one of the islands on the trail.

Working Waterfront

Shared mooring: Maine Island Trail, Island Institute born of same values

By Doug Welch The Maine Island Trail Association marks its 30th anniversary this month, and I believe it is important to look back at our roots and the organization that once spawned and still inspires us—the Island Institute. This story begins a “generation” before the Island Institute in the 1970s and… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A drowning island-nation portends wider climate change disasters

In 2015, Sermary Tiare moved her family from Kirabati to New Zealand to escape the rising seas that were devastating her village. The mother of seven and small-business owner lived on the remote atoll of Abemama. She became one of 75 climate-change refugees at the time awarded New Zealand citizenship… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Dancing away the early spring cold

Sometimes, all it takes to warm back up is a little do-si-do. After a long, snowed-in winter and a chilly, damp spring, with the nearest restaurant opening still weeks away, North Haven kids and grownups were trudging along. Sunny days were few and far between, and it seemed that even… SEE MORE

Fisherman George Curtis and retired fisherman William Leaman talk fishing (of course) outside of Leaman’s fish house in Owls Head in 1957.

Working Waterfront

Penobscot Marine Museum brings Kosti home

COURTESY PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM In the summer of 1951, Ruohomaa received a call from his friend Andrew Wyeth inviting him to join in fetching an antique hearse from Loud’s Island. Ruohomaa documented the infamous trip from start to finish. In this view, sawmill operator, Ralph Cline, ro “Kosti Comes Home,”… SEE MORE

Jennifer Helman and Dale Joyce are the new owners of the Harbor Watch Inn.

Working Waterfront

Swan’s Island motel has new owners

If you visit Swan’s Island for a weekend getaway, don’t expect much nightlife. Unless, that is, your idea of night life is a peaceful early evening stroll down a quiet road to the shore, or a short drive to the lighthouse to watch the sunset. For one thing, the sale… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Islesboro’s Annika Rogers a two-sport standout

Annika Rogers has spent most of her life working hard to excel, both in school and in sport, competing locally in sailing and internationally in snowshoeing. The Islesboro Central School senior has been rewarded for her efforts with a $5,000 scholarship from the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. Rogers, 18,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Remembering the ‘improbable’ Harbor Gawker

On Oct. 1 of last year, a man with no legs and just a few fingers put together one of several final meals at one of coastal Maine’s iconic—and most improbable—seafood restaurants. It was a haddock and havarti sandwich, which I enjoyed and with a gusto that I’d reserved over the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The history of Maine’s income tax, and why it matters

Maine’s current governor spent his second term trying to repeal the income tax, and while he didn’t succeed, the top rate was reduced from 8.5 percent to 7.1 percent during his term of office. Nearly 50 years after the personal and corporate income tax was enacted, by a Democratic governor… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Digging into history, learning from the children

Reflections is a monthly column written by Island Fellows, recent college grads who do community service work on Maine islands and in remote coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. It was most certainly the highest, most nausea-inducing point on the entire island. I closed my eyes.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Attacking plastic ‘Upstream’ of consumer

From small offices in Damariscotta, a nonprofit called Upstream is running a nationwide movement to eliminate single-use plastic at the producer level. “We can’t recycle or compost our way to a sustainable future,” said Executive Director Matt Prindiville. “If we’re only working at the consumer end, we’re only cleaning up… SEE MORE