Before wireless and telephone reached across water, communication between islands and the mainland relied on boats—unless, of course, you used homing pigeons. Several islands off Maine and New Hampshire benefited from pigeon posts, made possible by birds known for an uncanny ability to find their way home, even from hundreds of miles away. In the
UMaine ecologist honored for coral reef research
Island Postcards: Sam & Doreen Cabot
In the first in our new video series, Island Postcards, North Haven farmers Sam and Doreen Cabot introduce us to their home and livelihood: Foggy Meadows Farm.
The homesteader’s August is bitter-sweet — and busy
Editor’s note: This series of blogs was written last year by Anneli Carter-Sundqvist about her and her husband Dennis’ adventures homesteading and running a hostel on Deer Isle. The entire year of blog posts are contained in the book A Homesteader’s Year on Deer Isle (see www.deerislehostel.com). Suddenly, as if we’ve been transported in time, we are
Eastport lobster business: ‘Big portions, hearty meals’
PHOTO ESSAY BY LESLIE BOWMAN AND SOPHIA GUIDA Quoddy Bay Lobster, located at the water’s edge in Eastport, is a family venture. Dale Griffin, his brothers Mike and Jeff, and Jeff’s son Brent own the business, but it’s managed by the women of the family. Early on Mother’s Day morning, Sara and Shelly were cooking
Monhegan’s celebrated ‘trap day,’ fall harvest festival on Oct. 1
Wednesday, Oct. 1, is an important day on Monhegan Island. Trap Day, as it’s known, marks the beginning of the island’s special lobster season, the day when fishermen begin setting their traps. Islanders and visitors often pitch in to help fishermen get their fishing gear to the wharf and on their boats. Coinciding with Trap
Marine Protected Areas—do they work?
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a source of pride, ire and debate in coastal communities the world over. Later this year, NOAA fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council will make an important decision about MPAs in New England. It has been 16 years since NOAA and the council established fisheries habitat protection areas
Islands produce a social surplus
A boat yard doesn’t clean out its biggest shed for just anyone. Yet that is exactly what the folks at Chebeague Island Boatyard agreed to do at the request of a few Chebeague residents for what turned out to be an incredible day at the Sustain ME conference this past month. For a number of
Great White sightings continue on East Coast
Almost a year after the sighting of a Great White shark in Boothbay Harbor, people on a tour boat operated by Quoddy Link Marine got a close up view of one in Passamaquoddy Bay near Robbinston in July. University of New England professor James Sulikowski believes anyone who gets a close-up view of a
Historic Shipwrecks of Penobscot Bay
Why do we find shipwrecks a fascinating subject? Maybe some are drawn to them for the same reason others of us resonate with stories about romances washed up, relationships on the rocks. They can serve as cautionary tales laden with life lessons. “Watch out for this,” we may feel advised. “Could mean trouble ahead.” As