From a 92-year-old great-grandfather setting a few traps this year, to his 19-year-old great-granddaughter doing the same, the Anderson family is a living lobstering tradition in Port Clyde. The family not only passes down skills and lobster lore from one generation to the next, it hands down the boats as well, and younger hands keep
Essay: Notes from a young innkeeper
During my one season as an innkeeper of the Chebeague Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast, I never quite got used to the whole waking up at 6 a.m. thing. I ran out of eggs more than I would like to admit, sending my partner J Holt to raid his parents’ henhouse, “the girls” squawking and
Cutbacks at Port Clyde store upset residents
Many regular customers are upset by the recent and abrupt cutbacks at the Port Clyde General Store for the winter. For the first time in the memory of residents, store hours will be curtailed to six hours a day until May. Marking the literal end of Route 131, the huge wooden Port Clyde General Store
Refrigeration company is an immigrant success story
The story of Wolf Marine Systems, Inc., the first company to build and install large industrial refrigerated holding systems used in the seafood industry, is the old one of hard-working immigrants who, despite setbacks, reach eventual success. In 1922, Rena Belzer, jobless in post-World War I Germany, applied to emigrate to the U.S. In 1925,
Venturing: Good neighbors, high water
An article in the Times-Picayune reminds us yet again of change on a waterfront. While I was in New Orleans in early November, the newspaper reported that the New Orleans City Council had approved a zoning change to allow the creation of a new park along the Mississippi River, in a downtown district that has
Rediscovering the art of fish cutting
The Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative (MFC) began offering fresh-filleted fish to restaurants and their Port Clyde Fresh Catch Community Supported Fishery customers in June, and it is still available sporadically through the winter. Last year, only whole fish were offered, accompanied by filleting demonstrations at pick up locations. Customers have responded enthusiastically to the fillets, made
Attorney General investigates allegations of lobster price-fixing
The state Attorney General’s office issued summonses to three lobster dealers, part of what appears to be an investigation into allegations of price-fixing, focusing on Washington County dealers. Three dealers confirmed that they received the summonses in November from the Attorney General, but spoke on the condition that they not be identified. All three dealers
Islanders awed by wind turbines
As Gladys Hutchinson walked up the access road, past Turbine 3, she and her friend Joy Woodcock, were amazed. “It’s like you’re in another world,” she said. Hutchinson, of Vinalhaven, said she had driven past the site all summer during construction of the turbines, but today was different. “It’s like you’re seeing it for the
Islesford online market aims to expand the summer season
For the past 17 summers, the Islesford Dock has served as a mainstay of the Little Cranberry Island summer economy. This past year, owners Dan and Cynthia Lief opened an island art gallery to capitalize on the visitor presence. Now they are looking to parlay that success into a year-round opportunity for the island’s artists
Growth spurt for day care on Chebeague Island
When it comes to kids, a lot of growth can happen in one year, sometimes unpredictably. When The Kids’ Place Day Care on Chebeague Island opened on August 4, 2008, the founders had no idea how quickly their brainchild would outgrow its own footprint. Having reached maximum capacity 21 separate times since the beginning of