The need for workforce housing in Maine’s island and remote coastal communities has never been greater. This statement may seem startling, given the news that the housing market has stalled and prices are dropping. How in this market can we still have a need for workforce housing? Housing in Maine’s island and remote coastal communities
Cautious optimism about right whales, during annual migration to Bay of Fundy
The waters where the coasts of Maine and New Brunswick meet, where the St. Croix River widens into Passamaquoddy Bay and joins the Bay of Fundy, are key to the survival of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of North Atlantic whales. These waters are the summer feeding grounds for several species of whales, including North Atlantic right
Cranberry Report: Fall foraging
By the middle of October, most of the summer residents have made their last visit to Little Cranberry Island, returning to their active lives in bigger towns and cities. They are not the only ones moving on. Groups of flickers provide flashes of white, red, taupe and black as they travel south, stopping on the
A close encounter with right whales
Each fall the Quoddy Link whale-watching catamaran, based in St. Andrews, makes a special trip to where right whales are feeding. On September 13th, Captain John Eldridge delivered us to a spot about 40 miles from St. Andrews in the Grand Manan Basin, where we found ourselves surrounded by a very active group of at
Pancake tunicate alive and well around Eastport
Officially it’s called Didemnum Vexillum. It’s more familiarly known as pancake tunicate, also known as sea squirt, or, simply, pest. And it’s infesting the waters around Eastport. Because of this infestation, scientists at Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Biological Station at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, have been checking the waters off Deer and Campobello Islands. As
Thanks you for lobster industry reporting
As a summer resident on an island surrounded by lobster buoys and a witness to the lights of the lobstermen already at work before dawn, I have been grateful over these recent years for the Working Waterfront’s articles about the lobster industry, and Sandra Dinsmore’s articles in particular. Her experience and interviews have revealed many
For the love of chocolate and community
Black Dinah Chocolatiers founders Kate and Steve Shaffer are gearing up for their third holiday season with hand-crafted chocolates that tantalize taste buds and feed the soul. Their chocolates include Blueberry-Black Pepper, New England Pie Pumpkin, Down East Sea Breeze, Strawberry-Balsamic, Wild Raspberry, Hazelnut Latte, Maine Mint, and many more flavors. Despite the busy season,
Feature island car: 1942 Chevy CCKW, military model
Island: Great Cranberry Vehicle: 1942 Chevy CCKW, military model Owner: Blair Colby “This former military truck was rescued from a yard sale in Leyden, Massachusetts and brought to Great Cranberry Island in 1998 by Blair Colby,” writes Susan White, of Great Cranberry Island. “Blair is a wizard mechanic who can repair anything, plows island roads
Hurricane of Independence: The Untold Story of the Deadly Storm at the Deciding Moment of the American Revolution
Sourcebooks, Inc. 2008 299 pages, $22.95 The forgotten hurricane As another hurricane season draws to a close, Tony Williams has provided us with a look at one of the deadliest storms ever to hit the North American coast. Because it took place in 1775 at the beginning of the American Revolution, he calls it The
A busy start for children at Matinicus Island School
Five weeks into the school year, Matinicus Island School teacher Heather Wells was almost wishing things would get a little more…humdrum. “Well, not really,” she smiles, “but we haven’t had a single full week of regular school yet.” To date, her six-student group has attended the Inter-Island Event on Islesford in September. They learned about