Harbors

The Crossing

Paul Molyneaux learns about friendship, boats, and endurance during a row from Lubec to Grand Manan.

The Writer's Shack

Deborah Joy Corey’s writing space is a small floating shack. When she is there, she is in tune with the tides, nature, and one special cormorant she calls Jinx.

Bird Blizzard: Snowy Owls

Why has the snowy owl, a species of bird normally considered at home in the high arctic, been making an appearance in the Midwest and New England?

Small Adventures: Kittery Foreside

While many people think of Kittery as outlet heaven, Maine’s southernmost town has a more charming historic side, with lovely old homes and a bustling downtown, centered around Wallingford Square.

Watery Commute

A student from Belfast, Maine, shares her experience of a daily commute by ferry to attend the Islesboro Central School’s magnet program for mainland students in grades 5-12.

Built for a Louisiana hotelier and his wife, the jaw-dropping rooms of Portland’s Victoria Mansion constitute the first and only extant interior by 19th-century design star Gustave Herter. Today, more than 150 years after it was built, the mansion retains 90 percent of its original furnishings and grants a rare look at 19th-century design.

Ties That Bind

Rope’s history in Maine is as long as the coastline that once housed the long buildings, known as ropewalks, where lines for fishing boats and sailing vessels were made. Like sail lofts and chandleries, ropewalks were a necessary part of any seaport, yet few of the buildings remain today. Writer Laurie Schreiber explains why.

Resilient Shellfish

Maine has a thriving oyster growing industry. Until recently most of these oysters were raised from commercial seed. As the industry has grown and coastal water temperatures have inched up, cultured oysters have begun to multiply on their own, particularly in the brackish waters of the Damariscotta River.

Architectural Sparkle: Lowe Hardware

Founded by Bill Lowe of Owls Head, Maine, who started out making special metal fittings for yachts, Lowe Hardware has expanded into the high-end custom hardware home market. The company makes doorknobs, pulls, hinges, cabinet handles, and even fittings for furniture, in finishes that range from shiny or rough bronze to gold-plated brass or nickel.

Stellar Art

She may be 99, but Stell Shevis, master enamellist and life-long artist, continues to look for new experiences and creative outlets.