The Maine I Love—Kate Holden

Growing up on the coast of Maine offered a special kind of solitude. While not without its challenges, I knew from early on I was lucky. I remember thinking about people who grew up in places not on the ocean and wondering what life was like for them; what did they do all summer—and where did they swim? As an adult one of my greatest joys is boat ownership and its rhythm that follows the seasons: the sanding and painting, the launching, the summer cruising, the paddling and rowing, the hauling, the hibernation, and the dreaming about the next cycle. Center Harbor in Brooklin is my home anchorage, where Runaway, my 34-foot Webbers Cove lobsterboat spends the summer on a mooring passed down to me from my father. It’s my portal to a season spent living aboard, cruising in Penobscot Bay, and embracing the place that is my home. This summer, I look forward to connecting with the many communities in Maine in my new role as Show Manager for the Maine Boat & Home Show. Maybe I’ll even visit some of them on Runaway.

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