The Maine I Love - Nigel Purvis

Several times a day, often accompanied by an energetic Weimaraner, I visit a serene cove just outside Blue Hill, Maine. There I can observe the cotton candy skies of sunrise, hear the heckling loons, and photograph classic wooden boats riding the tide quietly by their moorings. These familiar watercraft—with their graceful, architectural lines—are ringed by majestic white pines and shingle cottages that appear not to have changed in a century. In fog, rain, or sun, the cove whispers three quintessential Maine stories. The first is a romance whose protagonist is a gorgeous and rugged landscape of granite, forest, and sea. The second is an unfinished biography of hardy and brave people working the water or exploring the coast, as their forebears did. The third, my recent favorite, is a history of naval designers, craftsmen, and boatyards fusing tradition and innovation to create highly functional vessels of great beauty. Anyone wishing to explore the cove and read these narratives with me should visit @mainemooring on Instagram. The title of my photo blog—Wood, Water and Weim: Adventures with wooden boats and a large dog in downeast Maine—captures the Maine I love.