The Island Trail T h e N e w s l e tt e r o f t h e M a i n e I s l a n d T r a i l A s s o c i at i o n w i nt e r 2 0 1 0
Canoeing the Islands: Less Pain, Plenty to Gain B y R o b e rt St e wa rt
My first somewhat serious attempt at small boating was in 1978, when I purchased a 17-foot Rangeley and embarked on a six-year odyssey of rowing. But after countless evening rows from my home, occasional commutes to my place of work (a round trip of 22 miles), a wonderful 10-day row from Portsmouth to Lubec and numerous other excursions of various lengths, I got tired of going backwards all the time. So much for hindsight. An abrupt switch to kayaking assuaged my stiff neck and gave me an opportunity to see where I was going. The back problems I had suffered prior to my small boat adventures were held in abeyance for many years, but finally resurfaced in the early nineties. I suffered through agonizing hours at sea when my left leg would go numb and then throb with a dull, sometimes piercing pain. Not only was it unpleasant, it also affected my balance. The possibility of somewhat dangerous scenarios could not be ignored. continue on page 13
In This Issue A Symbolic Stairway......................Page 4 Book review................................... Page 5 Little Chebeague Makeover.. ........Page 8 A Little ‘Kidding’ Around .. ......... Page 10 Letters from Kimo........................Page 15
The Online Guide on an iPad. Charts can be viewed fullscreen at a variety of magnifications to assist in trip planning.
Online Guide Unveiled B y K e v i n Lo m a n g i n o
This past July, after many months of intense development effort and with the cooperation of numerous supporters and contributors, MITA invited members to view the new Online Guide to the Maine Island Trail. The Online Guide provides access to all the information contained in its beloved paper counterpart. It also offers features and functionality that are unique to the Web platform and can’t be replicated in print. (Visit guide.mita.org to access to the site or see the box on page 13 for more information about how to log in.) “We think the Online Guide adds value for members because it gives them new ways to access and interact with MITA content,” said MITA Executive Director Doug Welch. “We want information about the islands to be available wherever and however members want to use it, with as many useful features as possible.” The Online Guide, which is free to all members, has several obvious advantages over the paper version. The contents of the Guide are instantly searchable and can be updated immediately to reflect changing conditions on the Trail. In addition, the Guide includes more information than a paper guide allows – including current weather and tide information as well as the potential for user-generated content to complement the “official” island descriptions. continue on page 12
m i ta .o r g
A Summer to Remember B y D o u g W e l c h , E x e c u t i v e D i r e c to r
MIT A BO A RD OF TRU S TEE S Peter Adams, Yarmouth, ME Kelly Boden, Portland, ME Scott Camlin, Belmont, MA Nicole Connelly, Falmouth, ME Cyrus Hagge, Portland, ME Lindsay Hancock, Gray, ME Kathryn Henry, Waitsfield, VT Rodger Herrigel, Phippsburg, ME Liz Incze, Cumberland Foreside, ME Tony Jessen, Freeport, ME Melissa Paly, Kittery, ME Joan Smith, Portland, ME Stafford Soule, Freeport, ME Alan Stearns, Augusta, ME Rod Vogel, Cumberland, ME Jeremy Wintersteen, Boston, MA
S T A FF
Doug Welch • dwelch@mita.org Executive Director
Patricia Dano • pdano@mita.org Business Manager
Tom Franklin • tom@mita.org Director of Special Programs
Eliza Ginn • eginn@mita.org
Marketing & Membership Manager
Peter Kenlan • pkenlan@mita.org
Development Officer & Stewardship Manager
Kevin Lomangino • kevinl@maine.rr.com Newsletter Editor
Brian Marcaurelle • brian@mita.org Program Director
Pro-bono newsletter design services by Jillfrances Gray JFG Graphic Design|Art Direction The Maine Island Trail is a 375-mile long waterway
extending from the New Hampshire border on the west to Cobscook Bay on the east. Along the route,
state-owned and private islands are available to
members or the public for overnight stopovers where one can picnic or camp in a wilderness setting.
The Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) is a nonprofit conservation organization, whose goal is to establish a
model of thoughtful use and volunteer stewardship for the Maine islands that will assure their conservation
in a natural state while providing an exceptional rec-
reational asset that is maintained and cared for by the
people who use it. This goal is achieved by encouraging a philosophy of low-impact use and environmental
awareness among MITA’s members and island visitors.
M A INE I S L A ND TR A IL A S S OCI ATION 58 Fore Street, 30-3 Portland, ME 04101 (207) 761-8225 • info@mita.org
Vol. 21 2
M I TA .O R G
No. 2
The summer of 2010 was like none other in my memory. Like a fireworks show that went longer than expected, each day seemed better than the one before and like it couldn’t possibly be followed by another. Despite the economy’s continued chill, those able to spend time on the water were rewarded by the weather’s warming balm. In my case, three trips come to mind …
Lund. (Over some 25 years, Getch has captained Torngat as far as Labrador and New York City—see the May 2010 Points East for an inspiring ship’s log.) I can assure you that there is no better guide than Getch. We visited every island we could and I heard stories straight from the source of their original inclusion on the Trail. Getch remembered every beach and cove like he had landed there the day before when it was actually more like 25 years. The high point was lunch in a gunk-holer’s gunk hole passable only at our noontime high tide—unexplored territory even for Getch. We shared sandwiches in the sun and Dave shared his vision for continued growth of the Maine Island Trail. It was a true honor to be on the water alone with an extraordinary visionary whose recreational gifts to Maine are so varied and enduring.
On a lark, my family made use of one of the many MITA Member Benefits and booked a week at Linekin Bay Resort outside Boothbay. The family camp program there and stunning location made for good old-fashioned Maine fun. We spent almost no time in our spare, rustic cabin, got to know our dining Despite the stellar hall neighbors at each weather, I squeezed of three meals per day, Like a fireworks in remarkably little and enjoyed a saltwater show that went on kayaking (or lobster pool just 10 feet above longer than expected, consumption) over the the barnacles and kelp. this summer offered summer. As fall drew My 10-year-old daughter near, I resolved to do managed never to dry many opportunities both. I was thrilled to off and made as many to celebrate and enjoy participate in a paddle friends in a week as in Maine’s islands. co-sponsored by the the entire rest of the year. Southern Maine Sea The waterfront had a Kayaking Network (SMSKN) and MITA fleet of 18 Rhodes 19s in just sufficient that combined paddling, a tour of repair to keep things interesting. One the Coastal Botanical Gardens, and a morning, when a slot opened on the lobster supper on Ram Island. SMSKN roster, a dining hall-mate dad and I President Bob Arledge did a masterful enjoyed a spontaneous sprint around job of keeping our unwieldy group of 26 the Bay. Between him as a club-based paddlers together. At one point, a nice sailboat captain from Connecticut and paddling shirt with the MITA logo caught my knowledge of Maine waters, we my eye among the group, and then made a good crew. His wish of the day another. When I inquired, others around was fulfilled when he saw his first seal, me began shucking their outer layers and mine when we didn’t run aground. revealing five members of an extended It was wonderful! family in a rainbow of colored tops with Midweek I headed to Waldoboro for an archipelago of MITA logos among an extraordinary day on Muscongus them. Never had I felt so under-dressed! Bay. My skipper was MITA co-Founder Having led five such paddling trips that Dave Getchell, Sr. and our craft was SMSKN cosponsored together with the fabled Torngat – the original MITA
MITA, Bob Arledge was owed a debt of gratitude beyond recognition at the MITA annual dinner. So when he was contacted by two guides from Virginia interested in establishing a water trail on that state’s Southeast Coast, it felt like an opportunity for me to return the favor. I reached out to several Muscongus-area paddlers, plus guide/ photographer Dan Smith, to help show our Old Dominion guests how we do things here in the Pine Tree State. Our expedition on Muscongus Bay featured smooth waters the first day and swells the next, providing a great combination of conditions for conversation and adventure. A high point was a walk on the back of Harbor Island—a microclimate, geology, and ecosystem worthy of Lord of the Rings. We camped on Black and by moonlight dispatched 15 lobsters, tiramisu, a birthday cake somehow hidden in a stern hatch, wine and bourbon from Virginia, a canteen of Grand Marnier, and other delicacies now forgotten for obvious reasons. Primitive camping indeed! As the final island stewardship projects wrap up, and another fiscal year ends in the black, I thank you for your continued membership and support. I hope the summer afforded you opportunities for celebration of the Maine Island Trail of your own, and that you will send me your stories at dwelch@mita.org to help tide me over until next year.
Please Support the Annual Fund R o d Vo g e l , C h a i r m a n , B o a rd o f Tr u st e e s
As a resident of Maine since 1992, when my wife and I moved here to raise our family, I have seen first-hand the critical role that MITA plays in protecting and providing access to Maine’s beautiful wild islands. I first joined MITA in 1995 after purchasing my first sea kayak, and set out to visit as many islands along the coast as I possibly could each summer. I have been serving on the Board of Trustees for seven years now, and am thrilled to have recently been elected by the Board to serve as Chairman. The past few years have been challenging for non-profits of all sizes. You need look no further than your favorite media outlet to know that the economic environment is still difficult not only for non-profits but for businesses and families as well. The lifeblood of MITA has always been the commitment and dedication of its members. Perhaps you demonstrate this commitment by volunteering on cleanups, adopting an island or two, driving a boat as a monitor skipper, or simply by advocating for MITA’s mission and vision. These contributions are highly valued. This year, I urge you to consider increasing your financial support of the Maine Island Trail beyond your annual membership fee.
By now, you should have received our annual appeal. If you have the capacity and inclination to increase your giving this year, I ask, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, that you consider doing so. Generous support of our Annual Fund by members like you is the reason that MITA has been able to achieve its mission most effectively over the past few years during these challenging economic times. We absolutely continue to rely on your support, and your increased gift today will ensure that the islands will continue to be cared for and accessible to you and future generations. You have helped to build an astounding community to care for Maine’s wild islands. I hope that it is as much a source of pride to you as it is to those of us on the Board. Thank you for your continued generosity and support.
Remember: membership dues alone cover
only 40% of the costs required to maintain the Trail. For the rest we rely on your
generosity. You can donate by responding to our written appeal or by visiting www.mita. org/annualfund and contributing online. Thank you!
Partners Unite for Acadia-Area Cleanup
From left: Monitor Skipper Chris Tadema-Wielandt with volunteers Lili Pew of Friends of Acadia, Carol Bult of Jackson Laboratory, and Beth Uptegrove of MITA. Photo by Scott Camlin.
MITA volunteers contributed to the impressive haul made by the first annual Clean Waters, Clean Shores coastline pick-up of the Mount Desert Island area in September. The event netted more than 5000 pounds of trash collected from the shores of Acadia National Park as well as neighboring islands and communities. In all, over a dozen partner organizations and some 150 individual volunteers took part, with the majority of the coordination handled by Ron Greenberg of the MDI Paddlers and Friends of Acadia staff. “Clean Waters, Clean Shores volunteers accomplished so much in just one day, imagine what we could do if we lived every day mindful of our environment,” said Terry Begley, of Friends of Acadia.
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A Symbolic Stairway B y K e v i n Lo m a n g i n o
On one level, the staircase recently installed on Bar Island is nothing more than a path up the eroding embankment—a tool to make it easier to get from the beach to the island interior. It’s difficult, though, considering the circumstances, not to read some symbolic significance into the structure. After all, ascending a staircase in art or literature is often a metaphor for some kind of spiritual journey. And you don’t have to stretch too far to feel a similar resonance in this particular project, says MITA Executive Director Doug Welch. He explains that the project came to fruition through an unusual combination of serendipity, generosity, and emotion. And so it’s tempting to view the finished product as something more than an arrangement of lumber and bolts. “It’s symbolic of how the Trail community helps bridge an important gap when it comes to caring for the islands,” he said. “This was a situation where like-minded strangers came together spontaneously, took ownership of a problem and found a practical solution. That’s one of the unique aspects of the Trail and one of the great sources of satisfaction I think we all get from being involved with it.”
A Chance Encounter
The tale began this past summer when Welch rode along with veteran Monitor Skipper Greg Barmore and his brother Robert as they visited the islands of Muscongus Bay. On the east side of Bar Island there was a set of wooden stairs leading up the steep bank to control erosion and make the camping area more accessible. In recent years, the stairs had become increasingly rotted and were clearly in need of replacement. That fact was underscored when Greg nearly tumbled down the embankment after stepping through one of the decaying treads. 4
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Brothers Robert (left) and Greg Barmore on the new Bar Island staircase.
As Robert—a builder by trade— Barmores Start Building analyzed their options for replacing Armed with Stephens’ credit card, the ruined stair, a camper named Frank the Barmore brothers purchased the Stephens called down from atop the supplies and spent dozens of hours in embankment. He had seen the MITA the following weeks preassembling a boat, heard the discussion, and offered replacement stairway in Greg’s garage. to assist with any improvements. Determined to make it strong enough Stephens explained that he was to last, they chose thick boards and connected to the island through his fastened them with heavy duty lag late father-in-law who had a cabin bolts. Just over a month later, they on nearby Loud’s Island. installed the new stairs He added that he’d be on site with help from happy – once the stairs Ascending a staircase MITA Program Director were repaired – to bring Brian Marcaurelle and in art or literature can out a gas-powered brush volunteer Bill Starrett. be a metaphor for a cutter to chop back the Rocks were piled at the spiritual journey. sumac which was taking base to anchor the steps, over one of tent sites. and the old stairway After yelling back and forth for a few minutes across the gap created by the broken stair, the MITA crew thanked Stephens for his offer and headed back to the mainland with promises to reconnect. Welch admitted that he wasn’t sure if anything would come of the exchange, and he was gratified the following week when Stephen e-mailed to reaffirm his commitment. “If your stair-building volunteers can make up a list and go to the lumber yard with it, they can call me from the yard and I can give my MasterCard to them for the charge,” Stephens wrote.
was cut up and removed along with a half dozen bags of shoreline trash. As the photo suggests, this is surely one of the sturdiest stairways you’re ever going to find on a Trail island or anywhere else! A few weeks later, Frank Stephens’ wife, Ann, wrote to tell us about their plans to install a plaque on the stairs to commemorate the memory of her late father, Peter Helburn. She explained that Helburn ran an alternative school for troubled teenaged boys in the area during the 1970s. “He understood
rebelliousness,” she said, “as he was a rather independent iconoclast himself. He built a cabin above and on the extreme end of his wharf, which was eventually taken out by an Easterly storm many years after it had been abandoned.” She said the view across the Bay toward Bar was one of his favorite aspects of life in the tiny cabin. Bar Island holds a special place in the hearts of many, but it can be a tricky place to land a boat, recalled Marcaurelle, reminiscing about the day they assembled the stairs. “It was blowing pretty hard that day and we were fortunate to find a calm and secure landing spot to keep the boat while we worked,” he said. “And as I watched the boat sitting peacefully while the wind howled all around, I remember thinking, ‘Mother Nature must approve.’” We hope to be out on Bar again next spring to chop back the sumac that’s taking over
one of the tentsites. For more information
or to sign up for the Muscongus Bay spring cleanup, email stewards@mita.org.
Wish List MITA will gladly consider donations of anything from boats and vehicles to office equipment. Please call us at 207-761-8225 or e-mail info@ mita.org if you would like to donate these or other items.
For The Office • Nautical charts • Chart books
For The Boats
• Handheld chart plotter/GPS • Throwable buoyant cushions
For The Islands • • • • • •
F lathead rake Spade shovel Heavy duty anvil loppers Handheld pruners / clippers Pruning saw Binoculars
Book Review
Wake of the Coasters by John F. Leavitt Reviewed by Dave Getchell, Sr.
You nose your boat into a small, isolated Maine cove and drift for a few minutes to study the shoreline. A thick forest of spruce and fir crowds to the very edge of the high water mark with not a sign of human activity—except for a small granite pier reaching out a few yards from the wooded shore into the cove. How odd. A closer look tells little, only that everything looks old: grass and thin bushes growing from the cracks between the stone blocks, stubs of rotting logs tight against the walls, an overgrown opening in the woods where a road might have led from the upland. What you don’t see is a battered old schooner tied to the outer end of the pier. A man on the dock is unloading firewood logs from a two-wheeled wagon and handing them to a second man on the vessel who is adding the wood to a growing stack on the deck between the two masts. Such activity was once common in many coves along the coast, and firewood to feed the hungry lime kilns in Rockland and surrounding towns was a frequent cargo. Lumber, stone, hay and other farm products were also shipped “to west’ard” from the granite and cribwork docks, each a transportation hub in a time when mainland roads were often little more than muddy tracks. The story of these coasting schooners, many of which never left Maine waters, is told in words both fond and admiring by John F. Leavitt who, starting as a husky lad of 15, shipped aboard some of the remnant schooners still active in the 1920s and 30s. History truly comes alive in this handsome book, which includes a generous supply of photographs and superb drawings by the author.
One of the many beautiful illustrations by author John Leavitt. Courtesy of Mystic Seaport.
segment of Maine’s maritime history. Leavitt’s style is personal, informative and marvelously knowledgeable. But there are glitches. Like so many people in Maine and from away, he calls Frenchman Bay “Frenchman’s” and Milbridge “Millbridge.” A complaint, though, that belongs in the “So, what?” category. I’ve read this book twice and will do so again, I’m sure. I strongly recommend it. Wake of the Coasters was published in 1970 for The Marine Historical Association, Inc, by Wesleyan University Press. It is available from Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, CT 06355, $21.95, or from Amazon.com in both new and used versions. It can also usually be obtained from your library either from the local stacks or interlibrary loan.
For anyone cruising the coast, a reading of Wake of the Coasters can add immeasurably to one’s enjoyment and understanding of this important M I TA .O R G
5
If a Tree Falls in the Forest...Should MITA Clear It Away? B y P e t e r K e n l a n , D e v e lo pm e n t O f f i c e r & St e wa rds h i p M a n a g e r
For a tree, an island is a difficult place to make a living. Soils are thin and nutrient poor. Nor’easters and occasional hurricanes buffet you with strong winds. The environmental stress leaves you vulnerable to disease and parasites. Over the past few years we have noticed an increase in reports of dead, dying, and downed trees on islands. The reasons for this are a combination of natural processes and past land use. In the early twentieth century, islands that had been cleared for animal grazing and other purposes were abandoned and subsequently reverted to forest. Now, 100 years later, most islands feature stands of trees that are simultaneously reaching the constraints of the island environment, leaving them vulnerable to disturbance.
What’s “Natural” Can Change
An integral part of the mission of the Maine Island Trail Association is “...to assure the conservation of Maine’s islands in a natural state.” Over a period of months and years, Leave No Trace practices and other ways of limiting human impact are effective ways to achieve this ideal. As years stretch into decades, however, the longer arc of natural succession is the overwhelming influence.
Casco Bay Caretakers Gene Park and Christina Hassett reopen a trail on Jewell with the help of volunteers.
It is often forgotten, but important to note, that an island in a natural state today may look very different 50 years from now even absent human influence. What we see today is a snapshot within a continual process of growth, decline, and change. As land managers, this leaves us with a choice. The decline of island forest stands presents challenges concerning recreation, aesthetics, and ecology that are often hard to balance. Should we undertake active forest management to keep the plant communities on the islands similar to what we see today? Should we prioritize the maintenance of campsites, trails, and the overall visitor experience? Is it preferable to do nothing and truly let natural processes reign, understanding that this may affect our enjoyment of an island?
Chainsaws on Jewell
Volunteer Tom McKinney clears a tree from a Jewell Island path this spring. 6
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In the case of Jewell Island (featured in our summer stewardship letter), we recently had to make such a choice. High winds during the winter of 2009-
2010 caused widespread windthrow, obstructing many of the island’s trails and threatening the recreational use of the property. This spring, volunteers with chainsaws spent over two full days removing the downed trees from trails and campsites. Jewell Island is already one of the most heavily used islands on the Maine coast, and in this situation the concerns of public safety and recreational enjoyment made this action necessary. Sometimes land conservation presents a question to which there is no obvious answer. The proper course is elusive despite a careful consideration of pros and cons, costs and benefits. Jewell is by no means the only Maine island currently facing this challenge and landowners will have to make their own decisions based on what they value most. Got a question or concern about how an
island on the Trail is being managed? Send it
to stewards@mita.org and we’ll be happy to discuss it with you.
Resurgence of Browntail Moth Threatens Cape Porpoise Islands
Vaughn Island off of Cape Porpoise is infested with brown tail moth caterpillars. The site remains open to visitors as of this writing but members should be aware of the health concerns. Hair from the caterpillars contains a toxin that can cause respiratory problems or a rash. Those with asthma and allergies seem to be most affected and should probably consider avoiding the property.
“The hairs can get airborne and give you a rash that’s kind of like poison ivy except that it doesn’t fester,” said Bob Haskell, Island Steward Program Director with the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust (KCT), which owns the island. He said he developed a nasty rash after a visit to the island that took several weeks of treatment with topical ointments before clearing up completely. “It was pretty painful,” he said.
Risk to Red Oaks
In addition to creating health risks, the infestation poses a danger to the area’s population of majestic red oaks. Haskell says he first noticed the problem when The Grove area campsite on Vaughn was stripped of its foliage in a matter of weeks. He said the affected trees have since regenerated and begun producing a toxin that the caterpillars dislike.
However, this has simply caused the colony to move north to another area of the island, which was also quickly denuded. The colony will probably move south again after the new trees start producing the toxin and the trees in The Grove stop producing it, Haskell said.
Enlisting Help from a Virus
Since other potentially effective remedies are likely to be cost prohibitive, Donahue says the most promising option right now is to apply a naturally occurring virus, called the nuclear polyhydrosis virus or NPV, that is toxic to the caterpillar but isn’t harmful to other “It’s a vicious cycle,” he added, “and we forms of life. “There have been some trials don’t know how much the trees can take in the past that have been promising before they start losing limbs and dying.” and the hope is that if we augment the Charlene Donahue, an naturally occurring entomologist with the virus with spraying, it Spraying pesticides is may take hold in the State Forest Service, said that while some trees not an option because caterpillars at a higher would undoubtedly level,” she said. “That’s of the site’s proximity succumb to the the dream at least—we to the water and a local infestation, most could don’t know yet if it will lobster nursery. probably withstand it. She work out that way.” said the larger problem Donahue says her office, was that the area was so together with KCT, is heavily trafficked by recreational visitors. working on a plan that would involve “This is a high use area where the helicopter spraying of the virus in the infestation is hard to control because infested area this coming May. of the sensitive nature of the site,” The virus spay is considered she said. experimental but is worth trying on Spraying pesticides is not an option Vaughn because of the lack of other because of the site’s proximity to the options and the site’s recreational and water and a local lobster nursery. strategic importance. Unlike in the And manually removing the nests is Midcoast, where resurgent browntail impossible because they reside up to moths have spread widely into inland 70 feet high in the mature oaks. forests, the southern coast at this point appears to have much more limited infestation. Controlling the population on Vaughn before it spreads further might help prevent more extensive damage. Not that the colony isn’t already an impressive display of invasiveness, added KCT’s Haskell. He noted that a regional association of entomologists visited the island recently just to get a look at the colony. “The reaction was that most of them had never seen such an infestation,” Haskell said. “They’re multiplying like crazy out there.” Check back with us next year for an update on how the spraying went and whether it
The browntail moth caterpillar. Photo courtesy of Charlene Donahue.
was effective.
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Big Changes on Little Chebeague Island The enthusiastic logbook entries say it all: “Great resource! Kids and parents are sooo grateful” and “Great job! Don’t quit now – thanks!” Little Chebeague Island got a sorely needed makeover this summer thanks to a $20,000 grant by the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) of the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. This 86 acre state-owned island has long been a popular destination for visitors who take advantage of its exceptional beaches, campsites, trails and fascinating historic infrastructure. Boaters of all types, groups, and families have been making annual pilgrimages to the island for years, and residents of Great Chebeague often walk across the low tide bar to go for a hike or a swim. Thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteer Richard Innes, Little Chebeague boasted an impressive network of trails complete with informative signage through most of the last few decades. After Mr. Innes’ “retirement” from caretaking duties several years ago, it wasn’t long before the island succumbed to invasive bittersweet vines that overtook walking paths, overwhelmed fields and enveloped most of the island’s trees.
the island. Significant progress was Deputy Director of Bureau of Parks and made this summer during several Lands Alan Stearns expressed their months of intense field work. The effort support and encouraged the creation of received a big boost from volunteers a vision for the island that reflects the with Rippleffect, Maine Conservation values of the Casco Bay community. Corps, Bowdoin College, A conversation is already the Southern Maine underway among some The most vexing Sea Kayaking Network with close ties to the issue is the presence and others. By autumn, island, but in the MITA existing trails had been of invasive bittersweet, spirit of grassroots reopened, new trails had which, if left to its own support, we hope to been cut, valuable trees identify and work with devices, will quickly had been released from all of those who care re-colonize the the choking effects of about the island and bittersweet and historic majority of the island. want to see it maintained fields and views had and improved. been restored. Next year, The most vexing issue is the presence of maintenance work on the trails and invasive bittersweet, which, if left to its fields will continue and new signage own devices, will quickly re-colonize the will be installed to highlight the majority of the island. Frequent cutting island’s unique natural, cultural along trails and mowing of fields is and historic features. necessary to maintain accessibility Long-Term Challenges Remain and the open space valued by many Having restored access to the visitors. Another issue is that the island island’s interior, we are shifting receives heavy use from visitors arriving our focus to the development of a at multiple access points in all types of long-term management strategy. watercraft or via the tidal sandbar from At an August 17th gathering on the Great Chebeague. Finally, the remains island, Department of Conservation of infrastructure from various points in Commissioner Eliza Townsend and the island’s history present interesting
In response, MITA reached out to volunteers and local partners such as Rippleffect, Oceanside Conservation Trust, Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust, Portland North, and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands to help with the stewardship challenges. Through community stakeholder meetings and volunteer work projects, a movement to rehabilitate the island began to take shape. But it was receipt of the RTP grant award that enabled us to shift this effort into high gear in 2010. With RTP funding, MITA purchased a powerful brush cutter and hired Chebeague Island resident Erno Bonebakker to lead a two-year effort to reestablish the trail network, restore fields, renew signage and begin to address the bittersweet problem on 8
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Erno Bonebakker widens the primary access trail to stem the encroachment of bittersweet. Photo by Brian Marcaurelle.
educational opportunities and a chance to weave together environmental, historic and cultural threads in a way that few other islands can. This combination of characteristics makes Little Chebeague like the proverbial child in need of a village of caregivers. Luckily, enthusiastic feedback from this season’s visitors makes it clear that interest exists, and is growing.
How Members Can Help
With long term planning discussions just getting underway, now is the time to lend your thoughts and ideas to the conversation. Participation from MITA members and others in Casco Bay is critical to demonstrating community support. Email Erno at ebonebak@ gmail.com to give feedback or to be added to a group list to remain aware of what’s happening. Consider attending upcoming stakeholder meetings that will focus on Little Chebeague issues and solutions (dates will be posted on MITA’s event calendar). Invite your friends and neighbors to get involved. And of course, when the weather warms again there will be unlimited opportunities to help with field work on the island. The bittersweet will be relentless, but so too are MITA members! Please lend your voice, expertise, talents and hard work to this effort. Together we can ensure that Little Chebeague remains an exceptional recreational asset to Casco Bay boaters for generations to come.
Putting the Bitter in Bittersweet Asiatic or oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is just one of the dozens of invasive, nonnative plant species found in Maine, but its aggressive characteristics and tendencies make it a serious threat to native vegetation and natural communities statewide. Indigenous to East Asia, it is believed to have been introduced to eastern North America as an ornamental plant in the mid 1800s. Later, it was planted for highway landscaping and for wildlife food and cover in some states. Today it can be found growing wild in nearly all of Maine’s counties, having colonized abandoned fields, forest edges, open woods and roadsides. It is particularly prevalent along the Maine Turnpike between Kittery and Bangor. As a climbing vine, bittersweet outcompetes native vegetation by using it as a support, twining around and growing over it. It has a high reproductive rate and produces pea-sized fruits that are dispersed by birds over long distances. It also has the ability to root sucker—to sprout entirely new shoots from existing plant roots. These aggressive traits allow it to overtop and shade out other species and entire plant communities. Mature trees and shrubs are easily strangled by the vine’s rapid, persistent growth. Dense, nearly pure stands of bittersweet can sometimes result—a situation found in some areas on Little Chebeague. Controlling the spread of bittersweet in Maine will be a continuing challenge for many years to come. New research suggests that elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels stimulate the growth of parasitic climbing vines, weeds, and other noxious plants like poison ivy—giving these species further advantage over other vegetation. Due to its extensive seedbank, completely eradicating bittersweet from an area requires substantial control measures for prolonged periods. Manual control measures such as persistent cutting or mowing and removal of the root structure seem to be effective on smaller scales. Large scale control may require more intense treatment including the use of heavy machinery and the application of herbicides.
Looking for New Ways to Support MITA? Here are five things you can do today: • Give to the Annual Fund at
www.mita.org/annualfund.
• Give a gift membership at
www.mita.org/gift.
• Renew your own membership at
www.mita.org/renew (Remember: 2010 memberships expire on 12/31/2010). • Donate a boat or fulfill a wish list item (see page 5). • Volunteer for a spring cleanup or to provide office assistance.
Project Coordinator Erno Bonebakker (2nd from left) points out a giant oak tree that was freed of enveloping bittersweet while on a walking tour of the island with (from left to right) Doug Welch, DOC Commissioner Eliza Townsend and BPL Deputy Director Alan Stearns. M I TA .O R G
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Kidding Around on the Cuckolds B y K e v i n Lo m a n g i n o
A family of goats is expected to be stationed on Western Cuckolds Island off of Boothbay next summer. Their task: to help control the fast-growing shrubbery on the island in a carbon emission-minimizing way. The arrangement may sound new-agey but it’s actually part of an old mariner tradition, according to Janet Reingold, of the Cuckolds Fog Signal and Light Station Council, which manages the property. “Square riggers used to leave goats on islands they passed so that when they came back, they would have milk and meat to feed the crew,” she said. The approach was tested this past summer with two Savannah Boer goats named Blondie and Luna (see photo). The sisters arrived in July and had a productive couple of months out on the four-acre island – at least from a landscaping perspective. They returned to their mainland home at Dragonfly Cove Farm in Dresden, Maine, in early October. The goats’ stay on the island went so well that Reingold is planning to expand the program in 2011. “Next year, the farm plans to loan us a family, including babies, and beginning in early spring, throughout the entire season,” she said.
Horns of a Dilemma
That’s not to say that the test was totally free of hiccups. Some residents of nearby Southport Island apparently feared for the goats’ welfare and raised questions with town officials. They worried that the goats had inadequate shelter on the island and might be adversely impacted by the foghorn on Western Cuckold’s sister islet nearby. Reingold, however, believes the goats were perfectly cozy in their custombuilt goat cottage and had everything they needed to thrive. “They eat one cup of grain a day, and they munch the hay and the greenery, and there’s a watering system for them out there, and the shelter to protect them from getting wet,” she said.
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“The ‘Kids’ Are Alright”, says the Boothbay Register: Blondie and Luna helped prune the shrubbery on Western Cuckolds this summer. Their temporary shelter is visible in the background.
That assessment was endorsed sprayskirts,” said Brian Marcaurelle, by animal control officer Loraine MITA’s Program Director. “It wasn’t the Nickerson after a site visit. “It’s a perfect experience they were prepared for and environment,” she told the Boothbay they didn’t seem particularly thrilled Register. “It’s good for the goats and the about it.” On the other hand, the goats island that they are out might be an interesting there cleaning up the diversion for those underbrush; the goats looking for something Members who plan can do it and be happy a little bit different or to visit the island while they are.” unusual in their island adventure, he added. should expect to share She added that the the space with these foghorn, which faces Apart from keeping east, doesn’t seem to an eye on your gear, caprine companions. be much of a concern Marcaurelle’s main word The goats are friendly on the Western islet. “I of advice to members and may come up don’t think due to [the is not to feed the goats. to investigate you. foghorn’s] location and “The farmers were proximity to the goats very clear about the that they are in any fact that human food – danger,” Nickerson said. even bread – can be bad for goats and shouldn’t be given to them. Even if they Goats and Boats look like they want a treat, please resist Members who plan to visit the island the temptation to feed them,” he said. should expect to share the space with these caprine companions. Reingold Western Cuckolds is a rugged adventure says the goats are friendly and may destination, where the surges and swells come up to investigate you. Some can sometimes make it a challenge to come members, it should be pointed out, ashore. The best approach for small boats is have found this attention to be less on the northeast shore, where the intrepid than endearing. “We had one group report back to us that the goats were munching on their
can land and haul their kayaks and secure them above the high water mark.
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In Memoriam
We were saddened to learn of the passing of two great sailors from the Maine coast in recent months. Both were former MITA members and were active participants in the coastal community. Roger F. Duncan (1917-2010), as many members know, was author of The Cruising Guide to the New England Coast – a seminal guide to Maine coast boating that has been edited and rewritten many times since first being issued in the 1930s. He was also a respected educator and administrator at the Fenn School in Concord, MA, as well as the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, MA. He was widely recognized and respected in coastal Maine and was known for his seamanship and knowledge of local history. Dodge Morgan (1932-2010) was best known for being the first American to sail single-handedly non-stop around the world, setting a speed record at the time in 1986 for doing it in 150 days, one hour and six minutes. He also built a successful electronics company out of his garage and sold it for a reported $32 million in 1983. His absence will be noticed by trail visitors to Little Snow Island in Quahog Bay, a stone’s throw from Morgan’s residence. Morgan would reportedly fire a cannon at sunset whenever he was home.
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Another clear benefit of the Online Guide is its intuitive user interface. Trail sites are prominently highlighted on NOAA charts of the Maine coast, which members can navigate with a mouse pointer. Members can zoom in on specific regions or individual islands using a sophisticated viewer system similar to Google Maps. “It’s a great resource for trip planning because you can see exactly where the islands are in relation to the surrounding geography and other islands with chart-level detail,” said Eliza Ginn, MITA’s Membership and Marketing Manager. “We could never offer this functionality in the print guide because the space constraints make it impossible.” Following the initial rollout, MITA will soon be looking to update the site with additional interactive features designed to enrich the user experience. Some possibilities include the option for members to upload their pictures of Trail sites or to post comments and tips about specific islands. Members can weigh in on these ideas or suggest other features by emailing guide@mita.org.
A Change of Heart
The site represents an evolution in thinking for MITA, which for many years has been hesitant to make its content available over the Internet. The main concern has been that passwordsharing might lead to unauthorized use of private island sites by individuals who don’t subscribe to low-impact principles. MITA values its relationship with owners too much to risk backing any kind of initiative that would bring disrespectful users to their properties. But as the years have passed and our familiarity with the Internet has grown, MITA and island owners alike have become more comfortable with the concept of an Online Guide. We understand that unauthorized use can also occur when old paper Guidebooks get passed along inappropriately to non-members—so this is not really 12
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A screenshot of the island listing for Warren Island in the Online Guide. The listings can now be updated in real time to reflect changing conditions throughout the season.
a new concern. And we know that the vast majority of members will respect the confidentiality of the site and keep their passwords private.
Paper Guide Will Endure
Of course, MITA recognizes that the Online Guide cannot serve some of the cherished functions of the paper book, such as bedtime reading in your tent Increasingly, island owners also are (although a smart phone app or Kindle seeing the upside of the Internet for version of the Guide could one day make promoting better stewardship of this possible!). That’s their properties. “The why we’re continuing owners I’m talking to Many members have to distribute the paper are very excited about version as a core expressed a strong the possibility of making membership benefit to real-time updates to desire not to receive the all who wish to receive it. their site listings when paper version anymore. conditions change On the other hand, many They would prefer that instead of waiting an members have expressed MITA save the printing a strong desire not to entire year for the new and postage costs. Guidebook,” said Brian receive the paper version Marcaurelle, MITA’s anymore. They would Program Director. “So if prefer that MITA save the printing an eagle nest is spotted mid-season or and postage costs associated with something else happens that we want the print book and forego the related to notify visitors about, we can make environmental impacts. the change immediately and start For those of you who don’t need your getting the word out print Guide and would like to see the right away.” savings put toward island stewardship, Marcaurelle added that owners have we encourage you to tell us so when you approvingly commented on the “Adopt renew your membership in 2011. There This Site” link that accompanies each will be a check box on your renewal slip listing online. He said, “They like that as well as online offering the choice to it gives members opportunities to “opt out” of the paper version. get involved with stewardship when they’re reading about a particular Thanks to the Supporters property. The immediacy of that link It goes without saying that a project might help us connect with more like this doesn’t come together volunteers at a moment when they’re without a lot of support from many more inclined to participate.” different players. The online Guide
was developed by Database Designs of Boston, MA with extraordinary effort from MITA staff members, a technical advisory committee, and our Board of Trustees. We also wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Maine Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks and Lands (which celebrates its 75th year in 2010), the Horizon Foundation, three anonymous donors, and YOU-our members. The off-season is a great time for members to check out the site and explore its many features and details. Take a look at the different coastal charts and drill down to your favorite island. Try to imagine what kind of information or applications would make the site more useful to you. If you have a question or suggestion for how we can improve your experience on the site, please email your thoughts to guide@mita.org.
How to Access the Online Guide MITA sent an email notice in late July to all members in our database announcing the availability of the site (guide. mita.org) and providing login instructions. If you didn’t receive the notice, we most likely don’t have your active email address on file, which is required for you to access the site. (Your valid email address is needed to authenticate you as a current MITA member and authorized user of the site.) Members who didn’t receive an announcement about the site can obtain login instructions and a password by sending an email with your name and address to guide@mita.org. If you received the announcement but lost your account information or have forgotten your password, you can request a new password after clicking the “login” button on the main page.
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Paddling in Circles
The problem became so intense that I decided to try canoeing. The idea of not sitting flat, and having the ability to move my legs around, was appealing. There was, however, the challenge of finding a small boat in which I could comfortably sit midships. After trying out such a craft using a single-bladed canoe paddle, I came to the startling conclusion that I did not want to spend the rest of my life paddling around in circles. I set out to find a solo canoe that had a narrow beam at the gunwales so that I could use my kayak paddle. Two such boats appealed to me, so I bought both hoping that they would they would each fill a special need. The first, a Mad River Independence, is about 16 feet long with a beam somewhere around 26 inches. In the early years I paddled her pretty much everywhere with moderate success. A sharp following sea could be a real stinker, and ruined many good paddles. Surprisingly, the craft does very well on all other points. The other canoe is a Wenona, with a length of 18-plus feet and beam of 25 inches. She has a very pronounced tumblehome and widens dramatically below the gunwales. She is Kevlar, and her lack of weight is a mixed blessing. The boat is designed for long paddles carrying lots of weight. On a typical paddle, where I carry less than 30 pounds of stuff, she rides high, so windage is a problem. I would suggest that the paddler always carry a rock of about 25 pounds to place in the windward end, thus mitigating the boat’s tendency to get pushed around in a breeze. Besides the rock, I would suggest a large container for bailing and a large sponge. In a moderately choppy sea the boat will take on very little water. However, water will enter the boat as a result of the paddle dripping. If a canoe has no built in flotation, air bags in the bow and stern are recommended.
Tallying the Tradeoffs
Not needing a skirt, the ease of entry
Author Bob Stewart, pictured here before his switch to canoes.
and exit, and the ability to just throw aboard something that might catch your eye on the shore of an island are just some of the benefits of a canoe. For someone whose idea of good balance is not falling down when walking, the boat, after a steep learning curve, is surprisingly stable. It should be noted that in difficult conditions a canoe is not as safe as a kayak. That said, if you have a comfort problem in a kayak, want a lot more freedom of movement, and will use common sense, then maybe a canoe is for you. I have, in many years of paddling, seen very few canoes, and those only close to shore. Never have I seen another canoe propelled by a kayak paddle. My kayaks were always performance oriented, but my canoe, with all of its advantages, is by my calculations only about 15% slower over the period of several hours in moderate conditions. I can’t see many downsides, as long as one doesn’t mind looking a dite odd out there. Bob Stewart has been a member for over 20 years. In addition to owning Mowat Island, which is on the Trail in New Brunswick, he also owned the Letang Islands in
Passamaquoddy Bay before donating them to the Nature Trust of New Brunswick.
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A Meaningful Encounter on Carlisle b y To m M c K i n n e y
This past August, I was on a Monitor Skipper run to check on the islands of the Damariscotta River accompanied by another MITA volunteer, Kenny Robinson. While on Carlisle Island, Kenny and I noticed a newly mounted bronze plaque on a boulder. The following was inscribed on it: “In memory of Dr. Mark Wyman Richardson 1867-1947 and Josephine Lord Richardson 1872-1947 who owned this island from 1919 to 1947 and passed their love of it down through four generations of their family.” As we were getting ready to depart Carlisle, a tandem kayak landed with two gentlemen aboard, Mr. Mark Biscoe From left to right: Kenny Robinson (MITA island adopter), Mark Wyman Biscoe, Tom McKinney and Mr. Edward Fallon. We introduced (MITA Monitor Skipper) and Edward Fallon. ourselves and provided a brief description the summer place on the west side Grandmother had unearthed some tiny of MITA and its stewardship efforts. The they loved so much, and there were Indian tools. We looked for the giant nest of pair was unaware of MITA but extremely few, if any, motor boats available. The baby and parent ospreys. We stood on the pleased to know of its existence. This trips over and back would have taken cliffs of the west end and gazed toward the quickly became even more evident a long time! Their clothing was heavy sunset over Carlisle Point. We’d sit and talk when they explained that they were the and long, their boats were heavy and in the peace.” grandsons of Dr. and Mrs. Richardson slow, and they had to calculate the listed on the newly installed plaque. They MITA Makes a Difference tide correctly so that had come to the island The chance encounter Kenny and I had landings were relatively that day (their first trip to with Mark Biscoe and Edward Fallon painless; but the the island in quite some An endorsement of expeditions were always that day on Carlisle Island certainly was time) specifically to view MITA and what we all our high point of the day and one of well worth the effort. the memorial. do to help preserve these mine for the entire summer. In the note “When I was growing up, Fortunately for us, Kenny that Mark sent to Kenny, he wrote, “And coastal island jewels. things were easier—an had his camera and it is wonderful to know that MITA is outboard motor cut the took photos of Mark and looking after Grandfather’s Island (and travel time by many minutes; we wore Edward next to the plaque along with a many others!).” He and Edward were so shorts and tee shirts; and our sneakers photo of all four of us together. Following appreciative that day to know that this navigated the rocks better than shoes. We our trip, Kenny e-mailed the photos to family treasure was being looked after. would picnic—even camping overnight Mark and Edward, and Mark in turn sent His statement certainly is an endorsement occasionally—and we would sometimes a nice note that included some history of of MITA and what we all do to help preserve attempt to swim off the rocks in that very these coastal island jewels that we all love the island. Following are some excerpts cold water. from that note, which were prepared by and enjoy so very much. Mark closed his Mark Biscoe back in August of 2006. note by saying, “Ed and I pledge to kayak to “The island never changed, outside of the island again next year—and for as long a few trees fallen and a few to replace A Site for Summer Picnics as we are able!” them. We landed on the north end where “My mother, Martha ‘Patty’ (Richardson) the beach was, we walked through the Biscoe and her sisters Marian Editor’s note: Carlisle (also known as Big woods to the south end, remarking how (Richardson) Nester and Harriet ‘Hallie’ Huckleberry) has been under the conservation the little grove of pines had become (Richardson) Fallon often described trips so much taller in a year. We looked for ownership of the Damariscotta River they took to the island by sail, canoe, signs of the well Grandfather had dug, Association since 2006. It is open to MITA and rowboat in their youth. It was about unsuccessfully hunting for water, and members for day use. two and a half miles to the island from we also searched for the place where 14
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Letters from Kimo James Dorley, better known as Kimo (meaning “Jim” in Hawaiian or “Happy” in Inuit) has been one our favorite correspondents over the years. His missives often recount feats of daring, such as extended winter paddles in sub-freezing temperatures or, at age 67, completing a hike of the Appalachian Trail that was begun more than 40 years ago. His letters are sometimes written in the first person, sometimes in the third (the latter are actually his journal entries, he says), often contain a donation check, and are always entertaining. Here are excerpts from two recent notes that we thought other members would appreciate. Thank You to the Fishermen (Lobstermen and Lobsterwomen)
As a kayaker I appreciate your consideration for us. I know you are hard at work trying to make a living from the sea. I try to stay out of your way, out of the boating channels and keep one behind the other and don’t spread out when I am with a group. When I hear your engines in the fog and we get closer I blow my whistle, and you respond by cutting your engine. I appreciate your friendly wave. Most of the time I am alone and the wave of a lobsterman is the only conversation I have with another human that day. A lot is said with a wave. On several occasions, during unusually rough seas I have had lobstermen stand by until I reach a safer area. Or come over and ask me how I was doing, where I was going and tell me that I was doing good.
Thank You to the Windjammers
I enjoy sharing an island with you, when you come to shore for a New England Clambake or just to explore. It may have been over three days since I talked with another human. (I have been known to talk to the gulls, eagles, osprey, birds, seals, four-legged critters that are found on the islands, and I talk to myself.) I like to greet you as you come to shore. I have had enough solitude, and I welcome visitors at my campsite to hear their sea stories. Windjammers keep up the old time sea history.
Thank You MITA
I have been a member of MITA since 1992 and I enjoy it every year. I have kayaked in a lot of different places. The islands of Maine hold a special place in my heart. Just as a little token of thanks I send MITA a check every year. I give them a minimum of $5 per night I spend on the Trail. I think this is a good tradition, and wish others would follow the idea.
A Bear on Little Hog by Kimo
When Kimo first saw the black bear, it was standing on the outcropping of rocks on the east side of the island. Kimo let out a bellow (yell), “Hey, bear, let’s go, get going.” The poor bear turned to its left, with a little startled hop, and looked at Prudy and Kimo. It had a confused and puzzled look on its face, like, Why are you yelling at me? At the same time Kimo picked up a piece of driftwood, about five feet long and four inches of diameter. Then he handed Prudy another piece of driftwood. Prudy and Kimo must have looked like a pair of cavemen on a hunt. Next the bear turned towards the south side of the island, and started to walk off for an escape, just what Kimo had hoped it would do. Kimo kept yelling things like, “Let’s go, keep moving.” By the time they got to the west end of the island they could see the bear walking across the mud flats to Hog Island. Prudy and Kimo talked as they allowed the adrenaline rush to subside. Prudy said she was surprised at the loud bellow that came out of a person the size of Kimo (5’ 4”).
Thank You to the Clam-Diggers
The clam-diggers are my Guardian Angels. I kayak-camp on an island at least once a month year round. In the winter for colder, short-day months I go to one of two islands. The clam-diggers know me and my car. They also know the islands I use. If my car is there more than one night in the winter I know they will come and look for me. Of course, I also let family and friends at home know where I will be. (Allow me 24 extra hours, I tell them. If the weather turns bad I may stay an extra night on the island where I am safe.)
The view from Kimo’s hammock on Potato Island at the mouth of Eggemoggin Reach in August 2010. Photo by Kimo Dorley.
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Partnership Keeps a Fort Looking Gorgeous
The City of Portland, MITA, and local volunteers have been working hard to improve the grounds of Portland Harbor’s beloved Fort Gorges. Spearheaded by fort enthusiast and University of Southern Maine Emeritus Professor of History Joel Eastman (pictured at center with staff from the City of Portland), work this summer included routine mowing and trimming of vegetation within and around the fort. Next year, in addition to grounds maintenance, the focus will broaden to include updating signage and installing safety features in hazardous areas. Email stewards@mita.org to get involved and to help maintain this unique artifact of Casco Bay history.
Please consider a year-end gift to our Annual Fund which directly supports the islands.
mita.org/annualfund
MITA.ORG 207.761.8225 PORTLAND, Maine 04101 58 Fore Street, Suite 30-3 MAINE ISLAND TRAIL ASSOCIATION
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