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MAINE ISLAND TRAIL ASSOCIATION
58 FORE STREET, SUITE 30-3 PORTLAND, MAINE 04101 207.761.8225 MITA.ORG
The Island Trail T H E N E W S L E T T 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 N T E R 2 0 1 6
Our Serious Little Dinghy B Y JA M E S L I
We’ve been long-time MITA members, and for the past 15 years have had the unique opportunity to live year round on one of the smaller spruce-and-ledge islands in Muscongus Bay. We heat with the softwood we cut on island and use renewable energy to power our home. Island living requires a lot of boat maintenance, particularly since we keep our boats in the water through the winter. Over the years, we’ve come to depend on a small hybrid rigid inflatable dinghy made by Walker Bay. Built from a virtually indestructible plastic polymer, the additional inflatable side tubes make it extremely stable and unsinkable. Because of these features, it serves as both our primary tender and safety boat. The Walker Bay was a spontaneous purchase in late fall many years ago. After experiencing a few close calls and one sinking incident with other skiffs, we found it on the season-end sale rack outside the Rockland Hamilton Marine. It fit in the back of our pickup and came home with us that night. continue on page 16
In This Issue ISLE AU HAUT CENTENNIAL CLEANUP..... 3 DAMARISCOVE ISLAND HISTORY.. ............ 5 CONSERVING RAM ISLAND.. ......................6 INVASIVE PLANTS ON THE TRAIL............. 7
Honing his skills to be a skipper, Stu Haddon drives a MITA skiff in Casco Bay.
The Skipper’s Apprentice B Y ST U H A D D O N , A P P R E N T I C E M O N I TO R S K I P P E R
I don’t remember exactly when I fell in love with the coast of Maine. Probably last year, during my third trip on Casco Bay with the inimitable John Connelly, a wonderful man who lives the outdoor life in a series of exclamation marks. I was still at the stage where I struggled to remember the order of islands and needed constant reference to the chart, and occasional consultation with the GPS (and John), to make sure we got to where we needed to go. We had landed on Bangs—via Crow (Harpswell), Little Birch, The Goslings and Little French—on the pocket beach at the north end. Time for lunch. We sat on sun-warmed rocks. Stockman Island floated to the north, layered green on shades of gray. A lobster boat, startlingly white in the windless sea, surged through the channel. To our left, Great Chebeague slumbered in the heat. “This is idyllic,” I said. “Good for the soul.” “Sure is,” said John. “Aren’t we the lucky ones?” Not so idyllic, of course, is when the sou’westerly wind comes blowing up the bay against the tide, throwing up white-crested lumps of water, with the boat pounding in the waves so that you feel as though skeleton and muscle might part company, and the rain sluicing down your face. continue on page 17
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Asking What More We Can Do for Maine’s Youth 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
M I TA B OA R D O F T R U ST E E S Sam Adams, Freeport, ME Kelly Baetz, Brunswick, ME Nick Battista, Camden, ME Stephen Birmingham, Cape Elizabeth, ME Dan Carr, Dayton ME Nicole Connelly, Falmouth, ME Mark Fasold, Yarmouth, ME Tom Franklin, Portland, ME Lindsay Hancock, Gray, ME Alicia Heyburn, Brunswick, ME Liz Incze, Cumberland Foreside, ME Cindy Knowles, Cumberland Center, ME John Noll, Orland, ME Melissa Paly, Kittery, ME Lucas St. Clair, Portland, ME Andrew Stern, Falmouth, ME Odette Thurston, Falmouth ME
STA F F
Doug Welch • dwelch@mita.org Executive Director Greg Field • gfield@mita.org Director of Finance & Operations
In 2015, the MITA Board of Directors launched a five-year strategic plan. As implied by its title, Stay the Course, the plan generally affirms MITA’s original mission and activities. One of the plan’s 10 specific objectives, though, does point toward new terrain: “Investigate and develop partnership-based educational programming.”
Maria Jenness • mjenness@mita.org Regional Stewardship Manager Brian Marcaurelle • brian@mita.org Program Director
Madison Moran • madison@mita.org Membership & Development Associate Erin Quigley • erin@mita.org Membership Director Jack Phillips • jphillips@mita.org Director of Development Chris Wall • cwall@mita.org Regional Stewardship Manager Pro-bono newsletter design services by Jillfrances Gray : www.jfg.com JFG Visual Communications + Creative Goodness
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 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 recreational 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 I N E I S L A N D T R A I L A S S O C I AT I O N 58 Fore Street, 30-3 Portland, ME 04101 (207) 761-8225 • info@mita.org
Vol. 27 2
M I TA .O R G
MITA members know that there is something magical about visiting an island. The thousands of uninhabited islands off Maine’s shores are part of what makes this state so special to residents and visitors alike. Yet many young people in this state grow up without ever visiting an uninhabited island, even though the Maine Island Trail lies at their doorsteps. This missed opportunity deprives our youth today, and could cause Trail islands to lose out in the future.
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Such programs might inspire young people, introducing them to extraordinary natural resources not otherwise available to them, even though some islands are state property that the people of Maine collectively own. Engaging young people in island experiences could also motivate them to become the next generation of island visitors and volunteer stewards. To be clear, MITA is not primarily an educational organization and does not intend to become one. Yet programs held in partnership with compatible organizations could foster transformative island experiences for youth, while complementing MITA’s dedication to island stewardship. MITA is not yet committed to establishing such educational partnerships, but wants to explore options in detail.
Early this fall, with support from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, MITA hired Marina Schauffler (a consultant, writer and long-time MITA member) to research possibilities for educational partnerships. Marina has spoken with representatives of more than 50 diverse educational programs to explore their interest in island-based activities. Those being interviewed work primarily with young people between ages 13 and 21 in diverse settings along the length of Maine’s coast—including public schools, afterschool programs, research centers, summer camps, outing clubs and scouting expeditions. MITA’s Trail Committee and staff will be reviewing these findings this winter, and will share results in the spring. Conversations to date have confirmed some demographic trends that merit consideration. Interest in water-based recreation remains strong, but boaters are aging (with an average age of 62 among 3100 Maine respondents in the 2012 Northeast Boater Survey). Fewer young people are engaging in outdoor recreation due to a complex mix of factors—including time constraints and the tug of technology (one recent survey found young people rated their smart phones right up by toilet paper as critical on a camping trip!). These larger cultural dynamics may shape the sort of youth programs that MITA and partners envision. The Maine Island Trail, like the broader Maine coast, is inspirational in its timeless beauty, natural wonder, sea-faring traditions and rugged challenges. It encourages people to both enjoy and care for the islands they visit, and to challenge themselves in the process. Over three decades, more than 30,000 people have been members of MITA: caring for the islands, planning adventures, testing their limits and leaving no trace. To the extent feasible, it is time we make this experience available to more young people in Maine.
Cleanup of the Century—Celebrating Acadia’s Centennial B Y M A R I A J E N N E S S , R E G I O N A L ST E WA R D S H I P M A N A G E R
When MITA was invited to be an Acadia Centennial partner by hosting an event during the park’s hundredth year, the choice of what to do was obvious— shoreline cleanups with volunteers are what we do best, and Isle au Haut seemed like a perfect fit as a beloved but little visited part of Acadia, which is also an important part of the Maine Island Trail. With the staggering amount of marine debris that accumulates on the island’s shoreline, we were guaranteed a good haul! Choosing Isle au Haut as a target came with more complicated logistics than the average MITA cleanup. The task was to conduct a large-scale cleanup on an island where much of the shoreline is inaccessible by skiff in all but the most perfect conditions. This meant that we would have to hike a lot of the trash out by foot—and find volunteers who were game to do all that heavy lifting. Because of this, we knew that we would need a critical mass of volunteers to get the job done, but how would we get everyone out there, move them (and the trash) around the island and haul all the trash off the island? We also knew that we would need more than a single day to do the job properly, so where would everyone stay? This was certainly more than we could do with MITA skiffs alone. Despite the logistical challenges, this was a once-in-a-century opportunity, and we were excited to make it happen. And like everything at MITA, the success of the event all came down to our wonderful partners and enthusiastic volunteers. Bill Baker at Old Quarry was generous in providing mainland accommodations and transportation to and from the island. Also instrumental in the planning and execution on the island were Alison Richards and Charlie Sisk, the Acadia park rangers on Isle au Haut. They gave us a tour of the island’s trails to help develop a plan of attack, provided vehicles to shuttle volunteers and trash, and acted as crew leaders
Nick Battista, MITA Trustee and Island Institute Marine Programs Director, loading up a skiff full of debris.
during the cleanup itself. For getting all the trash to a dumpster in Stonington, we were fortunate to have the Mica Lee, a barge captained by MITA skipper Henri Gignoux, that could carry 6,000 pounds of cargo and go up to 30 knots—certainly beating the capacity of a MITA skiff!
In just two days, with two dozen volunteers and staff, we managed to clean almost all of the park property’s shoreline, hauling off 35 cubic yards of debris. The result of all this planning and work was that in just two days, with two dozen volunteers and staff, we managed to clean almost all of the park shoreline on Isle au Haut, hauling off 35 cubic yards of debris that weighed in at 1.5 tons. That alone was worth being proud of from the perspective of a shoreline cleanup.
A Community-Wide Effort
Isle au Haut is not only home to a division of Acadia National Park, but also to a distinctive year-round community. At the suggestion of the Island Institute, MITA sought to connect cleanup volunteers with Isle au Haut residents as part of this event. Kendra Chubbuck, owner of island-based Shore Shop Gifts, was instrumental in helping spread the word throughout the community, and Island Institute’s Marine Programs Director Nick Battista (a MITA Trustee) provided invaluable guidance and support. We were thrilled to see islanders pitching in with the cleanup and volunteers patronizing island businesses, but the culmination of this effort was the celebratory potluck that brought together over 50 islanders and volunteers for an evening of great food and fun. One island resident even remarked that it was the best potluck that he had been to all summer. And potlucks are a way of life on Isle au Haut! The Isle au Haut centennial event was certainly the cleanup of the century, but based on feedback from participants, we may not be able to wait that long to hold another one! M I TA .O R G
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Coast Guard Buoy Maintenance Teams Are Unsung Coastal Guardians
Fishermen, Farmers and Ghosts: The Long History of Damariscove Island
We all know that the Maine Island Trail consists of hundreds of spectacular properties that are open for public recreation. But actually getting to those properties is another matter.
Damariscove is a place of stunning beauty. Owned by the Boothbay Region Land Trust, the nearly treeless, twomile-long island five nautical miles from Boothbay has a recorded history as old as America itself. Today its harbor beckons recreational boaters, and its trails lure walkers who enjoy the wildflowers, old buildings, cellar holes, small museum, and views as far as Monhegan on a clear day. The north end of the hourglass-shaped island is a protected bird sanctuary, closed for nesting during spring and summer.
B Y K E V I N LO M A N G I N O
Fog, ledges and strong currents are just a few of the obstacles that stand between trail users and their island hideaways. Fortunately for us, the Coast Guard is on duty to mark navigable channels and help boaters get to where they’re going safely. One of the first acts of our young federal government was to provide for aids to navigation. In 1789, the First Congress federalized the existing lighthouses built by the colonies and appropriated funds for lighthouses, beacons and buoys. That legacy continues today at the Coast Guard base in South Portland, where a crew of about 26, led by Chief Warrant Officer Robert Nichols, is tasked with maintaining the approximately 11,000 buoys that mark navigable channels off the coast of Maine. Over the course of several weeks each spring, Nichols’ team positions hundreds of seasonal buoys to mark the Royal, Kennebec, St. George, Medomak, Montsweag and Cowsweague Rivers. They pull those buoys again in the fall for maintenance and to keep them from shifting position during winter storms. It’s a highly scripted operation—and it has to be when you’re dealing with equipment that can weigh up to 25,000 pounds, which is what the largest offshore buoys will run when weighted with concrete ballast. Closer to shore, the seasonal buoys check in at between 225 and 500 pounds with a 500-pound sinker—still plenty big enough to do some damage rolling around on the pitched deck of a buoy tender (a ship designed to haul navigational aids). 4
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Chief Warrant Officer Robert Nichols (right) and Boatsmate First Class Darrell Feeney in front of a large offshore buoy.
“That’s why you’ll never hear the words ‘hurry up’ during one of our evolutions,” says Coast Guard Boatsmate First Class Robert Lehmann. “There’s just way too many things that can go wrong.” An “evolution” is the Coast Guard’s technical term for the removal and return of a buoy or other navigational aid for servicing. Between the time a buoy is picked up and returned to the water, the individual leading the operation may issue some 78 specific commands to the crew that’s wrangling the object, Lehmann notes. On coastal and inshore missions, the man usually issuing those commands is Boatsmate First Class Darrell Feeney, a 16-year veteran of seasonal buoy maintenance runs. He notes that in recent years, improvements to the U.S. Aids to Navigation Information Management System (USAIMS), a GPS-based tracking system for all navigation aids, have brought unprecedented levels of precision to the operation. USAIMS allows Feeney to call up any buoy in the system and visualize where the buoy tender floats in relation to it. With information on wind and current factored in, the system plots the best course to follow in order to set the buoy on target.
“Our goal is get the buoy within three yards of the target,” Feeney says. “It’s become sort of a competition to see how close we can get it.” He cautions, though, that where the buoy is set is not always where it stays. “They move with the ice, and if they get hit with a big wind they can get dragged off station,” he says. That’s why the team checks in with most permanent aids on a two-year schedule. The database also holds a treasure trove of information about past observations on each buoy that may be important for positioning and maintenance. For example, the anchoring chains for buoys will chafe as they drag on rocky bottom, Feeney notes, so the links of each chain are measured and tracked.
BY LIZ FITZSIMMONS
Maine’s coast, especially between the Kennebec and Damariscotta Rivers, attracted explorers and English, French, Dutch, and Spanish fishermen as early as the late 16th century. By 1604, English fishing vessels had made Damariscove a seasonal community, where local cod was salted and dried for shipment to European markets. Humphrey Damarill, a member of the ill-fated Popham Colony established near Phippsburg in 1607, opened a trading post on Damariscove in 1608. He claimed ownership of what then were called the Damarill Isles.
Damariscove was a busy place in the 1600s, with several “firsts” attributed to it. The island had the first permanent settlement of colonists in what is now Maine; it is where the first Maypole dance in America is believed to have taken place; and a Damariscove entertainment establishment was issued the first liquor license after the Massachusetts Bay Colony instituted local government there in 1671. Thirteen fishermen were living yearround on Damariscove in March of 1622, when Edward Winslow of the Plymouth Colony sailed in to ask for food for the beleaguered Pilgrims in Massachusetts. He left with a generous supply of fish, and wrote of “30 ships of sail…taking on dried cod” in Damariscove harbor. Later that year, the Sparrow, another English vessel bound for Plymouth, stopped at the island, where crew and passengers watched merry dancing around a Maypole; such revelry was a traditional English spring celebration deemed pagan by the Puritans. Native Abenakis inhabited much of Maine when the European explorers
“I won’t say there’s a science to it necessarily, but there’s definitely a lot of thought that goes into it,” according to Feeney. “We’ve been doing this a long time.” So spare a thought for these unsung sailors who are dedicated to our safety, and whose constant vigilance makes it easier for us to enjoy our beloved islands. Kevin Lomangino is a long-time member
from South Portland and a former editor of The Island Trail.
Students from Asa G. Randall’s Commonwealth Art Colony in Boothbay Harbor visit Damariscove Island in August 1915. The lifesaving station is to the right. Photo credit: Boothbay Region Historical Society
and early fishermen arrived, and friendly trade took place. Resentment and tensions grew, however, as the increasing number of settlers claimed land and natural resources that were traditionally the Abenaki’s domain. Raids on colonists’ homes and farms spread across Maine, leaving a path of destruction and death. In the summer of 1676, Abenakis burned all settlements between the Kennebec River and Pemaquid. About 300 residents of Damariscotta, Boothbay, Sheepscot and Pemaquid fled to Damariscove Island, which had a fort and a tavern. Although Damariscove residents did not flee, the other settlers continued on to Monhegan and Massachusetts. Captain Richard Pattishall, whose family owned the island until 1755, was a casualty of the Indian wars. In 1689, while on his boat between Pemaquid and Damariscove, Abenakis allegedly came aboard, beheaded Pattishall and threw his body overboard, with his dog following him. The bodies reportedly washed up on Damariscove, and legend has it that the ghosts of the captain and his dog haunt the island to this day. Daniel Knight, who bought Damariscove from Pattishall, was a victim of the Revolutionary War. Although no one was killed, the British burned his house and carried off his livestock. In 1800, Damariscove had about 40 residents. Throughout the 19th century, fishing and farming sustained the population. Homes and fishing shacks clustered at the harbor, which was the center of activity. In the early 1900s, the population also included summer people and Coast Guardsmen and their families, and there was a school until 1917. continue on page 6 M I TA .O R G
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continued from page 5
The island had dairy cows and gardens, and some of the last residents sold food to the mainland summer community. The treacherous shoals and ledges surrounding Damariscove, particularly The Motions, caused many wrecks. In response, the U.S. Lifesaving Service established a station on Damariscove in 1897; it was one of 12 along the Maine coast and later became a U.S. Coast Guard station. The distinctive building, now on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed with an octagonal lookout tower, one of two continuously manned lookouts on the island. The crew made an average of 25 rescues a year. The 1940s marked the end of the lifesaving service on Damariscove, but the Coast Guard station was active until 1959. The building is now privately owned. The freestanding East Tower was rebuilt in the 1990s and serves as a navigational aid. The last year-round residents left the island in the 1930s, though a few lobstermen lived there seasonally into the 1980s. In the late 1980s, a lobstering family living on a sailboat took up residence in Damariscove Harbor, where they stayed for 16 years. Today only the Boothbay Region Land Trust summer caretakers experience daily living—fine weather and fierce—on the island. Open for day use only, Damariscove is accessible by private boat. Liz Fitzsimmons is a public historian and kayaker who lives in Belfast.
Damariscove Island has long been a popular destination for boaters of all stripes. In 2016 the Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT) partnered with MITA for the first time to list Damariscove, along with two other BRLT island properties, as part of the Maine Island Trail. We are grateful for BRLT’s enthusiasm for the partnership, and have already teamed up on several fun and productive stewardship projects. 6
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MITA Members and MCHT Partner in Successful Campaign to Conserve Ram Island B Y DA N C A R R , M I TA T R U ST E E
In late August, efforts to conserve and preserve access to Ram Island in Machias Bay, one of the gems of the Maine Island Trail, culminated with a celebratory meeting on the island with Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) staff and the shepherd who has grazed his flocks on the island for nearly 30 years. The island is expected to remain on the Maine Island Trail, open for both responsible public recreational access and the traditional grazing use. This achievement began with a spark ignited in June 2015 by Dan Smith, an avid kayaker, talented photographer and member of MITA’s Trail Committee, which is charged with maintaining and enhancing the recreational value of the Trail. Smith reminded the group that the island had been marketed for development for over a decade and asked, “I am wondering if any of you think we might be able to cobble together some island lovers to purchase Ram Island.” We passed on this question to our MITA friends and were not disappointed that virtually everyone who had spent time on Ram enthusiastically endorsed the idea.
Virtually everyone who had spent time on Ram enthusiastically endorsed the idea [of its conservation]. Fortunately, MCHT had been in conversation with the island owner for years; and with a reduced sale price, the Trust believed that protection of the island was finally a possibility. A little over a year later, together we managed to raise a substantial portion of the acquisition cost for MCHT to purchase the island. The campaign was leveraged through social media to members of MITA, MCHT, the North Shore Paddlers Network and other groups.
Invasive Plants on the Trail: New Findings from Summer Scouting B Y M A R I A J E N N E S S , R E G I O N A L ST E WA R D S H I P M A N A G E R
Ask Haley Campbell, MITA’s 2016 invasive plant intern, and she’ll tell you that she had one of the best jobs in Maine this summer—buzzing around in MITA skiffs to beautiful islands and scouting for infestations of plants that could take over Trail islands if left unchecked. With her assistance, over the past two seasons MITA’s stewardship staff has mapped the presence and absence of invasive plants along the entire Trail. This was the first step in a larger invasive species management plan, to provide a better understanding of the extent of infestations and assist in prioritizing management efforts. Watchful eyes of shepherd Dave Craven and Gwen from atop Ram Island. Photo credit: Dan Carr
An important link in the Maine Island Trail for over a decade, Ram offers 16 exposed acres with about a mile of tide- and wave-battered shoreline. According to one MITA member, Ram is a place that “reminds you how beautiful the world is and how small and inconsequential you are”...an important gift that will now be preserved for future generations. Our gratitude goes to all those who contributed to this effort, and in particular to Nicole Connelly (a MITA Trustee) and Patrick Watson of MCHT who guided us through the process. If you’d like to know more about Ram Island and MCHT’s effort to raise funds to cover the cost of purchase and stewardship to maintain this public preserve, please contact Connelly for more information: nconnelly@mcht.org or (207)-607-4361.
While most of the findings conformed to expectations, there were some surprises along the way. The vast majority of species found were the usual suspects: Asiatic bittersweet, honeysuckle and Japanese barberry. There were also some species less common to MITA sites that were found in isolated instances, including Japanese knotweed, black swallow-wort, purple loosestrife and autumn olive. Given the nature of how invasive plants spread, we expected, and found, the highest density of infestations in the southern half of the coast. However, we identified quite a few islands with infestations where we didn’t expect them. Many had been missed previously simply because no one was looking for them, which demonstrated the importance of doing this survey. The good news is that we did not find invasive plants on 60% of the 155 islands surveyed. Documenting this absence is valuable because the most effective means of invasive plant management is to prevent infestations from taking hold in the first place. With ongoing monitoring, we can strive to keep the majority of sites invasives-free.
Unfortunately, this also means that 40% of Trail islands had some degree of infestation. However, looking at the density and distribution of infestations gives a more encouraging picture. Only 10% of all islands surveyed had infestations that were beyond the point where they could realistically be eradicated. In these cases, infestations were so dense that management could only curtail the species from spreading further, rather than eliminate them altogether. As expected, most of these were in Casco Bay, although there were a few heavily infested sites in several regions further up the coast. Arguably the most valuable data came from the islands that fell somewhere on the spectrum between no invasives and completely overrun. The most encouraging sites were the 14% of islands where infestations were very small—in many instances just a handful of sprouts that were barely noticeable. In the realm of invasive plant management this is known as the “early detection, rapid response” stage, where management efforts can be the most effective. Ideally, invasives can be eradicated from these sites before they take hold, because as infestations spread they require exponentially more time and resources to control.
The remaining 16% of islands had infestations that were well established, but with sustained effort eradication may be feasible. These will likely be the sites where the more difficult decisions will have to be made about what MITA can realistically manage given time and resource constraints. The next step in MITA’s invasive plant management strategy is to review the survey results in detail to inform islandspecific management plans. These plans will be based in large part on the degree of infestation and the feasibility of eradication or control with the means at hand. Any management plans and future work will also be done in close coordination with the landowners, with a goal toward making the most of MITA’s staff and volunteer time. All of this work will require persistence. Monitoring for invasive plants on the Trail may have to be as routine as monitoring recreational use and promoting Leave No Trace ethics. We encourage all members and island visitors to become familiar with unwanted invasive species, and keep your eyes out when exploring along the coast. And for anyone interested in getting more involved in hands-on management, we invite you to join a work day! M I TA .O R G
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Fresh to Salt: John Connelly of PaddleQuest 1500 Tells All 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
PaddleQuest 1500 was a 75-day paddling expedition by John Connelly, a MITA Monitor Skipper. Among other outdoor pursuits and qualifications, Connelly led L.L.Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School for a decade and was once a member of the U.S. Canoe & Kayak Team. Many would say he is uniquely drawn to adventure…
Why on earth did you do this, John?
Well, I had always wanted to canoe the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. And although I had done several sections of it before, I’ve always wanted to paddle the Maine Island Trail. And I had a big birthday coming up—the big 60—so I wanted to do something epic. I didn’t think anyone had ever linked the two water trails—by switching over to kayak after completing the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and then continuing down the St. John River, out the Bay of Fundy, and then down the Maine Island Trail to complete the coast of Maine in 1,500 miles. I decided, ‘That’s never been done before… I have to do that.’
To be clear, nobody has done this because it is insane. And you chose to start in April…why?
So much in life is about timing. And taking a 21/2-month leave of absence to pursue an expedition would never have worked for me before—whether it’s been about family and having a child, being an entrepreneur or having other jobs that would have precluded it. But everything lined up beautifully. And I didn’t have to miss out on summer!
So that was on land. What was it like to be out on the water, moment by moment?
I basically do three things continually: observe conditions, make adjustments, and stay calm. I identify the hazards and everything that can go wrong. And then I park that in the back of my mind, not the front. When you focus on everything that can go wrong, that’s when you begin to get stiff and paddle with choppy strokes and lose your mental focus. When things got rough, I’d say to myself out loud, “Relax. Loosen your hips! Loosen your grip!” If you get really nervous, you grip tightly and you get so tired that you lose your grip. Happily, I never flipped or even had to do a defensive recovery or brace to keep from rolling. I surfed waves and did all kinds of stuff, but I never had to do that.
That sounds delightful, on a calm day. Were any of the days less calm?
There were times on both trails where the weather and the conditions got really, really difficult. Ironically, one of the toughest days was the second to last. From Peaks Island I was expected in Kennebunkport for a welcoming event
From Docks to Ducks
Turning Shoreline Ugly Ducklings into Beautiful Swans Ask anyone who has participated in
at the Colony Hotel. I woke up to the forecast of a passing front at 1PM, but the morning was smooth. So at 7AM I slid my fully loaded boat into the water but immediately felt resistance from the bottom. Then I felt water on the back of my calves and thighs—I had punctured the bottom and was already a third full of water! I spent the rest of that morning doing fiberglass repair and watching the weather start to change. I launched right when they said the front would move through.
an island cleanup, and they’ll tell you:
They were right. It was raining sideways by the time I put in, but I wanted to go around the corner of Peaks to check sea conditions. It was 4 to 8 feet at Whitehead Passage with reflected waves off the cliffs and wind-whipped rain and gusts so hard I wondered if I might get knocked over. My first thought was to turn around, but then I realized, ‘I’m handling this, I’m okay.’ And I was keeping good speed. By Richmond, the wind had settled considerably, and it had stopped raining.
Cherry explains: “When I get the foam
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there’s a lot of foam on the islands.
Particularly dock foam—blocks of blue, white, orange or pink flotation billets
that come loose from their structures
and drift aimlessly at sea until settling on an unsuspecting shore. On Trail islands, shoreline foam is usually
collected by stewards and brought to
the nearest landfill. But volunteer David Cherry takes a different approach. He
uses dock foam as the raw material for homemade goose decoys.
Dock foam collected from Sheep Island in July.
from the islands I first try to dry it out as
much as possible and clean off any debris. I then make several cuts using a hot-wire foam cutter to bring the foam to the
right dimensions. From there, I use two
templates with the foam cutter to give it
a general shape of the goose decoy. Next, I use a rasp and smooth out the edges
and remove excess foam that was missed while using the cutter. The heads are
made from 2-inch insulating foam that
I’ve picked up from folks. A thin piece of plywood is used to provide rigidity.”
MITA salutes Cherry for his creative
reuse of this common marine debris
Goose decoys in various stages of production. Photo credit: David Cherry
item. With the boatloads of foam that
MITA stewards retrieve from the islands each year, there’s enough material for one impressive gaggle!
What was an average day like?
I typically arrived at a campsite at the end of the day with just enough light to be able to set up camp, make dinner, get into bed while it was still light enough to do some journaling and then pass out. I never set an alarm clock, but I’d get up in the morning, make coffee and eat breakfast while planning my day. Then just pack up and go. 8 M I TA .O R G
John Connelly in his natural habitat.
The nearly finished decoys. Photo credit: David Cherry M I TA .O R G
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Donors Making a Difference Wild Islands Campaign Donors
The Maine Island Trail Association gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and institutions for their commitment to the Wild Islands Campaign. Their support will ensure that Maine’s wild islands will be well cared for in perpetuity. *Listed below are all new campaign commitments made in 2016 as of November 15. $100,000
The William Bingham Foundation
$5,000-$30,000
Linzee & Beth Coolidge Charles Duncan & Laura Blutstein Elizabeth Ehrenfeld James G & Carolyn Birmingham Foundation Timothy T Hilton Michael Scarborough Estate Peter Schwab James & Lynn Shaffer The Edmund & Betsy Cabot Charitable Foundation Mark & Dawn Werner Jim & Meg Wilson
$1,000 - $4,999
Kathleen & Gene Barnes Benson P Blake Charitable Trust Buck Family Fund of the Maine Community Foundation Susanne & Benjamin Clark Gianne Conard Robert Dawson & Evelyn Landry Jon H Edwards & Nancy J Fox Wendy & Stephen Gaal Landis & Dominique Gabel William Ginn & June LaCombe Mr. & Mrs. Herbert H Gowen II Thomas R Guare Roger & Marny Heinen Shepard Krech III Chip Newell & Susan Morris Edward & Christine Page Bob & Susan Peck Jack & Jane Phillips Plimpton Shattuck Fund Prior Family Foundation Kristen Roos & Dan Smith Ann Rougle
Edward & Shirley Sherwood Ann & Marc Sonnenfeld John K Spencer William J & Norinne C Stoloski R Gordon & Carole Talley John & Marielynn Towers Diane T & Ian R Walker Morrison Webb & Family Richard & Frederika Welch Blake Whitman David Witherbee & Michelle Bociek John & Sheila Zittel
$1-$999
E Davies Allan Jim & Patricia Allen Mr & Mrs William C Allison Patricia Axelsen George Baggett S Brian Banner Jeff Barrell & Candy Jones Prudence Baxter David Bellows David & Christine Beneman (in memory of Steve Titcomb) Richard Birns & Madeleine Sann Mr Charles P Bolton Carl & Pat Bredenberg Bob & Kathy Brustlin Leonard Buck Lee Bumsted Deborah Campbell & Thomas Garcia Michael J Carrano Jennifer & Tom Clancy Daniel & Deborah Clark Theodore Coladarci Virginia & Ken Colburn Doug & Sophie Cowan John & Davilynn Cowperthwaite Dr & Mrs D Joshua Cutler Rob Dickey Michael P & Jan Douglass
Virginia Drewry & Abby Martin Elizabeth S M Estey Matthew Faulkner & Alice Grant Rol & Averil Fessenden Mr & Mrs John D Freeman Jr William & Karen Gallagher Jon & Selene Gibney Bob & Maggie Gill Mickey Gillmor & Henry Kahn Thomas & Beth Goettel Mark Goff & Anne Powelson Peter Graham Nancy Grant & Michael Boyson Robert & Donna Hamill Mr & Mrs Edmund L Harvey Jr Robert L Hazard Bruce J Hebda Atwell B & Elizabeth Hedly Caroline & John Hodsdon Lawrence Hoder & Harriet Bering Kenneth Hood Ogden & Nina Hunnewell Caroline Janover William M Jones James & Cornelia Kachadorian Michael & Wynne Keller Christopher Knight Paul Knight & Kimberly Keaney Lorrie Landsberg Charles & Eliza Lee Karen & James Lee David A & Judith Lloyd John A Lumbard Constance B Madeira Thomas & Marcia Mason Heather M McCargo & Brian McNiff Jeff McKinnon H Turney McKnight Charity & Alan McNabb Todd Mellin Richard A Mersereau J Philip Miller & Courtnay Malcolm
David & Debra Morrill Randall & Mary Mraz Eric & Linda Murphy Annette Naegel Barrett W Nichols & Family John W Noyes Arthur & Constance Page Laura Pawle Tyler Philpott Stephen & Rebecca Powell Sheldon & Yvonne Prosser Michael T Putziger Abbie & Bart Read Margaret Rhinelander Sydney Roberts Rockefeller Richard Rose Andrew & Nina Roth-Wells James Rowan & Family Bonnie Rukin James & Susan Russo Piero Sarti William & Sandra Savage Susan R Schnur & Family Stephen F Sears Edmund Semeneshen Ellen Shockro Catherine Sieffert Ned Smith & Megan Thorn Patricia Smith & Richard Tucker Frank W Sparks III Valerie & David Stone Bert Troughton Robert & Lisa Tully Mark Tux Turkel & Amy Sinclair Reina & James Van Natta Patrick & Nancy Waddell Peter Warner Stephen M Weld Jr William J Wiegmann Dennis Wint Tom & Debrah Yale Jessica Yates
Supporters in Fiscal Year 2016
The Maine Island Trail Association thanks the many individuals, families, businesses and institutions that helped the Trail thrive during the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2016.
Trailblazers The Maine Island Trail Association recognizes the extraordinary generosity of our Trailblazers, individuals whose annual operating support reached $1,000 or more during Fiscal Year 2016. E Davies Allan Anonymous Robert & Francis Barchi Donna & Greg Barmore Linda Bean Stephen & Paula Birmingham Ben Blake Willard W Brown Jr Mrs Edmund B Cabot Scott Camlin & Beth Uptegrove 10
M I TA .O R G
Daniel & Pamela Carr George Cogan & Fannie Allen Mazie Cox & Brinkley Thorne Sara Crisp & Gregg Lipton J Martin Devine Charles Duncan & Laura Blutstein Elizabeth Ehrenfeld Richard M Engel & Barbara Chilmonczyk Sylvia Erhart
Joseph Faber & Family Mark & Patricia Fasold J Thomas Franklin & Anna Ginn Mr & Mrs Benjamin Fuller James B Gagnon, M.D. & Margaret Hausman Mr & Mrs Herbert H Gowen II Harriette & Peter Griffin Morris Hancock & Linda Peyton Whitney & Elizabeth Hatch
Rodger & Jillian Herrigel Alison & Horace Hildreth Norm & Beth Hildreth Timothy T Hilton Winston & Jennifer Holt John Huth & Karen Agnew Elizabeth & Lewis Incze Mark Isaacson & Karen Herold Michele Janin & Tom Linebarger James P Kelly & Margaret Mahoney
Jonathan & Cindy Knowles Rebecca & Michael Lambert Ron Leeking & Donna Roggenthien William & Gail Legge Wayland Linscott & Susan Fuller Mark Mason & Trish O’Donnell William McCue & Cara Chebuske Cornelius & Suzanne McGinn
Kevin R & Sheila McManus George & Elizabeth Murnaghan Suzi Osher Halford Park & Annie DeFeo James Parmentier & Elizabeth Fowler Michael Perry & Christine Wolfe Elise Pettus Sara Pierce
Sam Plimpton & Wendy Shattuck Marietta & Robert Ramsdell Kristen Roos & Dan Smith Michael & Kristin Sant Richard & Rita Seger Ellen Shockro Karl Sims & Pattie Maes Joan P Tilney
Diane T & Ian R Walker Doug Welch & Caitlin Gutheil Gregory W Welch & Ann Lewnes Mark & Dawn Werner C Scollay Whitney Jeremy R Wintersteen David Witherbee & Michelle Bociek Gary Lee York
$10,000+ (institutions only)
North Shore Paddlers Network James & Janet Owen Beth & William B Owens James Page & Amy Sherman John & Charlotte Phillips Ronald R & Mary Pressman Christine & Doug Preston Trudie & Neil Prior Mr Andrew C Rockefeller Jean-Andre & Vicki Rougeot Ann Rougle Catherine Rymph & Family Edward & Shirley Sherwood The Foreside Foundation The Morse Hill Trust John & Julia Ver Ploeg Michael Vetsch Blake Whitman Jim & Meg Wilson
Forster Family Foundation Wendy & Stephen Gaal Landis & Dominique Gabel Wyatt & Rachel Garfield William Ginn & June LaCombe Mark Goff & Anne Powelson Google, Inc Robert & Sarah Gould Peter Graham Karen Hartman Roger & Marny Heinen Donald Hendrich & Lynn Jenness Cam & Michelle Hicks Dr & Mrs George Higgins Peter Hochschild Charles Holt Betsey Holtzmann Marion & Mark Howard Stephanie & James Huger John Hunt Dr Nathaniel Hyde & Polly Arnoff Judith Jellinek Wade & Nancy Judge David Kantor Joan & John Kelly Owen Kiley Joy & Kenneth Kleeman Paul & Cindy Laprise Karen & James Lee Dennis C & Jayne T Leiner Linda & Jeff Lennox Richard Lenz & Jean Tibbetts Werner E Maas & Suzanne Hutchinson Mary Maran Mike Marino Dana & Alison Martin Barbara & Bob Mathewson David L McDonald & Florence Varleta H Turney McKnight Todd Mellin Bob Miller J Philip Miller & Courtnay Malcolm Peter G Milliken & Linzee Weld William Moore & Ann MacLauchlin Harold & Deborah Moorefield Daniel A Morgenstern & Moriah Moser Jonathan Movson Katie Murphy & Peter Lindsay Chip Newell & Susan Morris Ian S Ogilvie Bob Olney & Catherine Richards Daniel & Nancy Paduano Patagonia Bob & Susan Peck Jack & Jane Phillips Martin Phillips & Anmiryam Budner Tim & Joan Porta Sheldon & Yvonne Prosser Craig Raabe William K Raabe Martha L Reeve Karen & Ford Reiche Margaret Rhinelander Ian & Deb Riddell Bruce & Becky Roesler
Mr & Mrs Martin G Rosansky Wickes Rossiter & Leila Schueler James Rowan & Family Hayden & Cathy Sears Robert Sessums & Susan Inches James & Lynn Shaffer Marguerite Shaffer Marcia & Larry Sharp Andrew & Sybil Shiland Jonathan & Suzanne Sibley Mark & Linda Siegmund Regina Snyder & Brevard Garrison Andrew Soloway Ann & Marc Sonnenfeld Ann & Thayer Stewart Keith Stone & Steven Watts Kevin Strange Amy & Peter Sturtevant Jr The Otter Foundation The Pittsburgh Foundation The Triton Foundation Odette & Scott Thurston Jeff & Abby Troiano Bert Troughton Gregory Walsh & Louise Valati Jay & Candy Walton Stephen M Weld Jr Edward & Mary Wendell William J Wiegmann
Davis Conservation Foundation Elmina B Sewall Foundation Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund
$1,000-$9,999 (institutions only)
Acadia National Park Becton Family Foundation Bonnell Cove Foundation Charles L Read Foundation Farnsworth Fund from Essex County Community Foundation Front Street Shipyard GE Foundation James & Betty Jacobs Family Charitable Trust L.L. Bean Leonard C & Mildred F Ferguson Foundation Lucy Foundation Maine Community Foundation Maine Office of Tourism Margaret E Burnham Charitable Trust Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust PW Sprague Memorial Foundation RBC Wealth Management Sand Dollar Foundation
$500-$999
Apple, Inc via Benevity Community Impact Fund Roger Berle & Lesley MacVane Carl & Pat Bredenberg Mary M & Thomas D Cabot Jr Richard J Perry & Elaine Carlson Thomas Carr & Family W Morgan & Sonia Churchman Madeleine G Corson Mr Rory & Dr Charlotte Cowan Allerton Cushman Jr Bayard C Ewing Matthew Faulkner & Alice Grant David & Heidi Fitz Flow Fund John Winthrop & Mary Lee Fowler Suzanne Fox & Moritz Hansen Joel Frantzman Mr & Mrs John D Freeman, Jr Lisa Gorman James & Mary Gribbell Cyrus Hagge Lindsay & Bill Hancock Mr & Mrs Edmund L Harvey Jr Joseph Higdon & Ellen Sudow Peter A Jay Johnson-Wortham Family Lynn Kapiloff Paul Knight & Kimberly Keaney Charlotte Lawton John MacKinnon Malcolm W & Emily D MacNaught Anne & John Marshall Heather M McCargo & Brian McNiff Jeff McKinnon Eric & Linda Murphy Sigrid Noack
$250-$499
David & Holly Ambler Scott Anderson & Kelly Baetz Christopher Angell Anonymous William & Victoria Baetz Walt & Corinne Bailey Emily Beck & Geoffrey Young David A & Maureen E Bluett Carrine Burns & Pete Bouman Bob & Kathy Brustlin Alexander & Anne Buck Grant Cambridge Laura & Christopher Carrigan Stephen & Maria Cashin Reid Charlston Catherine Chute Thomas & Rachel Claflin Caren M Clark Susanne & Benjamin Clark Katherine & Thomas Clements Roxanne & Kevin Coady Les & Joyce Coleman Mary Baldwin Collins Nicole & John Connelly Linzee & Beth Coolidge Robert Cowan & Jean Weld Hilary Creighton Peter H Creighton William Crouch & Family Robert & Norma Davee David & Lucile Packard Foundation Joe & Jane Davin Robert Dawson & Evelyn Landry Ciro de la Vega Rob Dickey Mr & Mrs Joseph C Donnelly Janet Dooley & Kathryn Bell Michael P & Jan Douglass Jeffrey & Alice Dow Jim Eaves Jon H Edwards & Nancy J Fox Emsbo-Mattingly Family Susan George & Miles Epstein Douglas & Judy Fitzsimmons James Flowerdew Joseph & Leslie Fogg Susan & Peter Forster
$100-$249
Karen Abbey & Family Don & Jody Abbott Robert E & Cynthia Abrams Janet & Barry Acker Kelly & Sam Adams Dr & Mrs Frank Adshead Jeffrey Gordon & Donna Jean Ahigian Sherri Albrecht & Family Joseph & Jo Ann Aldred David F Allen & Leann Diehl Jim & Patricia Allen Jonathan & Joanne Allen Paul & Meredith Allen William Pohle & Sarah Allen Mr & Mrs James M Anderson Robert Anderson Jennifer Andrews & Mark Battista Mr & Mrs CD Armstrong Keith & Donna Attenborough Patricia Axelsen Robert & Linda Ayotte JoAnne & Ross Babcock Stephen Babcock Brenda & Stephan Babirak Colin Baker & Elaine Cinciva Alan Baldwin JoAnne & Michael Bander S Brian Banner Bill Barker & Family Stephen & Sallie Barker Henry & Doris Barlow Capt Noah & Jane Barnes Richard Barnes Donald Bartlett Jr & Christine A Bartlett Nick Battista & Meredith Mendelson Karen Baumgartner & Bill Roebuck M I TA .O R G
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Prudence Baxter Alice Bean-Andrenyak Ross H Beane Franklin Beard Glenn Bechard Meranne & Lucas Behrends Iola Benedict & Skip Hoblin Susan & Robert Benner Timothy Bergeron & Susan Lee Ben & Victoria Bernard Franklin S Beveridge Heather Beveridge John & Carol Bianchi Llewellyn B Bigelow MD Constance & Peter Bingham Janet & Janet Bing-You Beverly Bishop Gary Blake C Mark Blatchley & Family Scott F Bloom Jeremy Bloxham Bernard Blum Steve Thomas & Evy Blum Dennis J Bobilya Mr Charles P Bolton Henry H Booth Elizabeth Bordowitz Rod Boucher Jonathan Bourne Michael Bourque Marilyn Boutwell Jeff & Judy Bowlby Steven D & Joan Bradley Julia & James Brady David M Braslau & Yain Y Lu Brian Briggs Josephine P Briggs & Family Carolyn J Britt & Michael Schaaf Deborah & Witter Brooke David & Cynthia Brown John K Brown Rebecca Brown & Family Allen Browne & Family Doug & Dale Bruce Michael B & Janet M Bruehl Paul Buckley Alvin & Emily P Bugbee Andrew Burgess & Family Nick Burnett & Susan LoGiudice Susan & Josh Burns Weld Butler Steve Caffrey & Lois Arnold-Caffrey Caitlin Callahan & Eli Gallaudet Annie Campbell Chip & Molly Campbell Deborah Campbell & Thomas Garcia Mary E Campbell & Deborah A Chase David Carlson Mark Caron Kristian Carr & Jo D Saffeir Gregg & Emily Carville Dr & Mrs Bruce R Cassidy Ry Cavanaugh & Jennifer Kimball Kathryn Henry & Rob Center Leland Chang & Kimberly Maxcy-Chang Peter B & Karen A Chapman Robert & Laura Chapman Aquila Chase Will & Lee Cheever Mr & Mrs Morris Cheston Jr Martha Riehle & Janis Childs Penny & John Chowning Cloe Chunn & David Thanhauser Jennifer & Tom Clancy Roger & Judy Clapp 12
M I TA .O R G
Daniel & Deborah Clark Michael & Rebecca Clark Coastal Kayaking Tours Daniel & Catherine Coit Theodore Coladarci Virginia & Ken Colburn William G Colcord W Douglas & Harper Lee Collins Peter Collins Stephen A Collins & Family Richard E Colson & Family Henry Conklin & Carol Pierson Mrs Charlotte Cook Stephen Cook & Family Tim & Ana Cook Ellen Cooper Kathryn B Coughlin Coveside Bed & Breakfast James Covington Doug & Sophie Cowan Neal Cowles John & Davilynn Cowperthwaite Eric Johnson & Margaret Cox John D Crawford Frank & Bonnie Crohn Carol Cross & Family Richard E & Jane Cullen Holly J & Stephen F Culver Ellen & Bruce D Cummings Dick & Margaret Curran Susie Cushner James & Katherine Cuthbertson David Dalena Jim Daley & Family Joan & Jim Darby David Dardano Mark & Virginia David Darwin & Jacqueline Davidson Alexander Davis Leverett B Davis Jr Alan & Susan Davis Whitney Davis Mr & Mrs Endicott P Davison Napoleon De Barros James & Elizabeth Deane Douglas J DeAngelis Christopher DeCardy & Tracy Morris Michael Dedekian & Family Nick DeFriez Paul Demers Jesse Deupree John & Bernard Devine Caroline Dewey Andrew & Barbara Dickinson Charles & Marylee Dodge Katie Donovan Juliane Dow George Dresser Patricia Dubois Stephen F Dubord Jennifer Duchon Duckfat Restaurant Henry & Margie Dudley Michael & Patricia Duffy Richard J Dumler Sandra & Tom Dunham Michael Dysart & Petra Hesse Jim Eaton & Family Mr & Mrs Larry Eaton Frederick Ebinger & Family Angela G Eccles & Joseph Mokry Peter Edwards Robert & Blythe Edwards Betsy & Richard Eiseman David & Marilyn Ellwood Dan & Ginny Emerson
Mr & Mrs Samuel Emerson James Emery & Allison Runsey Grant Emison Benjamin & Dianna Emory Judith & William English Gordon & Donna Erikson Johan & Patricia Erikson Barbara & Penn Estabrook Elizabeth S M Estey Devon & Heather Evans Preston Everdell & Family Exelon Foundation William & Rebecca Ezzard Wesley & Kathleen Fairfield Bill & Barbara Farnum Howard & Katherine Faulkner Charles & Charlotte Faulkner Tom & Christian Feeney Jeffrey Fernald Daniel Fink Stephen & Frances Fink Gregory Shute & Lynnette Flaccus Ann Flannery William & Adele Fletcher Juan M Florin & Family Deborah & Paul Follansbee Mr & Mrs Charles M Foote Jr Kristen Rupert & John Foote Capt John & Kathryn Foss Karen Francoeur Julie & Daniel Freund Richard Fried & Family Steven Fried Ed Friedman Friends of Nature Amy Fulton & John Laterra Spencer Fulweiler & Family Santiago Galaz & Family William & Karen Gallagher Jamie Gamble Jeffrey & Margie Geiger Martin Gellert David George Herbert Germann Charles W. Gesner James C & Judith W Gibbons Thomas T & Margaret Gilbert Bob & Maggie Gill George & Martha Gilmore Eric Girardi & Family Alan Goff John Gooch John & Jeanne Goodman Kenneth F & Susan B Gordon Sarah Gorham Charlie Governali Nancy Grant & Michael Boyson Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co LLC Samuel P M Gray Ron Greenberg & Family Joel P Greene & Ann T Lisi Arthur W Gregg & Family Beth Gregg Rich & Sarah Gregory Richard Grigos Corey Grobe Brent Groce & Donna Cordner Richard & Susan Grondin Andy Grundberg Thomas R Guare Amy & Leif Gustavson Robert & Karen Gutheil Mr & Mrs Joseph Guttentag Stu & Juli Haddon Sandra & Arthur Hall
Phil Hall Christine Halvorson Robert & Donna Hamill Larry Hamm Kristopher Hammer & Family Dr Karen Hancock Denzel Hankinson Albert Hansen John Hansman & Laura Werwick Kathy Harding Scott & Nicole Hardy Justin Harlan Donna Harris Ann Harrison & Jim Starkey Howard & Mandana Harrison Robert & Elizabeth Hart John Hartmann & Gabrielle McDermit Carol Hawran & Matthew Schwartz Erik Hayward Michael Hayward Larry Healy Mr & Mrs David Heap Atwell B & Elizabeth Hedly Erling Heistad & Kim Rheinlander Doug Henderson & Kerri Lynn Ratcliffe William & Barbara Henson Doug Hermann Richard Hero & Jane Whitney Michael & Deborah Hervey Henry & Alicia Heyburn Tim Hille David & Lois Hinman The Hoagland Family Lawrence Hoder & Harriet Bering Caroline & John Hodsdon Tim Hoechst Christopher Hoff Richard & Wendy Hokin Donald & Lee Holmes Kenneth Hood Michael Horn Henry & Sharon Hosley Douglas & Susan Houston Sue Hriciga John Hubbard & Family Stefanie & Fred Hufnagel Hans & Betsy Humes Ogden & Nina Hunnewell Philip & Mary Hunter Lenny Hurrell Ian Huss & Lisa Doughty Peter A & Kathryn A Hussey Stephen & Amy Hutnak IBM Corporation Chuck & Ellen Irose Lawrence & Janet Jackel Herbert & Kathleen Janick Anthony and Hilary Jessen Carlos & Karen Jimenez Mary K McCabe & Sam W Joffe Evan Johanson Theodore Johanson & Patricia Lundholm Mr & Mrs Edward C Johnson IV Robert Johnston Joyce Jones Caren & Robert Journagan Monica Joyce & David Lawrence Kathy & Brian Kaczor Charles Kane Jr & Anne Eldridge Robert & Patricia Kane Barbara & AW Karchmer Kirsten Kautz Patrick Keaney
Deborah Keefe & John Sedgewick Dot Kelly John & Helen Kenefick Mr & Mrs John Kerney R Ross & Dale Ketchum David & Jane Kidder James & Elizabeth Kilbreth Robert Kilpeck Kimo Liana & Don Kingsbury Charles Kinney & Pamela MyersKinney Christine & H Winston Kipp Robert & Sharon Kiss Hans Koehl & Christina Haiss-Koehl Susan & Bruce Kohorn Denis & Donna Kokernak Shepard Krech III Kroka Expeditions David Kuhns & Patti Lerwick Denis Lachman Andrew Lackoff Geoffrey & Anne LaFond Fernando Laguarda Lorrie Landsberg David Langdon & Family Britt Larsson & Patti Martin William E Laverty Frank Lawrence Robert Lawrence Edward & Gail Lawson Dick Leask Mark Lechner John & Susan Lehmus Karen Leland Dana & Georgiana Leonard Mary & Michael Leonard Kirk & Judith Leoni Courtland & Barbara Lewis Mac & Catherine Lewis Jon Lichter Douglas Lind & Family Dr Carl & Julia Lindquist Carl Linley & Family Linda & Steven Linnell Eric D & Marcie Lister Margie Litman Daniel K Livingston Ella Long William & Beth Long Jeffrey & Beth Longcope Richard D & Elizabeth Lord Charles Lucas & Deborah DeWitt John A Lumbard John & Donna Mabus William MacArthur & Family Arnie Macdonald & Liza Moore Ruby MacDonald Richard MacKinnon William A Macleod Donald & Marie Magioncalda Kevin Mahoney Caroline Mailloux & Robert McKay Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Inc Maine Island Kayak Co Maine Kayak Maine Sport Outfitters Stephen & Adrienne Major Stephen L Malcom Peter & Susan Maloney Steve Plissey & Cathy Mandis Bill & Paige Mangum Thomas & Denise Marcaurelle Frank Marinace Harris & Felicia Markhoff
Laurence Marner & Elisabeth Post-Marner Arthur Martinez Jose Mas & Deirdre Strachan Thomas & Marcia Mason Edward Matlack Don Maurer David & Joan Maxwell Paul & Lyn Mayewski John McClelland Bruce McCracken & Family Arlington McCrum Alyssa McCulloch & Adam Feiges John K McDonald Travis McDuffie Richard McGinley Nancy W McKelvy Larry McKenna Tom & Jane McKinney Elisabeth McLane Stephen & Diana McLaughlin Douglas McLellan Nicholas McMahon Jonathan McNally Ruth McNamara Andri Messier Cobb Mixter Kent & Ann Mohnkern Doug & Tara Moran Anne Morehouse & Family Louis Morgan Cyndi Morse & Carolyn Stevenson David Morton Egbert Most & Regina Badura Dr Frank Moya Jen Mrowka Craig & Pam Mudge Barry Mullan Jeremy Muller & Family John H Murphy Felicity Myers & Brian Robbins Janet Myers & Family Ellen & Duane Nadeau Ian & Kathy Neilson Martha Nelson & Family Leonard & Merle Nelson Robert Nelson Craig & Kathryn Newton NH Printworks Barrett W Nichols & Family Rob Nichols Ben Niles & Family Nobscot Power Squadron NOLS Richard P Noonan MD John Norris III & Catherine Houlihan John W Noyes Ken Oehmig Michael D O’Keefe Donna & Al Olsen John Oram Charlie Osborn Trissa Otto & Tim Pinette John Overton Lucius Palmer & Sloane Lederer Melissa Paly Cynthia Paquette Tony Parr & Family Mary B Patterson Eric Paul Laura Pawle David S Payne & Annie Piatt David A & Julie Pease Frederic Pease Bob Peixotto Julie & Charles S Perry
Mark Peterson James Peva Asa & Marnie Phillips Tyson Sawyer & Emilie Phillips Tyler Philpott Joanna Pi-Sunyer & Michael Ballo Mike Pierce Dr & Mrs Richard N Pierson Leslie & Winslow S Pillsbury Katie Pindell & Robert Sabolefski Charles C Pinkerton & Deborah Lamson Stephen & Cynthia Pitcher Steve & Jane Plaisted Gail & James Plotts Pamela Plumb & Family Bron Powell Stephen & Rebecca Powell Michael Prokosch & Rebecca Pierce Gloria & Donald Quigley Tom Quigley Tom Quinby & Family Nathan Raab Martin Rachels Jay Rancourt Ron Ratner Daniel & Elizabeth Reardon Robert & Susan Reece Jay Reighley Paul Reinert & Family Kathryn Rensenbrink & Jon McMillan Patricia Rettaliata W Edwin Reynolds III & Family Mr & Mrs William P Rice Michael Roberts & Family Paul Robie & Karen Young Douglas Rogers & Susan Eggenberger Robert Rogers James Root & Family Mary Jane Rosenfield & Family Stephen & Susan Ross Victor & Barbara Roth Juanita Roushdy Richard Rubin & Jayne Israel Gary & Leslie Rudolph Ben & Nancy Russell George & Constance Russell James & Susan Russo Michael & Pamela Ryan Arthur & Rebecca Sanborn Chuck & Cathy Sanders Charles & Renate Sands Jr Donald P Sarles & Carolyn Bryant Steve Saudek William & Sandra Savage Philip Scavotto & Cecilia Caldwell Gillian Schair & Seth Rigoletti Robert Scheibel Harm Scherpbier Linda Schier Susan R Schnur & Family Amy Schrag Peter Schwab David & Jane Schwartz Betsy & Al Scott Carter Scott & Family John & Josie Scully Joe & Elizabeth Seamans Stephen F Sears David & Valerie Seaton Edmund Semeneshen Josh Sevigny Laura Sewall Christopher Seymour Clifford & Colleen Seymour Robert J & Kristine Shabunia
Bill & Eileen Shaughnessy Martin & Ellen Shell David Shepler John & Judy Sherman Michelle Sherwood Alexandra Shilhan Debbie Siebert Kevin Siegrist Kathryn Silsby & Tim Plouff Edward Simkins & Family Roger Simmons James & Karen Simpson John H Singleton Dr & Mrs C B Sledge Walter Slocombe & Ellen Seidman Jesse Smith Joshua C Smith Patricia Smith & Richard Tucker Richard W Smith Sherry Smith Robert B Snyder Jeff Solof Leon & Ruth Souweine David Spahn DVM Irwin & Sonia Spalding Judith & Carl Spang Alison & Kevin Sparks Steve Spencer & Libbey Siegars Robert Spielvogel & Karen Brobst Allison Stabile Colin & Virginia Steel Steelcase Foundation Robert D & Roberta M Steele Steinke & Caruso Dental Care Mason & Linda Stephenson Andrew & Sarah Stern John Stevens Richard & Kathleen Stevens Robert K Stewart Andy & Sue Stoessel Gregg & Lisa Stone Strouts Point Wharf Company Alan Strunk Subaru of America Foundation Stephen Sullens Michael Sullivan Andrew Sumberg Lisa Swain & Family Michael Sweeney Walter Swift Steven J Szarawarski Dave and Anne Taft Tee Taggart & Jack Turner Susan Talbot R Gordon & Carole Talley Deborah Ann & Bradford Tannebring Stephen Taylor The Ladies Improvement Society, Isle of Springs Assoc. Cynthia Thompson & Matthew Rawdon Gregory L Thornton James Tibensky John Totman Sr & Family John W & Connie Towne Mark Tux Turkel & Amy Sinclair Claudia & Carey Turnbull Oscar & Diana Turner David & Nancy Twichell UBS Unum Group Jim & Susan Upham Glen & Andrea Urban Peter Van Alstine Claire & William Van Deinse Seth Van Liew M I TA .O R G
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Reina & James Van Natta Ellen & Barkley Van Vranken Mark Van Winkle Amy Vankirk Suzanne VanPoortvliet Linda Varrell & Paul Cormier Zoe & John Veasey Charles & Susan Vecchi Kaja Veilleux Frederick Veitch Edward Von Gerichten Carl & Sue Von Saltza Andrew Vought Patrick & Nancy Waddell Corey & Heather Walker Katharine & Jerry Wall Priscilla Wallace Joe Walsh Richard E Wardwell Peter Wasem John Wass Mark Weber & Family Margaret D Webster Andy Weeks Helene Wegrzynek & Marvin Davenport Ingrid Weigel & Patrick Meere Michael Weinberg Jeff & Gerri Weiss Jan & Susan Wejchert Carolyn Welch
Stephen & Elizabeth Welch Richard & Frederika Welch Jane Cassidy Wellehan & David Ruff Brian Wells & Cathy Thomas Caroline Werth William Wertz & Deborah Panitch Randall & Sharon Wetzel Kenneth & Barbara Wexler Robert Wheeler Jean A Whelan Allan White Malcolm & Nancy White William & Pamela White Robert Whitehouse Terrell R Whiting & Family Stephen Whitman William F & Barbara Whitman Steven Whitney G Robinson & Robin Whitten Mark & Sarah Williamson S Page & Gail H Williamson Wayne Willis John Wilson Scott Wilson John F Winchester Winona Camps Dennis Wint Louisa & Nick Witte William & Christianne Wohlforth Cynthia Wojcicki Charles & Susan Woodman Jeffrey Wooster
William J Wright Jr Lance & Barbara Wyeth Cal & Mary Anne Young Harold Youngren & Family Mark Zahniser & Constance Bauer Robert & Judith Zeitlin
Memorial and Honoraria
In honor of Matt Faulkner In honor of Patricia Lambert In honor of Michael Leonard In honor of Jim Shaffer In honor of wedding of Odette & Scott Thurston In honor of Jeremy Wintersteen In memory of Helen Andrews In memory of Doug Leland In memory of Ray McLain In memory of Jim Rasmus In memory of Georg Rymph In memory of Michael Scarborough In memory of Larry Siebert
Boat Donors
Cynthia & Kevin Bravo Deborah & Witter Brooke Jeffrey Clements & Nancy Heselton Jerold K. Hankinson & Deborah Newman Mary D & A Frederick Hartman Bill & Sue Newton Jonathan Pershouse Matthew & Sheila Rogers
Steve & Patricia Sawyer Robert K Stewart
Gifts In-Kind
Kelly & Sam Adams Amatos Deli & Catering William J Baguskas Michael Baldwin Browne Trading Company John & Davilynn Cowperthwaite Damariscotta River Association Dock Works, Inc East Coast Yacht Sales Frontier Group Google, Inc JFG Visual Communications Brian & Melissa Marcaurelle Tom & Jane McKinney New Meadows Marina Old Quarry Ocean Adventures Robby Pawle Portland Yacht Services Ted Scharf Jim Shula Standard Baking Co Sweet Sensations Pastry Shop Chris & Lynda Tadema-Wielandt The Apprenticeshop Waste Management of Maine WoodenBoat Publications
Corporate Sponsors
MITA is fortunate to receive support from the following sponsors in 2016. Compass ($5000+)
LL Bean Rising Tide Brewing Company Whole Foods
Anchor ($3000+) Kittery Trading Post
Chart ($1000+)
Bob’s Clam Hut Cadillac Mountain Sports IDEXX LandVest Robert’s Maine Grill Sabre Yachts
Sea Tow Sellers Publishing Verrill Dana WoodenBoat
Buoy ($500+)
Cribstone Capital Management
Green Clean Maine Kamasouptra Lee Auto Malls Lower Falls Landing Associates Malone Auto Racks Tidal Roots Toad & Co
continued from page 8
But off Prouts Neck the wind resumed and with the outgoing tide, it was blowing me out to sea. So I tacked into the wind toward Old Orchard Beach for a downward run to Biddeford Pool. By the time I got to Cape Porpoise, it was low tide and getting dark. I couldn’t get between the islands, so I had to go outside, and it was pretty big. It was really big. But I made it.
That’s terrifying. So what was your best day on the Maine Island Trail?
There were so many! It’s such a powerfully beautiful place, the Maine coast. The Bold Coast is absolutely spectacular. There were some tough conditions—a little white knuckle-ish, but spectacular. Schoodic Point is a very serious place, with some interesting conditions. And I was in awe of Mount Desert Island and those granite cliffs with the ocean crashing at the bottom, the nesting seabirds and so many seals. Maybe my favorite memory was coming up to Pemaquid Point where two minke whales came up right in front of me at close proximity, closely followed by a
pod of harbor porpoise. I felt like I was in an episode of National Geographic, it was spectacular. I became conscious of the fact that my mouth was agape!
I had a big birthday coming up—the big 60—so I wanted to do something epic. I didn’t think anyone had ever linked the two water trails...[so] I decided...I have to do that! Understanding that very few people are qualified for such a journey, any advice for the rest of us?
I would definitely recommend the west to east route! I wouldn’t have gone east to west with the wind in my face had I not been doing this more comprehensive expedition. I would also suggest people tackle the Trail in segments. This helps you travel when conditions are right and stay put when they aren’t.
I would also recommend not going alone. It would be more enjoyable with a buddy who can help you if you’re having an issue and take a whole level of stress off you. If the seas are rough, you can raft up and navigate together. And experiences like these are always better when they’re shared. The few times people paddled along with me were awesome. I’d think to myself, “Another human being!” So I’d say definitely paddle with a buddy, take your time, don’t push the weather, have redundant navigation systems, plan your trip thoroughly in advance, go west to east and just enjoy every minute of it. The Maine Island Trail is absolutely spectacular.
Editor’s Note: Unless you too are affiliated with the U.S. Canoe & Kayak Team, MITA
does not suggest you undertake the rigors of PaddleQuest 1500!
Splash!
MITA thanks the following individuals and businesses who helped make Splash!, our first annual boating season kick-off party, a smashing success! Splash! Host Committee
Joel Antolini & Meeghan McLain Tom & Liz Armstrong Kelly Baetz & Scott Anderson Blanche Belliveau & David Lyall Roger Berle & Lesley MacVane Stephen & Paula Birmingham Sissy & Sandy Buck Nicole & John Connelly Noah & Chelsea DeLorme Rich & Susanna DuBois Mark & Pattie Fasold Morris Hancock & Lin Peyton Katie & Chip Harris Alicia & Henry Heyburn Liz & Lew Incze Bryn & Joe Jerome Jon & Cindy Knowles Chris Korzen & Bethany Field Bree LaCasse & Chris Moore Geoff & Anne LaFond Adam & Diana Lee Ben McCormack & Andrea Black 14
M I TA .O R G
David & Anne McLain Ned & Allison Merrick Peter Milliken & Linzee Weld Peter & Lisa Molloy Dewey Mote & Jess Lynch Bo Norris & Cathy Houlihan Seth Rigoletti & Gillian Schair Lucas & Yemaya St. Clair Alan Stearns & Austin Brown Odette & Scott Thurston Kent Wommack & Gro Flatebo
Splash! Auction Donors
Adventurous Joe Coffee Anonymous BikeMaine Suzanne Blackburn & Joe Guglielmetti Dan Carr Casco Bay Lines Casco Totes Cohill’s Inn Day’s Hardwood DeLorme
Devenish Wines East Ender Restaurant Mark & Pattie Fasold Lindsay Hancock Harris Golf Jillian & Rodger Herrigel Home & Away Gallery Eric Hopkins Inn at Diamond Cove Henry Isaacs Islesford Dock Restaurant Katahdin Woods & Waters Zachary Keeting Kokatat Landing Boat Supply Carl Little LL Bean Maine Huts & Trails Malone Auto Racks Sharon McHold Migis Hotel Group Northern Outdoors Old Quarry Ocean Adventures Packit Gourmet
Patagonia Portland Paddle Portland Schooner Company Erin Quigley Rhum Food & Grog Ribbit Adventures Rising Tide Brewing Company Sail Acadia Sea Tow SeaCliff Kayakers TACK Studios The Waterfront Restaurant WB Mason Doug Welch Yale Cordage
Splash! In-Kind Donations
East Coast Yacht Sales Louis Latour Maine Magazine Rising Tide Brewing Company Royal River Conservation Trust WCLZ
M I TA .O R G
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The dinghy proved its mettle the first winter it shared with us and continued to serve us through the years and winters that followed.
On those days, landing needs splitsecond judgment, and the ability to wield a stern anchor means the difference between a safe landing and disaster. I’m working on that one.
The dinghy also was popular with local wildlife. Several winters ago, a local seal used it as a fishing base. Then came the freeze-up of February 2015. I had to go ashore for work. A combination of calm and cold caused a significant buildup of sea ice in Muscongus Bay. The ice blocked passage for the lobster boat, so I left home in a small 17-foot outboard, threading a passage around the islands to Friendship Harbor. Given the conditions, I wore a dry suit and carried a kayak as a backup. Within a few hours of making it to shore, the ice pack solidified, and Friendship Harbor was rendered unusable to further boat traffic. Over the next month, the harbor ice remained solid enough for fishermen to walk out to their boats. Combined with the cold calm air, nearly daily snowfall buried our home. Indeed, the woodpiles that we had stacked six feet high were buried under two feet of snow. To bring wood to the house required snowshoes, a sled, and a shovel. Most importantly, sea ice made Muscongus Bay impassable for the next month. I was stuck on shore while my wife spent her days tending the fires, animals, and off-grid systems at home. Sometime during the early morning hours of February 13—our anniversary, no less—my wife called me at work to tell me that the large ice pack encasing the Walker Bay dinghy had broken up and was being pushed east in moderate winds. Despite her attempts to keep it clear, the dinghy had become completely icebound, and the ice pack had torn it loose from its mooring line. She recorded its progress as it disappeared eastward, trapped in a large ice floe. Ten days after reporting the loss of the dinghy, my wife called to let me know 16
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But love, as ever, conquers all.
Author James Li aboard the restored Snow Star dinghy. Photo credit: Kim Newby
our lobster boat had also been carried off its mooring by a second large ice pack. Not being able to bear the loss of another boat, she donned a dry suit, life vest, VHF radio, and head cam, and kayaked out in pursuit, rescuing it later that day. I made it home in March when the ice broke up. Over the next season, we searched Muscongus Bay for the lost dinghy and notified local harbormasters to keep an eye out. After months without news, we figured it had probably drifted into the Atlantic, permanently lost. Then in August, we received a message from the Hog Island Audubon camp: “At the local MITA stewardship picnic earlier this week, there was discussion of July’s beach cleanup, and they mentioned a dinghy washed up on Bar Island south of Louds this spring. It sounded like your type of dinghy, and they said they would send photos of it. Apparently it was pretty beat up with a large hole.” Eventually, we learned that MITA staff had retrieved our Walker Bay from Bar Island and they were more than happy to deliver it to us in the midcoast. The handoff happened in October, and our worn, unhappy dinghy returned home, where it went into our barn for winter repairs. Several large holes in the hull lined the short keel where it had been repeatedly ground by Bar Island’s ledge and beach rocks.
Over the winter, I cleaned, scraped, and prepped the hull for repair. I contacted Walker Bay and was encouraged to attempt hull repairs using a specific fast-setting plastic epoxy. The recommended repair product turned out to be a two-part urethane/ isocyanate compound that sets up in 90 seconds and is manufactured by Fusor for automotive applications. I used fiberglass cloth mesh to reinforce the repair and added a metal rub strake to the bottom as well. After the repairs, my wife and I rechristened the dinghy Snow Star and got her ready for relaunching. Since returning to the water, the Snow Star has proved worthy of her repairs. She’s lost her inflatable tubes but is just as nimble and agile as before. A heartfelt thank you goes to the Muscongus Bay MITA cleanup crew of 2015 as well as the MITA staff who lugged the Snow Star all over the state for us. She’s our serious little dinghy.
To view more photos depicting the saga of the Snow Star, visit talesofthetrail. wordpress.com.
Becoming an apprentice skipper starts with the Monitor Skippers’ meetings. A rich cast of characters, experienced and novice, gather twice a year at the beginning and end of the season. Maria Jenness and Chris Wall, MITA Regional Stewardship Managers and herders of cats, do a brilliant job organizing these meetings and getting through the agenda on time. Here is all the richness of MITA, laid out in a few hours. The combined experience of skippers alone provides a compendium of knowledge and understanding about islands, seamanship and local gossip. Coffee breaks are every bit as valuable as the meeting itself. Added to this, MITA staff bring the broader perspective of the organization—fundraising activities, project development and partner updates, as well as their own experience of being on the water. I found these meetings interesting, inclusive and motivating. Topics couldn’t be more varied—from invasive plants to gas tank release valves, from handling difficult visitors to what to do with washed-up lobster pot buoys.
My first monitor run had also been on Casco Bay, with the aforementioned John Connelly, on a day that started with torrential rain, easing off to a downpour later. Visibility wasn’t that good, but I immediately got a sense that this Maine coast would join my native Scottish islands in my heart. I also realized that navigating an aluminum skiff with a 30-horsepower outboard required some skills that I hadn’t acquired in a lifetime of sailing in boats powered by breeze and bedsheets. John’s laid-back approach suited me well, though, and by the second outing, I was getting the hang of it. I have also crewed with Tom McKinney, another great guy, on the Muscongus Bay and eastern Casco Bay runs. These illustrated the differences in character and approach among skippers. Tom has years of experience on monitor runs, and is a man with a very clear view of how things should be done. My most vivid image of these trips is of Tom’s back. He is sitting at the bow, giving precise directions about where I should go next and, every now and then, hollering some piece of wisdom (or dire instruction) at me. I learned a huge amount from him. His local knowledge of the islands with their moods and secret places is amazing.
I am happy that the skills required to be a Monitor Skipper are clear, that patient mentors are available to help me practice them, and that there is also great company and good fun to be had, while we collectively go about looking after these spectacular islands. We are, indeed, the lucky ones.
If you’re an experienced mariner who is
passionate about stewarding Maine’s wild islands, MITA’s Monitor Skipper program might be for you! To learn more about
this volutneer program and become an
apprentice, contact stewards@mita.org.
Make a Splash in The Island Trail We’re always looking for contributors with interesting stories and insights. If you’d like to write for The Island Trail, send an email with your article idea to editor@mita.org. We’d be glad to talk it over with you!
Congratulations Gevvie Stone!
A MITA family earns silver in Rio Bostonian Gevvie Stone comes from a rowing family that has supported MITA since 1990. With both of her parents being former U.S. national team scullers, and her father, Gregg, coaching her, these oars are in very good hands. MITA congratulates Gevvie for winning silver in Rio! And we thank Gevvie and her family for supporting the Wild Islands Campaign—as well as for naming the MITA skiff Arcadia in honor of Gevvie’s grandfather Bob Stone and his sailboat of the same name.
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Ahoy, Big Boaters!
Island Cleanup Trash Totals This year MITA hosted 10 spring and fall cleanup events, during which volunteers cleaned 81 islands, hauling off an astounding 650 bags of trash. That’s about 160 cubic yards of marine debris! For a visual, that’s about 16 dump truck loads full. This was double the amount we removed in 2015, in large part thanks to the volunteers who brought their own boats on cleanups, which gave us added capacity. Keep an eye out in the spring to get involved next cleanup season!
Dismantling a derelict float on Black Island.
2016 Stewardship Statistics • M onitor Skippers, island adopters and MITA staff made over 1,450 island visits over the course of the season. • 5 ,460 volunteer hours were spent on stewardship. • W e hosted over 200 participants from 26 corporate, camp and school service days.
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Thank you newsletter volunteers!
Everyone knows that volunteers are critical to the stewardship of the Maine Island Trail, but they also support this semi-annual newsletter. Several volunteer guest writers enrich each issue (and we are always looking for great content). But less obvious, and more fundamental, are our volunteer graphic designer, Jillfrances Gray, and proofreader, Karen Doyle. Both have supported this publication for countless years—from Newburyport and Philadelphia, respectively. On behalf of over 5,000 readers: “Thank you, Jillfrances and Karen!”
In 2016 MITA continued its quest to do more for our sailors and powerboaters. We: • Joined the Maine Marine Trades Association • P artnered with East Coast Yacht Sales for the coordination of boat donations and sales • E ntered a membership pilot program with Front Street Shipyard • A dded anchorage data to the Maine Island Trail mobile app (including recommendations from our members) • S ent “Cruise the Maine Island Trail” posters to some 60 boatyards and marinas • S creened films and made presentations at over a dozen boat clubs and other gathering places • E mbraced our status as Maine’s largest recreational boating organization e are always open to more ideas for how we can W better serve our sailing and powerboating members! Email us at info@mita.org.
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