Take a postcard from coastal Maine, and it could be just about any town. The pine trees sit atop silvery slabs of granite and schist draped in a carpet of rockweed. There is a point with a lighthouse, a lobster boat, and lobster buoys are scattered in the water. The town has a white steeple, a small general store, and quaint houses. You will find the same postcards from Kittery to Mount Desert Island to Lubec.
Yet there is more to coastal Maine than a tourist's picturesque view. The working waterfront is the livelihood of many Mainers. Fishing for lobster, fish, shellfish, and seaweed are part of the traditional working waterfront. Several others also cater to tourism and recreation with restaurants and guided boat tours. Harpswell exemplifies this tradition as a town made up entirely of coast.
Yet there is more to coastal Maine than a tourist's picturesque view. The working waterfront is the livelihood of many Mainers. Fishing for lobster, fish, shellfish, and seaweed are part of the traditional working waterfront. Several others also cater to tourism and recreation with restaurants and guided boat tours. Harpswell exemplifies this tradition as a town made up entirely of coast.
What is coastal studies? It’s studying the coast. Is it science? Oceanography, geology, ecology, biology. Is it economics? Labor, fishing, tourism, restaurants, craftshops. Is it sociology? Community, family, history, friends, stories.
My time at Bowdoin so far has focused on the science of coastal studies. My goal this summer was to explore and share what else makes up the coast.
Some of the following pieces represent my own experiences and thoughts around Harpswell. Some pieces are my attempt at an accurate representation of Harpswell residents based on interviews. Some "facts" may be debatable, but that is the nature of small communities, memories, and individual experiences.
My time at Bowdoin so far has focused on the science of coastal studies. My goal this summer was to explore and share what else makes up the coast.
Some of the following pieces represent my own experiences and thoughts around Harpswell. Some pieces are my attempt at an accurate representation of Harpswell residents based on interviews. Some "facts" may be debatable, but that is the nature of small communities, memories, and individual experiences.
Come with me on a lap around Harpswell and its islands with the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA) to get acquainted with the land of Harpswell. Then you can explore the thoughts, stories, and profiles I have compiled from around the town.