The Island TrailThe Newsletter of the Maine Island Trail Association • Fall 2004

Legislature ImperilsLand Conservation

In This IssueTime for Belt-Tighening ................... 2Annual Appeal ................................... 6Butter Island Biography ................... 8Intertidal Intrigue .......................12-13

After nearly 15 years perched above a lobster pound on CommercialStreet’s Union Wharf, MITA’s Portland office has moved east down thepeninsula to spacious new digs in the Portland Company Marine Complex onFore Street. The new location offers more room and a more professionalatmosphere, while also providing a savings on overhead.

“At the same time we were looking to rein in costs, we received thisunexpected offer of beautiful, affordable space further down on the water-front, “ says executive director Karen Stimpson. “The look and feel are muchmore reflective of where we are today as an organization and the image wewant to project for the future.”

As any visitor to the Union Wharf office can attest, the old space did notlack for character, but its ramshackle saltiness was increasingly less suited toour maturing operation. “The sights and smells of a fishing wharf—not tomention the language you often hear—were not ideal for the kind of businesswe do on a day-to-day basis,” says business manager Jeannie Smith. “Espe-cially when it came to fundraising, the image we projected was ‘start-up,’ andthis did not square with the large financial commitments we are askingpeople to make in support of the islands.”

The new office will retain the same maritime essence that has alwaysinfused our operation, but it will do so with a slightly different flavor. Justdownstairs from us are the offices of Navigator Publishing, publishers ofOcean Navigator and Professional Mariner magazines, as well the Maine MarineTraining Institute, a marine licensing school. Meanwhile, just across the wayinside the complex are Portland Yacht Services and various other boatyardbusinesses; RippleEffect, a kayaking and outdoor education non-profit; andthe Eastern Promenade trail, a mixed-use path developed and maintained byPortland Trails, a fellow supporter of public access to the outdoors.

Many members will know the new locale as home to the MaineBoatBuilders Show, an annual event where MITA fields an exhibit booth. Weare planning an open house at the coming show, which is scheduled to takeplace March 18, 19, & 20, 2005. We also invite members to stop in for ourholiday pot luck and open house, which will take place December 9 from 6 to9 p.m.

MITA Moves on UpNew East End Location for Portland Office

The new Portland office reception area.

The Maine legislature dealt aserious blow to land conservationefforts earlier this year by votingdown a proposed $20 million bondpackage to fund the Land forMaine’s Future (LMF) program.Funds from LMF have helpedpurchase and guarantee publicaccess to hundreds of thousands ofacres, including numerous coastalwaterfront properties and islands.Now that LMF is out of money, newLMF-funded coastal conservationefforts will have to be put on holduntil 2006 at least. In the mean time,it seems certain that some once-in-a-lifetime conservation opportuni-ties—including, perhaps, somepotential new Trail sites—will belost to development.

The view from the new office window as acruise ship departs.

Land for Maine’s Future—protecting ourcoast for future generations.

(continued on page 5)

(continued on page 5)

2

EditingMITA’s publica-tions for the pasttwo years has

been a fun and creative processthat I have thoroughly enjoyed.My other career as a medicalwriter can be, well, a bit clinical –whereas at MITA I’ve foundwriting that I can truly get pas-sionate about. Whether it’s thesearch for new islands to profilein the Guidebook, or the searchfor the perfect boat that we’vechronicled in this newsletter, mywork at MITA has always in-volved new and interestingchallenges. And at every turn I’vebeen helped along by enthusiasticMITA staff, members, and volun-teers.

So now is probably a good timeto say thanks to all of the peoplewho have made my experiencehere such a rewarding one.Because this fall, if all goes asplanned, I will be taking anextended trip abroad. My wifeand I plan to spend a few monthsin New Zealand, and perhapsother destinations in the SouthPacific. We hope to do plenty ofhiking, biking, and paddling,while also sitting around in ourshorts thinking about the winterwe’ll be missing in Maine.

Needless to say, I won’t bebringing along my laptop, sosomebody new will be editing theGuidebook and The Island Trail. Ihope to stay involved withMITA’s publications in somecapacity when I return, but for

now it seems too early to predictwhat I’ll be doing so manymonths down the road.

In the mean time, the beat goeson here at The Island Trail. Wehave some important announce-ments to make, so please read on.

Editing MITA’s publicationsfor the past two years has been afun and creative process that Ihave thoroughly enjoyed. Myother career as a medical writercan be, well, a bit clinical –whereas at MITA I’ve foundwriting that I can truly get pas-sionate about. Whether it’s thesearch for new islands to profilein the Guidebook, or the searchfor the perfect boat that we’vechronicled in this newsletter, mywork at MITA has always in-volved new and interestingchallenges. And at every turn I’vebeen helped along by enthusiasticMITA staff, members, and volun-teers.

So now is probably a good timeto say thanks to all of the peoplewho have made my experiencehere such a rewarding one.Because this fall, if all goes asplanned, I will be taking anextended trip abroad. My wifeand I plan to spend a few monthsin New Zealand, and perhapsother destinations in the SouthPacific. We hope to do plenty ofhiking, biking, and paddling,while also sitting

Time for Belt-Tighteningby Karen Stimpson

After severalyears of stronggrowth, pushed inlarge part byincreased use of theTrail islands andenabled by signifi-

cant grant funding, 2004 has been ayear of belt-tightening here at MITA.Proponents of organizational effi-ciency will be heartened by thechanges that have taken place, whilethose who are eager to see a largerTrail with increased MITA presence onthe coast will have to be a little patientwhile we raise some more money.

As the effects of the post-bubble,post-9/11 economic downturn finallycaught up with us in 2003, MITA’sBoard and staff drew up a fiscallyconservative budget that purposefullywould not expand program develop-ment and other expenses. We did notlay off any employees, but nonethelesshad three staff members leave theorganization. We did not replace anyof these positions, both to helpreplenish our dwindling coffers and torethink our organizational andstaffing structure. This process isongoing and will culminate in somenew hires in early 2005. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, despite the leanness ofour current operation, MITA’s accom-plishments this year were impressiveand are a testament both to theextraordinary effort put in by the staffand to the tremendous volunteersupport we receive from our membersand trustees. Here are just a few of thehighlights:

• Office move: As detailed in thecover story this issue, our Portlandoffice has moved to new waterfrontdigs at Portland Yacht Services. Thebenefits are extensive, and the cost ofthe move was fully subsidized by agenerous trustee.

• Trail and Stewardship: We addedfour new islands to the Trail this yearand have seven strong candidates fornext year. (By the way, generousowners have placed an average ofseven new sites on the Trail each yearfor the past seven years!) The Casco

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MITA BOARD OF TRUSTEESPeter Adams, Yarmouth ME

Greg Barmore, Harpswell ME • James Bildner,Boston MA • Scott Boak, Portland ME

Bill Brown, Brooksville ME • Rob Cabot,Brooksville ME • Scott Camlin, Belmont MATony Jessen, Freeport ME • Annette Naegel,

Camden ME • Patricia O’Donnell, Yarmouth ME Chuck Remmel, Portland ME • Greg Shute,Wiscasset ME • Steve Spencer, Augusta ME

Natalie Springuel, Bar Harbor MEHans Underdahl, Yarmouth ME • Rod Vogel,

Cumberland ME • Jeremy Wintersteen, Boston MAJulie Wormser, Littleton MA

STAFF

Karen Stimpson • kstimp@mita.orgExecutive Director

Peg Deutsch • peg@mita.orgMembership Manager

Amy Kersteen • stewards@mita.orgStewardship Programs Manager

Kevin Lomangino • kevinl@maine.rr.comNewsletter Editor

Sid QuarrierProject Coordinator

Joanie Rhoda • membership@mita.orgMembership Database Manager

Jeannie Smith • business@mita.orgBusiness Manager

Drew Wyman • info@mita.orgExecutive Assistant & Office Manager

The Maine Island Trail is a 325-mile long waterwayextending from Casco Bay on the west to Machias Bayon the east. Along the route, state-owned and private

islands are available to members or the public forovernight 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 andvolunteer stewardship for the Maine islands that will assure

their conservation in a natural state while providing anexceptional recreational asset that is maintained and cared

for by the people who use it. This goal is achieved byencouraging a philosophy of low-impact use and

environmental awareness amongMITA’s members and island visitors.

MAINE ISLAND TRAIL ASSOCIATION

Mailing Address:P.O. Box C, Rockland, Maine 04841-0735

Office Locations:328 Main Street, Rockland, Maine 04841(207) 596-6456 • membership@mita.org

58 Fore Street, Building 30, 3rd FloorPortland, ME 04101

(207) 761-8225 • info@mita.orgwww.mita.org

Vol. 15 No. 2

Bay Caretaker put in another success-ful season, and volunteers pitched inmore than ever to help fulfill ourclean-ups, monitoring visits, andadopter activities.

• Outreach and Education: Throughthe extraordinary dedication of severalindividuals, we were well representedat major trade shows and events, madenumerous presentations to boatinggroups, and received favorable pressin some 18 feature articles. Moreover,our preliminary efforts to reach anunder-represented MITA constitu-ency—yacht club members—appear tobe bearing fruit and offer promise forthe future (see “MITA Reaches Out toCruising Community” on page 5).

So where do we go from here?Raising the money needed to continueto seek new long-term access opportu-nities for members will be a toppriority this year. In addition, we arecommitted to making these accessarrangements permanent througheasements, partnerships, and—ifnecessary—outright ownership ofproperty. This expansion effort will bebalanced, as it has always been, byproportionate growth in our volunteerstewardship service, education efforts,and management interventions.

We remain dedicated to our leader-ship role in managing the state’s 48public islands on the Trail, and we arerealistic about the challenges that weface in this regard. The cost of imple-menting the recently completed 10-year public island management plan isestimated at $10 million, perhapsmore, through 2014. There is no wayour current budget can shoulder thiskind of burden, which is why we areintensifying our search for manage-ment funding and have been thinkingcreatively about new ways to pay forthis work.

Many years ago a trustee said,“MITA is a noble experiment thatworks” ... and it is working. In 15 shortyears the Trail has grown from nothingto what it is today because it is a nobleand powerful idea that thousands ofpeople support passionately. Thatpassion remains undiminished, andwill help carry us through the yearsahead. ■

Dav

e D

unig

an

Lucky LobstermanDear MITA,My wife Linda and I spent four

spectacular days kayakingMuscongus Bay this summer andhad an interesting experience thatmight be nice to share with othermembers.

The trip offered a little bit ofeverything: strong currents; somefog; deer sightings at our campsite;beautiful sunsets; lazy afternoonssitting on the rocks with a cold beer,reading the latest Working Water-front; hanging out with otherkayakers on Crow Island watchingfireworks from the surroundingshorelines; and the blood red moonrising over Friendship.

Oh yeah, and let’s not forgetpaddling into Round Pond to findwe'd arrived just in time for thePost-Fourth of July Parade LobsterSpectacular—lobster, steamers, cornand a cold drink for 15 bucks!

But the real highlight of the tripbegan Monday morning, when Iwalked out on the rocks on Crowand found a wallet sitting there onthe beach. After some detectivework, thanks to the folks at BroadCove Marine, we were able toreunite the wallet with the luckylobsterman from Friendship, com-plete with over $200 in cash! Seemshe had lost it 3 days earlier onCranberry—8 miles away! The resultwas one happy lobsterman and weget free lobsters on the next tripback.

It was truly a great moment inkayaker-lobsterman relations, whichneedless to say have not alwaysbeen friendly.

Dan Lacey

Like ButterDear MITA,I am enclosing four gifts of $25

each. Here is how this came about.I offered a new class this past July

at WoodenBoat School called “IslandExploration.” The high point of our

3

LETTERS Explore the Islands withWoodenBoat

We would like to alert membersto a very interesting opportunity toadvance your seamanship skillswhile also visiting numerous Trailislands in the Deer Isle area. Theweek-long “Island Exploration andSeamanship” course at the WoodenBoat School promises to be anexciting mix of instruction, adven-ture, and relaxation in one of themost exciting and alluring stretchesof Maine’s coastline. According tothe course description, studentswill sail the 36’ ketch Patiencethrough Eggemoggin Reach,Jericho Bay, and Merchant’s Rowwhile learning a variety of special-ized sail handling and anchoringtechniques. Under the experttutelage of Captain Andy Oldman,students will learn to “balance theskills and demands of islandnavigation with the incrediblerewards of time spent ashore on theislands.” For more information, seethe WoodenBoat websitewww.woodenboat.com/wbschool.htm or call 207-359-4651.

SEA KAYAKING & WHITEWATER EQUIPMENTBoats, Accessories, Tours, InstructionHome of the SturgeonSturgeonSturgeonSturgeonSturgeon Sea Kayaks

42 Stevens Road • Bowdoinham • Maine 04008Telephone (207) 666-8481

“On the shores of Merrymeeting Bay”

The 36’ Ketch Patience.

“This section deleted because it re-fers to private island informationavailable only to current MITAmembers. To join and receive thefull print version of this newslet-ter, call 207-596-6456 or go towww.mita.org/membership.html.”

4

Remembering PocoThe chances of seeing a beluga

whale, which usually are not verygood here in Maine, got quite a bitbetter this summer thanks to a friendlyvisitor named Poco. Wandering farfrom his frigid home waters in thearctic, Poco was seen by boaters allacross theMainecoast, NewBrunswick,and as farsouth asBostonHarbor.

Anaccountfrom thePortlandPressHeralddescribeshis AugustjauntaroundFalmouthin CascoBay, wherehe nosedup againstdinghies and rubber rafts, and pro-vided hours of entertainment forastonished onlookers. The photo ofPoco, taken in Blue Hill Bay, wasgenerously provided by the PortlandYacht Club. Members there say that

Poco circled their boat playfully for sixhours, and that when he left to followanother boat, “We felt we had lost afriend.”

Sadly, on the day this issue went topress, Poco fans learned that we hadindeed lost our friend. He washed

ashore deadin SouthPortland onNovember16. Thoughhe bore thescars frommany a run-in with boatpropellers,biologistssay thatthere wasno cause ofdeathapparentfrom theirinitialreview.Somespeculatethat aninfectious

disease may have been the culprit.It is a somber ending to Poco’s

otherwise remarkable and upliftingstory. We can only hope that ourcompanionable friend has finallyfound his way back home.

Wish ListOFFICE ITEMS

• Eight matching office chairs

• DeLorme Maine Atlas & Gazetteers (less than 2 years old)

• NOAA charts of Casco Bay, Bay of Fundy to Cape Cod (in good condition)

• Desk lamps

• Vacuum cleaner

• Four-drawer filing cabinets

• Framed art, coast/boating themed

MAC SOFTWARE

• Photoshop 5.5 or above

• Illustrator 8 or above

• Adobe Distiller 4.0 or above

STEWARDSHIP SUPPLIES

• Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, pliers, needle nose pliers, socket set, crescent wrench set

• Boat compass

• Chart kits

MISCELLANEOUS

• Boats, any size or type, to use or sell (proceeds support stewardship fund)

• Volunteer professional proofreader to assist Guidebook Editor during February/March 2005 (need not be local)

Poco the friendly beluga whale.

Por

tlan

d Ya

cht C

lub

Paddle Mid-Coast Maine!• Professional Maine Guides• Island Trail and Ocean access• Huge Selection of Kayak Rentals• Expedition Kayaks, Safety

Equipment, Charts & Shuttle Service

Seaspray KayakingSeaspray KayakingNew Meadows • Sebasco Harbor • Baypoint • Brunswick • Phippsburg • Georgetown

1-888-349-7772

seaspraykayaking.com

5

MITA Reaches Out to CruisingCommunity

In many ways they were theprototypical MITA members—boaterslinked by a shared love of our coastand a passion for getting out on thewater to see it. So when MITAgathered this distinguished group ofyacht club commodores, cruisingmagazine publishers, boatbuilders,and marina/boat yard owners for afocus group meeting earlier this year,we were somewhat surprised to learnthat not only were most of the 46attendees not members, but severalhad never even heard of the organiza-tion and had no idea what MITAdoes.

The findings point to gaps in ourboater outreach efforts, but alsohighlight a potentially fertile groundfor new member recruitment andeducation efforts. “This meetingconfirmed what we suspected, thatthere is a large base of potentialsupport that is out there waiting to betapped,” says membership managerPeg Deutsch. “The challenge now isto reach out to the cruising commu-nity, show them what we do and whyit’s important, and ask them to joinin.”

Changing PerceptionsCruising boats have plied Maine’s

coastal waters for hundreds of yearsand have long made use of theislands for hiking, picnics, and as awindbreak for protected anchorages.Perhaps because of this history ofunfettered island use, cruiserstraditionally have not seen the needfor an organized coastal trail, andsome in fact view it as a contrivance.

“The reaction we often hear is,‘Well, my family has been picnickingon this island for thirty years,’”explains executive director KarenStimpson. “So when the MaineIsland Trail came along 15 years ago,a lot of them said, ‘That’s nice, butwhat difference does it make tome?’”

Unlike small boaters, cruisingyachtsmen rarely spend the night onan island and often do not perceivethe need for MITA’s work managingand maintaining campsites, cleaning

trails and shorelines, and monitor-ing island use. Moreover, since agood portion of the down east coastis undeveloped (and up untilrecently seemed likely to stay thatway), many may not have seen thevalue of a group dedicated toseeking out and helping protectundeveloped tracts of coastal realestate.

With the coastal property boomand the increasing developmentpressure that this is producing,however, the logic behind MITAseems more compelling. As morecoastal property gets posted and asmore housing begins to dot theshorelines, even infrequent islandvisitors want to safeguard what’sstill wild.

“Part of the allure of cruising theMaine coast, even if you never setfoot on island, is the knowledge thatyou can anchor in a quiet cove andjust look out at an undisturbedshoreline,” Stimpson comments. Sheadds that in the focus group session,participants said that they want tohand down this kind of experienceto their children, and that theywould welcome an organization thatcould help make this happen.

Steering CommitteeConvened

MITA is making a strong case forsupport to the cruising community.We have already held a number ofslideshow presentations at yachtclubs and are looking for moreinvitations. In addition, we areconvening a steering committee ofyachting enthusiasts to help usbetter connect with the cruising set.If you are interested in joining thisgroup, please contact Drew Wymanin the Portland office, info@mita.orgor 761-8225. ■

Very special thanks are due to ananonymous trustee who foot theentire bill for the office move andtransition. In addition, we wouldlike to thank a second trustee, GregBarmore, who outfitted the staff withbrand new computer terminals(including flat screen monitors!) andthe hardware for a much-neededlocal area network. ■

Members are welcome to stop by any timeto check out our new space or come to theholiday pot luck on December 9 from 6 to 9p.m. The new office is in the PortlandCompany Complex, which is just pastHamilton Marine on Fore Street. Ouroffice is in the first building on the left,which is marked “Cornerstone.” The newaddress is 58 Fore Street, Building 30, 3rdFloor, Portland, Maine, 04101. Our phoneand fax remain the same, 207-761-8225and 207-761-0675.

MITA MOVES ON UP (continued from page 1)

LEGISLATURE IMPERILS LANDCONSERVATION (continued from page 1)

Bonds must be sanctioned by atwo-thirds majority in the house andsenate before voters are asked toapprove them through a referendum.However, in this case the LMF bondnever got out of the AppropriationsCommittee, where it was voted downnine to four. The move is a troublingone because it does not reflect the willof overwhelmingly conservation-conscious Maine voters. As recentlyas June, polls suggested that two-thirds of Maine voters would supporta $30 million bond package tosupport LMF.

LMF’s mission complementsMITA’s own strategy in critical ways,and by supporting LMF, we also helpassure public access to our mostimportant coastal landscapes. Thenext chance to approve an LMF bondpackage will come in the Januarylegislative session. MITA encouragesmembers who live in Maine to calland write to their state representa-tives and senators and ask them toimmediately approve the LMF bondpackage. You can find the representa-tives from your district by visiting thestate legislature web page atjanus.state.me.us/house/townlist.htm. ■

In our last issue we incorrectly acknowl-edged a donation from member DorothyHopkins. We should have noted that thedonation was in honor of JoanneSaunders and Robert Hopkins’ wedding.We apologize for the error.

6

Why You Should Dig Deep for This Year’s Annual AppealBy Jeremy Wintersteen,Board Chair

The Maine Island Trail is apowerful concept.

In today's changing world, whichunfortunately has fewer protectedand open lands, more“No Trespassing”signs, and morepeople-are-the-problem attitudes, theMaine Island Trailoffers a differentphilosophy. The Trailis about hope, givingsomething back, anda faith and belief inpeople.

MITA's mission isgrounded in thenotion that our lands,coast, and islands have much tooffer us. They make us better. That’swhy we work so hard year in andyear out on behalf of the Trail. Wehope and believe that our publicaccess and conservation efforts willenable today’s experiences to bepossible for the generations thatfollow us.

Think, for a moment, about thetimes you have spent on the Trailthis year and why that is importantto you. Maybe it provided a fun-filled day in the sunshine, or a quietopportunity to clear your mind. Ormaybe, as member Julie Wormserwrites in the testimonial on thispage (see box at right), your travelon the Trail was also in some sensea spiritual journey. Whatever thereason—and even if you did not getout on the water this year as muchas you would have liked—it isimportant to safeguard the Trail sothat these priceless experiences cancontinue to take place next year andevery year. There simply is noalternative.

We have had a very busy year atMITA and are asking for yoursupport. Your financial help willenable us to continue to grow theMaine Island Trail, take care of its

GIVING

islands and mainland sites, and enlistthe help of others in doing so. Whilewe all should be proud of the MaineIsland Trail, we are also very excitedabout the possibilities that lie aheadfor it as we explore Trail expansionopportunities.

As a member, youare part of the drivingforce that keeps thisorganization movingforward and doinggreat things on thecoast of Maine. MITA's3,500+ members takecare of over 130 islandsand mainland sites,undertake stewardshipefforts, adhere to andteach low-impactpractices, and volunteerfor countless projects.

Thanks to you, MITA’s belief involuntary compliance is working, andpeople are taking care of Maine’sbeautiful island heritage.

In the mail recently you shouldhave received a letter requesting yoursupport for our Annual Appeal. I hopeyou will be as generous as possiblewith your donation this year and willhelp us reach our goal of $100,000.Thank you for your support of MITAand the Maine Island Trail and bestwishes for the remainder of 2004.

MITA extends a grateful thank you toJeremy Wintersteen for his outstandingleadership as Chairman of MITA’s Boardof Trustees. During his tenure, MITA hasgreatly increased its organizationalefficiency and level of professionalism—atrend that has culminated in our Portlandoffice relocation, which Jeremy stronglyencouraged and helped arrange. We arefortunate that Jeremy will be staying withus when his Board service concludes at theend of the year, and that he will chair ourCapital Campaign Planning Committee.Jeremy shares access to two coastalproperties with MITA members and hasbeen involved with the organization since1991 as a staff member, volunteer, and, forthe last six years, as a trustee.

SUNSETS WORTHSAFEGUARDING

In 2002, my husband Fred andI took a month off from work toexplore the Maine coastline bykayak from Penobscot Bay toMachias. We camped along theMaine Island Trail, visited smallcoastal communities, and took inthe stark beauty of the NorthAtlantic. At one point we campedon Mink Island, a gorgeous publicisland in the mouth of the Pleas-ant River. We paddled the fivemiles upriver to Addison insearch of a grocery store and apost office. On the way back, theominous, steel-gray clouds we'deyed warily all day suddenlybroke open to soak us withpelting rain. We arrived at ourisland campsite to clearing skiesand a late-afternoon sun, laid ourwet clothes on the rocks to dry,and I went to make dinner. Sometime later, hot food in hand, Iwent in search of Fred. I foundhim on the far side of the island,staring out at the green-blacksurrounding islands and the burstof red, orange and purple of thesetting sun mirrored perfectly inthe now-glassy ocean. He wascrying. My husband, a Unitarian-Universalist minister, had seenthe glory of God in a sunset.

– Julie Wormser

7

THE MORE YOU KNOW THE BETTER WE LOOK!

• Indoor & Outdoor Storage• Repairs, Restoration, Rebuilding• Fiberglass, Gelcoat Repairs on Premises• Rigger on Premises• Re-powering, Electrical, Painting & Varnishing• Seasonal & Transient Moorings and Slips• Year Round Work floats• Suzuki, Evinrude, Johnson Sales and Service, and

Mercury Service• Wellcraft Boats Sales and Service• MAINE BOATBUILDERS SHOW MARCH 18, 19,

20, 2005 AND PORTLAND FLOWER SHOWMARCH 9-13, 2005 (RETURNING)

PORTLAND YACHT SERVICES, INC.at Portland Company Marine Complex

58 Fore St. • Portland, ME 04101 • 207-774-1067www.portlandyacht.com

Jewell Island: Still Wild, in More Ways Than OneFour years since a

MITA caretaker firstlanded on JewellIsland, it seems safeto conclude that theprogram has largelyaccomplished what itset out to do. Thecampsites and trailsare in good shape; theprivies are clean; thevisitors are pleased;and the low-impact message hasreached thousands of new boaters.Caretaker Vinny Marotta, havingrecently completed his second fullseason on the job, says that thevast majority of visitors arerespectful of the island and havebecome even more courteous sincehe first arrived in 2003.

But that doesn’t mean therearen’t still a few hard cases—orthat there isn’t some room forimprovement in how MITAmanages the island.

Bender by the BayCase in point, according to

Vinny, is the crew of drunkenlobstermen who descended on theisland in June and wroughtabsolute havoc on their campsite.

“They trashed theplace, plain andsimple,” Vinny says.“They took targetpractice at glass bottles,cut down 18 trees, andwhen they left theydidn’t clean up a thing.There was shatteredglass everywhere andseveral piles of humanwaste.”

This is exactly the sort of night-mare that the caretaker program wassupposed to help prevent, but in theheat of the moment Vinny found thathe had few options for managing thesituation.

“When I first approached themafter they arrived, you could tell thatthey had been drinking and theywere already very hostile towardme,” Vinny says. “Then, when I heardthe rounds going off, I followed theestablished protocol and called theharbormaster and the Portland PoliceDepartment. But nobody wanted togo out there on a Friday night anddeal with the situation. They said ifit’s an emergency, call 911, butotherwise there’s nothing we can do.”

Loath to declare the situation anemergency, Vinny laid low until the

group left and then spent the better partof a day cleaning up. He says that in thefuture, he would like a more flexibleresponse option that allows him toconfront these situations before theyspiral out of control.

MITA’s ResponseJewell has a long history as a party

spot and as a place where you can go toget beyond the reach of the law. Beforethe caretaker set up residence, reports ofraucous and destructive groups werefairly commonplace, whereas now theyare an isolated occurrence. Still, as thisincident clearly illustrates, groupsdetermined to flout the law can still doso out on Jewell and face little in theway of consequences.

According to executive directorKaren Stimpson, there comes a timewhen we must move beyond “respect-ing traditions of access” to respectingthe experience of other visitors. “It’salso safety issue,” Stimpson explains,“both for the caretaker and for otherpeople who may be out on the island.While this particular group was in anisolated area and did not pose animmediate threat to other campers, westill need to work with law enforcementofficials to develop a more effectiveresponse mechanism.” ■

Caretaker Vinny Marotta

NEW MEADOWS MARINADOCKAGE-FUEL-STORAGE-SERVICE

(207) 443-6277 Brunswick, ME

10

Message BoardFizzles

The idea for an online membermessage board, which we floated inthe last issue of The Island Trail , hastaken off like a lead balloon. Ourrequest for feedback generated veryfew responses, contributing to ourfears that the board would beunderutilized and would amount to avacant online eyesore at our website.

Opinion about the board was splitevenly among those who took thetrouble to write in. On the pro side,member Richard Anderson said hewould find a message board “veryuseful both for increasing knowledge,sharing information, and for makingcontact with other members.” In thecon camp, members Jeff and SueMoeller commented that a messageboard would probably contribute toovercrowding and overuse of theislands, and that it seems to go againstMITA’s low-impact ethic.

“As MITA stands now, there isplenty of specific and accurate infoavailable to help those who want to dotheir homework and their ground-work to find the adventures they arelooking for,” they wrote. “A chatboard just seems to be another one ofthose technological add-ons (‘well,now we've got the web site...’) thatwould be easy and convenient to do,but in the end may very well damageour standing as an organization.”

Given the apparent limited demandfor a message board, MITA hasdecided to table the idea for now andwill put its resources toward morepressing organizational priorities. ■

Member Photo Gallery OpensSince opening its virtual doors early this summer, the new member photo

gallery has received a steady stream of submissions and appears well on its wayto becoming an online institution at MITA. Below is a small sampling of the greatshots members have sent and which are displayed on our site at www.mita.org/photogallery/. If you have any special images you’d like to share, send them toinfo@mita.org and we’ll post them right away. ■

Clockwise from top left: Monitor skipper Jon Lawton and clean-up crew member DaveMorrill with a mountain of island trash collected during the Down East clean-up (photoby Sid Quarrier); Rob Carr posing on top of Halifax Island (photo by David Carr);sunset as viewed from Steve's Island near Stonington, ME (photo by Robert D.Haggerty); and George Planansky with Jon Eden's kayak entering the picture, photo-graphed from the dock on Eagle Island (photo by Chris Guzofski).

Relaxed Weekend on WarrenDemonstrating that the most

memorable island experiences are oftenthe totally unplanned and unscriptedones, this year’s free-form annualcampout was, in the words of onesatisfied attendee, “probably the bestone I’ve ever been to.” With fun theonly item on the agenda, the gatheringof several dozen seasoned as well asnew members was encouraged to sail,paddle, or snooze their weekend awaywhile basking in the abundant Septem-ber sunshine. A communal potluck

Enjoying cappuccino al fresco at CafeWarren.

provided plenty of camaraderie, and aspirited storytelling session keptmembers chuckling well into the night.

Keeping with our tradition ofalternating low-key and high-profileannual meetings every other year, thenext one will be a more structuredmeeting with a full complement ofspeakers, workshops, and events. Lookfor more details in our next issue orcheck our website, www.mita.org, forupdates. ■

11

Boat Donations = Tax DeductionsBy some estimates as many as

half of all boats over 10 years old arefor sale. You’ve seen them inboatyards and in backyards, on thedock and indriveways. Maybeyou even own oneof these boats,and you’re tiredof pouring yourmoney into itwhile you wait forsomeone to offeryou a fair price.

If that’s the case,then now is the timeis to considerdonating yourboat to MITA.

You alreadyknow that MITAis a cause worthsupporting, butyou may nothave consideredthe tax benefitsthat you stand toreap fromdonating yourvessel to a non-profit. Especiallyif you are in ahigh-income taxbracket, theimpact on yournext return couldbe significant. (And just think aboutall those maintenance headachesthat will now be someone else’sproblem!)

Another advantage of donating toMITA is that we now have adedicated, expert-run program tohandle all aspects of thesetransactions—from your initialinquiry right through to the closing.Not only can we provide a veryquick evaluation and response toyour offer anywhere in theNortheast, but we can also providesome ideas for how to maximizeyour financial gain from the deal.This kind of know-how is critical forhigh-value yachts that may havesubstantial tax-reducingimplications.

Our newfound expertise in thisarea comes through a partnershipwith Block Island Maritime Funding,Inc., which will be administrating

the boat donationprogram. The principalsat Block Island haveextensive experience withpleasure yachts andpossess some 100 years of

combinedmarine know-how. Thisgives youconfidence toknow thatyourgenerousoffer will behandled

professionally andwith the highestpossible return bothto you and toMITA’s stewardshipprograms.

Time is runningout to takeadvantage of thesebenefits in thecurrent tax year. Itonly takes a phonecall or email to getstarted making yourdonation (anddeduction!).

Share Your Loveof the Maine

CoastGift memberships help us continueour stewardship of over 100 islandson the coast of Maine and keep themavailable for your children andgrandchildren. You receive the tax de-duction (and skip a trip to the mall!)and we send a special note from youwith the membership, includingthese benefits:

✔ The 425-page 2004 Guidebookfor trip planning over the win-ter months

✔ A subscription to The IslandTrail, MITA’s newsletter, pub-lished semi-annually

✔ A MITA window decal✔ And come spring, the new

2005 edition of the StewardshipHandbook & Guidebook includ-ing several exciting new addi-tions to the Trail!

Get a head start on your shoppingby calling the Rockland office now.There’s no better way to show howmuch you care!

PO Box C, Rockland ME 04841207-596-6456

Boats for sale: The 25’ Merit (top), the 26’1969 Calkins Bartender (center), and 25’O’Day (bottom) are three of the generousboat donations that we are now selling toraise stewardship funds. For moreinformation about these boats, check theMITA website at www.mita.org/boatsforsale.html.

And

rea

Sulz

er

12

Between the Tides, A World Awaiting DiscoveryLife Between the Tides:Marine Plants and Animalsof the NortheastBy Les Watling, Jill Fegley, and JohnMoring; illustrated by AndreaSulzer. Edited by Susan K. White,Maine Sea Grant Program. TilburyHouse, 2003; $15.00

Reviewed by Lee BumstedWhen you walk along your

favorite tidal shoreline, do you findyourself pausing to observe things inyour path? A shell with an interest-ing shape, an odd bit ofseaweed, or a floweringplant might catch youreye. Do you stop to gazeinto tide pools, marvel-ing at the creaturesmoving about withinthem? If so, Life Betweenthe Tides: Marine Plantsand Animals of theNortheast will help youidentify your finds. Itwill also help youappreciate the richvariety of life in theintertidal zone.

You can browsethrough this 6" x 8" fieldguide at home or slip it into yourday pack when you head out. Its 110pages are neatly organized to helpyou quickly locate the object of yourinterest, and there is an index withcommon and scientific names.Delicate and detailed line drawingsby Andrea Sulzer appear adjacent toconcise descriptions of the organ-isms. The only thing missing is aglossary.

Life Between the Tides starts offwith an overview of coastal habitats,such as salt marshes, mudflats, sandflats, beaches, and rocky shores. LesWatling, a professor of oceanographyand marine biology at the Universityof Maine, contributed this introduc-tion plus the extensive chapter oninvertebrates that follows.

While varying greatly in appear-ance, most invertebrates have in

BOOKS

common their dependence onmoving water to bring them food.Worms, mussels, lobsters, and sanddollars are all members of this group.Some invertebrates carry marvelouscommon names, such as the ornatespaghetti worm or the bushy-backedsea slug. Watling profiles the fasci-nating ways they feed. Speckledflatworms trap small animals insticky slime, for instance, andbloodworms inject their prey with aneurotoxin. He also covers inverte-brates' means of locomotion orattachment to other surfaces. Seastars move using the tube feet on the

underside of their fivearms. Barnacles gluetheir "heads" to rocks.

A chapter on fishintroduces a dozencommon to the intertidalzone. Among them arethe lumpfish, "a footballwith warts," that uses asuction device to attachto marine algae. TheAmerican sand lance is along thin fish thatburrows in the sand ofthe surf zone. The grubbyhas an antifreeze elementin its blood plasma andcan thrive in cold,

shallow waters. John Moring, whowas a professor of zoology andmarine sciences at the University ofMaine, authored this section.

Jill Fegley, an assistant professor ofmarine biology at Maine MaritimeAcademy, describes plants andseaweeds of the intertidal zone in thefinal chapter. Salt marsh plants andsea grasses have physical adaptationsthat allow them to tolerate highlevels of salinity. Flowering sealavender and seaside plantain areexamples of salt-tolerant salt marshplants.

The illustrations of the seaweedshighlight their beauty, and help makeit clear that they are not true plants,but rather algae. Plants and seaweedsdo have photosynthesis in common,but many other features differentiatethem. One such feature in a complex

seaweed is the holdfast, a structurethat anchors it. Nutrients do notmove up the holdfast, as they wouldin a plant's root, but rather areabsorbed over the entire alga.

Life Between the Tides helps youunderstand the many ways marineorganisms feed, move about or stayput, and respire. It explains whatniches they occupy, and tells some-thing of how they serve as refuge orfood for other creatures. The nexttime you set out for a saltwatershoreline, carry this guide with youand take some time to observe thesalt marshes, tide pools, or beachesyou find there. Perhaps you'll spot abushy-backed sea slug! ■

Lee Bumsted is the author of HotShowers! Maine Coast Lodgings forKayakers and Sailors, a guide to 152coastal B&B's, inns, and similarlodgings, and 30 campgrounds.Information about her book is availableat www.biddle-audenreed.com/Kayak.html. This review first appearedin Gulf of Maine Times(www.gulfofmaine.org), and is re-printed with the publisher's permission.Illustrations by Andrea Sulzer fromLife Between the Tides are used withthe publisher's permission.

Lend a Hand on LittleChebeague

Volunteer Dick Innes has beenmaintaining the trails and historicsignage on state-owned LittleChebeague Island for ten years, butthe task is simply too much for anyone person to reasonably handle.We are putting out the call for avolunteer who can help Dickthroughout the summer. Candi-dates will need their own transportout to the island and ideally willhave one morning or afternoon aweek to devote to the project. Formore information please contactAmy Kersteen in the Portlandoffice, 761-8225 orstewards@mita.org.

Bay Scallop (Agopectenirradians)—3 in (7.5cm)

Sea Scallop (Placopectenmagellanicus—up to 9 in (23cm)

13

Rethinking the Intertidal ZoneA Contrarian’s View of SomeLeave No Trace GuidelinesBy Kevin Lomangino, Editor

In her review of Life Between the Tides,Lee Bumsted describes an intertidalzone that is teeming with all manner ofmarine creatures and seems to rival theonshore habitat in its number anddiversity of living organisms. Youwould think that conservation-mindedMITA would seek to protect this uniqueecological niche and the many strangeplants and invertebrates that make theirhome there. But a look at the Leave NoTrace guidelines in the Guidebooksuggests that the opposite may in factbe the case.

Instead of advising members tocarefully skirt this sensitive incubator,MITA encourages them to set up theircooking areas below the high tide lineand to kindle their permitted low-impact fires there as well. We want to“minimize foot traffic into the fragileisland interior,” but our messageregarding the intertidal zone seems tobe—well, never mind.

It’s pretty easy to see why thisphilosophy is the prevailing one. Afterall, the intertidal zone is underwaterhalf the time; and what is out of sight isalso often out of mind. Moreover, ifwe’re going to designate one aspect ofthe islands to be “sacrificial,” mostwould probably choose the foul-smelling ooze below the high tide linerather than the cherished topside trees,

wildflowers, and other vegetation.Still, we may be fooling ourselves if

we think this approach is not having animpact on intertidal marine life. Studiesin Oregon and California suggest thatintertidal biodiversity is stronglycorrelated with the amount of humanuse an area has received. Researchersthere have found that species composi-tion and abundance can be starkly lowerin tidal areas frequented by humanscompared to those too remote or pro-tected for people to visit.

Tracy Hart, a marine associate withMaine Sea Grant who is helping todevelop science-based environmentalmonitoring protocols for the Trailislands, agrees that it is time to give theLeave No Trace recommendations acloser look. She says that the guidelinesfor intertidal zone use reflect the conven-tional wisdom that this area is moreresilient than the adjoining land. But it’sstill an open question, she notes, as towhether this “wisdom” equates to soundmanagement practice.

On the one hand, says Hart, there aresome good reasons to believe that theintertidal zone on Trail islands may beable to handle the foot traffic that itreceives from visitors. “Organisms hereare adapted to some of the harshestconditions that exist—pounding waves,exposure to both marine and landpredators, extremes of temperature, andboth submersion and drying conditions,”she explains.

But Hart worries about the heaviestuse areas, and areas that might harbor

endangered species. “We don’t know ifrepetitive impacts could keep larvaefrom taking hold and growing to theoriginal sizes in the same numbers,”Hart says. “And there may be rare orsensitive species in the intertidal zoneto pay attention to. Has anyone madesure that there aren't rare or endan-gered species on the Island Trail?”

As long as we continue to visit theislands (and I’m certainly not suggest-ing we shouldn’t), there are going to besome consequences for the unfortunateorganisms that find themselves in ourpath. New monitoring initiativesshould help to quantify this impact anddetermine what steps, if any, areneeded to help reduce it.

Meanwhile, perhaps we should alltry to step a little more lightly, nomatter where we find ourselves on anisland. The life of a warty lumpfish, oreven a poor little grubby, may welldepend on it! ■

Kayaks are easy for MITA tosell! So if your end-of-seasonassessment shows that it’s time foran upgrade, why not donate yourold kayak to MITA and saveyourself the hassle of trying to getrid of it? Donations are fully tax-deductible and are a great way tosupport island stewardship.

Donate YourUsed Kayaks

Wilderness Trips and Workshops for Adults and FamiliesCanoe trips in Maine, Quebec, Labrador, Baffin Island • Hiking in Baxter State ParkSea Kayaking in Maine • Sailing along the Maine Coast in Traditional Wooden Boats

Wilderness First Responder and Outdoor Leadership WorkshopsCanoe and Sea Kayak in the Florida Everglades

Wilderness travel at a pace set to enhance exploration and appreciation of the natural world.

Please call or write for a brochure of this year’s trips.The Chewonki Foundation, 485 Chewonki Neck Road, Wiscasset, ME 04578

(207) 882-7323 • FAX (207) 882-4074 • E-mail: gshute@chewonki.org

Sea Kayaking & Sailing/RowingWilderness ExpeditionsOn the Maine Coast

For Teenagers: 3 weeks June - Aug.For Families & Individuals:

3-7 days May & Aug.

14

MITA Partners with ChebeagueIsland Youth

This pastsummer MITAwelcomed stu-dents fromChebeague Islandin Casco Bay tojoin us in makingan initial environ-mental assessmentof neighboringBangs Island,which was new tothe Trail in 2003.The goal of theassessment was toestablish baselinedata on theisland’s currentconditions in orderto track and address any subsequentuser impacts. By involvingChebeague’s young residents in theproject, we hoped to engage them instewardship of the island and fostera sense of local involvement andresponsibility for its future.

Under the supervision of MITAtrustee Natalie Springuel, thestudents spent two days out on theisland in July learning about LeaveNo Trace methods and takingenvironmental readings on indica-tors of human impact. One of theirprimary accomplishments was thedevelopment of a precise scale mapof one of the campsites, which willhelp MITA track and mitigate anyfuture campsite sprawl.

The learning went both ways, as

the students told us about theirfamilies’ traditional use of theisland and suggested managementstrategies that would have the bestlikelihood of success.

MITA expresses its sincerestappreciation to the Maine Com-munity Foundation, whichsupported this project through itsRural Grants Fund, the MCFFund, and Pine Tree Fund. We alsowould like to thank Bob Earnest,the adult coordinator onChebeague who recruited thestudents and helped supervisetheir work out on Bangs. Inaddition, hearty congratulationsare due to the Chebeague Islandproject participants: Mia Taliento,Daria Johnson, Johnny Miller. ■

One of the annual rites of autumnhere at MITA is pulling together allof the new material, corrections, andchanges that will appear in thecoming edition of the Guidebook andStewardship Handbook. I edited the2004 edition and I would very muchappreciate hearing any thoughts youmay have about how to improve the2005 edition. This might includewhat you consider useful in thisyear’s guide, what’s not useful,what you like/don’t like, whatyou’d like added or expanded, takenout or shortened—and, of course,any mistakes you’ve found. You mayalso have ideas for new directions(given our tight finances) whichmight make the 2005 Guidebookeven more relevant to your life onthe water and on the Trail’s beautifulislands.

I hope you’ll consider our requestfor feedback as yet another opportu-nity to volunteer time and experi-ence to MITA’s efforts. I’d enjoyhearing from you by phone(799-1410) or by email atkennedyk@maine.rr.com.

Guidebook 2005:A Call forFeedbackBy Kate Kennedy

Students from Chebeague Island take environmental readings onneighboring Bangs Island.

Thank YouContributors!MITA salutes the very generousPortland and Rockland area restau-rants and shops that donated theincredible spread for our stewardshipcelebration. Please support MITA byfrequenting these establishments:

Arabica Coffee • Atlantic BakingCompany • Aurora Provisions

Borealis Bread • Boyton-McKay FoodCompany • Hannaford

Market Basket • Market on MaineMorrison’s MaineCourse

Prism Glass Gallery and CafeSaltwater Grille • Sparhawk Brewers

State of Maine CheeseStreet & Company • Sweet

Sensations Bakery • Walter’s Cafe

15

VOLUNTEERS

Kicked Off an Island, Finding a Home at MITA

Sometimes you have to getthrown off an island to appreciatewhat a precious service MITAprovides.

Member Morris Hancock knowsthis first-hand, because it was justsuch an experience that led him tojoin the organization and, ultimately,to earn the 2004 Margaret C.Emerson Stewardship Award—MITA’s highest volunteer honor.

It was nearly 15 years ago thatMorris took his fateful sailing cruiseaboard a friend’s boat and wasbrought ashore at a spectacular shellbeach in Casco Bay. So captivatedwas he by the landscape that Morrisbrought his wife Lin and theirdaughters Susana and Stephanie(age 4 and 10 months, respectively,at the time) out several weeks laterto share in the discovery.

“This was in the days whenpermissive trespass on islands wasmore accepted,” Hancock explains.“And I had assumed, based on myprevious trip, that the owner of thisparticular island didn’t mind peoplecoming ashore.”

Soon after the familydisembarked, however, aboat sped toward thebeach and the operatorbegan waving and yellingfor them to get off theisland. Morris says theywere more than happy tocomply, but were put offby how aggressively thedemand was made.

“Not only did he yell atus, but he circled slowlyjust offshore while wepacked up, to make certainwe left in a hurry,” Morrisnotes.

The incident took placeat a time when theHancocks, who weremembers of the IslandInstitute (MITA’s parentorganization at the time),

had been considering placingtheir own property on KimballIsland on the Trail.

Now their minds were made up.“I called up [MITA founder] Dave

Getchell the next morning and toldhim we wanted to put the propertyon the Trail,” Morris says. “Sincethese people were saying youcouldn’t land on their island anymore, we wanted to cancel that outby welcoming people to our islandproperty.”

It was a lucky turn of events forMITA, because Morris’ support overthe years has been nothing short ofextraordinary. In addition to sharingaccess to Kimball, Morris has servedas a very active trustee for a numberof years, and recently completed anexemplary tenure as chairman ofMITA’s Board.

Morris is a workhorse volunteerwho has provided incalculable helpwith outreach events and fund-raising activities. Not only that, buthe also somehow finds time toreward the staff with an annualsailing cruise and other verythoughtful thank-yous.

Morris Hancock, the 2004 Margaret C. EmersonStewardship Award winner.

“Morris is a treasure for thisorganization and it was a greatpleasure to be able, in this smallway, to acknowledge histremendous service,” saysstewardship programs managerAmy Kersteen. ■

Stewardship Party AwardsMITA was treated to yet another

perfect late-summer evening inRockport Harbor as we celebratedthe contributions of volunteers atour annual Stewardship Party. Weextend our sincerest thanks to thefollowing standout volunteers whoreceived special acknowledgmentfor their support of MITA programsand activities:

Adopt an IslandDaniel SmithJohn McMurray

Advisor AwardScotty FolgerRob & Emlen Cabot

CleanupsDave & Deb MorrillJon & Charlotte Lawton

Extracurricular ActivitiesNatalie Springuel

Monitor ProgramDeb & Ted Clark

Office SupportJen ChuPat Nagot

OutreachJohn Lehmus

Margaret C. Emerson AwardMorris Hancock

Monitor Skipper Bill Thomas and his wifeAnn Marie—two of the many volunteersfeted at this year’s Stewardship Party.

The Newsletter of the Maine Island Trail Association • Summer 1998

Check our website, www.mita.org, fornew events and updates.

CLEAN-UPS. Each spring and fall, MITAorganizes work parties to clean trails,shorelines, and campsites and carry outprojects on the islands. Everyone iswelcome—with or without your ownboat. Clean-ups are weather dependent.Reserve your spot early, as spaces fill upfast. Contact Amy in the Portland officeat 761-8225 or stewards@mita.org to signup.

OUTREACH EVENTS. Throughout theyear, MITA participates in or is repre-sented at various boat shows, fairs andconservation-related events. We arealways seeking volunteers to work at ourbooth and to help inform the public ofour mission. Please contact Drew in thePortland office at 761-8225 orinfo@mita.org to sign up.

MITA CALENDAR

TheMAINEISLANDTRAILAssociation58 Fore Street, Bldg. 30, 3rd FloorPORTLAND, ME 04101

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMAINE ISLAND TRAIL

ASSOCIATION

LIKE-NEWOUTBOARDSAVAILABLE

If you have been looking for aquiet, clean outboard that hasbeen impeccably maintained andhas years and years of excel-lent service still to offer,then your search is over.Strout’s Point Wharf Companyin Freeport, which generouslydonates Honda outboards forMITA’s workboats and freemaintenance as well, is sell-ing two of our gently used2002 four-strokes for veryattractive prices. There isone 25-horse and one 30-horseavailable. Both come with along-shaft tiller handle,electric start, tachometer andhour meter, and a warranty.The motors have been on salefor quite awhile, so Strout’sPoint has knocked down theprices to $2,500 for the 25and $2,750 for the 30. This isan excellent opportunity toget a great deal while alsosupporting a business thatsupports MITA. For more infor-mation, call our friend PeterBarnes at 865-3899. You mayalso want to ask about the2003 MITA outboards, whichwill soon be available.

Fall 2004

MITA Holiday Pot Luck

Friday, December 9, 6-9 p.m. MITAPortland Office. Join MITA’s pot-luckholiday celebration and tour the newPortland office. For more informationcontact Drew Wyman in the Portlandoffice.

Maine Boatbuilders Show and MITAOpen House

Friday – Sunday, March 18-20, Portland,ME. We are looking for volunteers tostaff our booth at this event. In addition,we will be hosting an open house formember attendees who wish to tour thenew Portland office, which is locatednext door to the exhibit hall.

Stonington Area Clean-Up

Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15. Join usfor one or two days with optionalcampout.

Casco Bay West Clean-Up

Saturday, May 21. Join us for this one-

day clean-up of Jewell, Little Chebeague,Crow and Bangs Islands.

Casco Bay East Clean-Up

Sunday, May 22. Join us for this one-dayclean-up of the Casco Bay islandsbetween Jewell and Cape Small.

Western Rivers Clean-Up

Saturday, May 28. Join us for this one-dayclean-up event on the Kennebec,Sheepscot, and Damariscotta rivers.

Muscongus Bay Clean-Up

Saturday, June 4. Join us for this one-dayclean-up of our many islands in the Bay.

Penobscot Bay Clean-Up

Sunday, June 5. Join us for this one-dayclean-up of islands off North Haven andVinalhaven.

Downeast Clean-Up

Saturday, June 11 (rain/wind date is June12). Join us for a one-day clean-up ofislands east of Schoodic point.