There is still space available for campers between the ages of 9 and 14 in four sessions of Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust’s Camp Mummichog summer day camp.

“River Beats” (July 17-28) is a unique camp program that invites campers ages 10 to 14 to take inspiration from the natural world to create an original musical composition. With no prior music experience required, the campers work closely with Will Healy of the New York Philharmonic’s Young Composers Program to create their composition, which is then performed by professional musicians at a special concert at the end of the two-week session.

A “Nature Photography” camp session (July 17-21), also for kids ages 10 to 14, offers hands-on experience with digital photography while exploring the natural world. Participants learn about composition and editing, as well how to adjust camera settings such as aperture and exposure to create different effects. This session includes an island field trip.

Campers attending “Marine Adventures” (July 31-Aug. 4) will conduct their own experiments, dissect a squid, visit a lab at the University of Maine Darling Marine Center to learn from marine biologists in the field, and take a boat trip on the Damariscotta River. This session is for kids age 9 to 12.

During the “Wabanaki Ways” session (Aug. 14-18), campers will learn about Wabanaki culture from a Wabanaki educator through stories, games, art and music, and practice outdoor living skills such as building a shelter, tasting wild edibles, and tracking animals. For ages 9 to 12, this session includes an all-day field trip to Round Top Farm to visit the prehistoric Whaleback Shell Middens.

At Camp Mummichog, nature education takes many forms: hands-on exploration, physical activity, art, music, writing, games, and more. All camp sessions are held at Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm on Belvedere Road in Damariscotta, a beautiful nature preserve featuring rolling fields, forest, and both fresh and saltwater marshes.

To learn more, download a camp brochure, or register, visit coastalrivers.org/events-programs/camp-mummichog/. Scholarships are available for all camp sessions.

Coastal Rivers is a non-profit, member-supported, nationally accredited land trust caring for the lands and waters of the Damariscotta-Pemaquid Region by conserving special places, protecting water quality, creating trails and public access, and deepening connections to nature through education programs. For more information, email info@coastalrivers.org or visit coastalrivers.org.

The Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame is starting a “Legends” category for recognition at the annual banquet. The criteria for recognition are as follows: made significant contributions through sport to the local community in the MSHF coverage area, made contributions over an extended length of time, and has displayed good moral character. The nominee need not have been born or attended school in the MSHF area. Nomination forms are available on our website at www.midcoastsportshalloffame.org and must be received by June 1.

We are also seeking nominations for induction into the Hall and outstanding teams for recognition at our banquet. These nomination forms are also found on our website and must be received by June 1. The website address is www.midcoastsportshalloffame.org

If you have any questions regarding the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame feel free to contact Tom Mellor at ttmellor @gmail.com or 691-2770.

The Boothbay/Wiscasset boys’ track and field team claimed three Mountain Valley Conference event victories April 25 in Wiscasset. Kayden Ames crushed the competition in the discus with a 146-foot, 8-inch throw besting his nearest competitor, Demetrius Clark of Lisbon’s 108-foot toss. The 4X100 meter relay team claimed its second victory this spring with a 48.91 second time beating second place Buckfield’s 51.47 second mark. The 4X400 relay team also won with a 3 minute and 58.22 second mark topping second place Winthrop’s, 4 minute, 1.97 second time.

The following Seawolves athletes placed in the meet’s top six in their respective events:

100 meter: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 11.78 seconds, first; Aidric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.20, third; Austin Trask, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12:43, fourth.

400: Justin Lucas, Buckfield, 56.38 seconds, first; Bryan Gagnon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:03, second.

110 hurdles: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 16.92 seconds, first; Nate Benoit, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 21.34; second.

300 hurdles: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 42.9 seconds, first; Tucker Davenport, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:03:37, fourth.

400: Justin Lucas, Buckfield, 56.36 seconds, first; Bryan Gagnon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 57.33, second.

4X100 relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 48.91 seconds, first; Buckfield, 51.47, second.

4X400 relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 3 minutes and 58.22 seconds, first; Winthrop, 4:01.97, second.

High jump: Colton Baird, Winthrop, 5-6, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 5-0.

Long jump: Justin Lucas, Buckfield, 18-4 1/2, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 16-11, second.

Discus: Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 146-8, first; Demetrius Clark, Lisbon, 108-0, Robbie Shaw, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 93-6, fifth; Mason Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 93-6, sixth..

Javelin: Taz Keough, Buckfield, 141-2, first; Mason Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 90-3, fourth.

1600 race walk: Samuel Liudvinaitis, Lisbon, 9 minutes, 35.1 seconds, first; Ross Gaffney, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12:15.8, fourth.

The Seawolves’ next meet is Friday, May 5 in Lisbon.

The 61st annual Windjammer Days will take place Sunday, June 25 through Saturday, July 1, 2023. This year the Friends of Windjammer Days is celebrating our rich population of Maritime Explorers. Those featured have traveled extensively on different bodies of waters either for work, pleasure or both.

Terry is a lifetime boater. He started his journey as a young boy cleaning and crewing for family and friends. He also hauled a few lobster traps with his surrogate grandfather leading to one of his high school summer jobs as crew aboard an offshore lobster boat fishing out of Boston and Gloucester. These trips were 8 -10 days long, and the heavy wooden traps were the size of refrigerators. He sharpened his sailing skills over another summer on a schooner which was being delivered to Grenada.

Terry first came to the Boothbay area in the mid-70s while visiting a friend who was working at the Gulf dock. The crew at the dock asked Terry about his experience with outboards and his honest answer was that he didn’t know anything. This was the perfect answer because they offered to hire him on the spot and vowed to teach him everything he needed to know about outboard engines. After giving this offer some thought, Terry quit his charter boat job and moved to the Boothbay Region to work at Blake’s Marine. He later transitioned into a job at Brewer’s Boatyard in Southport. Around the same time, he acquired his 200-ton Captain’s license and traveled from the Canadian Maritimes to the lower Caribbean as well as made multiple transatlantic crossings.

While working at Brewer’s, Terry bought an old lobster boat and started lobster fishing out of Newagen. He raked urchins and did odd job jobs during the winter while also doing yacht deliveries and charters. After a few years Terry fished from a larger and more capable boat and expanded to scalloping, groundfishing and shrimp fishing. He eventually bought an even larger boat which he used for gillnetting and scalloping in the Gulf of Maine. Fishing became increasingly time consuming, requiring multi day trips and moving up and down the coast to where the catch was most plentiful. Combined with winter time delivery and charter work this schedule was impacting his family life, and he came to the realization that he was missing most of his children’s activities. This led to the decision to transition into the world of fisheries management. After ~25 years of fishing, he understood the importance of balancing interests to protect both the natural resources and the commercial fisheries. He was unique to the field as one who had commercial fisheries experience. Terry then had a 21-year career at the Maine Department of Marine Resources primarily representing Maine on the New England Fisheries Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

During his years on the water Terry encountered some challenging situations such as storms, waterspouts, a dismasting and a lightning strike that caused the boat to catch on fire. In one instance he had a fuel bladder rupture which resulted in being stranded in the Cape Verde Islands for weeks until parts and more fuel could be delivered. Highlights from his transatlantic crossings include visiting the scrimshaw museum in the Azores, hiking in the volcanoes in the Canary Islands, seeing the Barbary monkeys and caves in Gibraltar and being able to be in Monaco for the Grand Prix.

Currently Terry serves as the Edgecomb harbor master. He is a member of the New England Fishery Management Council Science and Statistical Committee. He continues to love boats in all forms and being on the water with his college girlfriend and now wife (Lauren) of 40+ years, their two children and their families and friends. Terry and Lauren have several Down East cruises planned for this summer and this fall they plan to travel from Edgecomb to the Florida Keys and Bahamas in their 42-foot trawler.

Two Boothbay/Wiscasset girls’ track and field members won individual events April 25 during the meet held at Wiscasset Middle High School. Julia Truesdell won the 3,200 meters with a 14 minute, 37.56 second time. Oiana Hyman won the discus with a 65-foot, seven-inch toss.

The following team members placed in the top six:

100 meters: Kayla Cooper, Lisbon, 13.44 seconds, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 13.94, third; Tatum French, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 14.77, fourth.

200: Kayla Cooper, Lisbon, 28.59 seconds, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 29.47, third.

400: Britttany Carrier, Buckfield, 1 minute, 5.91 seconds, first; Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:17.05, fifth; Maddie Orchard, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:18.72, sixth.

800: Addie Burkhardt, Lisbon, 2 minutes, 47.7 seconds, first; Maddie Orchard, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 3:09, fifth.

3,200: Julia Truesdell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 14 minutes, 37.56 seconds, first.

4X100 relay: Lisbon, 57.53 seconds, first; Boothbay, 1 minute, 0.92 seconds, fifth.

4X400 relay: Lisbon, 5 minutes, 10.31 seconds, first; Boothbay/Wiscasset, 5:24.54, second.

High jump: Morgan Fichthorn, Winthrop, 4-02, first; Tatum French, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4-0, third; Emily Gilliam, 3-10, fourth.

Discus: Oiana Hyman, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 65-07, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 65-03, second.

The team’s next meet is Friday, May 5 in Lisbon.

For every sport, one of the most anticipated days of the season is Opening Day. Traditionally, Opening Day is a one-time event but Wiscasset Speedway is unique in the fact that the track gets to celebrate two Opening Days to kick off the season.

Over 75 competitors were on-site for the Group #2 season opener on Saturday which included the Portland Glass Strictly Streets, T&L Automotive Modifieds, Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis, Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models and the flex Chestnut Auto Roadrunners division.

The program kicked off with a 35–lap spotlight feature for the Strictly Streets. Wade Kennedy was fastest in practice and also led the charge in the heat race. Kennedy got the jump on Jeremy Glazier in the feature and began to pull away from his competitors. Josh St. Clair (in a Lightning McQueen inspired race car) was also on the move early, clearing Zach Emerson for second on lap 5.

A lap 9 caution brought the field together and Wade Kennedy and Josh St. Clair went head-to-head for the top spot on the restart. Kennedy pulled ahead with the advantage but St. Clair was all over him. St. Clair pulled to his inside door on lap 16, clearing low for the top spot. Kennedy began to lose ground as he fell third to Kurt Hewins two laps later. 

A late-race caution brought the field together one last time but Josh St. Clair held strong, capturing the victory. Kurt Hewins and Wade Kennedy rounded out the top 3. 

Adam Chadbourne and Ryan Ripley led the charge in the T&L Modifieds all day. The drivers led the field to green in the 30-lap feature. Chadbourne pulled ahead with the advantage but was met with heartbreak on lap 15 as he blew up and came to a stop on the track, resulting in a mid-race caution and ending his day prematurely.

Ryan Ripley took over from there and continued to lead the pack through multiple cautions. Tyler Robbins took a spin on the final restart but managed to stay on the track as the field remained green, maneuvering the remainder of the race with his hood plastered to his windshield, blocking his vision. Ryan Ripley sailed into the victory as Nick Reno followed and Scott Trask beat out Wayne Whitten by a nose at the line to complete the podium. 

Chip Farrington won the qualifying heat in the Chestnut Auto Roadrunners and continued his dominance in the 20-lap feature, leading wire to wire to win the race. Noah McGrath and David Whitelaw rounded out the top 3.

Zach Audet drew pole for the Outlaw Mini heat and led green to checkered, resulting in him starting the 25-lap feature in first alongside his teammate, Kyle Willette. Audet led the charge in the feature but trouble was brewing behind the leaders as Tyler Dinsmore and Jimmy Childs tangled on lap 7, resulting in Dinsmore taking a hard hit to the wall in turn 3.

Zach Audet continued to pace the field but mechanical troubles plagued the #19 machine with 4 to go, resulting in a fire under the vehicle. The race was red flagged and Kyle Willette took over the top spot. Willette, the defending champion, held off his competitors to pick up the victory. Brothers Bryan and Craig Robbins completed the podium.

The program concluded with a 40-lap feature from the Late Models. Shane Clark and brothers Ryan and Josh St. Clair picked up the 3 heat race wins. Clark took off with the advantage over Ryan St. Clair in the feature. The leaders began navigating lap traffic at halfway and Ryan St. Clair was posed with sudden mechanical troubles, descending through the field. Scottie Hall took a spin on lap 31, resulting in a caution.

Will Collins took over on the restart and began to pull away. A late-race caution brought the field together once more but Collins’ maintained his edge. 13 year old Daniel Harding went head to head with veteran Chris Burgess in the closing laps, battling for the final spot on the podium.

Collins took the victory as Shane Clark followed. Daniel Harding beat Chris Burgess at the line, completing the podium. Following post-race inspection, Harding was disqualified due to a tire softener violation and Chris Burgess was awarded third place.

The 2nd season opener was full of exciting racing action in every division, which is a great sign of things to come this season!

Next week, group 1 returns with the Pro Stocks, Super Streets, Thunder 4 Minis, 4-Cylinder Pros and the Wicked Good Vintage Racers. Grandstands open at 4 p.m. and the green flag flies at 5.

To view the official season schedule, race results, track information and more, please visit http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com.

Wiscasset Speedway is located on West Alna Road in Wiscasset.

The 61st annual Windjammer Days will take place Sunday, June 25 through Saturday, July 1, 2023. This year the Friends of Windjammer Days is celebrating our rich population of Maritime Explorers. Those featured have traveled extensively on different bodies of waters either for work, pleasure or both.

A serendipitous meeting set the stage for a lifetime of cruising, long-distance sailing and ocean racing for an Edgecomb family. Gale and Charlie Willauer met on board the R/V Westward in 1978 as the ship departed for the open ocean. That pivotal 6-week voyage on Sea Education Association’s 125-foot steel schooner Westward took Charlie and Gale from Woods Hole, Massachusetts to Bermuda and north again to St. Pierre and Miquelon - French Islands off the coast of Newfoundland and marked of the beginning of their 40 years together.

Charlie has deep roots on the Maine coast. His father founded the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Penobscot Bay in 1964. Charlie’s experience at Hurricane Island included years of “messing about in boats.” As a teenager he jumped at opportunities to race, cruise, or join deliveries on any sailboat. At age 18, Charlie had a 30 ton USCG license - and those credentials led to roles as captain, running several racing boats and campaigning them throughout the waters of New England. Charlie has competed in over a dozen Bermuda Races and captained multiple offshore passages from Newfoundland to the Caribbean and Trans-Atlantic. Charlie’s ocean-going experience wasn’t limited to sailing vessels. Working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as an ocean engineer and later, with several large consulting firms deploying oceanographic equipment, he sailed on oceanographic ships in the Atlantic, Pacific and the Chukchi Sea (Alaska) deploying instruments amidst the pack ice.

Gale grew up on Cape Cod where she sailed 420s and Day Sailors at the Stage Harbor Yacht Club in Chatham. Her ocean experience began on the R/V Westward on which she crewed for four years as steward. With several friends as crew, Gale and her 4-year-old son, Cory, sailed from Quissett Harbor to Cork, Ireland the summer of 1986 on her 41-foot sloop Flemish Cap. The following summer Gale and Charlie sailed Flemish Cap westward to the U.S. via Madeira, Bermuda and on to Woods Hole. Becalmed for almost two weeks in the “horse latitudes,” they finally found wind and a new spinnaker; navigating with a sextant, compass and Dead Reckoning (as it was before the time of GPS!).

Family cruising is how the Willauers “vacation.” Maine is among their favorite cruising grounds as well as the Bahamas, Caribbean or Puget Sound. Following the 2018 Newport - Bermuda Race the five Willauers returned their uncle’s Breezing Up, a J-46 from Bermuda to Portland as a family reunion of sorts! It was the Fourth of July weekend - why not sail the boat 700 miles home to Maine?!

The Willauers’ sons have continued the tradition of ocean sailing; Cory, who accompanied Gale on his first trans-Atlantic at age 4, was an instructor on Ocean Classroom’s Spirit of Massachusetts and led multiple Chewonki trips in kayaks; Cory and his brother, Charlie, Jr. made another Atlantic crossing with their grandfather on his J-42 Eight Bells from Newport to Gibraltar in 2006. All three sons have joined the family crew to compete in the Newport - Bermuda Race which is the biennial open-ocean thrash across the Gulf Stream 635 miles from Newport, Rhode Island to Bermuda.

Young Charlie holds the record amongst the brothers with eight Bermuda races under his belt. Not only has Charlie raced many times to Bermuda, he has competed in the Nantucket Race week, FIGAWI Race, Key West Race week and been on multiple deliveries from Martinique, Maine, Bermuda and Charleston.

Three in the Willauer family, both Charlies and Pete are members of the Cruising Club of America (CCA); the organization which coordinates and runs the Newport-Bermuda Race. Pete hopped aboard Eight Bells with brother, Charlie and their grandfather for an epic and rough voyage from Norfolk, Virginia to Nevis in the West Indies the autumn of 2012 in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Charlie and Pete crewed on board the 92-foot maxi boat Med Spirit the 2012 Bermuda Race when Med Spirit set the new Open Division record that year of 45 hours, 26 minutes, 28 seconds … three hours faster than the previous record.

In 2015, brothers Charlie and Pete raced in the Trans-Atlantic Race on board Solution - an Aage Nielsen 60-foot wooden sloop only to be knocked down mid-ocean and suffered damage to their rudder. They made their way to Horta for repairs. The piece de resistance in recent memory is of Pete Willauer (age 28 at the time) with his partner, Angel Collinson departing from the Willauers’ dock in Edgecomb located just west of the Oven Mouth
entrance. Gale and Charlie stood on their float and let go the dock lines of Pete and Angel’s 40-foot steel sloop, Sea Bear, knowing that their next landfall lay 2,400 miles to the east at the island of Faial, Azores. First Mate for that voyage east was brother, Charlie Willauer and his future wife, Maddie Carrellas. Pete and Angel continue their voyage on Sea Bear; Since departing they have sailed twice across the Atlantic and are now in Panama on their way to the San Blas Islands on their extended voyage around the world. I guess you can say it’s a family thing!

Gale and Charlie live in Edgecomb and memories of their sailing voyages adorn the walls of their house. They can be seen sailing their Watch Hill 15 Reverie out to the Cross Point Bell and in through the Oven Mouth passage on the high tide.

American Legion baseball has been played since 1926, but it will debut in Boothbay Harbor this summer. Post 36 in Boothbay is sponsoring its first season, with play scheduled to begin in June. American Legion baseball is for ballplayers 16-19 years old. A group of youth baseball enthusiasts has worked on growing the sport in recent years. The group began in Tee Ball with their kids, followed them through Cal Ripken baseball through an alliance with Wiscasset and Richmond, and more recently formed a Lincoln County Babe Ruth squad for players 13-15 year-olds.

With many of these athletes about to age-out of youth baseball, the group began a couple years ago working on extending their playing days to American Legion. “There has been a lot of excitement,” Adam Harkins said. Harkins is the team’s manager during its inaugural season. “We had a meeting with the post (36), and they also have a tremendous amount of excitement about this, too,” he said. 

Harkins has been a member of the group who supported local baseball back when his son, Finn Harkins, began playing Tee Ball. He has also coached middle school baseball and is familiar with many of the 16 likely roster members. “I love these kids. They are a great group, and we are also excited about providing them with this opportunity to continue playing baseball.”

Harkins reported Post 36 is one of four new teams playing legion baseball this summer. Maine American Legion is divided into zones, but Harkins is not sure which one Post 36 will be in. “Probably, in the south. There are still a lot of things we don’t know, but that should be cleared up next month at the coaches’ meeting,” he said. Maine American Legion scheduled an organizational meeting for April 30 in Winslow.

Post 36 is hoping to draw players from Lincoln County to play as many as four games per week in a six-week span. The team will mostly consist of Boothbay region players, but Harkins is hoping to draw from all over Lincoln County, and possibly a few beyond the border. “We had several Lincoln Academy players who played on our Babe Ruth squad for a couple years, and hope they will play this summer,” Harkins said. 

Post 36 will be clad in Dodger Blue tops and white pants with a red number appearing on the front pocket and larger red numeral on the back. The cap will be Dodger blue with a red 36 insignia cap’s front. Harkins expects the schedule to be Tuesday, Thursday with a doubleheader played either on a Saturday or Sunday. “One of the criteria to joining is the field must have lights. So many games will be played under the lights at Sherman Field,” he said. “We had a night high school baseball game last year, and it was a great atmosphere. So it’s a great place to play.”

While volunteers and Post members are waiting for the season to start, they will participate in fundraising activities. “We are still organizing, and I’m not sure what we will do for fundraising, but we have a group ready to begin,” Harkins said. 

Have you wondered what happens at the Merry Barn? Perhaps you think our Summer Adventures are only for kids who love writing and reading. While we do have many campers who are passionate about those things, our campers also love exploring the outdoors, creating art, performing, playing cooperative games, and moving their bodies. 

At the Merry Barn, we believe that everyone is creative. It’s our goal to let kids be kids, explore a multitude of creative endeavors, and discover their own unique gifts. We nurture a safe and supportive community where children are invited to try new things, dive deeper into old favorites, and share with one another. We have a dedicated team of experienced educators who get to know children as individuals, and tailor activities and feedback.

This summer we have three offerings for younger campers. Exploring Our World & Imaginations, gives kids ages 6-8 time to think about their favorite places (real and imaginary) and draw pictures, create maps, and write stories about inhabitants and adventures in these lands. Kids will build fairy houses and design the backdrop of a favorite place, whether it be their own backyard or a secret door to a magical kingdom. There are no limits to where we can travel!

Due to overwhelming demand, Storytree Theatre is now offering two sessions for kids ages 6-10. Campers work together to write their very own play, design the set, and explore theatre technique. Myths, Magic, and Legends runs June 26-30; and Pirates and Mermaids Beware runs Aug. 7-11. No theatre experience required. 

Telling My Story is a new three-day offering for tweens and teens, ages 11-15, to read, write, and create artistic representations in the genre of memoir. We’ll free write, and create timelines, soundtracks of our lives, and maps to get the creative juices flowing. We’ll make self-portraits in a variety of mediums, compile personal poetry anthologies, and tell our own life stories.

Our remaining camps are geared toward kids ages 8-14. This age span allows children to make new friends, work collaboratively, and learn from each other. Our Sense of Place week begins with an exploration of the woods and fields around the Merry Barn, as we learn basic orienteering, map making, and animal tracking skills. We’ll celebrate our glorious Pine Tree State, from sea to mountaintop, and create itineraries for our dream journeys. We’ll read, write, collage, sketch, paint, perform, and make mobiles from found objects. 

Playing with Palettes is a week-long opportunity to experiment with the intersection of multiple art forms. Write poetry or stories in response to art; paint your reaction to a piece of writing; bring your instrument and play to inspire others. 

Award-winning author and illustrator Anne Sibley O’Brien will be our resident artist as campers spend a week developing a storyline for their own Graphic Novels. We’ll use Anne’s graphic novel, “The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea,” as a mentor text for planning scenes, storyboarding, and designing a single spread for our graphic novels. In Adventures in Art: Fabric, Paper, and Picture Books, campers will explore printing techniques on paper and fabric, creating their own collections of paper to use in collage and other art. Under the Big Top returns this summer. Launch your body and brain into balancing, juggling scarves and balls, spinning flower sticks, plates, and diabolos, and creating your own circus performance. Campers will learn circus lore, create circus art, and write their own circus stories.

Each camp culminates with an Authors’ Tea, performance, or gallery walk for family members and friends. Register at https://www.merrybarn.com/kids or merrybarnwritersretreat@gmail.com. Financial assistance is available.

Thanks to Windjammer Days, a rich marine history and a community of sailing enthusiasts, Boothbay Harbor sees its fair share of beautiful boats. It is hard for a ship to stand out amid other stunning vessels. But whether due to its sleek lines, long history, or because the 86-year-old boat still wins races, the Gleam turns heads.   

“Gleam’s presence in Boothbay Harbor is pretty special because she's not from here, and you don't see boats like that often here,” said Andy Tyska, owner of Bristol Marine in Boothbay Harbor. “It was important to bring her here and expose, not just Gleam to Maine, but Maine to Gleam.”  

Tyska is co-owner of the Gleam, one of the most notable yachts in the harbor. The ship primarily splits its time between Boothbay Harbor and Newport, Rhode Island.   

Tyska co-owns the boat with Dennis Gunderson, general manager at Bristol Marine.   

"She's a unique kind of spectacle to see in the harbor,” said Gunderson. “In Newport, she's known as a 12 Meter racing boat. Here, she's known as a purebred vintage sailboat, which is really nice to see. She sort of has a double life in that way."  

Gleam was built in 1937 at Henry B. Nevins Yacht Yard in New York, and designed by famous naval architect Clinton Crane, for him to race the 12 Meter class as his personal vessel.  

The 12 Meter class racing ships are strong by design, according to Gunderson. They are long, tall and deep with a sizable ballast, which requires a significantly robust structure the shipyard was known for.  

“Dating all the way back to the first moment that they started putting her together, she was built to that high standard,” Gunderson said.  

Gunderson said he also has a personal history with Gleam: It was the first boat he captained. He and his wife had met shortly before, and they sailed together on Gleam as captain and mate.   

In 2020, Tyska and Gunderson bought the boat, which was up for sale for the first time since 1975. They soon had it back in the water, swelled up and on its way to Bristol Marine in Maine. Gunderson said they did considerable work on the boat that winter, but it never needed a full restoration thanks to a line of diligent owners who have passionately cared for it.   

“She's the only substantial and prominent classic and vintage both of her size and pedigree that is unrestored, she's just been maintained,” Gunderson said.   

Alongside its construction, much of that pedigree comes from its racing capabilities, reflected in its name. It was inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Merlin and the Gleam,” encouraging readers to “follow The Gleam.” Many sailors have unwillingly heeded Tennyson’s words when racing against it.  

According to Gunderson, the ship has a host of medals with wins in competitive regattas at famous venues such as New York Yacht Club, and it has been active in classic racing series throughout New England for three decades.  

Gleam was an America’s Cup trial horse, a set opponent for a champion ship and crew to train against.  

"She was used as a standard,” Gunderson said. “If you could say ‘We’ll get up to Gleam's speed,’ you'd have a chance to win the America’s Cup.”  

Despite the ship’s age, it is still a contender in races. Gunderson said he and Tyska race Gleam in the classic New England yachting series in about eight or nine events a season. In Maine, they have raced in the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta and placed first in class at the 2021 Camden Classics Cup.   

For Gunderson, racing the Gleam is a dream come true.   

“That's where the rubber hits the road,” he said. "There’s no better feeling than racing on Gleam.... Racing the boat around the course is a terrific feeling. It takes a lot of work, experience, skill, and technique to very gracefully sail that boat quickly around a race course. It's not something that comes easy, but when you can do it well, it feels really good.”  

This summer, Gleam will be in Boothbay Harbor in July and stay in the area for most of the season. Gunderson said the ship will be chartered out of the harbor when not racing, and then returned to Rhode Island for the end of the season.   

When asked where her homeport truly is, Gundersun said Gleam does not have just one.   

“She's been a Newport boat for a long time, and that area is definitely a home for the boat. But (Boothbay Harbor) is also becoming a home for Gleam,“ he said. "A boat like Gleam, she's got homes in many places ... She's welcomed in many places, and I think this is just another one.” 

For its fourth exhibition of the season, the Maine Art Gallery seeks entries on the theme of “Working Maine.” This show, which runs from July 13 to Aug. 13 will feature artists who have depicted the diverse world of work in our state — from the working waterfront, construction, agriculture, and manufacturing to everyday people going about their daily work. The artwork can be both literal and metaphorical, including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, collage and assemblage.

The juror for this exhibition is Andre Benoit, the Boothbay artist known for his multidimensional mixed media creations. More information can be found at www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org and on Facebook at Maine Art Gallery Wiscasset. 

Deadline for submissions is Wednesday June 28, 2023. Submission guidelines are available at www.maineartgallerywiscasset.org/working-maine-2023.

In celebration of the gallery’s 65th anniversary, the current show, Generations includes art from the founding years, plus an invitational and juried art. Generations runs through June 10.

The gallery is located at 15 Warren St. in Wiscasset. Free on-street parking. From the north on Route 1, turn right onto Federal St./Route 218, then left onto Warren Street. From the south on Route 1, turn left onto Federal St., then left onto Warren St. From Main Street shops, we’re an easy 8-minute walk.

Fishing Partnership Support Services is working with the Maine Lobstermen’s Association to hold free Safety at Sea Trainings for commercial lobstermen and fishermen in two Maine locations; Jonesport and Boothbay Harbor

Massachusetts’ based Fishing Partnership Support Service (FPSS) is a non-profit dedicated to improving the health, safety, and economic security of commercial fishermen, their families, and their communities. Fundamental to their mission is a commitment to equipping fishermen with the skills to fish more safely, and this work extends far beyond Massachusetts.

As has been true of past seasons, this spring, FPSS is bringing its free, two-day safety at sea programming up and down the Eastern Seaboard with location sites from Maine to North Carolina. They will be in Jonesport (U.S. Coast Guard Station, Jonesport) on May 22 & 23 and in Boothbay Harbor (U.S. Coast Guard Station, Boothbay Harbor) on May 25 & 26.

Trainings are designed specifically for commercial fishermen and lobstermen, including captains and crewmen, and are also helpful for family members, including children, who may join trips. Each day of training provides hands-on opportunities to learn or hone fundamental skills necessary to fish more safely.

Day One: Safety & Survival - Learn about EPIRBs, Signal Flares, MAYDAY Calls, Man Overboard Recovery, Firefighting, Flooding & Damage Control, Dewatering Pumps, Immersion Suits, PFDs, & Life Rafts. Commercial Fishermen who attend are eligible for a 50% rebate off a Lifejacket they purchase after the trainings.

Day Two: Drill Conductor Certification - During this second day, fishermen dig deeper into what they learned in the Safety & Survival Class, including new information in cold-water survival, helicopter rescues, stability, liability, and emergency procedures. Fishermen who complete these two days of training are Alaska Marine Safety Education Association Certified Drill Conductors, which meets USCG requirements under 46 CFR 28.270(c). In Maine, this meets the mandatory requirement for Student Lobster Fishermen wanting to earn their Commercial Lobster Fishing License.

Past attendees speak positively about the relevance of training and have reported, "I have learned a lot of information that'll help me on any type of boat," "Training and practice is critical, so you know how to use your equipment in an emergency,” and "I bought equipment before but never saw it work."

Interested participants may register online by visiting fishingpartnership.org/calendar or by contacting Fishing Partnership Navigator Maria Carpenter at mcarpenter@fishingpartnership.org or 978-282-4847

“Diversity” has become a concept often misapplied exclusively to ethnic, social, and gender variability when diversity exists, and may be duly recognized, when the above factors are not necessarily the primary determining characteristics of the group in question.

The US Coast Guard and its volunteer branch, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, are composed of members from all social, racial, and economic backgrounds who all work together as a team to complete varied missions in support of Coast Guard operations and the members’ communities.

The presentation of the Coast Guard Auxiliary NACO Award for Diversity and Inclusion is determined by the flotilla members achieving four primary goals and six objectives under each goal category. The primary goals are: Create and maintain a positive work environment; value all members; promote and recognize individual success; expand outreach into the community,

Under the “Goals” framework are the more detailed “objectives” which include: Has your unit created a recruiting plan that includes steps to conduct outreach in local neighborhoods and addresses various cultures in your community?  Do you assign a formal mentor to each new member for his/her first year of membership? Do you provide adequate access to meetings for members and potential members with disabilities? Has your unit created a recruiting plan that includes steps to conduct outreach in local neighborhoods and addresses various cultures in your community?

An assessment was made of the degree to which the flotilla members addressed the objectives in each goal area and those positive assessments resulted in the awarding of the NACO Award for Diversity and Inclusion to Flotilla 2-5 in Boothbay Harbor.

The letter accompanying the award citation reads in part: “This award recognizes leadership in creating a positive work environment for all members by both valuing their contributions and promoting their individual success.” Signed: Director of Auxiliary First Northern Region, CDR Christina D. Sullivan, U.S.C.G.

If finding out more about the CG Auxiliary in your area or Flotilla 2-5 in Boothbay Harbor, is of interest, please visit the link below. If looking for other than for the Boothbay Harbor area, click the “Join Us Now/Find a Flotilla” tab at the top of the page.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit: https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=013-02-05.

Throughout the year, Hearty Roots serves local kids, meeting them on local preserves to help area youth become good stewards of themselves and the land. This Mother’s Day weekend, Hearty Roots is offering programming that celebrates moms. That’s right: moms! Hearty Roots extends an invitation to anyone who identifies as a mom to join them for a day of paddling, connection, laughter, and reflection on Saturday, May 13.

This is the space for moms to reward themselves for being the beautiful humans they are. So, don’t know what to get Mom? How about: a day of adventure and kindness! Restoration and respite! Participants will meet at the Bremen Town Landing and hit the water to venture to Bremen Long Island. A short hike will follow, along with all the lovely things you’d expect from a Hearty Roots outing: games, exploration, laughter and joy. A waterside lunch will be offered before the return hike and paddle. The day is expected to last from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are lots of juicy details over at heartyroots.org about registration and what to pack. But more importantly, they await your enrollment, in celebration of YOU.

Hearty Roots is a local non-profit youth organization that believes all kids matter, and their inclusive year-round programs intentionally offer opportunities that meet every kid where they’re at, developmentally and emotionally. Hearty Roots fosters resilience in Midcoast Maine youth through a fusion of social-emotional and outdoor adventure programming.

For more information on monthly pop-up camps, in-school Taproot sessions, after-school outing clubs or summer adventures, journey on over to heartyroots.org.

The 61st annual Windjammer Days will take place Sunday, June 25 through Saturday, July 1, 2023. This year the Friends of Windjammer Days is celebrating our rich population of Maritime Explorers. Those featured have traveled extensively on different bodies of waters either for work, pleasure or both.

Don Demers first came to the Boothbay Harbor area in 1964 after his grandparents built a cottage on Ocean Point. For the first time he saw schooners and was “transfixed” with gaff riggers and the local fishing craft. Since no one in his family sailed or boated, Don learned about the ships from observation and the many books that were supplied to him by his grandfather’s best friend Judge “Chet” Marden who had an extensive marine library. Judge Marden allowed him to take one book at a time to study which led Don to make drawings of the vessels and build crude ship models.

While in art school in Boston Don learned to sail after joining a local sailing club. This gave him the opportunity to sail Solings and J 24s among other sailboats. Around that time George McEvoy invited Don to sail to Nova Scotia aboard the Sherman Zwicker. It was such a wonderful experience that Don became officially hooked on boating and the sea. Shortly after Don was introduced to the vessel Unicorn, a brig (two masted square rigger) which Don initially went on as a student, then a volunteer and eventually a paid deck hand. He worked on her for a year or two sailing up and down the East Coast. This led to working aboard a number of other traditional vessels until he returned to New England to begin his career as an illustrator and marine painter. Don interrupted his art career to deliver a staysail schooner named Fair Sarae to San Diego. This voyage commenced in Jamaica and traveled through the Panama Canal on its way to southern California.

Many of Don’s voyages were skippered by J.B. Smith who is well known to this area and beyond. Don says that he will always owe a debt of gratitude to J.B. for his friendship and leadership and lessons about the ways of a ship and the sea. Don’s sea experiences are remembered as wonderful, exciting and sometimes rugged and they also offered the opportunity to make lifelong friendships.

Don’s passion for the ocean combined with his love for illustrating and painting has led him to be considered one of the finest marine and landscape artists in America. His paintings are found in the some of the most prestigious public and private collections in the country. He has been honored four times in the annual exhibition of the Society of Illustrators. His marine paintings have garnered him a record 21 awards at the Mystic International Marine Exhibition. Don is a highly sought after instructor with his teaching taking him all around the United States and Europe.

Don continues to return to his home on Ocean Point in the summers and maintains a studio in East Boothbay. He is a supporter of many organizations in the Boothbay Region and his paintings can be found at Gleason Fine Art.

On May 9, the Boothbay/Wiscasset track and field boys’ team won the Mountain Valley Conference meet and the girls’ team placed second in the final home meet this spring. The boys won nine events and the girls won eight. The boys scored 149.5 points. Second place Kents Hill scored 87 and third place Dirigo had 27. The Kents Hill girls’ team won with 127 points. Boothbay/Wiscasset had 109, and third place Dirigo scored 55.

The following athletes placed in the girls’ top six:

100M: Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 14.06, first; Gianni Meadows, Kents Hill, 14.36, second.

200M: Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 29.02, first; Gianni Meadows, Kents Hill, 30.26, second.

800M Julia Truesdell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:59.93, first; Blythe Dennison, Kents Hill, 3:11.18, second.

1600M: Julia Truesdell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 6:45.02, first; Abigail Theriault, Dirigo, 8:16.96, second.

300M hurdles: Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 59.94, first; Maddie Orchard, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:01.16, second; Abbie Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:01.76, third.

4X100M relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset (Bailey Lewis, Rose Campbell, Emily Gilliam and Eleanor Marshall, 57.04, first; Kents Hill, 57.16, second.

4X400 relay: Kents Hill, 4:30.9, first; Boothbay/Wiscasset, (Abbie Clark, Emily Gilliam, Maddie Orchard, and Julia Truesdell), 5:07.49, second.

High jump: Tatum French, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4-0, first; Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4-0, second; Abbi Siff, Kents Hill, 3-08, third.

Long jump: Naomi McGadney, Kents Hill, 14-08.5, first; Laila Mushli, Kents Hill, 14-08, second; Bailey Lewis, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12-05, third; Makayla Hodson, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 9-06, fifth; Sophie White, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 8-05, sixth.

The following boys’ finished in the top six:

100M: Aidric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.25, first; Austin Trask, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.49, second; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.64, third.

200M: Aidric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 24.98, first; Ben Stelmach, Kents Hill, 26.08, second; Josani Farmer, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 27.8, fifth.

400M: Bryan Gagnon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 55.57, first; Desmond Robinson, Carrabec, 55.65, second; Nate Benoit, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:07.66, third.

800M: Payton Blagdon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:10.85, first; Ryan Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:16.19, second; Dominick Dow, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:24.5, fourth.

110M hurdles: Nate Benoit, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 20.77, first; Tucker Davenport, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 24.77; second.

300M hurdles: Tucker Davenport, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 53.12, first.

4X100 relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset (Austin Trask, Alton King, Bryan Gagnon, Aidric Canada), 48.7, first; Kents Hill, 51.57, second.

4X400 relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, (Austin Trask, Payton Blagdon, Bryan Gagnon, Aidric Canada) 3:53.17, first; Kents Hill, 4:17.77, second. 

High jump: Jonah Jenkins, Kents Hill, 5-0, first Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4-10, second; Tucker Davenport, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4-08, third. 

Long jump: Jonah Jenkins, Kents Hill, 10-01, first; 18-01; Payton Blagdon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 16-07.5; second; Austin Trask, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 15-03.5, fifth; Josani Farmer, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 14-06, sixth. 

Shot put: Andrew Wisecup, Dirigo, 42-0, first; Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 37-01, second; Robbie Shaw, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 30-11, third; Mason Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 28-03, fifth.

Discus: Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 143-08, first; Robbie Shaw, Boothbay/Wiscasset,100-08, second; Mason Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 94-11, third; Cecil Clifford, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 90-02, fourth.

Javelin: Bryan Beaucage, Dirigo, 108-09, first; Payton Blagdon,Boothbay/Wiscasset, 90-07, fourth; Mason Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 89-10, fifth.

1600M race walk: Alex Sun, Kents Hill, 11:02, first; Ross Gaffney, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 11:08.79, second.

Boothbay/Wiscasset’s next meet is Tuesday, May 16 in Lisbon. 

With waterfront plans being discussed for repaving launch ramps, installing a pump-out station, and shoring up the seawall next to the recreation pier this summer, the management team for Wiscasset Schoonerfest is taking a gap year for 2023 and returning full speed ahead in mid-August 2024.

"We're using the extra time to begin planning for a more locally involved Schoonerfest in 2024," said Jan Flowers, who will head up volunteers for the weekend event. Logistics chief Larry Flowers just wants to get on with it and get to the part where he helps Parks & Recreation Director Duane Good put up the big tent on the pier.

Schoonerfest treasurer and boats guru Dan Watts agrees that the additional time will be well spent. Watts is looking at adding more races to the two-man-one-boat competition – the Golden Paddle Race – which last year was a real spine-tingler between only two teams, Watts/David Pope vs. Steve Erskin and Alan Boyes. Pope/Watts found the finish line first and won The Golden Paddle. Erskine/Boyes vow to take the GP Title in 2024.

Meanwhile, the whole group is considering a 2024 Schoonerfest Regatta fielding teams from town departments and businesses for a weekend of boat races on the Sheepscot. Terry Heller thought it sounded like a good-clean-fun idea. "Maybe we could get the police department to square off against the fire department, Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, and EMS in rowboats for bragging rights in a Great Rescue Race. Or maybe the new candy shop in town could challenge all the other sweets and treats shops on Route 1 to a Sugar Rush Race. I'd bet a bag of dark chocolates that Big Al could make it happen!"

Communications crew Jamie Beaton and Deb Small are refurbishing the WiscassetSchoonerfest.com website and social media accounts with new information and interactive features. David Pope, entertainment chief, will again contract with popular local bands for lots of dancing on the dock.

Schoonerfest founder Peter Wells and SF2024 spokesperson Heller encourage all who are interested in supporting Wiscasset's town festival of art, history, music, and schooners – and who want to find out more – to go to WiscassetSchoonerfest.com for contact information, making donations, and signing up to volunteer.

Schoonerfest is an all-volunteer non-profit organization under the umbrella of Wiscasset Creative Alliance.

The 61st annual Windjammer Days will take place Sunday, June 25 through Saturday, July 1, 2023. This year the Friends of Windjammer Days is celebrating our rich population of Maritime Explorers. Those featured have traveled extensively on different bodies of waters either for work, pleasure or both.

As a skilled sailor and navigator, Cameron McLellan hails from a family of multi-generations of seafarers. On the paternal side, the McLellans have hundreds of years of fishing in their bones with a few spar markers on the bank of the Kennebec River in the mix. The McLellans fished the Grand Banks, George’s Banks, and the Gulf of Maine several generations back. On the maternal side, the Murphys were full-rigged ship captains. With this heritage and a level of comfort on the sea, there was no question from an early age that Cameron would continue the tradition and make his living on the water.

While successful as a fisherman, Cameron always kept his childhood dream alive. From a young age, he would remind himself “I fish so I can afford to go sailing.” For Cameron, Windjammer Days were better than Christmas. He wanted nothing more than to one day be a captain of an authentic windjammer. Mary Day was his fantasy schooner. But he also loved the Victory Chimes.

At the young age of 16 years old, he bought his first sailing vessel. A 26-foot gaff-rigged sloop from the little Riverside Boat yard in Damariscotta. She was a Herreshoff design built in 1910 of yellow pine. Up to the point, his only sailing experience included ice boating on Adams Pond. Incidentally, Cameron’s father, Myron, built the ice boat from an old swing set. Although she could go rogue at any time, she flew. So, he hopped aboard and headed down the Damariscotta by himself. Cameron has some smooth sailing and terrifying moments but didn’t compare to the squall he encountered between Spruce Point and Squirrel Island. This is when he really learned
to sail! This was baptism by fire, but as he sailed into the harbor, he felt like an old pro.

That summer Cameron was ready and anxious to take on the schooners at Windjammer Days, he sailed 26’ his own gifted-rigged, sloop Harbor Ghost, stealthily alongside the Victory Chimes. Two of her flags hung off the transom, without missing a beat, he slid by and grabbed them both. Later hoisting them up into his rigging with his own flags, he had given the captain of the Victory Chimes a challenge. That night two of the crew of the Victory Chimes came about his boat and took their flags back along with Cameron’s. By the next morning, Cameron’s flag flew high up in the rigging of the Victory Chimes. Captain Giles had one up on him and still does.

Back then he was known for threading a needle between the schooners and other boats in the crowded harbor under full sail. A jug of wine as always visible was towed off his stern. He was truly in his glory.

Over the span of 48 years, Cameron has never held a position on land. In his youth, he fished with his father, Myron, his Uncle Bob, and cousin Richard on the Lucille B. The Lucille B and the McLellan family focused on shrimp and whiting and with prolific success, they branched out and grew which led to adding boats to their fleet. Myron, Cameron’s father had the Barbara L built and his Uncle commissioned the Miss Paula and his cousin Richard took over the Lucile B.

The shrimping was plentiful in the 1970s and the fleet grew larger to include the Sea Bring and the Irene’s Way. His brother-in-law, Cyrus had the Cynthia. The catch was plentiful, but the work was hard, and the McLellan family thrived. Back during that time, the McLellans and their six-vessel fleet fished out of Boothbay Harbor and landed their vast catches at Malpeque for Jimmy Genovese.

In his early 20s, Cameron struck out and partnered with George Whitten to build the Amy W, a 63-foot fishing vessel built by Eddie Gamage of East Boothbay. Once launched, Cameron became her captain. With a growing family, Cameron and his wife were building a home and settling into a fisherman's lifestyle. Although a young captain, Cameron’s skill and experience led to some interesting opportunities. Through one such opportunity, he experienced a tour of Alaska fishing. This was a great adventure, but Maine and his young family called him home.

By 1988, Cameron was ready for a larger vessel and purchased the Crown Royal, an 89-foot Rhode Island-built steel stern trawler. For almost a decade, Cameron and crew fished the Gulf of Maine and George’s Banks on the Crown Royal. Another opportunity emerged in the spring of 1991 as Cameron was invited to the country of Chile to the city of Concepcion to teach the fishermen how to both build flounder nets and how to fish them. In 1995, the National Oceanic Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) offered fishermen a buyback program for groundfish vessels. With the sale of the Crown Royal, Cameron was able to design and build the Adventurer and he captained her for 11 years. In that same year, Cameron bought a larger sailboat. He named the 53-foot traditional coastal schooner after his grandfather Curly- A.E. McLellan. Cameron sold the Adventurer with a solid plan to make sailing his life and income but in 2008, tragedy struck the McLellan family. The youngest McLellan son, Captain Shawn McLellan, passed away and Cameron put his dream on hold and took the helm of Shawn’s vessel, the Elizabeth. This was a challenging year and Cameron recalls; this was the hardest thing he would ever do or will do in his life.

Cameron's luck turned when he came across a 63-foot Chris White custom design catamaran (Concept 63). Heron had been abandoned for eight years and he spent months refitting her and getting her back out on the ocean where she belonged. Cameron single-handedly set sail from Portland, Maine on Heron for the United States Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. By 2011, he had her Coast Guard Inspected and licensed in St. Croix to carry 42 passengers and his charter business began. Since then, Heron has chartered out of Sag Harbor, New York, the Hamptons, USVI, St. Barts, Palm Beach, Charleston, South Carolina, Manhattan, and Newport, Rhode Island. Over the last 14 years, Cameron has made 28 passages from New England to the Caribbean – through the Bermuda Triangle – over 9,000 nautical miles; 16 of them were solo.

Cameron, as a solo sailor, does have a first mate. His sailing companion is Tola, a coconut retriever found in a trash bin on the island of Tortola. She was just hours old, but getting her sea legs didn’t take long. Tola has been the first mate on Heron for two years now. Cameron is living out his dream with a successful sailing charter business all due to his foundational seafaring years, love for sailing, and commitment to life on the sea.

Join Hearty Roots and Glidden Point Oyster Farms for the 2nd annual Paddle for a Purpose charity event on Saturday, June 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

Paddle the Damariscotta River, or join the after-party where music and purveyors of local fare will gather in support of Hearty Roots, a Lincoln County-based youth organization dedicated to getting local kids “off the grid and into their hearts” all year round.

Paddle for a Purpose gets nature-lovers of all ages out on the water with intention. All proceeds will benefit the mindful, adventurous work of Hearty Roots as they mentor youth to become good stewards of their mental health, and the land. "Our hope with this year's Paddle for a Purpose is to get Hearty Roots closer to their goal of a permanent home-base. We are so very fortunate to have an organization like this in our community so it is our utmost responsibility to support their work, amplify their voices...and have a little fun while doin' it!" says Allyson Blake, events manager at Glidden Point Oyster Farms.

Hearty Roots knows the precious partnership between mental wellness and physical adventure, and their outdoor programming guides local kids in their exploration of Maine’s wild places. Business sponsor Steve Malcom, founder and CEO of Knickerbocker Group, says of the event, “Supporting organizations that embrace Maine’s outdoors while assisting our youth are critical to building strong communities. By crafting an outdoor adventure program that promotes growth and resilience, Hearty Roots is making an indelible impact on our future generations. We value our partnership and look forward to supporting their causes in the years to come.”

Hearty Roots kids spend a lot of time on the water. In kayaks. Canoes. In the muddy spaces between land and waves. So, join them:

The Paddle: Starting at the Damariscotta Town Landing at noon, participants will paddle five miles down-river to Glidden Point Oyster Farms. Drop-off begins at 9:30 when coffee and pre-paddle snacks will be provided by Vagabond Coffee and Lucy’s Granola. If you need to rent a kayak for the event, Midcoast Kayak can have your gear dropped off at the starting point. Scheduled during an outgoing tide, paddlers are asked to consider their ability to get out onto the water. If the conditions don’t feel right, join in the after party.

The Party: Beginning at 2, Hearty Roots will welcome you to the post-paddle celebration where there will be paddle awards; short speeches; raffle; live music by Primo Cubano; pizza from River House, and fun for all.

Tickets: Tickets for the paddle and party are $100. Tickets for the party alone are $25. Kids can join for $15 per ticket. You don’t have to be a paddler to join Hearty Roots for an afternoon filled with music, food, joy, and a community-inspired auction.

Paddle for a Purpose organizers know that innovation is born of inspiration, a sentiment best captured by Bill Joyce, paddler without a paddle and owner of Carson Douglas Landscape Architecture: “Last year's event was a test for us. And, oh my, did it pass. The energy that was generated by combining a group of cheerful locals sharing time on the water, with the Hearty Roots message of ‘Getting off the Grid and into your Hearts’ was something that could be felt deeply. I can't wait to be part of this fantastic circus of warmth, compassion, and charity to dig those Hearty Roots deeper in this community.”

For more information on the event, Hearty Roots year-round programming, summer offerings for youth, or sponsoring a child’s hearty adventure through scholarship, visit heartyroots.org. Hearty Roots and Glidden Point Oysters can’t wait to join you on the water, paddling for a purpose.

Hodgdon Yacht Services is pleased to announce the launch of Boothbay Boat Rental. The boat rental fleet includes Angler 20-foot and 22-foot center consoles with 150hp outboards that can be rented for single or multi-day periods.

Based out of Hodgdon Yacht Services in Southport, Boothbay Boat Rental gives customers the opportunity to explore the waters of Midcoast Maine on their own time onboard well-maintained boats. All of the boats are set up for a variety of water activities including day trips, fishing, and fun on the water, with fixed t-tops, rod holders, stowage compartments, live-wells, life jackets, and safety equipment.

“We’re excited to be able to offer boat rentals to residents and visitors of the area, said Don O’Grady, general manager of Hodgdon Yacht Services. “There’s no better way to experience the Boothbay region than by boat, and this gives more people the opportunity to do so.”

Bookings can be made online at www.boothbayboatrental.com or by calling 207-633-2970.

The University of Maine at Orono will host over 1,500 Special Olympics Maine athletes, coaches, and volunteers for the 2023 State Summer Games on June 9-11.

This year’s most cherished two-night, three-day event is back in full swing, after being canceled in 2020-2021 and only offering a one-day event last year. Over the weekend, athletes from across the state will have the chance to display their skills in a variety of traditional and unified competitions; events range from track and field to bocce.

The State Summer Games competitions kick off on Friday, June 9th followed by the Parade of Athletes, Opening Ceremonies, and the Maine Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg. Athletes will take off their athletic shoes and get on their dancing shoes for the Saturday night Victory Dance; this year’s theme is Prom Night.

“We are thrilled to be getting back to our normal competition format of State Summer Games. Our athletes and coaches are ready to go! I hope that many of you will plan to join us at our signature event, for this display of true sports competition and sportsmanship that is second to none,” states Special Olympics Maine President & CEO, Phil Geelhoed.

Special Olympics Maine athletes are looking forward to being back to a full weekend of competition and being with their friends.

“I’m looking forward to competing against other athletes and cheering on my friends,” expressed Noah Gagne, Special Olympics Maine athlete.

Ahead of the games, training and preparation looks different for each athlete but they all have one thing in common, determination.

“I have someone help me train. I run really fast, and no one can tell me to stop!” states Special Olympics Maine athlete, Kwayah Lichterfeld.

Through Special Olympics Maine and with the dedicated support of community-minded companies, the organization provides year-round sports training and competitions along with inclusive opportunities to over 5,000 athletes. This year’s summer games are generously sponsored by UNUM, Central Maine Power, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Applebee’s, Hometown Foundation, Circle K, and the Knights of Columbus.

Special Olympics Maine’s newest partner, Central Maine Power, is this year’s “Power of Sport” State Summer Games sponsor.

“For more than 100 years, we’ve powered the dreams of Maine families and we are proud to further that spirit through our new partnership with Special Olympics Maine,” said Amy Marston, Director of Community Relations for Central Maine Power. “We are so thrilled to be supporting this year’s athletes and can’t wait to cheer them on!”

If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics Maine, volunteering or providing financial support to help make Special Olympics Maine programs possible, contact the state office at 207-879-0489 or online at www.somaine.org. Follow Special Olympics Maine on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Everyone likes “free stuff” although in many cases, to get to the free stuff you have to buy something else first. Two free things that are really “free” and may save you money, your possessions, or maybe your life are free Paddlecraft “If Found” stickers (money and possessions) and free Vessel Safety Checks (money, possessions, and your life) by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

If Found Stickers: The Coast Guard must treat every vessel found adrift and unoccupied as a “person in the water” (PIW) emergency because their guidelines state that the assumption must be made that the vessel left shore with someone aboard. Whether it’s a paddleboard or 40 ft cruiser, that assumption is the same. Larger vessels have registration and hull numbers that allow for a quick determination of who the owner is and how to contact them. Kayaks, skiffs, and paddle boards don’t; so, while you’re inside keeping warm on a rainy, windy day, your poorly secured and unlabeled kayak may be adrift and heading to parts unknown and destined to become a PIW Search and Rescue (SAR) evolution. It doesn’t take much to send an unsecured paddlecraft off on its own with failure to allow for high winds or tides being leading causes of adrift paddlecraft scenarios.

Taking a few minutes to fill out (with a permanent marker) an If Found sticker and attach it to your vessel may not only save you money by getting your vessel back but may also save the taxpayers money by not funding an unnecessary search for a nonexistent PIW.

If Found stickers are available at most Boothbay area post offices, town offices and marinas and dealers.

Vessel Safety Checks (VSC’s): Coast Guard Auxiliary members perform tens of thousands of VSC’s every year and have saved boaters not just money by avoiding fines for missing, expired, or damaged required safety equipment, but lives by ensuring onboard safety equipment is appropriate, in place and in good working order.

Few boaters pay attention to safety equipment until they need to use it, by which point the “I’ve been meaning to replace that” regret isn’t much help. Fire extinguishers lose pressure, stored life jackets deteriorate, flares expire or get wet, and batteries go dead; and until Walmart opens a “supercenter barge”, replacement safety items won’t be readily available once you leave the dock.

Power boaters have specific items that are also seldom checked like a buildup of oil and general crud on inboard engine backfire flame arrestors, leaky bilge exhaust blower ducting, improperly secured fuel tanks, and new for this year, a check of the Engine Cutoff Switch ECOS (if that boat meets the criteria for mandatory use).

All the items the CG Auxiliary checks are the same items the active-duty Coast Guard or Marine Patrol will check if you’re stopped and boarded, but unlike the other agencies inspections, the Auxiliary member will only either hand you a “good-to go” 2023 VSC sticker, or a list showing the items you need to get up to requirements. No one else sees that list so it’s up to the boater to decide how to proceed. The Vessel Safety Check calendar for the Boothbay area will be published in the next week.

So “Free” is not only “really free” but also a possible money, vessel, and life saver as well.

If you enter I want a “I Vessel Safety Check” in your search box and fill in the form, it’ll be sent to the nearest Vessel Examiners who can contact you to set up a VSC at your convenience.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit: https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=013-02-05

Only one boys’ track and field team performed better at the Capitol City Classic than Boothbay/Wiscasset May 19. The “Seawolves” placed second scoring 81 points with host Cony winning with 244.5 points and third-place Gardiner scoring 75. The girls team finished ninth scoring 12 points. Cony won the girls’ meet with 130.5 points.

The boys’ 4X400 team of Payton Blagdon, Aidric Canada, Austin Trask and Bryan Gagnon won – and broke Boothbay’s 23-year school record of 3:44.24. The new record is 3:44.03. Kayden Ames won the discus with a 138-foot, 7-inch throw.

The following boys finished in the top six in their events.

100M: Ryan Ahearn, Monmouth, 12.18, first; Adric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.43, third. 400M: James Cognata, Winthrop, 51.13, first; Payton Blagdon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 54.7, second; Brian Gagnon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 55.6, third; Austin Trask, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 57.68, sixth.

800M: Jackson Veilleux, Cony, 2:12.24, first; Ryan Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:14.91, third; Dominick Dow, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:22.88, fifth; 110M hurdles: Travis Harding, Cony, 18.48, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 19.29, third; Nate Benoit, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 20.17, fourth; 300M hurdles: Wyatt Evenson, Mt. View, 43.71, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 47.35, fourth.

4X400M relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 3:44.02, first; Cony, 3: 49.94, second. Long jump: Conor Morin, Cony, 20-10.75, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 17-04, fourth. Shot put: Jaden Geyer, Cony, 43-07.75, first; Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 138-07, third; discus: Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 138-07, first; Nathan Shedd, Cony, 111-04, second; 1,600M race walk: William Leach, Gardiner, 8:49.46, first; Ross Gaffney, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 10:25.91, sixth.

The following girls finished in the top six: 400M: Ari Bradeen, Mt. View, 1:06.54, first; Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:10.28, third; Abbie Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 1:13.21, fifth. 

The team’s next meet is Thursday, May 25 at the Mountain Valley Conference championships in Lisbon. 

The  Boothbay/Wiscasset girls’ track and field team finished second May 16 at the Mountain Valley Conference meet in Lisbon. The following girls’ team athletes won their individual events: Julia Truesdell, 800M and 1,600M; Rose Campbell, discus; Qiana Hyman, shot put. The following boys’ athletes won their individual events: Ryan Gagnon, 800M; and Alton King 110M, and 4X100M team.

The following Boothbay/Wiscasset boys’ track and field athletes finished in the top six:

100M: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 11.87, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.67, fourth; Austin Trask, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.87, fifth.

200M: James Cognata, Winthrop, 23.14, first; Josani Farmer, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 27.35, sixth.

400M: James Cognata, Winthrop, 50.56, first; Payton Blagdon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 56.98, second; Aidric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 58.62, third.

800M: Bryan Gagnon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:09.91, first; Ryan Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:21.28, fifth.

110M hurdles:Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 18.95, first; Tucker Davenport, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 19.96, third; Nate Benoit, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 21.18, fourth.

4X100M relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 3:46.08, first; Winthrop, 3:51.6, second.

Long jump: Owen Booker, Lisbon, 20-07, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 17-03.5, fourth. 

Discus: Demetrius Clark, Lisbon, 113-09, first; Robbie Shaw,  Boothbay/Wiscasset, 112-05, third; Mason Clark, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 105-06, fifth.

Shot put: Austin Lizzotte, Hall-Dale, 37-06, first; Robbie Shaw, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 34-09, fifth.

1,600M race walk: Samuel Liudvinatus, Lisbon, 8:54.78, first; Ross Gaffney, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 11:17.37, second. 

The following Boothbay/Wiscasset girls’ track and field athletes finished in the top six:

100M:Kayla Cooper, Lisbon, 13.61, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 14.3, third.

200M:Mya Austin, Buckfield, 28.08, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 29.05, third. 

800M: Julia Truesdell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:57.52, first; Josie Clark, Hall-Dale, 3:28.99, second. 

1,600M: Julia Truesdell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 6:40.8, first; Loreesa Theriault Guay, Lisbon, 6:45.57, second.

300M hurdles: Kiana Goldberg, Lisbon, 51.02, first; Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 58.23, second.

4X100M relay: Lisbon, 54.46, first; Boothbay/Wiscasset, 57.44, fourth.

4X400M relay: Lisbon, 4:45.53, first; Boothbay/Wiscasset, 5:02.13, third.

High jump: Avia Russo, Lisbon, 4-08, first; Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4-02, third. 

Discus: Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 81-09, first; Qiana Hyland, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 68-03, fifth.

Javelin: Kasie Booker, Lisbon, 81-10.5, first; Abby Orchard, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 62-09, third; Eleanor Marshall, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 6-09, fourth. 

Shot put: Qiana Hyman, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 25-07, first; Eleanor Marshall, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 22-07, sixth. 

The teams’ next meet is Thursday, May 25 at the MVC championships in Lisbon.

Hearty Roots (HR), a Bristol-based nonprofit dedicated to improving children’s lives through social-emotional learning and outdoor adventure programs, has launched a $1.5 million capital campaign for a Midcoast headquarters. Founded in 2017 by social worker and Edgecomb Eddy school counselor Haley Bezon to be “intentionally scrappy and mobile” operating out of the backs of cars and minivans, toting equipment day after day to several camp locations, HR now serves more children than the mobile model can support.

“This will be our biggest summer yet, over 300 kids this summer and on track to be 500 kids next summer,” Bezon said. Since expanding to year round camps and retreats, HR has offered 14 camps in four locations annually, she said.  “Now, we’re setting down roots, giving kids a home to become stewards of themselves and the land.”

HR’s counselors are qualified, professional adults who have pursued careers in children’s mental health. Staff members’ credentials run the gamut of trauma-informed wellness, social-emotional learning, adventure education and social work.

“We believe nature-based intervention helps stem the tide of the mental health crisis that disproportionately affects Maine’s youth. Our non-clinical, therapeutic offerings have made an enormous impact on area youth, families, and our collective community,” reads the HR website.

HR is moving toward its goal of a permanent home with a sense of urgency. “It’s clutch time,” said Bezon. “We’ve applied for federal funding and will contact local townships for support and investment.” Their efforts come at a time when the U.S. Department of Justice has concluded Maine violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by over-institutionalizing children with disabilities in a case brought by Disability Rights Maine. 

“Justice Department Finds Maine in Violation of ADA For Over-Institutionalization of Children with Disabilities” (June 2022) at justice.gov states “Many children with disabilities in Maine, especially those in rural areas or with more intensive needs, are unable to live at home with their families due to a lack of community-based behavioral health services. These services can include assistance with daily activities, behavior management, and individual or family counseling. Community-based behavioral health services also include crisis services that can prevent a child from being institutionalized during a mental health crisis. Absent these services, Maine children with disabilities enter emergency rooms, come into contact with law enforcement, and remain in institutions when many of them could be at home if Maine put in pace sufficient community-based services.”

Further, the U.S. Surgeon General has reiterated findings from a 2021 report, “Protecting Youth Mental Health” on the dangers of prolonged screen time for youth under age 13. The 53-page report states, “The challenges today’s generation of young people face are unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate. And the effect these challenges have had on their mental health is devastating.” One solution offered up in the report is more time outdoors.

In 2022, Maine published “Shared Community Health Needs Assessment Report,” which says “There is concern that the current health care workforce cannot meet mental health needs. This shortage of providers increases mental health emergencies and the use of the emergency department for care. A second key theme is a concern for youth mental health – depression, suicide ideation, stress/anxiety, and mental health impacts of adverse childhood experiences. In 2019, 32.1% of high school students and 24.8% of middle school students reported feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row, while 16.4% of high school students and 19.8% of county middle school students seriously considered suicide.” These are pre-pandemic numbers.

For Shannon Parker, HR parent and coordinator of the capital campaign, the path forward is clear. “Children make adults be our best selves. They ask us to show up. Show kindness. Care. And when it comes to mental health, they need us to do better. We can settle for a paralyzed system with too few providers; years-long waiting lists; high costs; sterile offices, and healthcare systems that don’t always recognize mental wellness as wellness. Or, we can reach through the noise to offer a hand to kids, a hand that will guide them into Maine’s wilds while helping them understand and accept all the beautiful complexities of being human. For me, that’s an easy choice. The only choice,” she wrote in an email to Boothbay Register. 

As of May 22, HR has raised close to $400,000 toward its goal after receiving a $250,000 matching grant from the Peter Alfond Foundation. Boothbay business partners including the YMCA, Boothbay Region Land Trust and numerous other Midcoast foundations are showing their support for HR’s initiative. Donations are accepted via HR’s website, https://www.heartyroots.org/, and an enjoyable family-friendly fundraising event, Paddle for a Purpose, takes place Saturday June 3. Paddlers (canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle) launch from the town landing in Damariscotta and paddle five miles down the river to Glidden Point Oyster Farm for a reception with food, live music and festivities.

The 61st annual Windjammer Days will take place Sunday, June 25 through Saturday, July 1, 2023. This year the Friends of Windjammer Days is celebrating our rich population of Maritime Explorers. Those featured have traveled extensively on different bodies of waters either for work, pleasure or both.

One of Nat Wilson’s earliest memories was summering on Fisherman Island and learning to row in a dory with his brother Gregg, sister Janet, father Jack and his uncle Jim. As they grew stronger, they would make trips to all the other outer islands in a fleet of two dories and skiff Beloved. In the summer of 1967 Nat Wilson was making the daily commute to the Ocean Point Inn to work, rowing to and from Fisherman Island each way. By the summer of 1969 Nat was working for Eliot Winslow on the Argo as a deck hand. That summer he received his draft notice. Upon hearing this Eliot said,“take the day off and drive to the Portland Coast Guard recruiter and sign up.” There were two openings left for October and Nat signed up on the spot.

After boot camp Nat was assigned to the Public Information Office in Cape May, New Jersey where he did layout for Coast Guard publications and assisted the base photographer. The Coast Guard had a sailing team in Cape May and its fleet consisted of three Thistle Class Sloops. Nat was given one to use and race at the Cape May Corinthian Yacht Club on the weekends. The Cape May Coast Guard sailing team was invited to represent the Fourth Naval District in a Navy wide regatta at Annapolis Naval Academy. Using Naval Academy sailboats they sailed in three races per day and the competition ran for several days. They earned a third-place finish in that regatta.

Nat then transferred to New London, Connecticut and was stationed on the USCG Barque Eagle in early spring of 1971 and that was when his sail-making training began. When in port Nat reported to the academy sail loft to learn sail-making skills and to repair sails from the academy fleet. In 1972 the Eagle began her spring cruise to the Gulf Coast making visits to Galveston, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama. While underway the captain received orders to return to New London to prepare for a transatlantic passage to the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. They were to participate in the Sail Training Race with other sail training vessels. The Eagle had also been chosen to take part in Olympic Events in Kiel, Germany. It took 16 days to sail from New London to the Island of Wight, tying up at the Portsmouth Naval Yard Spit Head. The race started in the Solent River east of the Isle of Wight with two other Class A vessels, Bark Gorch Fock II and the Polish Training Ship Dar Pomorza. The course was mostly in the North Sea to the Northern tip of Denmark at the Skagens Rev Light Vessel, a 645-mile race to the windward. It was a challenging race for both vessels and crew. The Eagle finished third and within six hours of the winner, Dar Pomorza. A full account of the race was published in the Proceedings of the Naval Institute in February of 1974. The three training vessels traveled in tandem to Malmo, Sweden. Here they joined the fleet of vessels that raced from Helsinki, Finland. Sail training vessels flags participating were British, Dutch, French, German Polish and Swedish.

After Sweden, the Eagle sailed to the ancient walled port of Lubeck, Germany which was her homeport when she was the German Training Vessel Horst Wessel. They received a moving reception there. They were open daily to the public with visitors of former crew expressing their emotions outwardly to be onboard their old ship. Some wanted to see the engine room as their main engine was the original MAN diesel, the same engine used in German U Boats. From Lubeck they then traveled down the Trave River which was the dividing line between East and West Germany. To the east was a no man’s land and to the west was the resort port of Travamunde.

The Eagle was heading to the Bay of Kiel to join six other square rigged sailing vessels plus schooners and a fleet of some estimated 2,000 spectator vessels. The waterfront was in festival mode with beer tents, brass bands and all sorts of food as Kiel was hosting Olympic sailing and other water events. The festivities all came to a halt overnight when the violent terrorist attacks associated with the Munich Massacre occurred. Captain Cassidy addressed the crew and told them that they were departing soon and were not allowed ashore. The Academy Cadets were flown back to New London. Additional crew was added to the ranks of the Eagle, including two college age crews and several Navy sub mariners to round out the deck and engine room watches for the passage home. The Eagle then experienced the best sailing, driven by strong trade winds. They had stops in Lisbon and the island of Madeira in Portugal. Between Madeira and home, they encountered 12 hours of tropical storm conditions before arriving back in New London.

Nat’s next transatlantic passage began in August 1974 when he took a leave of absence from his job at Mystic Seaport to take a mate’s job on the 103-foot schooner Puritan for her passage to Palma, Mallorca. Along the way they visited Bermuda, traveled onto Horta in the Azores and the Strait of Gibraltar. This was the start of a 20-year relationship with the Puritan under three captains and two owners, both making her sails and helping crew racing in Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, Imperia, Italy and Saint Tropez. Puritan became one of the first Large Classic Yachts to race in the regattas in the Mediterranean. Another compelling adventure during this time involved being part of the crew of the Sheila Yeates when she became icebound off the coast of Greenland in the summer of 1989. For a full account, pictures and video footage go to https://americanlandscapegallery.com/1-3-4-ice-bound.

A former Puritan captain called Nat in March 1997 and said he had taken over the refit of the schooner yacht Mariette which was built in 1915-1916 by Nathaniel Herreshoff. After refit she was to enter the Atlantic Challenge Race from Sandy Hook to the Lizard Light in Cornwall, England. Nat was responsible for maintaining the sails and also to stand a watch. Ted Smith from Southport also sailed in this race, but on the William Fife ketch Sumurun. The Mariette also has a Boothbay Harbor connection as during World War II she served as a submarine patrol vessel and after the war she was laid up at Frank L. Sample’s Shipyard. Soon after she had a new owner with a new name of Gee Gee II with Captain Fuller Dunton of Boothbay Harbor as the sailing master. Sample’s Shipyard installed a new 130-foot hollow Marconi main mast and changed her rig into a staysail schooner.

Sailmaking remained a mainstay while Nat was on land in his Sail Loft in East Boothbay. He is most proud of the work that his loft did on making the sails for Old Ironsides. He was given the opportunity to sail on her three times. Another milestone achievement was working in partnership with North Cloth, which was the fabric division of North Sails. He and North Cloth developed a sailcloth named Oceanus which was designed for heavy displacement sailing vessels. It has proven to be a durable sailcloth with good sail shape retention and is now in its 28th year of production. Nat is proud to share a select list of the large sailing vessels that set sails built in his sail loft over the last 50 years in his loft: Iron Bark Elissa, Galveston, Texas, Barkentine Gazela of PHILADELPHIA, Schooner Lewis R. French, Topsail Schooner Shenandoah, Topsail Schooner Pride of Baltimore, Schooner American Eagle, Ship Mayflower II, Schooner Lady Maryland, Schooner Lettie G Howard, Schooner Victory Chimes, Schooner Harvey Gamage, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Whaling Ship Charles W. Morgan, USCG Bark Eagle, Gloucester Schooner Adventure, Schooner Yacht Puritan, Schooner Yacht Adventuress, Fife Ketch Bella Venture, NY-50 Spartan.

The Wilson Family’s maritime tradition has continued on with son Nat who was born in Boothbay Harbor in 1977 and at the early age of 6 months sailed with his parents to Barbuda from Antigua. This was a prelude of things to come. Growing up he sailed along the Maine coast and upon graduation from the Boothbay Region High School he took his first professional sailing job on the Tall Ship Rose as a deckhand. The Rose was located in Hawksnest Bay, St. John which enabled Nat Jr. to spend the winter sailing the Caribbean and then eventually returning to Bridgeport, Connecticut via Key West. That next summer he got his Maine Guide license for sea kayaking tours and ended up working at Tidal Transit near the Chowder House in downtown Boothbay Harbor. The following winter Nat jumped a one way flight to Fort Lauderdale looking for yacht work. Two weeks later he ended up in Venezuela, then sailed to Trinidad where he spent the winter before sailing back to Florida and returning to Maine in his newly bought Toyota truck. He worked between Maine and the islands for many years.

In 2005 Nat flew to Australia where he joined the schooner Adix in Sydney Harbor. He spent a few weeks there before departing for the Roaring Forties (the strong westerly winds in the Southern Hemisphere) and New Zealand. He spent six months in New Zealand before sailing to Bora Bora, Mora and then onto the Pitcairn Islands and the Galapagos. The voyage continued through the Panama Canal and commenced at Newport, Rhode Island.

After spending the summer cruising the Northeast, Nat Jr. then departed to Europe where he spent two years on classic sailing yachts before sailing to the Caribbean on the yacht Eleonora. From there he captained yachts including the 88-foot ketch Sincerity and the ketch Ticonderoga between the Caribbean and the Northeast on a regular basis. In 2016 Nat moved to Charleston, South Carolina and started a marine service company which repairs yachts. He continues to sail and explore new places via motorcycle with his travels taking him across the USA and most recently to Labrador.

Brother Eben Wilson was drawn to the water at an early age too as he says that with parents like his they were on the water from week one. By age 5 he was easily rowing small boats around. One summer at a small craft meet at the Maine Maritime Museum a man named Plat Monford saw Eben rowing the Whitehall around and thought he should design and build a lightweight skin on frame one for easier use. That led to the design called the Ebenezer Wilson which can still be bought on the WoodenBoat website. At age 8 Eben got his first lobster license and acquired his great-grandfather’s 1932 dory for a handshake. He fished with her for a few years rowing to his traps until he got a flat bottomed skiff with a 2.5 horsepower outboard. Over the next years Eben had several different boats for lobstering, gradually getting bigger until he bought a 32-foot Jonesporter when he was just out of high school. Sailing was always mixed into their adventures throughout the years as well as working in the Sail Loft with their father in the winter.

By his early 20s Eben was ready for a change and in December of 2007 he took all his lobster gear and boat to the Caribbean to get jobs on yachts. With his sail-making experience he landed a job working in the repair loft in English Harbor, Antigua. His brother Nat was also in the Caribbean at the same time working on the classic schooner Eleonora. That winter Eben was able to sail in five Caribbean regattas and then got a position for the race and delivery crew on the William Fife schooner Altair. The Altair and crew left Antigua in early May of 2008 and sailing to Scotland via Horta, Azores. That June they sailed in the William Fife regatta in the River Clyde. This and other experiences catapulted Eben into the classic yacht scene in the US and Europe. Eben has been back home since 2011 and has returned to lobstering full time, but he still races often and is connected with many programs and boats, most notably the Herreshoff New York 50 Spartan. He has been the Spartan’s primary rigger and sailmaker working along with his father Nat for 13 years. The Spartan is based in Palma, Mallorca. Eben and his wife now own their own classic yacht Zephyr which was built in East Boothbay at the P.E. Luke yard in 1961. It is a varnished hull Sparkman & Stephens Gulfstream 36. They take their girls sailing up and down the Maine coast throughout the summer.

Nat’s youngest son Nick spent a number of summers in high school and college on the sea working first as an apprentice on the Schooner Lewis R. French, and then as crew on the Schooners Shenandoah and American Eagle. After moving to San Francisco, he bought a classic 1940s Bear Boat and sailed all over San Francisco Bay with his soon to be wife Robin. He has continued to love sailing the family Herreshoff sloop when back in Maine.

Nat Sr. has now owned his boat Tarpon for 48 years come this June. Sailing in local waters with his wife Rhonda has given him the most enjoyment and he reports always making it home on a favorable tide. He hopes that his grandchildren will continue the sailing tradition as they grow.

It was a throw Kayden Ames anticipated for years. Since his days in middle school, Ames has wanted to break the Boothbay Region High School record in the discus. Entering his senior year, he had the third longest discus throw. Ames trailed Matt Brown’s 154-foot, 2-inch throw in 2001, and Shawn Gray’s 149-foot, 7-inch throw in 1990. 

But on May 25, all of that changed, as Ames threw the discus farther than any other Seahawk. During the Mountain Valley Conference championships, he unleashed a 157-foot, 3.5-inch throw. Ames is the defending discus state champion and had breaking the school record this spring as his top objective. Even though his personal best was nearly five feet off the school record, he believed it was possible. Ames had practice throws which exceeded Brown’s mark, but never in competition. “Matt Brown was a pretty big guy, but I think it’s attainable,” Ames said earlier this season.

Ames also set a personal best in the shot put. His 44-foot, nine-inch throw moved him from sixth to fourth on the school’s all-time list. He also won the MVC discus and shot-put individual championships with his new personal best throws.

Ames was joined by other Boothbay/Wiscasset track and field athletes who won their individual meet events: 4X800M and 4X100 relay teams, Boothbay/Wiscasset finished third in the boys’ championship with 85 points. Lisbon won with 135 points and Winthrop finished second with 100.

In the girls’ division, Boothbay/Wiscasset scored 40 and placed eighth. Lisbon won the girls’ championship with 128 points and Mountain Valley placed second with 78 points.

The following Boothbay/Wiscasset girls’ finished in the top six in their individual events: 4X800M relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 11:18.81, first; Lisbon, 11:22.75, second; 100M: Kayla Cooper, Lisbon, 13.31, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 13.93, fourth; 4X100M relay: Kents Hill, 55.62, first; Boothbay/Wiscasset, 55.68, fourth; 300M hurdles, Kiana Goldberg, Lisbon, 48.03, sixth; Emily Gilliam, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 57.36, sixth.

200M: Kayla Cooper, Lisbon, 28.05, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 29.34, third; 3,200M: Brooke Buottte, Mountain Valley, 12:31.0, first; Julia Truesdell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 13.48.3, fifth; 400M relay: Hall-Dale, 4:38.76, first; Boothbay/Wiscasset, 4:58.01, fifth; Discus Joselyn Smith, Mt. Abram, 87-07, first; Rose Campbell, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 77-09, third; Qiana Hyman, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 72-10; sixth.

In the boys’ division, the following Boothbay/Wiscasset athletes finished in the top six of their individual events. 4X800M relay team, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 9:08.74, first; Winthrop, 9:12.25, second; 110M hurdles: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 17.02, first, Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 18.3, third; Nate Benoit, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 19.24, sixth; 100M: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 11.58, first; Aidric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12.3, sixth; 1,600M race walk: Carter Butterfield, Mount Abram, 8:32.37, first; Ross Gaffney, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 12:33.08, fourth; 4X100M relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 47.26, first; Mountain Valley, 47.33, second; 300M hurdles: Emmett Mooney, Lisbon, 41.1, first; Alton King, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 46.7, fourth; 800M: James Cognata, Winthrop, 2:09.74, first; Bryan Gagnon, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 2:24.29, sixth; 200M: James Cognata, Winthrop, 23.38, first; Aidric Canada, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 25.01, sixth.

3,200M: Christopher Pottle, Winthrop, 10:55.98, first; Dominick Dow, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 11:44.7, fifth; 4X400M relay: Boothbay/Wiscasset, 3:48.69, first; Hall-Dale, 3:54.46, second. Discus: Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 157-03.5, first; Demetrius Clark, Lisbon, 130-11, second; shot put: Kayden Ames, Boothbay/Wiscasset, 44-09, first; Alden Brann, Mt. Abram, 42-08, second.

The boys’ and girls’ team members who qualified for the state meet will compete at Cony High School in Augusta on Saturday, June 3.

All the items on your boat the CG Auxiliary checks are the same items the active-duty Coast Guard or Marine Patrol will check if you’re stopped and boarded; if any item is missing, expired, worn out, or defective the Auxiliary member will give you a list showing the items you need to acquire or get up to requirements. No one else will receive copies of that list. It’s then up to you to get the listed items taken care of or not.

To see what’s covered in a Vessel Safety Check (VSC), go to the Flotilla 2-5 website http://www.flotilla25.org. and click on “Vessel Safety Checks” on the left side of the page.

If everything is onboard and in good shape, the vessel examiner will put a 2023 Vessel Safety Check sticker on your boat. That sticker is not a guarantee that you won’t get boarded by the Coast Guard or Marine Patrol anyway, but you won’t need to worry because everything is present and correct.

All hours are 9 a.m. to noon unless otherwise noted

June 3: Carousel Marina, Boothbay Harbor

June 10: Tugboat, Boothbay Harbor; Brown’s, Boothbay Harbor; Direcktor/Robinhood, Georgetown

June 17: Boothbay Harbor Marina, Boothbay Harbor; Kennebec Tavern Marina, Bath

June 24: Bowdoinham Town Dock; Richmond Town Dock 1 to 3 p.m.

June 25: Hodgdon Yacht Services/Marina, Southport

If you can’t make it to one of these locations, you can arrange a VSC by visiting the link: https://wow.uscgaux.info/i_want_a_vsc/index.php

When the form is submitted, CG Auxiliary vessel examiners in your area will be notified and will contact you to set up an appointment.

Finding out too late that your fire extinguisher is dead, or your navigation lights are out, can be dangerous and expensive. AfFree Vessel Safety Check can be both a money and life saving plan.

Midcoast Maine has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, but that beauty can hide hazards that can quickly ruin your day on the water. A rocky and unforgiving coastline, strong tides, and rapidly changing weather can conspire to make even the most experienced mariner opt to stay ashore.

U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 2-5, based at Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor, is offering a course that will make you a smarter and safer boater.

“Suddenly in Command” addresses issues that may arise if you encounter situations on the water that require a working knowledge o f Emergency Communications, Basic Navigation, Boat Handling, and Anchoring, as well as an overview of the items that are legally required to be aboard your boat.

Registration/information: The course offered through Zoom so summer and year-round residents can take the course. It will be held on June 20 and 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 each night. Contact David Eastwood at 207-633-4748 or davidbeastwood@gmail.com to register or to get more information.

Paddlers for Hearty Roots’ (HR) Paddle for a Purpose fundraiser fought low temperatures, wind, rain and choppy waters Saturday June 3 as they paddled five miles down the Damariscotta River, from Damariscotta Town Landing to Glidden Point Oyster Farm. “It took true grit to paddle today, but they turned out,” said HR’s executive director, Haley Bezon.

The Paddle for a Purpose fundraiser, now in its second year, is supported by over a dozen businesses and sponsors, and over 30 businesses, artists and people donated items for the silent and live auctions held at the after party.

Last year, paddlers with big hearts donated $20,000 to help kids “Get off the Grid and Into Their Hearts,” said Shannon Parker, HR capital campaign coordinator. The second annual event is expected to bring more when amounts are tallied. 

Artist Nate Garrett of South Portland demonstrated his Gyotaku painting. Gyo means fish and taku means to rub, in Japanese, he explained. Gyotaku is believed to have originated in the 1800s as a means for Japanese anglers to record their catches. Ink is applied to fish, then rice paper is used to make a print. Garrett traveled to Glidden Point the week prior to the event to handpick five oysters which he painted and framed and contributed to the auction. “I believe in using art to drive community, help and support,” he said.

Awards went to paddlers of note: The “Spirit Paddle,” to Molly Thibault for her fun and flare, and cheerful outlook despite a brief, unexpected swim. Thibault, a member of Southport’s Little Dippers, also took a midnight full moon cold plunge later that day; Danielle Young received the “Smelled All the Roses” award, also known as the slowest paddler; Maxine Zehn, “Youngest Paddler”; and Gus Bezon won the first place “Speedy Gonzales” award.

HR sold out its 100 paddle spots, and 145 attended the after party.

Primo Cubano filled the event with energetic salsa-vibe dance music. Larry Sidelinger, executive director of Lincoln County Television, was MC. Teenager and self-professed “Hearty Roots Biggest Fan” Corrine Rogers gave the opening speech to kick off the after party. “I’ve been hanging out with Hearty Roots for three years now. I keep coming back because it’s bussin’. I know ya’ll don’t know what bussin’ means, bussin’ is hard to explain but it means that you love it so much that you want to do it over and over and over,” she said. “I love Hearty Roots because Ms. Haley Bezon is a kind, loving and confident ‘gangster.’ She’ll do anything to make you feel happy, loved and confident.”

Boothbay/Wiscasset track and field won Class C State Championships in boys’ discus, shot put and the 4x400M relay races June 5. The team celebrated those victories and other team accomplishments during the June 5 season-ending banquet held at Wiscasset Middle High School. The boys’ team placed sixth in the state championship meet and the girls finished 26th. Coaches Nick Scott and Josiah Winchenbach praised all the team members for outstanding seasons and living up to their potential. “It was a really enjoyable season with a fantastic group of kids. They worked hard, and it was a pleasure coming to practice each day,” said Boothbay coach Nick Scott. 

The team entered this spring with an experienced boys’ team which included seven seniors and an inexperienced girls’ squad with several freshmen who posted strong seasons. “You enter each season with minimal expectations and hard work results in athletes exceeding those early expectations,” Winchenbach said.

For senior Kayden Ames, Championship Saturday went as expected along with one big surprise. Ames captured his second consecutive state championship in the discus. He has trained for years under the tutelage of his mother Angel Ames, who won three girls’ discus state championships in the 1980s. The championship Kayden did not expect was the shot put. He entered the meet seeded third. “My previous best was 44 (feet) and two other guys had thrown 45, but the weather probably had a big effect,” he said. “I think they under-performed due to the cold and wet conditions.” 

The other state championship came in the 4x400M relay. Team members included Bryan Gagnon, Payton Blagdon, Aidric Canada and Austin Trask.

Scott and Winchenbach presented team awards for MVP, most improved, and coaches. Each award was presented to male and female athletes. MVP: Rose Campbell and Bryan Gagnon. Most Improved: Bailey Lewis and Alton King. Coach’s: Emily Gilliam and Austin Trask. Two other special awards were presented: Payton Bladgon received the Hammer Award and Kayden Ames won the Competitor Award.

American Legion Post 36 in Boothbay is supporting the new 19U baseball team for the Lincoln County area. 

David Patch, a representative from Post 36, said, “One of the four pillars of the American Legion is Children and Youth because the Legion recognizes that our future freedoms will come from today’s youth. Legion baseball is one program that develops teamwork, character, and the spirit of Americanism.”
 
The new team, called the “36ers” and composed of high school players ages 15-19 years, competes against baseball teams from southern Maine. The roster consists of players from Wiscasset Middle High School, Lincoln Academy and Boothbay Region High School. The baseball season will start in the middle part of June.

The American Legion Baseball program is committed to give players an opportunity to develop their skills, personal fitness, and leadership qualities.

Robin Ford, Post 36 Commander, advocates for youth mentor programs in our communities and strongly supports the Legion Baseball program. 

John Splaine, a coach elaborated, “Senior Legion baseball is an opportunity for high school aged players to play beyond just the high school season. It’s an opportunity to hone skills learned during school ball and have some fun with friends during the summer break.”

The coaches and volunteers include Adam Harkins, Kasey Arrowsmith John Splaine, Steve Markowitz, Jason Putnam and Patrick Sanborn.

The team’s schedule will be posted on the American Legion Post 36 website, www.post36maine.org

The home games will be played at Sherman Field, Boothbay Region High School, during the summer evenings. 

Patch concluded, “Our Post is excited to now be part of this proud tradition.”

Ahoy, Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days (WJD) fans! The 61st event is near and the Friends of Windjammer Days are now nailing down the final few details.

The Festival begins Sunday, June 25 and concludes Saturday, July 1. Events include the Blessing of the Fishing Fleet, Boothbay’s Got Talent, Lobster Eating Contest, Cod Fish Relay Races, mayhem with the Pirates of the Dark Rose, Tug of War Across the Harbor (new footbridge permitting), Harbor Aglow and the Lighted Boat Parade, Fireworks, Rock Skipping Contest, Artists’ Alley, activities at Maine State Aquarium (June 28), Crab Cake Cook-off, Vintage Boat Parade & Pier Party (at Bristol Marine), Merry Barn’s “Stories of the Sea and Sea Shanties” with Castlebay, Meet and Greet with the region’s Maritime Explorers we have all been reading about, activities for the kids at Kids Alley, Windjammers For Wee Mateys and the all-new Carnival, and American Ghost Walks tours at night.

Local windjammers participating in the Gathering of the Fleet on Wednesday, June 28 are Eastwind, Applejack and Tyrone, to be joined by visiting ships Heritage, Grace Bailey, Sycamore, Eagle, Isabella, Alert, True North, When & If, Maine’s First Ship Virginia, Thomas E. Lannon, and the new vessel in town, Valora. Capt. Doug Goldhirsch owns the Sharpie schooner, 55 feet overall.

The Oliver Hazard Perry will be docked in the Harbor, location TBD. The Isaac H. Evans, though not sailing this season, will be festively festooned for Windjammer Days at Bristol Marine where she is docked.

Many of the vessels are available for private charter. Visit www.boothbayharborwindjammerdays.org for details. The website is also the place to buy tickets to the Crab Cake Cook-Off (Monday, June 26), Vintage Boat Pier Party (Friday, June 30), and “Come Skip, Tug and Be Merry” at the Chowder House (Wednesday, June 28). Don’t wait. They are going fast!

Chefs from Carriage House, McSeagull’s, Brady’s, and Boothbay Harbor Inn will compete in this year’s Crab Cake Cook-Off. Sharon Rose/WCSH-6, Rob Caldwell/News Center Maine and 207 newscast, and Boothbay’s Cherie “Mumbai to Maine” Scott will judge the tasty morsels. Proceeds will be split evenly between Friends of WJD and Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

The “Come Skip, Tug and Be Merry” at the Chowder House, 22 Granary Way, event tickets include food by the Carriage House restaurant, and more. Visit Maine Association of Lobstermen’s information table while you are there.

Ticket pricing for the Pier Party after the Vintage Boat Parade at Bristol Marine,120 Commercial St., includes one drink ticket, food by Ralph Smith and music by Dave and Chris Gagne; and many of the vintage beauties you ooohed and ahhed over earlier will be docked there. 

Boothbay’s Got Talent, the Festival’s youth talent competition, returns to a live format this year and is outside at Whale Park on Commercial Street. Come to the stage there by 6 p.m. Monday, June 26 and be prepared to have your mind blown by the talent and poise of these young people. 

Street Parade news: The entire staff of Boothbay Region Elementary School will be Grand Marshals in recognition of their perseverance and dedication in the aftermath of the flooding that occurred at the school during winter vacation in February. Street Parade (Wednesday, June 28) applications – for floats, bands, walkers, etc – are at Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce at 192 Townsend Ave. You can also download one at https://bit.ly/3zYczDp

Update: The Kayak Poker Run, slated for Saturday, July 1, has been canceled.

In addition to the official WJD T-shirts, light gray stadium micro fleece blankets are 50” x 60” with the Windjammer Days logo in the center. These items, maps, the Boothbay Register’s Windjammer Days guides, signup for lobster eating and relay races, and more will be at the Friends of WJD tent in Whale Park Tuesday, June 27 and Wednesday, June 28.

Check out the local boat company schedules for special cruises out to see the windjammers sailing in Linekin Bay on Tuesday and Wednesday before they are bound for the Harbor.

Stop by Windjammer Emporium on Pier 1, owned by Friends of WJD co-founders Mark and Dianne Gimbel, and the special Windjammers display there. And while you are there, do not miss the impressive presentation of the region’s maritime history that has been in the Emporium since its opening. 

The region’s largest, longest and well-loved festival is almost here. The Boothbay Register’s full-color Boothaby Harbor WJD guide has been published and will be appearing at local businesses downtown. In Tuesday, June 27 and Wednesday, June 28, the guides will be at the Friends of Windjammer Days (FWJD) tent on the waterfront.

To stay up-to-date on all things Windjammer Days, visit www.boothbayharborwindjammerdays.org and the Register’s special page on it at www.boothbayregister.com. Just look for the cover featuring FWJD member Kim Gillies’ photo of the region’s schooners Eastwind and Applejack!

The 18th annual Healthy Kids’ Shortcake Shuffle 5K and 3K Fitness Walk will take place at the Great Salt Bay Community School in Damariscotta on Saturday, July 8.

An out and back course is well marked, and the race is professionally timed. The age categories for the 5K have been expanded to include children ages 1-5, 6-9, 10-13, 14-16 and 17-19 as so many young people are running the event. Adult age categories are 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. All participants will receive a custom runner’s water bottle and lip balm with sunscreen and as always, home-made strawberry shortcake will be served and prizes awarded!

All proceeds go to the Healthy Kids child abuse prevention programs. We are thankful for this year’s major race sponsors: Kieve/Wavus Education, Bath Savings Institution, and Renys. Strawberry level donors are Hannaford of Damariscotta, Lifespan Family Healthcare and Newcastle Realty.

Pre-registration is $27.50 or $35 the day of the race. To pre-register, visit https://www.running4free.com/RaceDetails.aspx?raceid=125 or visit our website to make a donation at www.healthykidsmaine.org. For more information, call 563-1818.

Her name is Honor Sage. She spoke June 8 in Alna’s fire station in a nearly four-hour hearing on Ralph Hilton’s ethics complaint against First Selectman Ed Pentaleri in connection with the town’s ongoing court effort to remove Jeff Spinney’s boat ramp.

Sage said she was seeing a lot of note-taking and lawyers taking issue with things – doing their jobs but in the process, she said, “It took this town to a whole new level.

“Before that, we were handling ourselves, maybe not all that well, but this is terrible. And I’m afraid that if the selectboard doesn’t do what this group wants it to do ... they’re going to come back saying ... ‘We’re going to sue you,’ or ‘We’re going to take you to it,’ and this is going to go on and on and on ... This town is better than this. I know it is. I know all of you are.” She praised Second Selectman Steve Graham and Third Selectman Coreysha Stone as doing a terrific job presiding over the hearing.

As for Pentaleri, Sage said, “He was elected twice, folks. The second time, everybody knew where he was on all the issues. And he was overwhelmingly voted in again.” She thinks he is doing a lot of good things for Alna, “and I think the town, I’m sorry, Ralph, but I think the town recognizes that,” she said.

Had the hearing been a trial, much of Hilton’s ethics complaint might have been torn apart, Graham said. He did not find Pentaleri was spending town funds to serve his interests in the ramp matter. 

But Graham and Stone said the appearance of bias is, according to their research, as important as actual bias in a board member’s determining when to recuse himself. They cited a 2007 Liz Chapman article they said made that point in the Maine Municipal Association publication Maine Townsman. Due to what Stone and Graham said was the possible appearance of bias on Pentaleri’s part, the two decided to censure him, and said from now on, they will handle the court matters over Spinney’s boat ramp without Pentaleri. 

Asked for comment on the hearing’s outcome, Pentaleri said via e-mail June 9, he was really proud of “how far Alna's municipal government has come in the last several years. I'm proud to have championed Alna's first-ever Code of Ethics and Conduct, and I'm proud of my colleagues Steve and Coreysha for the diligence they exercised in reaching a difficult but principled decision. There is more to do, and I look forward to continuing to work with both of them.”

Hilton referred Wiscasset Newspaper to his attorney, Benjamin Smith of Augusta, for comment. Smith said in a phone interview June 9, “I think Ralph and I appreciate the board’s time and consideration at last night’s hearing. Obviously Mr. Hilton took a different view (on) the process that he was given, but ultimately it appears that the board found in favor of at least one of the issues that he had raised.”

Smith added, he and Hilton look forward to the board’s written findings. “And at that point we can decide whether or not they reflect what the board had communicated” in the hearing, he said. Asked about any potential steps if Hilton and he took issue with anything, Smith declined comment at this time.

In the hearing, Smith repeatedly took issue with the board’s blocking of his attempts to speak, including his doing the questioning of Spinney’s lawyer, Kristin Collins, as a witness. That was for Hilton to do, and Hilton could consult with Smith but Smith was to speak to Hilton, not to the gathering, Graham and Stone said. They discussed that part of the protocol with residents a week earlier. June 8, Smith said Hilton was entitled to have a representative. 

Stone suggested Smith could walk over to Hilton and “make your suggestions quietly.”

“That’s not how attorneys act,” Smith said.

An attorney stands in the shoes of his client, Collins said.

Graham – retired after practicing law almost 50 years, according to Wiscasset Newspaper files – said he and Stone were not looking for a lecture on procedure, “as you would do in court. This is not a court of law ...”

The hearing included praise for Pentaleri’s character and service from some; rebuke from others, over his involvement in the ramp litigation as a selectman after he appealed the ramp’s approval while he was off the board; and the statements and attempted statements by Spinney’s and Hilton’s lawyers. 

Graham limited the comments of Collins as a witness. When Graham blocked her from recapping the ramp matter, but let her otherwise speak, Collins said he had interrupted her so many times, she was not sure what she had been going to say. The board later let Collins speak during public comment. 

Collins said, before Pentaleri came into office, the last word she got from the town was its request to formalize a prior selectboard’s settlement agreement allowing the ramp. The next communication she received, after he was elected, was to remove the ramp, Collins said. When it was his turn, Pentaleri noted the board’s enforcement decision was made before his service began. And since then, the only board vote he has taken part in on the Spinney litigation was the April one to appeal a Superior Court decision to Maine Supreme Judicial Court – a move he said could, if successful, help end the town’s costs in the matter.

Hilton said, when Pentaleri was the selectman in contact with the town attorney, “he was driving the bus, and not putting the town’s interests ahead of his own ... He’s waged an all out legal war using taxpayers’ dollars.” Pentaleri said other selectmen were in the loop, seeing documents and being able to ask questions, which they did, he added.

To Hilton’s claims about Pentaleri’s involvement in Sheepscot River Legal Defense Fund, Pentaleri said he only opened the fund’s post office box so there would be one to include on the Fund’s website he was creating. And creating the website did not make him a representative, he said. He noted he also created a website for the town, and ones for Fund to Support Historic Alna and Albee Farming. Selectmen gave him the Spirit of America award for creating the town’s site, he added.

Stone commended Hilton for showing bravery, and she said Pentaleri is a committed community member with a quality “very rare in leadership,” a willingness to say if he has made a mistake.

A letter Beth Whitney read from Doug Baston, one of the then-selectmen who settled with Spinney on the ramp, described tensions between Pentaleri and Spinney and between Pentaleri and Spinney’s wife, then-first selectman Melissa Spinney, as “obvious to the public in every encounter.”

Planning Board Chair Jim Amaral called Pentaleri fantastic and diligent, but recommended, to avoid the appearance of bias, Pentaleri be involved in none of the selectboard’s deliberations on the Spinney matter.

And a letter Mike Trask read from Tom McKenzie, still code enforcement officer when Pentaleri was elected to his current term, said he believes Pentaleri is spending town money not in the town’s best interest, but in the interest of a small group of residents. McKenzie said all of Pentaleri’s actions while a selectman should be questioned, and said he fully supported Hilton’s complaint.

Trask and others questioned the need to spend large sums on legal costs; some recalled when previous boards have decided not to.

Some speakers wondered how any resident with an opinion could serve the town, if it can be taken as bias or the appearance of it. Katy Papagiannis said Pentaleri did not serve on the planning or appeals boards and vote on the ramp; he was elected to the selectboard, where he has taken part in its duty to enforce other town boards’ decisions, she said. “There are so many people who dislike each other, personally, that you could never be able to serve again,” she said and began looking about, eliciting some laughter among attendees. “You would never be able to serve again. No one would be able to do anything, any sort of movement at all.”

Former selectman Linda Kristan, who with then-selectman Charles Culbertson voted to pursue the ramp’s removal, read a letter from Culbertson. In it, Culbertson “reject(ed) all accusations” in Hilton’s complaint Culbertson described as a “work of fiction riddled with conspiracy theories...”

Then, Kristan spoke for herself and she, too, refuted points in the complaint. She recalled the enforcement decision was made in consultation with town counsel, and she understood the gravity of pursuing legal action,“but I believed then and I believe now, that it’s important to enforce our town’s ordinances.” She added, she was and is capable of making an informed, independent decision. And she said, as Pentaleri did, he was not serving on the board when she and Culbertson took that vote.

The season opener of Maine lobster boat racing season 2023 shifts into high gear Saturday, June 17 in Boothbay Harbor with the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races.

Boat captains can sign up at Brown’s Wharf on Atlantic Avenue between 9 and 10 a.m. There is an entry fee of $20, but that fee will be waived for boat captains 18 or under to encourage younger participation in the event. The races start at 10 a.m. 

Ashleeann Lowery has been organizing the Boothbay Harbor races for well over a decade and has been a member of the racing committee since 2007. For Lowery, this year has already been special because the race committee was able to award four seniors with a Charlie Begin Memorial Scholarship Fund award of $1,000.

“In the past we’ve done two $500 scholarships, but this year we could do thousand-dollar scholarships for four students, which was really cool and fun. It’s been my favorite part of this year,” said Lowery who presented the scholarships to graduating seniors Ryan Clark, Savannah Compare, Emily Densmore, and Eric Maki.

This year’s commemorative T’s and sweatshirts are gray with the logo on front and sponsors on the back. T’s are $20 and sweatshirts are $35. They will be available for purchase at 8 a.m. at the signup table at Brown’s Wharf.

In 2021 and 2022, Andrew Taylor/Blue Eyed Girl won the Fastest Working Lobster Boat race traveling at 47.2 mph. He also took first place in the Diesel Free For All in 2022 with a speed of 48.8 mph. Will he return? Will Blue Eyed Girl retain her title of Fastest Working Lobster Boat in 2023?

“I heard, although you never know until these guys show up,” said Lowery, “but I heard David Taylor’s Misty was re-powered this year, and that just might give Blue Eyed Girl a little run for her money.”

Lowery will be on the prize float where awards will be given for first, second and third place in all races except the Free For All Races which offer a first prize only. This year captains entering a “fastest boat” category will receive a $250 (increase of $50 over 2022) prize or a gift certificate of comparable value.

“When you see all these kids on board and younger captains racing, you’re reminded that there’s more to it than the racing. We’re a family,” said Lowery.

There is nothing quite like the sounds of racing lobster boats and the screams and laughter of the passengers as they are showered with wake! If you cannot get on a boat yourself, the race course is in front of Tumbler Island toward the finish line at Maine State Aquarium on McKown Point Road in West Boothbay Harbor. Other spots on land are on the east side, at Brown’s Wharf and at Whale’s Tale next door.

As one Alna boat ramp issue continues, another has emerged. And part of the talk June 15 was on its potential impact on the older issue.

The older matter, involving Jeff Spinney’s boat ramp off Golden Ridge Road, has gone through the town’s planning, appeals and selectboards and is now in the courts. The new issue is on the other end of town, at Pinkham Pond. According to officials and other residents at the selectmen’s meeting held at the town office and on Zoom, an area once consisting of dirt and rock recently got more rocks when the town had work done near a dry hydrant and on Bailey Road’s edges that were falling apart.

First Selectman Ed Pentaleri said the planned fixes to the road edges and dry hydrant area came after a pair of April road committee meetings, one of them at Pinkham Pond to view the dry hydrant site. He was later surprised to hear from Maine Department of Environmental Protection, which had received a complaint about work at the pond. 

Pentaleri shared an email from DEP’s Cameron Dufour, referring to a complaint “of a fill being placed on town property on Pinkham Pond possibly to create a boat launch. I am not aware of any permits for activities in this area,” Dufour wrote. “Please advise what the town’s plans are for this disturbance.” And Third Selectman Coreysha Stone said there has been a complaint the newly lain rocks are course on feet and tires. 

Removing the material might do more harm than good, since the spot “looked like it needed work,” past selectman David Abbott said.

Second Selectman Steve Graham said he was worried how the town handles the matter could factor into the town’s litigation with Spinney over his ramp. Although people tried to take notes in the rain April 17, “clearly there was a lack of clear understanding among people that say they were there (and) what I worry most about from (tonight’s) conversation ... is if we go back and try to permit what’s been done, I can tell you ... it’s going to come back at me. It’s going to come back at us, in connection with the (Spinney) litigation.”

Recollections differed on the plans that came out of the April 17 road committee meeting. Pentaleri said this is why he likes to do requests for proposals: They help ensure a common understanding, he said. And past road commissioner Mike Trask said selectmen’s meetings, which are recorded, are the place to assign roadwork. Said Trask, “Now you have this program you’re running now where he said, she said, nobody knows.”

To Graham’s concern, Chris Cooper said Spinney is going to “hunt you guys to the gates of hell, one way or another,” and right now the thing to do is get a permit for the work done at the pond. Getting a permit after the fact happens all the time, might mean a fine for the town, and will do the least damage to the water body everyone purports to love, Cooper said. 

Selectmen will consult with DEP.

Also June 15, selectmen heard from Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission about grants that can be sought to plan and fund climate action. And Tom Aldrich said Alna’s food bank got an anonymous donation of about 150 pounds of chicken and ground beef. 

Midcoast Conservancy and the Sheepscot Knotweed Project invite intrepid tubers to join them for a float down the beautiful Sheepscot River in Alna on Saturday, July 1, starting at 12:30 p.m. The group will enjoy the scenery while getting a fish-eye view of the problematic knotweed growing along the river bank. There will be opportunities to ask the organizers questions about managing knotweed and informational handouts to help anyone tackle knotweed on their own property. There are two take-out options so participants can choose a shorter or longer float. Option one is about a mile, option two is about 1.5 miles. Timing will depend on water level so tubers should prepare to spend 1.5-2.5 hours total. Participants need to bring their own tubes when they come to learn, float, and have fun!

Anyone with questions is welcome to reach out to the Sheepscot Knotweed Project at sheepscotknotweedproject@gmail.com. Anyone interested in learning more about managing Knotweed can join their mailing list and keep an eye out for a Knotweed Management Workshop at the end of the summer!

Put-in will be at the Head Tide Dam in Alna (across from Head Tide Church Road).

Shuttles will be provided from the two take out locations on Route 194 back to the parking at Head Tide Dam. Participants are asked to arrive by 12:15 p.m. so everyone can get started at the same time! To register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events-list/sheepscot-knotweed-float.

The Boothbay Region 36ers’ season started with a bang June 20 when right fielder Gryffin Kristan hit a home run in the second inning. Boothbay was trailing, 2-0, and the 36ers’ clean-up hitter led off the inning. This was Kristan’s first home run at Sherman Field after playing two seasons for the local high school team. “It felt pretty good,” he said commenting about the blast to right-center field. “I’ve been waiting to do that for a while. The first pitch was a fast ball a little high. So I figured he would come back into the zone with the next pitch, and I would slap it to the right.” 

Boothbay took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning on a throwing error which scored two runs, but in the end, the Central Maine Riverkings won, 6-3. Despite the loss, Boothbay manager Adam Harkins believed it was a good start for the new team. “They are a good team comprised of mostly 19 year olds. Our team is young with a lot of 16 to 17 year olds. We stayed with them the whole way, and it looks like a promising season,” he said.

This is the first American Legion baseball season in about two decades in the Boothbay region. This year’s team draws players from Boothbay, Wiscasset, Oceanside, Lincoln Academy, Lisbon and Brunswick. The team is sponsored by Post 36 in Boothbay and plays in the southern division which has seven teams. Boothbay will play 14 games followed by the playoffs this summer. The 36ers have 12 pitchers which should bode well for them with two to three games per week. Jimmy Fitzsimmons of Lisbon was the 36ers’ starting pitcher in the first game. He is a familiar face to Boothbay. Fitzsimmons was the winning pitcher during the high school season versus Boothbay and closed out the Greyhounds’ 2-1 playoff victory over the Seahawks in the Class C South preliminary round. 

Harkins is pleased with a well-rounded line-up filled with players from up and down the Midcoast. "When it came time to look for players, we were glad Jimmy was available,” Harkins said. “Not only is he an outstanding pitcher, he is also a great hitter who had three hits against us in the high school playoff game.”

Fitzsimmons pitched five innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs versus Central Maine. He struck out seven and walked two. Jacob Watkinson pitched two innings, allowing two hits and no runs. On offense, Fitzsimmons had a single; Kristan homered and singled. 

Two nights later, Boothbay nearly scored its first win against the Erskine Area Senior Legion team. Boothbay traveled to China and scored three runs in the first inning, but lost 8-7. Kristan pitched the final three innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked four. Starting pitcher Duncan Oakes Nelson pitched 1.1innings, allowing one hit and three earned runs. Connor Calderwood relieved him and pitched one inning, allowing two hits and two runs. Aiden Sanborn pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing no runs on two hits. On offense, the 36ers had eight hits: Calderwood had three, Maddox Cusumano had two, and Finn Harkins, Kristan and Oakes-Nelsen had one each.

This year’s team has six players from Oceanside High School in Rockland. Oakes Nelsen will play for Husson College next fall, but four others, Taygan MacAllister, Jacob Watkinson, Bryson Mattox and Alex Bartlett, will return to the Rockland school for their senior season. Calderwood  attends Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. All Northern Division American Legion teams were full, so these players looked south for an opportunity to play. Most have not played since Oceanside’s June 10 loss in the Class B North Maine high school quarterfinals. 

Other local players include Sam Markowitz, Cleyton Splaine, Trey Tibbetts and Liam Jacobs.

“We struggled a little bit against the Riverkings, but we haven’t played since the Lawrence game,” said MacAllister, who was the catcher versus the Riverkings. “It’s great to play with a new group of players and I’m very excited to play this season. It’s really not that far and is worth the travel. I just love playing baseball.”

Mattox is waiting to see his first Legion action. He injured his wrist in Oceanside’s playoff win versus Cony playing third base. “I dove for the ball and bent my wrist backwards. I have a doctor’s appointment on June 27 and I’m hoping to receive some good news,” he said. Mattox is also a pitcher who is looking forward to playing ball. “Duncan (Oakes Nelsen) told us there was potential to play Legion ball this summer, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The 36ers’ next game is at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 26 versus Capital Area in Augusta.

While most other race tracks in the Northeast canceled their weekly programs on Saturday due to inclement weather, Wiscasset Speedway decided to roll the dice and move forward with their Group 2 racing program. It was a success as the track was able to get in all four weekly divisions before the skies opened up.

Pat Murphy and Daniel Harding both won their qualifying heat races in the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model division. Murphy held the early advantage in the 40-lap feature as Frank Moulton and Chris Burgess battled it out for second behind him. Trouble was brewing behind the leaders as Tiger Colby and Alex Waltz collided on lap 9, resulting in a caution. Race leader Pat Murphy made the decision to head to the pits under caution due to radio issues, ultimately forfeiting his lead.

Chris Burgess powered to the lead on the restart and began to pull away. Meanwhile, Brett Osmond and Daniel Harding collided while battling for third on lap 19. The two cars got locked together, resulting in another mid-race caution. Chris Burgess held strong on the restart and maintained his lead after another quick caution on lap 21. Patrick Murphy was also back on the charge in the second half of the race, breaking the top 3 on lap 24.

Chris Burgess and Will Collins went head to head on a late restart with two laps to go. Sylas Ripley took a hard spin on the restart, miraculously avoiding contact with any of his competitors and the wall. This brought out one final caution. Burgess and Collins squared up again on the final restart and it was a fight to the finish. The drivers came to the line door to door, but Burgess merely edged him out with a .035 margin of victory. This was Chris Burgess’ first career Late Model victory at Wiscasset. Pat Murphy, Daniel Harding and Brent Roy rounded out the top 5.

Jeremy Glazier pulled away with the early lead in the 25-lap feature for the Portland Glass Strictly Streets. A spin on lap 11 brought the field back together but Glazier maintained his advantage on the restart. Drivers behind him began to stack up and Zach Emerson and Ashton Burgess went door to door for third. The two drivers made contact, resulting in Burgess going for a spin.

Jeremy Glazier maintained command on the restart and extended his lead to a full 2 seconds with just 3 laps to go. He continued his dominance through the closing laps, picking up his first feature victory at the track in 14 years. Mac Hannan Jr., Calab Emerson-Mains, Wade Kennedy and Dan McKeage Jr. rounded out the top five.

The night concluded with a 30-lap feature for the T&L Automotive Modifieds. Ryan Ripley powered to the early lead but a spin by Faith Cleaves brought the field back together on lap 9. Ripley remained steadfast on the restart, pulling away from his competitors. Multi-time champion Adam Chadbourne was also on the move, clearing Scott Trask for third on lap 15. Rookie Garritt McKee Jr. faced mechanical troubles on lap 18, followed by a spin.

Ryan Ripley and Wayne Whitten squared up on the restart, but Ripley was able to maintain his edge. He sailed off into the sunset, picking up his third feature victory of the season in the Modifieds. Wayne Whitten, Adam Chadbourne, Nick Reno and Scott Trask rounded out the top five.

Note: Wiscasset Speedway also hosted the Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Mini’s on Saturday night. Following an unfortunate on-track incident and subsequent elongated red flag on lap 7 of their feature race, track ownership elected to park this division for the remainder of the night. There will be no official results from this race.

Wiscasset Speedway fought the rain on Saturday night and they won. The track is looking forward to putting the rain in the rearview and focusing on Group 1 Fan Appreciation Night this coming Saturday, July 1. The driver autograph session and kid’s bike races will take place at 4 p.m., followed by a full race program at 5.

For the official track schedule, race results and more, please visit http://www.wiscassetspeedway.com. 

And they’re off and sailing! On Monday, June 19, Boothbay Sea and Science Center (BSSC) launched its first week of programming at their new campus on Linekin Bay. Moving to a new site at the property where the Fuller and Carter families have lived and lobstered for more than 200 years was a tremendous feat and one that would not have been possible without Pauline Dion’s leadership and a whole community of staff and volunteers supporting BSSC.

The first “shake-down” week was a terrific success with a fully enrolled program. Last week, many neighbors and fellow boaters were excited to see BSSC participants sailing the center-board Turnabout dinghies and Precision-15 fixed keel around the bay. BSSC is thankful for Bradley Simmons who will be helping out by setting moorings for the Center’s two 23-foot fixed keel Sonar sloops. As soon as those moorings are set, BSSC staff are looking forward to bringing the Sonars over from The Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor to the new facility for even more sailing fun!

Thanks to a generous donation from Resource Access International (RAI), LLC, BSSC will soon have an 18-foot 1994 Eastern Classic center console power boat that is fully equipped for setting and hauling BSSC’s noncommercial lobster traps. They also gave BSSC a large lab freezer for storing marine samples. This is a wonderful contribution to the hands-on science that takes place at BSSC each week. Learning about lobstering, and fisheries in general, has long been integral to BSSC. In previous years, Linekin Bay based lobstermen Butch Brewer and Nicholas and Andrew Morley came to the Center to teach about the industry that has been the life-blood of the community for generations.

If the chitter-chatter of the program participants is any indication, they are thrilled to explore the inter-tidal zone that is integral to the Center’s new location. Before they approach the shore, they learn how to be respectful of the sea creatures that inhabit the shoreline, how to carefully gather the special creatures that they find, and how to handle them for temporary observation.

While staff and students alike hope for sunshine and steady breezes, BSSC offers a variety of activities throughout the day regardless of the weather, both indoors and outdoors. Students engage in on-campus educational activities for part of the day. The indoor facilities, including a large Boat Shed and two tents, provide plenty of space for kids to do projects in inclement weather or sometimes even while taking a break from the sun! There are art supplies and even a reading nook. Participants gather in the tents to learn foundations of sailing and then spend time on the water sailing and rowing. BSSC staff are looking forward to restarting a fun part of the program in which each participant creates a journal, drawing and writing about lessons learned from the day.

After a terrific opening week at the new Boothbay Sea and Science Center (BSSC) campus on Linekin Bay, staffers and campers alike are excited at the start of Week Two topic “The Sea that we See.” Participants will be integrating art and observations of the shoreline at BSSC’s special new home.

The youth programs at BSSC fill up fast! The program is committed to inclusive, experiential learning and provides financial assistance to qualifying families. Please visit the website for more detailed program information at https://boothbayseaandsciencecenter.org/ and/or email your question to info@boothbayseaandsciencecenter.org

The pirates of Boothbay Harbor defended their home port June 28 against an invading band of rival pirates. After hurling insults and gunpowder fire, the ragtag home crew clashed with the marauders. In a matter of minutes, the Battle for Boothbay Harbor was over. The invaders were sent back thoroughly beaten, and the harbor was safe once again. 

Franklin County scored runs in bunches June 29 beating host Boothbay 36ers, 16-1, at Sherman Field. Franklin scored four in the first, two in the second, four in the fourth and six in the fifth. In total, Franklin scored 16 runs on 11 hits. Boothbay scored its only run in the third inning on a Jimmy Fitzsimmons single. Boothbay scored one run on two hits. Gryffin Kristan also singled. Boothbay is now 0-3 in Legion Southern Division action. Franklin improves to 5-1. 

Playing a good team in American Legion baseball is challenging enough, but Boothbay played without three starters. “It was a tough game last night,” Boothbay manager Adam Harkins said. “Our guys haven’t been on the field for a week due to weather, and it showed. We’re hoping to get some baseball weather soon.”

Boothbay’s next game is in Oakland to play Messalonskee’s Legion team. 

Registration is open for the 18th Annual Westport Island Shore Run 10K Road Race that will take place Sunday, Aug. 20 on bridge-accessible Westport Island. "Maine's Best Little 10K Road Race" will start at 9 a.m; the 3.5 mile "Fun Walk" will start at 8:30 a.m.

This exciting 10K road race takes place on a USATF-certified beautiful course that winds through scenic pine and fir tree forests and over two bridges spanning inlets to Heal Cove and Montsweag Bay.  

The race is sanctioned by the USATF and benefits Westport Volunteer Fire Department, whose members direct traffic and provide logistical and medical support at the race. Over the past 17 years, the race has raised almost $30,000 for the Westport Island firefighters! The race will be computer-timed by 5K Sports Management for the 18th straight year, and the race course will have water stations and distance markers. The awards ceremony, raffle prize giveaway and post-race refreshments for the runners and walkers will take place just outside the Old Town Hall.  Race-day registration and the race packet pickup will be held at the Old Town Hall on Main Road (Route 144) on Westport Island, just south of Squire Tarbox Inn.  

Our great sponsors so far this year are Maine Yankee, Sheepscot River Marine Service, Ames True Value Hardware, First Federal Savings Bank, First National Bank of Maine, Crossroads Coffee Beans, Bath Savings Bank, Sulloway & Hollis, FormLabs, and Westport Community Association. For more information, directions to the race course, and to register online, go to www.westportisland.org