Features

A Harpswell couple has opened a printing and marketing business in Brunswick, drawing upon their experience in the big-city advertising world and their ability to complement each other's skills.

Inspired by its beauty and close-knit community, author Kayla James set her new children's book, "The Chronicles of a Guinea Pig 2," in Cundy's Harbor.

Looking for unique gifts? What about a decorative pillow with a nautical chart of Harpswell? Maybe "Good Morning Captain" soap? Or a fluffy toy goat, chicken or duck?

Cundy's Harbor Days has mermaids on land and boaters in blindfolds, but the annual festival also has a serious side, with a traditional blessing of the fleet and fundraisers to support the village's independent fire department.

An action-packed highlight of the annual Cundy's Harbor Days festival, the lobster crate races at Holbrook's Wharf send most of those brave enough to enter into the harbor after just a few steps. In this year's version, just three contestants — all in the under-100-pound category — returned to the float dry.

A thick fog has Andy Johnson motoring slowly, eyes flicking from the windscreen to his instruments, as he navigates around Basin Point and heads up toward Mitchell Field. A couple hours later, under clear blue skies, the captains will only have one thing to worry about: speed.

Fishing runs through Harpswell like the rise and fall of the tides. For Josh and Emily Morse, it's more than a livelihood — it's part of who they are, woven through generations of family tradition.

The sun has just begun to peek over the horizon on June 29 when Tyler McLaughlin guides his boat, Cartwheel, away from its dock in Mackerel Cove.

"Did I always want to be a priest? It's an unfortunate answer, but it shows God has a sense of humor — and knows what he's doing. I was going to Seton Hall University on a track scholarship. It's a Division I school, so I was pretty fast. I went to the weight room, went to the workouts. The one thing I wasn't going to was the classes."

The dining hall at the historic Auburn Colony in South Harpswell overflowed with members on a Wednesday evening in July. A breeze off Casco Bay ruffled the sheer white curtains. There was an energy in the air, a buzz of anticipation.