We’re Getting a Pretty Good Snow Squall. How Is It Where You Are?

Posted on by Scott Fish

Bar Harbor, ME — Sunbeam V Engineer Storey King sent this photo “from Matinicus this morning” on Wednesday, 3/22. In a separate email that day, Mission President Scott Planting emailed Sunbeam V Captain Michael Johnson:

Mike — we’re getting a pretty good snow squall this afternoon.  How is it where you are?

To which Capt. Johnson replied:

Good, Scott. Due to heavy wind we are spending a second night on Matinicus and leaving for Isle au Haut in the morning. It snowed here, but only a little.

The crew just had a CPR class by Eva Murray that took most of the morning.

Sharon and Douglas are out doing rounds, Storey is working on the hull, and I am doing some work on my computer. We had a pretty good crowd for dinner last night, and Douglas showed a movie after dinner with was fun.

Thanks for checking in,

Mike

A New Presence to the Mission’s Past

Posted on by Scott Fish

The Maine Seacoast Mission has been a trusted friend along the Maine coast for more than 100 years, always committed to our work for the long haul. Island and coastal residents know they can rely on us. While our presence is steady, we are responsive to the needs of individuals and communities, and our programs adapt to meet changing conditions.

Now through the internet and digital communications, the Mission can bring a new presence to our past. For example, these two reports from the 1930s concerning the Mission boat at the time, the Sunbeam III.

First up is a three-minute segment from a radio broadcast featuring Alice M. Peasley, and other Mission staff.

Second, this remarkable film from the Maine Sea Coast Mission Collection at the Northeast Historic Film web site showing a U.S. Coast Guard cutter breaking through ice to enable passage of the Sunbeam III. Today, the Sunbeam V often serves as an icebreaker to enable islanders to move their boats in-and-out of harbor.

Sunbeam V Christmas Cruise 2016: A Beautiful, Life-Affirming Whirlwind

Posted on by Scott Fish

Director of Island Outreach Douglas Cornman sent this report and photos from the Sunbeam V‘s Christmas Cruise 2016:

The Sunbeam V and crew cruised to three islands in just over twenty four hours this week, to offer Christmas Services to the islands’ year-round communities. The communities of Frenchboro and Isle au Haut were visited on Tuesday, and the island of Matinicus was visited on Wednesday.

Residents gathered, either in their island’s church or aboard the Sunbeam, to listen to St. Luke’s account of the Christmas story, sing their favorite hymns and carols, and watch a nativity play performed by the island’s children and a few lobstermen and women.

Frenchboro’s nativity even had a living baby Jesus, played by the island’s newest addition. In his sermon, Director of Island Outreach and Sunbeam chaplain Douglas Cornman, asked the children if anyone knew what Christmas was all about (a line borrowed from one of his favorite Peanuts characters).

Love, taking care of one another, taking care of our planet, and compassion towards others are just a sample of the answers he heard. The Sunbeam’s 2016 Christmas cruise truly was a beautiful and life affirming whirlwind that is not to be soon forgotten.

Merry Christmas from the Sunbeam V and her crew!!

Neal Bousfield: Delivering Mission Christmas Presents 1940

Posted on by Scott Fish

Rev. Neal Bousfield Mission Christmas 1940

Rev. Neal Bousfield, Mission Superintendent (1938-1972) delivering Christmas presents in 1940. As of this writing, we have no other details about this photo. We welcome any factual background information readers are willing to share.

Here’s how to reach us.

One published account by Mount Desert Island Historical Society describes Rev. Bousfield this way:

“For thirty-six years Reverend Neal Bousfield…worked tirelessly to improve the live of coastal Maine people. Employing his philosophy that outright charity demeans and even destroys the individual, Rev. Bousfield endeavored to help people help themselves. Educational opportunity was one pillar of his self-improvement philosophy.”

Sunbeam V Christmas Cruises This Week to Maine Islands

Posted on by Scott Fish

The Sunbeam V is making a few Christmas Cruises to Maine islands this week. Director of Island Outreach Douglas Cornman sent these cruise details.

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Who: Mike, Storey, Jillian, Douglas and the communities of Frenchboro, Isle au Haut, and Matinicus

What: The Sunbeam’s annual Christmas Cruise. What is included in the service will vary depending on the island. Islands with enough children will have a Christmas pageant. Islands with fewer children will have Lessons and Carols. Every island will hear a Christmas message and have a carol sing with cookies and cocoa served following the service.

Where: Frenchboro and Matinicus have agreed to heat their churches for the day of the service, so the services on these two islands will be in their church buildings. The service on Isle au Haut will be aboard the Sunbeam.

When: The dates are listed below

Sunbeam Christmas Trip to Frenchboro
When: Sunday, Dec 18, 2016

Sunbeam Christmas Trip to Isle Au Haut
When: Tuesday, Dec 20, 2016

Sunbeam Christmas Trip to Matinicus
When: Wednesday, Dec 21, 2016

Sunbeam Christmas Trip (Return to Northeast Harbor)
When: Thursday, Dec 22, 2016

Why: These islands do not have year round ministers “on island,” so the Sunbeam and her crew (minus Director of Island Health Sharon Daley) visits each year. It is my understanding that the Sunbeam’s minister has led Christmas services for each of these island communities for many years. I do not know the exact number of years, however.

The Sunbeam Schedule Online

Director of Island Health Sharon Daley at Bok’s ‘Working on the Water Series’ 11/12

Posted on by Scott Fish

WORKING ON THE WATER VII
A gathering of local mariners sharing their experiences through stories, songs, and poetry.

Saturday, November 12 at 1:00 PM
Sail, Power, and Steam Museum
75 Mechanic St, Rockland ME 04841
$5 per person, kids under 12 free

ISLESBORO, MAINE -- 06/17/2016 -- Islesboro resident Sharon Daley, a registered nurse who has worked with the Seacoast Mission medical team for over 15 years. She has been involved with Boardman Cottage since the facility started. Gabor Degre | BDN

Sharon Daley, R.N., has worked as the Director of Island Health on the m/v Sunbeam  for the Maine Seacoast Mission for the past 15 years. The Sunbeam travels biweekly to the islands of Frenchboro, Isle au Haut, and Matinicus, and less frequently to Cranberry Islands, Monhegan, and Eagle Island, providing a variety of services to island residents. Sharon’s work in telemedicine brings health care directly to the islands, linking residents with medical specialists via the internet. “It has been a very special job and an honor to be part of the island communities.” Sharon lives on Islesboro with her husband, Tom. They owned Quicksilver Services Water Taxi for 13 years.

Learn More

Director of Island Health Sharon Daley: Renaissance Woman

Posted on by Scott Fish

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Summer in a Jar: Corn Relish
September 27, 2016
From the garden, Pickles and Preserves
By Sandy Oliver

This recipe came from my island neighbor Sharon Daley, the telemedicine nurse on the Seacoast Mission vessel, the Sunbeam, who somehow squeezes canning time in between trips to Maine island communities. I had not ever made corn relish and for some reason didn’t think I would like it. Sharon handed me a spoonful and changed my mind for me. “I knew I could convert you,” she said. Full Story

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Frenchboro School: Adventures in a One Room Schoolhouse

Posted on by Scott Fish

In mid-August, while verifying spellings and titles for a Mission news release on the Sunbeam‘s Demonstration Cruise to Frenchboro island, I came upon this wonderful “Frenchboro Kingfishers” drawing. Who are the Frenchboro Kingfishers? Who designed that poster? Those questions started me on a brief, online journey, ending at one of the best blogs I’ve come across: Frenchboro School: Adventures in a One Room Schoolhouse.

Frenchboro Kingfishers

What an excellent way for Frenchboro School to establish two-way communication with the world. Sad that this blog ended when the school teachers — Mr. & Mrs. Finn? — moved from Frenchboro. But what a great historic legacy. Very well done.

As for the origin of the Frenchboro Kingfishers? I’m including here a bit of the back story. Find out the rest of the story at Adventures in a One Room Schoolhouse.

frenchboro_schoolhouseTUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2010
Mascot Voting

Does your school have a mascot? Of course it does. Every school has a mascot, right? Well, that’s what I thought, until I moved to Frenchboro.

This year we got organized. The kids came up with a large (very large) list of possible mascots. I especially liked Bradley’s, which was the Sharpened Pencils. We put up a sheet at the post office, asking for ideas. Then the kids took their favorites from both lists. After numerous write-in votes, we had pared the list down to five. Hurricanes, Sea Monsters, Kingfishers, Power Strike (no, it’s not a Power Ranger…it’s a lightning bolt), and Sharks.

The kids made up official ballots. They plastered the town with voting signs. They set up a voting station at the school. Then they called. Everyone. Like…multiple times. Let’s just say that we had more voter turnout than any town will have in the gubernatorial race this year. And, if you could talk, you could vote.

We are now officially the Frenchboro Kingfishers. It’s got a good ring to it. Maybe not as snazzy as the Sharpened Pencils, but, ya know…the adults got votes, too.

Continued Here