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Midcoast Maine, by its very essence, is a natural art gallery of water shapes, colors, and moods. From foggy to sparkly. From peaceful to torrential. From blues to golds to oranges to magentas – depending on the time of day.

In junior high, for some reason, we had to memorize a host of prepositions – of, in, by, at, down, from, over, across, against, between, on, near . . . And for some truly absurd reason, I remember (most of) the list.

And for some reason, that list keeps popping into my brain when I think about how close we were to the many kinds of water in the part of Maine I recently explored: working harbors, ocean beaches, swamps, and rivers.

In a five-day class at @MaineMedia with @LeeAnneWhite, we visited Rockport Harbor, Harkness Preserve (including Ott Stream, perennially rust-colored because of tannic and humic acids from a wetland upstream), Whaleback Shell Middens State Site beside the Damariscotta River, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and beach, Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve, Camden Harbor, Friendship Harbor, Georgetown Harbor, and Reid State Park.

I made this image by shooting under the pier at Friendship Harbor a little after sunrise - and just after the first burst of deep magentas and purples calmed to this palette of gentler grays, pinks, greens, and blues with touches of gold. You see squiggly reflections of the pilings, scattered bits of seaweed, and a calm that shows the harbor right before the day’s work begins. It is peace and beauty and possibility.

10.31.23

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