CATWALK 2025: We have met a matching $5k Challenge which was so generously put up by one of our supporters. but FOSILS still needs nearly $20,000 to get this project rolling. With 84 balusters on the catwalk, that's $250 per baluster. Please consider buying a baluster so we can open the catwalk in 2025.
Please click here to participate
The weather this week has been windy, foggy, and rainy, and it ended up being our first time we had to reschedule our weekly trip to shore this summer. Instead of going today, Matt will go to shore on Friday. Luckily, we have done a good job all summer staying ahead of our water and food needs and we have a pretty good stockpile that would let us ride through another week if we had to.
It’s wild to think about year-round keepers who lived here prior to modern conveniences like refrigeration. A stormy season could lead to keepers being on-island for weeks at a time without the ability to resupply. The forethought needed and resourcefulness of the keepers of the past impresses us daily, but never more so than on the days when the surf is high and breaking over the rocks of Cobblestone Beach.
Despite the variable conditions, having a few days to ourselves on the island has been pretty welcomed after our busy weekend. We did some trail maintenance between the rain showers and were even greeted with a rainbow around dinnertime.
Daily Weather Report Temperature: 72.1 / 63.5 Foggy in the morning, windy, with some rain showers Wind: 11.4mph SW, Gust: 20.6mph High Tide: 8:16am / 8:30pm Low Tide: 2:05am / 2:11pm
The adverse weather continued to keep visitors away and continued to keep projects at bay. By the time the rain let up, all motivation for our new painting project (more on that later) dried up with the sun. Tomorrow’s forecast is not promising either, so we decided to accomplish something fun.
Somewhere on our travels to Seguin I picked up an old 2hp Johnson Seahorse for short money. It’s been strapped to the top of Maureen’s van ever since, which, like knowing a secret handshake, confirms we’re at least Mainers if not locals. I finally brought it out to Seguin and got it running after some minor surgery. There’s something about the smell of a 2 stroke outboard and salt water that makes me feel like adventure is in the air, although with an engine this small it will probably have to be at slack tide.
Daily Weather Report Temp: 73.9° / 60.1° Fog and rain in the morning turning to sun and wind in the afternoon Wind: SW 6.1 mph / Gust: 19.5mph High Tide: 7:09am / 7:28pm Low Tide: 12:58am / 1:07pm
After a few days of nearly perfect weather over the weekend, stormy weather arrived for the start of the week. It was a very quiet day of baking muffins and watching the waves hit up against the rocks of Cobblestone Beach. We saw one brave sailboat attempting to take shelter from the storm in the cove last night. The winds were from the north, and they were being hit broadside. I hope the sailors have more favorable weather as they continue their journey as the wind of change shift, but they certainly don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Daily Weather Report Temperature: 69.4°F / 60.1°F Fog and rain in the morning, clearing early evening Wind: 15.4mph NNE, Gust 18.7mph High Tide: 6:02am/ 6:25pm Low Tide: 12:04pm
We apologize for the radio silence this weekend – it’s been a busy one! Since Friday, we had over 70 visitors to the island, bringing our total to nearly 500 for the summer!
The steady stream of visitors of all ages, both returning and first-timers, is a testament to how intriguing Seguin Island is to so many people who love Midcoast Maine. Kids tend to love searching for sea glass and crabs in the Cove and at Cobblestone Beach, while adults love hearing the history of the lighthouse and the outbuildings on the tours. We had some visitors this weekend that really left an impression on us.
On Friday, family came to visit the island for the first time. The kids ranged in age from almost 8 to almost 13 years old and mom and dad came, too. We brought the dogs on hikes, swam in the cove, went tide pooling, found about a pound of sea glass, and told stories over dinner that had us all in stiches. We talked about how you can really feel the history in the keepers’ quarters – somehow you can just tell that so many people have lived and shared meals in this space. We felt incredibly fortunate to have created more shared stories between our two families here at Seguin. I’d like to think that our conversations and laughter will be felt by other keepers in the future.
TidepoolingSeaglass Hunting at Sunset
Saturday was the Friends of Seguin Island Light Station (FOSILS) annual gala. It was held at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath in a gorgeous event space that overlooks the river. We were picked up from the island at 3pm and spent the night on shore – Matt’s first night on the mainland since June 1st! It was a fun night of music, auctions, raffles, speeches, and great conversation with over 100 supporters of the lighthouse. Matt and I loved seeing everyone dressed in their best and we got to chat with quite a few visitors to the island who made it out for the event. We hope we’ll see other attendees out on the island this summer as well!
Tulah loves boat rides!The dinghy dock at Popham Beach
We returned back to Seguin this morning around 10:30am with the President of the Board and two attendees of last night’s gala. Immediately upon landing in the Cove, we were greeted by a steady stream of 25 visitors. We were particularly affected by getting a chance to speak with a couple who were 86 years old and had been visiting the island for the last 42 years when they vacation on Squirrel Island off Booth Bay Harbor. The gentleman told us that it was his last trip to the lighthouse, and he was so grateful it had remained in good hands and preserved for all of these years. We were moved to tears to hear him speak about his fond memories of the island and how he was so happy to have such a beautiful day to say farewell to Seguin.
We had the island back to ourselves around dinner time and we got to enjoy a beautiful sunset to end an eventful, joyful weekend. We’ll be back to our regular posting again this week!
I had an unexpected trip that brought me to shore – and actually sent me all the way across the country to the Pacific Coast – for a few days. Since June 1st, I hadn’t spent a single night off the island, so it was a bit of a shock to enter right back into society, especially since it coincided with trying to navigate airports during the global shutdown caused by the CrowdStrike update issue.
When I’m on the island, the remoteness and inaccessibility of most of modern society are so apparent that I don’t even think about cars or running out on an errand. It’s not even an option. So, I was surprised how quickly I fell back into old habits of waiting until the last minute to buy lunch or taking a quick trip to a store to grab something I forgot. Just as I adapted to life on the island, I readapted to shore life in a matter of days. Had the time on island not affected me?
Even though we still have over a month and a half left on the island, our time on Seguin is going to be over before we know it, and we’ll be able to go back to our normal routines and modern conveniences. Will I forget the way the tall grass catches the light a half hour before sunset? Will the intricate pattern of the lighthouse stairs fade out of memory? Will the strength in my legs from climbing the steep grade of the tram trail diminish? Probably, to some extent, yes – none of it will ever feel quite like it does here on the island.
At first, this made me sad, but it also made me conscious of how unique and special this time on Seguin really is. Even when we go back to “normal” life, being deeply connected to this land, our island routines, and the history and tradition of these buildings will be part of our life story. And, in turn, we’ll forever be part of the story of Seguin Light.
Daily Weather Report: Temperature: 68.9 / 62.1 Mostly foggy, clearing in late afternoon Wind: 8.3mph NW / Gusts 11.4mph NW High Tide: 2:32am / 3:08pm Low Tide: 8:45am/ 9:08pm
What a difference a day makes! Today we woke to heavy rain and thick fog. While we were probably getting spoiled by the streak of beautiful weather we’ve had for the past few days, we also have to admit that Seguin is lovely in the fog. We enjoyed the ethereal beauty with a slow breakfast and meander around the lighthouse with the dogs.
On days like this, it’s very hard to tell when guests have arrived. If we’re not on the porch, it’s very easy for visitors to come into the museum without grabbing our attention. Of course, the museum is free to explore, but we like to greet each guest and get to know a little bit about them. To make this easier we installed wireless doorbells at both doors of the museum. This way we can leave the museum unlocked and boaters to the island can come in out of the rain. If you come by the museum and don’t see us nearby, give a ring so we can come say hello 👋
Today we had a steady stream of visitors, which was surprising for a Monday. We feel like the season is in full swing, although we wonder if the inclement weather predicted will affect the rest of the week.
After the last group of guests departed the lighthouse, we brought the dogs to do the rounds. We walked down the hill to check the cove, the campsite, and finally out to Cobblestone Beach where Tulah and Zorro like to explore the tide pools. Tulah even considered going for a swim until the waves convinced her this was folly. Maybe when the heat of August sets in we’ll all go for a dip in the cold Atlantic Ocean.
Daily Weather Report Temp: 77.6° / 63° Clear sky, bright sun ☀️ Wind: W 4.4mph / Gust 18.3mph High Tide: 6:09am / 4:30pm Low Tide: 10:11am / 6:04pm
We have a few flags here at Seguin Island, but only one that we fly on special occasions. Usually we reserve this flag for major holidays, but secretly we’re always looking for occasions to celebrate. Today we found a great reason; one of our intrepid island campers turned 7 years old! Aided by his brother and cousins, the birthday boy raised the flag high over Seguin.
The remainder of the day was filled with visitors to the island, all who accepted offers to tour the lighthouse. It’s one of our favorite things to show the lens to appreciative guests, and they were treated to quite a show! With bright sunlight at the proper angles, the prism created a spectacular rainbows that shifted across the lantern room throughout the afternoon.
Evening came with the last visitors to the island and brought with it a beautiful sunset. We had over 40 guests on Seguin today, all of whom helped us celebrate in their own special way.
Daily Weather Report Temp: 77.7° / 61.3° Clear and still sky, bright sun ☀️ Wind: W 4.5mph / Gust 15.9mph High Tide: 3:58am / 4:30pm Low Tide: 10:11am / 10:48pm
Maine Public came to Seguin today to film for an upcoming segment on the lighthouse and the island. Several board members joined reporters from the local PBS affiliate, who enthusiastically documented Seguin Station. To no one’s surprise, the breakout performance came from the 1st Order Fresnel lens, which sparkled beautifully for the camera. Even Tulah and Zorro got their chance at stardom.
As happens when the weather is at its best, we also had quite the number of guests come by. Most groups consisted of families and friends returning and introducing the island to someone new, which is one of our most favorite things. It’s always fun to watch a visitor’s face light up and to see the experience of Seguin through new eyes.
Because most of our visitors come in on their private boats, we consider a group of five or six pretty large. On Wednesday we had to recalibrate what we thought was a large group because the Maine Island Trail Association brought out two boatloads of volunteers to the island for a day of service. The 15 volunteers and our Wednesday Warriors (the members of the Friends of Seguin Island Light who come out to do projects every Wednesday) spent the morning painting the Clivus outhouse and clearing trees and overgrowth from beneath and around the tram. At lunch time, the group had their bagged lunches on the grounds by the light house and our resident historian on the board, Chris, took them for a tour of the lighthouse. After lunch, the crew made a dent in clearing the sumacs that quickly overgrow in the area near the fog whistle and old dump area behind the Whistle House. It was one of the hotter days we’ve had here on the island, but it was still much cooler than the 90+ degree temperatures on shore. By 3pm, the crew put away their tools and headed back to the cove for their trip back to shore.
A handful of the volunteers had never been to Seguin before, so it was fun getting to chat with them about their impressions and to thank them for their hard work in maintaining this beautiful place. Kudos to the Maine Island Trail Association for their work in stewarding the land of these special islands!
Today was much quieter. There were a few visitors, but mostly Matt spent time cleaning up brush from the previous day’s efforts and I hauled water from the Donkey Engine House back to the keepers’ quarters for the week. We also spent quite a bit of time cleaning the museum and keepers’ quarters and doing some finishing touches on some mowing around the lighthouse in anticipation of some very exciting visitors who will be arriving tomorrow! More on that soon…
Daily Weather Report Temperature: 79.2 / 62.6 Fog and rain in the morning, clear by midday. Wind: 6.5mph N / Gust 13.6mph High Tide: 9:08am / 9:12pm Low Tide: 2:59am / 2:55pm
