At Sheepscot Bay
“The sea, the sky, the air itself
Bring me ecstasy.
The islands green, the rocks pink grey,
They all form a symphony.”
As promised last week, the above verse is the first verse of the second of two poems preserved by Larry Bunkowske’s late wife, Joy. This poem was written by Grace Ambler and is reprinted in full below. I heard from several of you last week that you enjoyed this poem, so I hope this poet captures your feelings about Southport as well.
The rain held off into the night so everyone could enjoy the last MusicFest of the season on the lawn of the Newagen Inn last Wednesday evening. Those who came early enjoyed the quieter music of two guitar players who got us in the mood for the wilder Rupert’s Orchestra, which with its “driving rhythm section,” “fiery horn section,” and an “explosive Latin percussionist,” as well as “four of the hottest singers around,” had many of us clapping our hands and dancing in front of the stage. As usual, the youngest among us had fun running between the rows of seats and doing somersaults. Thank you to the Southport Island Association and everyone who helped make these events possible.
Southport Town Hall was packed last Monday evening to hear Ed Parker’s explanations and the exhibition of his colorful and creative maritime paintings. Ed donated three paintings for auction with proceeds going to the Historical Society and there were raffle tickets for sale for a Gerry Gamage lobster trap table with the winning ticket to be drawn at the Fire Department auction. Ed concluded his talk with a beautiful song which he sang
He accompanied himself on guitar. We thank the Southport Historical Society and Donald and Joyce Duncan for this wonderful talk.
The Southport Yacht Club has finished its season and put its boats into storage. The Junior Banquet was held last Friday evening, August 16th, at the Southport Town Hall and the Commodore’s Reception was held the following evening at the Yacht Club. It seems early for this part of the summer season, but many schools are starting soon or have already started. There will be a Labor Day potluck dinner on Saturday.
August 31st: a combined SYC/SIA picnic, on October 12th at 1pm.
Note in the obituary section of this newspaper that Southport resident Eugene Huskins died on August 8. Gene was once chairman of the Southport Board of Selectmen and worked at several shipyards in the area. He requested that no service be held.
Bridge workers have the following news for anyone on the water: On Thursday, August 22, the bridge will be closed to boat traffic from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you have clearance, you can drive underneath.
We can all see the Southport Fire Station filling up with goods that will be auctioned this Saturday, August 24th. The car boot sale starts at 6am, the yard sale at 7am and the auction at 9am. Across the street, in the school parking lot and grounds, seven boats will also be auctioned, one of which is the old harbormaster’s boat. This should be a good day for the firefighters’ budget and a lot of fun for all of us.
Later in the day, people will gather at Southport Town Hall from 5pm to celebrate Mel Rines’ 100th birthday. Happy birthday, Mel.
An event called ’19 Cities, 19 Stories: Open Hearts’ will take place next Sunday 25 August from 6pm-7.30pm at the Southport Store (6-7pm) and Hendricks Head Beach (7-7.30pm). Featuring music from the Newagen Crew, an art activity on the power of an open heart, anecdotal sharing of open heart stories and much more (including a closing moment on Hendricks Head Beach with a dip from the Little Dippers), this is a
opportunity to come together and share gratitude for our community. It is also a project across Lincoln County to shine a light on and celebrate the challenges and triumphs of those among us affected by substance abuse and related mental health issues. This event will highlight the importance of having open hearts for those who are suffering and experiencing loss due to such hardship.
On Tuesday, August 27, Ken Nomiyama will speak about his life experiences at the Southport Memorial Library beginning at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Nomiyama is a Japanese American who was born during World War II in Tule Lake, California, one of the 10 Japanese internment camps established by the U.S. government during the war. In this talk, he will discuss the unconstitutional treatment of Japanese Americans during the war, the history of their mass incarceration, and the impact of this experience on their lives. If you have any questions, please call the library at 207-633-2741.
The Southport Climate Action Committee (SCAT) invites Southport residents to a public meeting on Thursday, August 29th. The meeting will begin at 5:30pm with refreshments, with business session beginning at 6pm at Southport Town Hall. The team will provide a status report on the impact of the January storms on Southport, the grants Southport has received, and the status of meeting our initial goals related to communications, developing an evacuation plan, and vulnerability studies. If you have any questions, you can call Claire Tomlin at 305-775-2166 or [email protected]. There is an option to join via Zoom.
At Sheepscot Bay
The sea, the sky, the air itself
Bring me ecstasy.
The islands green, the rocks pink grey
They all form a symphony.
I don’t care if the deep, damp fog
Hides beauty from my eyes,
I know when the veil is lifted
There will be a new surprise.
Its beauties never tire me.
Its colors never get boring;
The sunlight on the dancing wave,
The red-gold fire of the sunset.
The inclination and tip of the sailboat,
Ebb and flow,
The trail of the snow-white chariots
This is a ride through the blue sky.
The colors of the grasses,
The sumac and the vine,
The purple and lavender tones,
These beauties all belong to me.
I do not own a precious masterpiece
Visible to all my friends,
A Rembrandt or Corregio
I can’t share it with you.
I only have a modest cot
With windows to the sea,
Reflect wonderful beauty
That God is painting there for me.
–Grace Ambler
