HARPSWELL

While areas in Falmouth and further south have reported significant damage to piers, docks and boats following Monday’s tropical storm, waterfront communities in the Midcoast have reported only minimal damage.

“For the most part, everybody fared out pretty well,” said Harpswell Harbormaster Paul Plummer, as he continued to survey the coastline for possible damage Wednesday.

“We got a few emails and calls about a few boats adrift in New Meadows River, but that’s about the only information that I had,” he said.

Other harbormasters in the Midcoast confirmed Plummer’s assessment.

“Really, Phippsburg had more damage on the interior. Like everybody else, more trees down on the power lines,” said Phippsburg Harbormaster Doug Alexander.

“There was a sailboat that went adrift down in Small Point, and that’s about all I’ve heard of,” he said. “And Popham fared pretty well. Usually when they have a big storm the sand switches, but I think they made out pretty good.”

Advanced warning gave people enough time to prepare their vessels for the oncoming storm.

“The guys had plenty of warning, so they had their boats secured, and did a pretty good job,” said Alexander.

“As far as I’ve seen, Five Islands and some of the harbors around Georgetown, it’s been minimal,” said Georgetown Harbormaster Tom Bolster. “Nothing at all, really.”

Kristin Peterson, marina manager at Great Island Boat Yard in Harpswell, said that no boats were damaged there despite high winds.

“Like everyone else, we were without power, phone and data for a little while, but with regard to the waterfront we had no boat damage,” she said. “We definitely saw a lot of stress on our dock system from the wind, but things held up well enough to get through the storm.”

While the marina has some dock repair to under- take, the boats, even those that were moored, survived unscathed. Peterson credited the sheltered waters of the cove and preparations made in advance for being able to ride out the storm smoothly. Staff were also on hand during the worst of the storm to tend to the docks.

“By the end of last week, it was becoming apparent that it might become something more significant than what was forecasted, but we prepared in anticipation of the forecast being upgraded,” said Peterson. “So we hauled a few of the larger boats on the end of our docks and kind of lightened the load. We did a lot of preemptive work to make sure the boats were ready for a blow if it happened.”

In one incident where a boat did sink in Harpswell, the community was able to come together to help their neighbor.

Mary Coombs said that when she went into work at Cook’s Lobster and Ale House on Monday, she noticed two boats had sunk during the storm. While the winds were too strong to get the boats Monday, Coombs said that when she went in to work the next day, people were already working together to rescue the upside-down vessel.

“On Tuesday, I went to go let the food delivery truck in, and when I pulled up to the beach most of our fishermen were there helping (the owner) try to get his boat to the beach,” said Coombs. “And then they righted it up, and one of them went to his boat and got his bilge pump so he could pump out the water and then take it home and try to fix it.”

“When one person’s boat sinks and he needs help they all jump in to help!! I love these guys!!!” Coombs posted on social media shortly after the incident.

nstrout@timesrecord.com

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