Kelly James’ neighbor’s pier and boathouse washed into Harmon Harbor on Jan. 13. She said if it weren’t for rescue mitigation, the floating debris would have demolished her oyster farm completely. Kelly James photo

Back-to-back storms on Jan. 10 and 13 caused extensive damage and flooding along the Midcoast. Now, seven months later, thousands of businesses that reported losses have begun to receive federal disaster relief aid. The looming question: Is it enough? 

According to Chris Hole, owner of Henry Allen’s Seafood, “it’s not.” Despite being one of the six waterfront owners in Harpswell to receive a state grant, without flood insurance, he described himself as stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“I can’t take another hit,” Hole said. “If another storm comes, everything will wash away. And if I accept the state’s grant, with match-fund requirements, my business will go under.” 

Anecdotal reports from the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association indicate that 60% of the state’s working waterfront was destroyed. Harpswell and Georgetown were hit especially hard — high tides and powerful waves ripped away entire wharves and washed structural beams. 

On Aug. 9, locals gathered at SaltWater Fields in South Thomaston for the MCFA Go Fish! auction fundraiser to enjoy monkfish stew, smoked pollock dip and freshly shucked oysters. Proceeds benefitted the organization’s new rapid relief fund, the Go Fish! Fund.

At the event, Monique Coombs, MCFA’s director of community programs, introduced the new initiative, which is meant to support local fishermen affected by the January storms and future severe weather. Beyond mere economic impact, she expressed concern over losing a trademark commercial fishing culture. 

A step in the right direction

For many who live and work on the coast, the losses incurred last winter — the destruction of gear, infrastructure and waterfront access — continue to pose daily struggles. The pounding surf and storm left an impact, and local businesses bore the brunt. 

In the immediate aftermath of the storms, federal and state dollars went toward helping communities rebuild, but many still struggled to access funds. In response, MCFA recently awarded 43 mini-grants of $5,000 to recipients from Criehaven Island to Bristol. 

Local partners pitched in to gather funds for the grants. Students and staff at Harpswell Community School gathered coins, Harpswell Aging at Home organized a soup and bread sale, and the Coastal Performance Facility hosted a fitness challenge to contribute. 

Logs and buoys intrude on Apple Cove oyster farm; the gangway lies completely submerged. Kelly James photo

One of the recipients, Kelly James, the owner of Apple Cove Oysters in Georgetown, recalled the terror of Jan. 13. 

The second major storm of the week leveled her new farm nestled into Harmon Harbor. Strong winds and high tides drowned the dock’s gangway and sent mushroom anchors out to sea. Thinking fast, she recruited her 17- and 12-year-old children, on a school day nonetheless, to run back and forth from the rickety dock, salvaging floating oyster bags to safety. 

“You could hear the sound of waves crashing as loud as they do at Reid State Park,” James said. “The boathouse next door caught fire on Jan. 10, and we had to quickly recruit a builder, so when it fell into the water, it didn’t demolish our dock downstream.” 

James remembered when it all sank in — seeing the Malden Island cookhouse destroyed and Marissa McMahan’s neighboring wharf washed away. Although she hadn’t used an altimeter, she had seen heightened sea levels in January 2022 and 2023, respectively. That said, the storms didn’t come as a shock, but what did was the lack of adequate support for recovery.

Apple Cove didn’t qualify for state grants, which required proof that 10-plus fishermen were using the pier to be eligible or state-expedited permit processing for heightened infrastructure. 

“The next time a storm comes, I know our gangway will go under, threatening all our infrastructure,” James said. “We’re making as many improvements as possible, without raising our dock to become a pier, but with future storm surge, that’s not enough.” 

If it weren’t for the mini-grant, made possible by MCFA’s Storm Recovery Fund, James doesn’t know what she would have done. Apple Cove received the stipend on July 8, and although permit processing will take over a year, leaving the farm vulnerable this winter, she praised the support as a “step in the right direction.” 

Being so new to the game (Apple Cove made its first sale this summer), James said she can’t tell if the product lost was from the storms or trial-and-error. However, she plans to monitor as the season continues and potentially alternate from floating bags to bottom cages.

“Fortunately, oystering isn’t our sole source of income,” James said. “For many, it is — we’re talking people’s livelihoods in jeopardy. MCFAs new fund takes care of the little guys, which is important, because if they slip away, the impact will be felt.” 

A knee-high tide engulfed the interior of Henry Allen’s Seafood on Jan. 13. Chris Hole photo

‘There’s still more to be done’

Chris Hole recalled watching in horror as the January storms pummeled his family’s fishing business at Lookout Point. The aftermath destroyed his dock’s seawall, submerged refrigeration units and flooded his buildings with waist-high water.

Like many others, he resorted to the cheapest option: a DIY dock to keep the wharf intact for the 2024 season. 

“It’s an older wharf, around since the 1960s, so it’s been a good trooper,” Hole said. “But now, it’s on its last leg. After the storms, I ordered some wood, crawled under the rubble and restabilized it myself. But the next time there’s a storm, it’ll all wash away, no doubt.” 

Hole has been struggling with tough decisions about protecting his family’s seafood market business. Although he was awarded a $400,000 state grant, it hangs on his ability provide $200,000 in matching funds. 

“I’m focused on the legacy of this shack,” said Hole, noting his hesitance to accept the grant. “Until now, I’ve done repairs myself — new fuel, refrigeration and plumbing. Elevating the wharf will be the most expensive upgrade, and my hands are tied; if I don’t take out a mortgage, the wharf will sink, and if I do, the business goes under.” 

According to Hole, it was a “perfect storm” in more ways than one. Before fishing regulations were imposed, he argued he had more money in his pocket for repairs; going from fishing every day to only three times a week, the economic impact packed a hard punch. 

Moreover, with insurance companies exiting the area and a shortage of local contracting engineers, Hole claimed that rebuilding is no longer as easy as throwing money at the cause.

“As fishermen, time is our most valuable resource,” Hole said. “There’s not enough of it, for fishing or waiting on permit processing. MCFA is there for the hiccups along the way, and their help makes all the difference.”

He praised MCFA’s new fund, which promotes unstipulated support and guidance in navigating dock repairs. 

“This place was here before me, and I hope it remains long after,” Hole said. “Our strategy is to rebuild the wharf in a way that’s economically feasible. I’m trying to set things up for the next generation, not next season; so my nephew can proudly sit on the dock years later.”