Maine memories

In the 1970's I worked for three months in one of the most wonderful little towns - Thomaston, Maine. The town that went to sea.

It is a beautiful town of around 3500 inhabitants, with pristine New England cladded houses, and large houses built by sea captains who made their base there. It was a summer of clambakes, and lobster feasts, and boiling hot weather!

We still have some lovely friends there - especially Hank and Lucy. When it was time to go there were lots of presents - greatly treasured - among them this tankard.

The Friendship sloop, also known as a Muscongus Bay sloop or lobster sloop, originated in Friendship, Maine around 1880. Fishermen in Friendship and neighbouring Bremen were responsible for the design influenced by the fishing sailboats of Massachusetts. Although familiar as a pleasure craft today, the Friendship sloop was the traditional fishing boat used off the coast of Maine, especially for lobstering.