Volume VIII, Number 1 Spring 2003
In this issue:
Thanks to Cook's Lobster House on Bailey Island for offering their help with our third annual two- hour tour of Eagle Island . The half-hour boat ride out to Eagle Island with Captain Tom Ring aboard the Atlantic Seal offers the chance to see many forms of sea life and to watch local lobstermen hauling their traps.
Admiral Peary's grandson, Ed Stafford , who wrote "Peary and His Promised Land" and spent many summers on the Island with his grandfather and family, narrates the tour along with his wife Peg. The house contains many of Admiral Peary's personal items brought back from the North Pole and remains as it was in the early nineteen hundreds. There are paths to explore, a sandy beach, and gardens (some containing plants Mrs. Peary herself planted), all while enjoying beautiful views of the ocean and wildlife.
Our tours will take place on Aug (5 ,12,19 ,&26), leaving Cook's at 9:30 AM and returning around noon . Eagle Island is a state park maintained and preserved by the state of Maine and Friends of Eagle Island . Please come and join us: it's a fun trip. Information is available at Bath Brunswick Chamber of Commerce & Rob Williams Real Estate, Bailey Island , and may be downloaded from our Web Site (pearyeagleisland.org) or it can be mailed call -- 207-833-2310.
Progress report on Eagle Island bird survey, March 2003
In May, June, and July of the four years 1999-2002 teams of four to six people counted birds on Eagle Island , paying particular attention to nesting Common Eiders. The number of Eiders reported depends heavily on the skill and visual acuity of the observers, but it seems safe to say that as of 2002 the Eiders were at least holding their own, despite the threat of predation by Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls, species with which Eiders have evolved, probably for millions of years.
We have observed a total of 60 species of birds on or near the Island in these four years, but the 30-35 species each year vary from year to year. Twelve species were observed in three of the four years: Common Loon, Osprey, Black Guillemot, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-throated Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, and American Goldfinch. The Loon certainly, and probably some of the others, did not nest on the Island . Thirteen more species were there in all four years: Common Eider, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Laughing Gull, American Crow, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellow-throat, Song Sparrow, and Common Grackle. Even in this group of perennials, the Laughing Gull almost certainly did not nest there. Many of the land birds were probably just migrating through.
I plan to continue this survey in 2003 and subsequent years.
C. E. Huntington
DINING OUT WITH JOSEPHINE PEARY
Recently I was talking with a friend, Martin Craine, a retired telephone company executive who resides in Scarborough , Maine . It was a relaxed conversation covering a variety of topics but at one point we got on the subject of Admiral Robert Peary, his achieving the North Pole and the beauty and importance of his summer home on Eagle Island in Casco Bay . Marty smiled, leaned back in his chair and announced, "I was once a chauffeur for Mrs. Peary!" Well, you could have knocked me out of my chair, but I maintained enough presence to ask that he tell me his story. So here it is, as much in his own words as I can recall.-John Davis.
"I think it was the summer of 1949. Somehow, I don't remember the details; I became acquainted with the man who drove for Mrs. Peary, who lived at that time in Portland . We talked about his work from time to time and then one day he called me and explained that he was going into the hospital, and would I be willing to fill in for him as Mrs. Peary's chauffeur.
I remember asking a few questions-after all, this didn't seem like a small responsibility. He explained that the job consisted primarily of driving Mrs. Peary from her Portland home to South Harpswell where she would be met by the family boat waiting to take her over for a stay on Eagle Island . Her car, he explained, was stored in the Portland garage of the Chaplin Motor Company, and I could pick it up and return it there when I was done. I agreed to the job and was told the first trip would be the following week.
So the next week on the appointed day and hour I went into Portland to Chaplin's Garage and announced I was there to take Mrs. Peary for a ride in her car. I found they were expecting me and led me over to a large shiny black Cadillac. There they handed me the keys. I was a bit overwhelmed. After all, I was only a year out of high school! But there was no backing out now.
Out I went-very carefully-and headed for Mrs. Peary's home, an apartment in Ricker Park on Baxter Boulevard . She, too, was expecting me and immediately invited me inside. The place was awesome-not in size but because it was filled with Arctic souvenirs, mementos, whatever. She was a very gracious lady and made me feel very much at ease. She indicated she was ready and handed me her bags and out to the shiny Cadillac we went. I opened the rear door but she indicated a preference for the front passenger seat, perhaps so she could keep a closer eye on my driving. I stowed her bags in the trunk and as we started off she said she'd give me directions as we went along. Also, she added, she wanted to stop in Brunswick for lunch.
This really gave me a start. I hadn't expected I would be taking the Admiral's widow out to lunch. And would I have to pay? The drive to Brunswick was a little bit uncomfortable, to say the least. However, there was no need to worry. As we turned onto Maine Street in Brunswick she pointed off slightly to the right and said, "There, that's my lunch place-right over there." I couldn't believe my eyes-or ears. The "place" was Mike's Hotdog Stand-a longtime Brunswick landmark.
As per her request, I returned to the car with a hotdog and soda for Mrs. Peary and the same for me. And she paid! I think she had mustard and relish on her hotdog. Once the lunch was consumed we continued on to South Harpswell , pulling up at the old steamboat wharf directly at the end of the paved public road. I carried her bags and we walked out to the end of the long pier to find the family launch was already waiting for her. Boarding looked like it might be a bit tricky because she had to navigate down a ramp to reach the short gangplank set out from the Peary motorboat. It proved to be not a problem at all. She hailed everyone aboard the craft and quickly trotted down to the gangplank . I followed with the bags. I found out later that she was eighty-six years old at that time, but she certainly didn't show her age on that ramp.
She gave me instructions on when to show up for the return trip to Portland-about a week later as I recall-and the connection was made without difficulty. We didn't stop for hotdogs on the homeward trip, but we talked considerably. She asked questions about my background and friends and my hopes for the future, etc. All in all it was a very pleasurable experience for me and I think also for her.
As well as I can remember, some 53 years later, I think I served as Mrs. Peary's chauffeur for at least four or five South Harpswell round trips that summer before her regular driver returned to work. And every time on our outbound run to South Harpswell we always stopped at Mike's in Brunswick for hotdogs and sodas."
When Eagle Island State Historic Site officially opens on June 15 th , we will have a new pier. As I write this, five prefabricated 40-foot sections of the new pier are sitting on a barge in Portland Harbor waiting for the first calm day to be moved to the Island . A large crane will remove the old pier, one section at a time, and replace them with the greatly reinforced new sections. If all goes as planned and the weather cooperates, the job will be completed in one day. In addition, it is hoped that a second float can be added outside the existing float, thereby extending the landing area 14 feet further out. This will provide increased clearance from the ledges on both sides of the pier, thus improving the safety margin for the larger boats coming alongside.
Thanks to the foresight and aggressive planning by the Bureau of Parks and Lands, Eagle Island will have a safer and much improved public access for many years to come.
We extend our congratulations and thanks to Steve Curtis, Ron Hunt, and all concerned at BOPL, for a job really well done.
Oliver Brown
Volunteers needed for Trail Work
Eagle Island has nearly a mile of beautiful trails that run the length of the Island on both the East and West shores and crisscrosses the interior. After the Eider Ducks have finished nesting (usually early July) the trails are opened and receive heavy wear from the hundreds of visitors to the Island . Annually we sponsor a "work day" to clean up fallen branches, trim back overgrowth, and spread mulch to protect the delicate root structures and make walking easier.
This year's "trail work day" will be Saturday July 12 th (Back-up date in the event of really bad weather is Saturday July 19 th ). We need 10 to 12 strong volunteers to rendezvous at the S Freeport town dock at 8:30 AM , load the bagged mulch aboard Captain Tom Ring's boat and depart for the Island . Upon arrival, off-load and distribute / spread the mulch on the trails as directed by Park Manager Jeanie Dorrington. Return trip will be around 4 PM. Bottled waters, soft drinks, and a "gourmet" lunch (sub-sandwich) will be provided.
Please call Harry Rich at 725-8510 if you can join us for our enjoyable trail work day 2003. Please call early to facilitate planning---thanks.
The Gardens of Eagle Island-- Endowment Planned
There are really 3 gardens on Eagle Island all dating to the early 1900's. Josephine Diebitsch Peary, the Admiral's wife and staunchest supporter, started her garden in 1912. We have copies of the order she placed with the seed company: so we pretty well know what she planted. In addition to her favorite Foxglove, she planted Hydrangeas, Peonies, Phlox, Iris, Lilies, Delphinium, Centuras, Feverfew, Roses, Poppies, Sweet William, and Heliotrope. Almost all can be seen in season on the Island today. Marie Ahnighito Peary, the Snow Baby, daughter of the Admiral and Josephine, started her garden in 1915. It had many of the same plants, but also included Pinks, Morning Glory, Lupines, Hollyhock, Butter & Eggs, Ageratum, and Canterbury Bells . Then in 1946 Inez, Robert E. Peary Jr's wife, built the 3 rd garden and added Nasturtium, Forget-me-not, California Poppies, Bachelor's Buttons, Candy Tuff, Buttercup, Alyssum, and Shasta Daisy. Many of these plants have survived over these many years which is quite surprising but it says something about the determination of the Peary women. Jeanie Dorrington, Park Manager, has spent much time and a great deal of her own money to make sure these rare Island Gardens survive. Recently, the Friends established a "Flower Fund" primarily in the memory of Josie Dorrington, Jeanie's mother, who passed away last fall. At the time, many people liked the idea so much that they have contributed to the Fund. We also know that many of our summer visitors come especially to see these Gardens. And they are an important part of the Eagle Island story.
We would like to see if we can raise enough money to establish an endowment fund in perpetuity, so that income would be used each yearto care for and maintain rhe Gardens forever. You wil find a box which you might wish to check, in the enclosed envelope as you renew your membeshp oin the Friends for the current year.
