Mainers, businesses reel from devastating double-punch of winter storms
Photo / Jim Neuger
On Saturday, the fishing vessel Tara Lynn II ran aground off Cape Elizabeth amid powerful winds and record-breaking tides. The crew was rescued.
Photo / Fred J. Field
A canoe was the medium of choice for this duo passing near the Sea Bags store and Harbor Fish Market in Portland’s Old Port.
Photo / Jim Neuger
Powerful winds and record-breaking tides swamped low-lying areas, including this road near Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth.
Photo / Fred J. Field
Water inundated the entire area near J's Oyster in Portland’s Old Port.
Photo / Peter Hall
In South Portland on Saturday, a parking lot at the Saltwater Grille was underwater.
Photo / Fred J. Field
An overturned skiff floats near the harbormaster’s building at the Falmouth Town Landing, which was cut off from the mainland as high tide approached on Saturday.
As snow began to fly Tuesday, Maine was still trying to recover from a pair of powerful winter storms last week that caused widespread flooding, destroyed homes and businesses, and drove a fishing boat aground.
Rain, snow and near-hurricane-force winds hit the state Jan. 10 and then returned Saturday with added danger — an astronomical high tide. At noon in Portland Harbor, the water level peaked at 14.57 feet, according to the National Weather Service. That surpassed the previously highest high tide of 14.17 feet, which occurred during the Blizzard of 1978.
In South Portland, the three historic fishing shacks at Fisherman’s Point near Willard Beach were washed out to sea. The iconic wooden structures are believed to predate the city itself and were moved to their most recent location in the 1880s.
By early afternoon Saturday when some flooding had receded, the beach was full of locals taking photos and collecting pieces of wooden debris, one woman struggling to fit an oversized plank into her vehicle. The scene at the beach was eerie, from a damaged picnic table outside the food kiosk to rushing water under an empty play structure.
Bug Light Park was also affected, with a boat ramp completely overrun by the storm surge, dunes washed away, and the Greenbelt pathway damaged. The historic lighthouse itself appeared to have been spared, however.
“Over the next several days, city staff will continue storm cleanup and damage assessment,” the city of South Portland said in a social media post on Sunday. “Once this critical process is complete, we will begin discussions about the future of the Fishing Shacks and other recovery efforts.”
In Portland, wharves and businesses were flooded during the high tide, the water rising as much as 5 feet inside Harbor Fish Market on Custom House Wharf. By early afternoon, however, the market was again doing business with customers who arrived by foot. The wharf itself remained closed to vehicles, and clean-up efforts were in full force at J’s Oyster restaurant.
Lasting damage
On Sunday morning, the entrance remained blocked to Handy Boat Marina and Dockside Grill, on Casco Bay in Falmouth. The restaurant is open year-round but closed temporarily on Jan. 10 because of water damage from that day’s storm, a social media post said. On Saturday, the eatery never opened, pending "an analysis of all major systems," Dockside posted. "We need to ensure the safety of all team members and customers." Dockside was closed again Sunday.
Another waterfront restaurant, in Kittery, was also crippled. Warren's Lobster House closed Jan. 10 because of "serious flooding" from the nearby Piscataqua River, the restaurant said on social media.
After the Saturday storm, Warren's said it will be closed "for the foreseeable future" and that clean-up was scheduled to begin this week. The 350-seat restaurant dates to 1940.
Farther up the coast, Acadia National Park recorded "significant damage" from the wild weather, according to a notice, although the park remained open. In Bar Harbor, however, the town pier and the Shore Path were damaged and closed to pedestrians. The town said it expects the facilities to remain off limits for at least a month, "depending on extent of damage found, contractor availability and favorable weather conditions."
Along Maine's working waterfronts, the storms upended the livelihoods of countless fishermen. In a blog post Monday, the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association noted that the damage included not only the loss of major infrastructure, such as piers and wharves, but also of gear and lobster traps.
“It's almost impossible to gauge the full extent of the repercussions from the storms this past week. The destruction was quick, but the rebuilding will likely take years," the post read. "The construction of new wharves is hindered by the high cost and scarcity of necessary supplies. Additionally, various industries, including construction and surveying, are grappling with a shortage of labor. The impact on Maine's working waterfront is currently beyond comprehension."
A 50-foot fishing vessel, the Tara Lynn II, went aground at Trundy's Point in Cape Elizabeth during the storm. The four-person crew was safely rescued by first responders.
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