Maine Paddling

This post also appeared on mattpalmariello.blogspot.com . Jewell Island is a 221 acre island named for George Jewell and sits on the outer edge of Casco Bay, an eight mile paddle from Portland, ME.  According to history, he traded a bottle of rum to the local indians for it in 1636 and used it a fishing base.  After George Jewell drown in Boston Harbor the island became home to many settlers who continued to fish and farm on it and by the early 1700's settlers even tried to mine gold, silver and salt on this rugged coastal island. During WWII, 400 troops were stationed on Jewell Island to watch for the enemy and protect Portland Harbor, the closest US Harbor to Europe.  Island infrastructure included watchtowers, searchlights and anti-aircraft guns.  Casco Bay was never threatened but a German U-boat was spotted off the shore in 1942. The state of Maine acquired the southern end of the island in 1972, the northern end four years later and has administered it a...