ISLESBORO — Police officers are often called upon to help locate missing dogs, children, grandparents and vehicles. But for the first time in recent memory, the Islesboro Police Department was called to help locate a missing balloon.

This balloon was not a child’s treasured mylar Winnie the Pooh character. But it was likely equally as treasured and important to its owners, because the missing balloon was a wayward Canadian Space Agency high-altitude research balloon, launched in Canada Sept. 19.

Islesboro police got the call about the missing balloon Sept. 20. Canadian Space Agency officials knew it has flown off track into Maine and to call Islesboro because, through the use of GPS, they were able to track the balloon to a wooded area on the north end of the island.

Islesboro’s total size is 68.88 square miles, of which 14.29 square miles is land and 54.59 is water. Meadow Pond, the island’s largest, is located on the north portion, and the island has a population of approximately 568.

“When the call came in, Officer Matthew Nadeau responded to the location given by Canadian officials, and he was able to locate the balloon,” said Islesboro Public Safety Director Fred Porter. “Nadeau then made contact with Canadian officials to confirm the location, and on Sept. 25 two engineers from the Canadian Space Agency arrived on Islesboro.”

Porter said he assisted the engineers in locating the area, and then disconnecting the balloon from the four trees it was wrapped up in.

“It was important to keep all of the equipment in tact for the investigation to find out why it went off track to begin with,” said Porter.

The recovery of the balloon took five hours to complete with a good mix of old Maine and Canadian ingenuity on how to get the balloon and its electronic and hardware payload out of the trees. Complicating the matter was that the trees were 45 feet tall.

"It was a great experience, working with the Canadian engineers,” said Porter. “We spent a lot of time scratching our heads on how to get the balloon out of the trees, and laughed hard trying to make our plan work.” To top it off, Porter said the engineers left the island on the ferry with their research balloon, leaving a lasting impression.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655.