A couple of weeks ago, Lincolnville resident Peter Hartel, was on the beach gratefully relishing a beautiful Penobscot Bay morning. Gazing out toward 700 Acre Island, he felt a nudge on his foot. Peering down, he locked eyes with a baby harbor seal nestled in the rocks exposed by low tide. 

“She lifted her head and looked directly at me,” he said, “not really afraid, but more curious.” He noted a three-inch laceration on the pup’s head and realized just how fragile and helpless she was. He scanned the water’s surface several times, hoping to see the mother’s head bobbing offshore, on her way to rescue the baby. He saw nothing. 

It was then he realized he had no idea what to do. Should he stay close by or move away? If he stayed would the mother not return? If he left, would the pup become victim to a predator? Should he do something about the head injury? Didn’t the pup need food?

He started making calls - first to his wife, DeAnna, animal lover extraordinaire, who was at home nearby. She gathered a net, blankets, and gloves. Then to Mike Hutchings, former Harbor Master and long-time lobsterman, and then to Town Administrator David Kinney.

Mike advised him to stay put, noting that he’d seldom seen a mother return, and that the danger of a bald eagle attack was real. He cautioned him to keep other people or pets from approaching the pup while waiting for rescue.  

David Kinney directed him to the Rockland Marine Patrol and to Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic, a marine mammal research and rescue group founded in 1972 in Bar Harbor. Allied Whale is authorized by NOAA Fisheries to respond to marine mammal emergencies and strandings, from Rockland north to the Canadian border; an area that covers approximately 6,200 miles of coastline and the many islands offshore.

At Allied Whale, Peter reached Rosemary Seton, the organization’s Stranding Coordinator, who told him that this was indeed early ‘seal pupping season’ and she would begin the process of locating a rehabilitation facility. The sole facility in Maine closed in 2014, so some of the rescued mammals must be transported to centers in Massachusetts or Connecticut. She told him that the earliest any helpers could get there would be around 3 p.m. 

It was approaching noon and the Hartels found themselves in the role of pup-sitters as they continued to scan the water for Mom’s reappearance and to monitor the baby that DeAnna had named Susie.  Concerned about the rising tides, they took shifts watching over the next few hours as the pup napped. After she awakened, she seemed to be trying to make her way toward the water which had risen to within inches of her. “My heart was pounding,” said DeAnna.

A definite connection had been made by this time. The Hartels swear that baby Susie would turn and look toward whomever was standing watch, seeming to want the security of knowing they were still there. At one point the pup cried out and sounded, swears DeAnna, “just as though it was saying ‘mom’!” 

(A quick check of the internet revealed that she was not imagining this. That, in fact, harbor seal pups do make a hooting call that sounds like “mom”!) 

At about 3:20 p.m., two student interns from COA arrived from Bar Harbor, along with Rosemary Seton. Their first task was to assess the pup – its gestational age, size, and respiration rate — as best they could from a distance. Noting her color, Seton surmised that she was a preemie, perhaps born as much as a few weeks to a month early. The big question was whether Susie would be better off left in her natural environment to (hopefully) return to the sea or if she needed to be transported to rehab.  

This was a decision to be made by veterinarian, Dr. Carissa Bielamowicz Miller, who could not make her way to Lincolnville until that evening around 6:30.

By now, the Hartels had been on pup-watch for over six hours and the wind-whipped, less-than-comfortable conditions had taken their toll. They said their reluctant good-byes to Susie, leaving her in the capable hands of the Allied Team, but DeAnna was quietly distraught. “She just looked so tired. I was afraid she was dying.”

At 6:30, Peter returned to meet Dr. Bielamowicz Miller and offer assistance. Due to her premature status, low birthweight and head laceration, the crew had decided to transport Susie to Bath and into the capable hands of Marine Mammals of Maine  for care. They transferred her into a carrier and Hartel helped them lift her into a vehicle. Promising to update the Hartels on her condition, they cautioned Peter not to get his hopes up.

It was a long weekend, buoyed by the daily check-ins from Mike Hutchings and other Lincolnville friends.

On Tuesday, they got good news.  Susie, Allied Whale’s first harbor seal pup of the 2021 season, was “holding her own and looking pretty comfy in her new digs!” She has a long road ahead but was described as “feisty, alert, and responsive.”

Thanks to a grateful beachcomber and his wife, and the compassion of our Maine mammal rescuers, Susie has a great chance to be back in the bay this summer.

You can find updates on Susie and more information on what to do if you find a stranded seal pup on Facebook. 

From Marine Mammals of Maine: “Each year we typically admit 1-3 pups in April before pup season really kicks off in May. This year, we admitted 4 before May 1^st! While this is not too unusual, it does mean we have already gone through some of our pup supplies and have had to update our wish list with some new urgent needs!”

To help, visit Marine Mammals of Maine Wish List Thanks to Chris Leary who wrote the above story.

Getting Through a Rough Patch

Randy Stearns writes on the LBB:

As many of you know and many more may not be aware, our friend Peter Thomas has had a rough winter and spring. After many surgeries and setbacks we are hoping he is on the mend.

Between the local Masonic groups and friends we are trying to help Peter get through this rough patch and back on his feet again. On Saturday May 29, we will be having a pizza night thanks to Rose Lowell’s Dolce Vita and friends. 

Also on that Saturday we are hoping to get a handful of volunteers to help cut and split firewood for Peter at his home on Slab City Road.

On this day of support for Peter we want to do a bottle and can collection day as well. We are hoping to have 2-3 spots in town where people can drop off their “nickels” and help support the efforts.

Peter has not been able to work since before Christmas, and it is not clear when he will be able to start working again. This is time for his friends and neighbors to help him however we can. Watch for more updates. Let’s show everyone what a great community Lincolnville is. And yes, any and all help will be appreciated. 

Contact Randy at 975-1479 if you can help. And put it on your calendar: Pizza for Peter, May 29.

Lincolnville Womens Club

The LWC holds its first meeting of the year Tuesday, May 18, 11:30 at the Beach Schoolhouse (aka the LIA). The next meeting will be June 15 at the Offshore Resturant for lunch and officer installation. Dues ($10 for up to 79 year olds, $5 for 80-89 year olds and free for 90 and up) as well as donations go towards the club’s scholarship program. New members are always welcome; contact President Edna Pendleton, 763-3583.

Boat Club

Jonathan Janaitis writes:

The Lincolnville Boat Club is having a Marine Yard Sale on Saturday, May 22, 9 a.m. to noon at the Boat Club building, 209 Main Street, across from the Lincolnville Library, including a 22' Bristol Sailboat, circa 1973.  This fiberglass fin keel sailboat includes all the rigging, full set of sails, and interior and exterior cushions.  Asking $2,000 or best offer.

The LBC runs a summer youth program with classes Monday through Friday.  Students sail on the warm waters of Norton Pond in Lincolnville, using Vanguard 420s, Optimists, and Lasers, all of which are ideal for safe learning and advancing sailing capabilities.  Students also have an opportunity to swim, and learn to kayak and row.  

The Yard Sale will feature a variety of boating items, including a 25 HP Mercury Outboard, life jackets, anchors, and  an assortment of nautical books. Boats for sale include a 19-footMariner, a 420, a Laser, and a Butterfly. Electronics include a Raymarine GPS/Radar system and an Icom VHF Radio.  Proceeds from the sale will help to fund camp scholarships ensuring that no student will ever be turned away from the program.

Swing by Lincolnville Center and check it out.  There will be something for everyone who loves the water.  

Lincolnville Library

Sheila Polson sends this good news:

Hello library patrons,

Our library building will open for people to come in this Saturday, May 15! This will be a soft opening in keeping with Maine State Library guidelines for our relatively small space.

• Everyone except those under age 2 will be required to wear a mask and maintain a six-foot distance.
• Three people will be allowed inside at a time.
• Each person may stay up to thirty minutes (unless no one else is waiting).

Assuming this goes smoothly, we expect to be open Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings for now. 

So thanks for your understanding as we take this next step toward returning to a more normal schedule.

I'll look forward to seeing you soon at the library!

The Library’s annual plant sale pick-up time is this Saturday, May 22, 9 a.m. on.

A Personal Note

I’m into week two of recovery from knee replacement surgery, and finally feel ready to sit at the computer and do what I love: writing about our town. Thanks to Chris Leary, Peter and DeAnna Hartel, Randy Stearns, Shelia Polson, and Jonathan Janitis I haven’t had to do much writing this time.

And thank you for all the good wishes, phone calls, and meals; you’ve made this so much easier. And thanks to my upstairs D-I-L we will have a garden! This is the first time in 50 years that I haven’t planted it myself, though it was Wally, my lifelong partner, who did the tilling and digging, pounding in of fence posts, and kept it weed-free all summer. I just put in the seeds! I have a new partner now in Tracee, as enthusiastic about the whole process as Wally and I were. Ed keeps us all well-fed with delicious dinners, while wrangling the dogs and kids.

The Beach is being kept neat and tidy as every morning a crew of various O’Briens gets down there to pick up the butts, empty the trash, and keep an eye on things. I’m truly blessed.