by Chris Chase
Coastal Journal staff

BATH — The building that is currently home to Midcoast Center for Higher Education, known locally as the old hospital formerly operated by Midcoast Health, has been sold by the City of Bath to Bob Smith after being on the market for just a short time. 

The building was seen as a liability by the city council in the volatile real estate market, according to Justin Poirier, the director of community development for Bath. The city had been in possession of the building since 2002.

“Owning a lot of rental space can put the town in a precarious place if the tenants leave,” said Poirier. “The council wanted to reduce its exposure to the ebb and flow of the real estate market.”

The 40th annual Boothbay Harbor Fisherman's Festival was celebrated this past weekend.by Chris Chase
Coastal Journal staff

BOOTHBAY HARBOR — For the fortieth year in a row, the annual Boothbay Harbor fisherman’s festival took over a chunk of the coast in Boothbay Harbor during the last weekend in April. 

The ever-evolving festival, which includes a variety of events each year, marks the spiritual beginning of the spring and summer seasons in the town.

Butch Cressey has been volunteering at the festival for 15 years. This year, he’s selling tickets to the fish fry. Five bucks will get you a large fish sandwich, a drink, and some chips. The size of the sandwich alone makes it worth more than the asking price. 

by Chris Chase
Coastal Journal staff

BRUNSWICK — Brunswick-based developer George Schott has reached a sales agreement with the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA), and plans on purchasing both the hotel and 190 units of housing at Brunswick Landing. 

The purchase, which would be Schott’s second purchase at the decommissioned Brunswick Naval Air Station, will be a $6 million investment, according to Steve Levesque, the executive director of MRRA.

“We’re always looking around for people to buy properties,” said Levesque. “He approached us and offered to buy the bachelor’s apartments.”

As of now, MRRA still needs to close on the sales, which according to Levesque they plan to do within the year. 

“We’re going to close on one before June 30, and the hotel will be sometime before December,” said Levesque. 

ROCKLAND — The Apprenticeshop will open its doors for a book reading and discussion by Judith Silva, author of “The Voyage of Yankee Lady,” Thursday, May 9, at 7 p.m. “The Voyage of Yankee Lady” tells the story of six very different sailors, all retired, who cruised three modest sailboats, on modest budgets, for 3,000 miles along the Canadian and American waterways surrounding New England. Learn how they found their way into almost 90 harbors and anchorages and coped with storms, mechanical problems, and other obstacles. Silva will also share highpoint experiences of their adventures and will close the evening with question and answers, and a book signing.

Judith Silva sailed The Yankee Lady single-handed for 10 years before meeting and marrying Jim, also an accomplished sailor. Her love of boating began when she stepped into a canoe at the age of 12 and progressed to sailing a Penguin on Long Island Sound when she was a teenager. She hasn’t left the water since.

If you are curious about circumnavigating but don’t know where to start, this event is sure to offer ideas and inspiration. Of course you don’t have to be interested in circumnavigating at all to attend. Whether you are a novice, expert or non-sailor, you will certainly enjoy hearing of the experiences of these six adventurers.

This event is part of The Apprenticeshop’s 2013 “Second Thursdays at The Apprenticeshop” lecture series. Admission is $5 per person. The Apprenticeshop, a school for traditional boatbuilding and seamanship, is located at 643 Main St. in Rockland. For more information, call 594-1800, or visit www.apprenticeshop.org.