It was an uncharacteristically clear day in mid-August, when Captain Dan McNichol was navigating the Captain E. Frank Thompson ferry through Penobscot Bay from Rockland to Vinalhaven.
McNichol, who could easily spot all of the rocks, buoys and other obstacles, said the weather is rarely so cooperative this time of year. “We get days we can’t see the bow,” he said. “It’s stressful.”
The weather is, famously, one source of stress for any mariner. But it’s not the only one that confronts the crews on Maine’s state ferries, who transport passengers from ports in the midcoast and Hancock County to a variety of islands.
They must ensure their boats are operating correctly. They must provide customer service and safety to the hundreds of year-round residents and travelers a day. And increasingly, they’ve had to step in when the ferry service can’t find other workers, as recent staffing shortages have contributed to many trip cancellations this year.
The disruptions have strained year-round residents of the islands off Maine’s midcoast, along with tourists.
They’ve also shone a light on the importance of ferry workers, who play a vital role in keeping Maine’s coastal communities running, but are just as susceptible to the work and life pressures that have made it hard for many industries to find employees these days.
To learn more about that work, the Bangor Daily News spent a day with McNichol and his crew on the roundtrip from Rockland to Vinalhaven.
The crew normally takes three round-trips each day for a week at a time, then takes a week off, but its operations have looked a little different these days.
McNichol often works on his off-days.
David Norman, an able-bodied seaman, doesn’t really take his breaks, instead getting overtime pay to clean or prepare for inspections.
And on that day in August, two of the crew members weren’t regular employees of the ferry service, but rather, of an out-of-state firm called Seaward Services Inc. that’s been contracted to fill holes in the schedule.
The State Ferry Service has brought on a half-dozen Seaward employees to embed with Maine crews as it tries to recruit more permanent employees with higher wages. Paul Merrill, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Transportation, said the temporary workers have been critical, especially on the Vinalhaven route and around the Fourth of July.
Although the union representing ferry workers has previously expressed concern over the arrangement, McNichol said that Seaward’s presence has “been a good thing.”
As the ferry pulled out of the Rockland terminal and an ocean breeze began cooling the bridge, McNichol had one Seaward crew member, Ray Johnson, take his place at the helm.
“Yeah, you can go left a little bit,” McNichol said, standing at Johnson’s shoulder and guiding him around lobster gear. “Use your discretion.”
On foggy days, three people handle the bridge of the ferry: one to steer, one to use navigational instruments and one to visually monitor the route.
Though the weather was clear, the crew fell into that formation on this day as well, with Norman scanning the sea with binoculars. As the ferry chugged along, he would occasionally point out obstacles — kayaker on the port side, school of porpoises on starboard, a quickly approaching motorboat.
“If we were in fog right now, I’d be glued to my radars, then I’d check myself with my GPS,” McNichol said. “Right now, it’s pretty simple because it’s all open water.”
The ride was smooth for the passengers, who kept an eye out for harbor seals and porpoises in the midday sun.
The crew members laughed and joked as well, though they had to maintain focus. Johnson kept his eyes glued to the water to avoid lobster buoys and rocky outcroppings.
The crew also periodically checked that the passengers weren’t doing anything unsafe, such as sitting on railings or drinking alcohol. On a previous trip, Norman said, someone had to be stopped from doing an exercise known as “planking” on a railing.
An hour and a half after leaving Rockland, McNichol took over when it was time to dock the ferry in Vinalhaven. The large bumpers on the terminal, called dolphins, helped him get the ferry to fit just right.
The other crew members helped passengers disembark and directed vehicles off the boat. In the hour before the return trip, the crew ate lunch and made sure no passengers left anything behind.
The state ferries provide service between the ports of Rockland, Lincolnville and Bass Harbor to the islands of Vinalhaven, North Haven, Matinicus, Swans Island, Frenchboro and Islesboro.
They carry a variety of vehicles and occasionally mail and freight. They also transport more than just human passengers.
Right next to the terminal in Vinalhaven is one of the busiest lobster wharfs in the state. After the crustaceans are caught, they’re loaded into crates and put into a semi-truck. Before the ferry departed, Ashley Childers, who is also with Seaward, helped direct the vehicles, including the loaded truck, on board.
Once all vehicles, foot passengers and cyclists were on the boat, Johnson and Norman closed the loading gates and helped McNichol prepare for departure.
The ride back was uneventful, with Childers at the helm and McNichol directing her. As the day’s next Rockland-Vinalhaven ferry passed on the port side, McNichol gave the customary wave of his hat to its captain.
“You know, we got this big ship with 100 people on here. It’s a lot of responsibility,” McNichol said. “Got to stay focused.”
Jules Walkup is a Report for America corps member. Additional support for this reporting is provided by BDN readers.
