On the island of Vinalhaven, ten miles off the coast, my city children had their first experience with the absorbing world of the ocean and the addictive beauty of Maine. After that, no other place would do. Fifty years later, they return summer after summer with their own children, who are as at home as they are in a place that has no electricity, indoor plumbing or hot water. I too am drawn to the state’s rugged charms. It is no accident that half of my work has been done in Maine.
