Lost Maine Coastal Schooners: From Glory Days to Ghost Ships

Lost Series

by Ingrid Grenon

Large, wooden-hulled schooners graced the seas of coastal Maine for more than a century as vessels of trade and commerce. With the advent of steam-powered craft, however, these elegant four-, five- or six-masted wooden ships became obsolete and vanished from the harbors and horizons. The Edward Lawrence, the last of the six-masters, became her own funeral pyre in Portland Harbor, burning to ash before everyone's eyes. The Carroll A. Deering washed ashore with no trace of her crew, empty as a ghost ship except for three cats and a pot of pea soup still cooking on the stove. In this testament to the beauty of the Maine coastal region, maritime history enthusiast Ingrid Grenon tells the story of these magnificent relics of the bygone Age of Sail and celebrates the people who devoted their lives to the sea.

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2010

Reviews

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a well-written and interesting read. Some spots felt a little dry and some felt like a love letter to the sailing ships of old. At times it was organized and clearly delineated, and others it felt as if there was no rhyme or reason to the book’s structure. I found myself particularly interested in the ghost ship portion of the book, as it chronicled the disappearance of these great majestic ships. Overall, a bit of a niche read that I found myself reading in a moment of wistful Maine dreaming. I’d recommend if you’ve any interest in the subject, otherwise maybe move onto something else. Then again, if you didn’t have an interest in the subject I’m guessing you wouldn’t be here reading reviews on a book like this. LOL

[Cynthia K. Eisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Ship Histories

A well written history of schooners off the eastern coast of America. Unbelievable bad weather at sea. A seaman's job was not only hard but dangerous.

[McArthur Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great "little read" for anyone that either loves Maine history and/or maritime history. I especially loved that she gave the history of the Wiscasset schooners--my husband pointed them out to me years ago and he took many pictures because he knew they might not be there much longer.