It can happen in the blink of an eye. Wear a PFD to stay alive.

January/February 2022 By Randy Randall There’s that old nautical saying, “If you’ve never gone aground in your boat, you’re not a sailor.” Maine ports and rivers are usually deep and well-marked, but estuaries like the Saco River and Biddeford Pool can surprise you – and before you know it, you’reRead More

October 2021 By Randy Randall The call was urgent. The outboard had conked out, and they wanted us to give them a tow. They had managed to snag a mooring and were marooned at the mouth of the river. They couldn’t get the outboard started. Could we come to getRead More

August 2021 By Randy Randall When Bill Marston (my wife Jean’s father) started our marina in the early ’50s he called it Riverside Anchorage. He was an interesting guy. He was industrious and creative and always wanted a Jaguar car; but three kids, a mortgage, a regular job, and aRead More

May, 2021 By Randy Randall For Points East The boys hate pumpouts. They say it’s a disgusting, smelly job, and only good for tips. They groan when someone calls in on the radio asking for one. But it’s a service we have to provide. Based on the size of ourRead More

Midwinter 2021 By Randy Randall Whoa! Watch out! Bump . . . smash . . . bang. And there it sat. The 18-foot fiberglass boat was leaning over on one chine right dead center on the launch ramp about 40 feet from the water. No one hurt? Nope. Everyone’s OK.Read More

By Randy Randall Some people you meet in this life leave a lasting impression. I suppose the grizzled waterfront character is a stereotype, and people coming to the marina or boatyard are not surprised when they run into such a bard roaming the docks. These old salts are often biggerRead More

I’ve written before about how April can be a tough month for us here at Marston’s Marina, but we could never have anticipated April 2020.

With the recent passing of our 41st president, George Herbert Walker Bush, I’m reminded of the time he visited our little marina aboard one of his boats. This happened back in the ’90s, but my memory of the event is vivid even today.

Early last summer, I decided I’d return to the days of my youth and take up rowing again, and for that I needed a rowboat. I don’t happen to own a boat suitable for rowing but have at least three canoes to my name. Remembering some articles from the oldRead More