down east – Maine Terrain

A Remote Maine Island You Can Live On! 2024

Stephen — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 08:21:24 +0000

Live on an Island in Maine

July 5, 2022

Written by Stephen Ondich

Living on a Maine island is not for everyone. However, who hasn’t dreamed of owning a private island and living in rugged solitude? One small Maine island is for sale Down East. It’s more affordable than you’d think!

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Duck Ledges Island, Maine

Location

Duck Ledges Island is located off the small fishing village of Addison, off the Bold Coast of Maine. This secret Down East private island is a mere 61.1 miles from Acadia National Park.

It is Acadia Adjacent.↵

picture used with permission of Billy Milliken

The Affordable Maine Island For Sale

Duck Ledges Island is a remote homestead in the rugged waters of Wohoa Bay. In fact, with a price of $339,000 it is one of Maine’s most affordable private islands.

Private island may make you think about the Caribbean or somewhere in the warm Pacific waters. Both Bill Gates & Richard Branson bought their own warm weather island . However, Duck Ledges Island is Maine’s answer to the tropical getaway. What it lacks in warm weather, it makes up for in beauty, unspoiled nature & price.

Is Duck Ledges Island Accessible?

The island for sale is located off the coast of Addison, about halfway between Acadia National Park and the Canadian border. Access is by boat only. However, how many private islands really have an interstate highway running through them? It’s a small price to pay, in my opinion.

Additionally, the island has deep water mooring. So bringing a larger watercraft to the island is OK.

What Is Private Island Life Like?

Island living in Maine is rugged. While Duck Ledges Island is surrounded by water, there are no sandy white beaches. Also, bring your own alcohol. There are no cabana boys running drinks around.

It is a working-person’s island. In fact, the sole one bedroom 540 sqft dwelling is powered only by a portable generator. An outdoor shower is available.

How To Buy This Private Maine Island

To buy this beautiful off the beaten path island, you must first contact the owner/realtor Billy Milliken. Milliken lives Down East and has owned this island refuge for fifteen years. Understandably, he has grown fond of the island. Thus, he wants it to be in good hands.

The island listing information can be found on Milliken’s Bold Coast Properties site.

If you buy the island, please let us know and invite us over!

4 Things Aspiring Island Owners Don’t Know

Billy Milliken is both the Broker/Owner of Bold Coast Properties and the long-time owner of Duck Ledges Island in Addison, Maine. Accordingly, he has a unique 3 prong perspective on island ownership: as a buyer , seller and listing agent.

Often, curious folk like the idea of remote island living but don’t really understand what is involved. Island brokers must have patience. Intrigued but clueless lookie-loos abound.

Thus, Billy exclusively gave Maineterrain.com his Top 4 list of things aspiring Maine island dwellers do not know about island life.

Tides impact your movements. New buyers don’t realize the significance of the shifting tides. “If you are coming or going and plan to leave your boat by the shore, make sure it’s flood tide… It won’t happen twice…”
Winter solitude. Even if buyers are used to Maine winters, island winters involve serious isolation. “If you try to live alone on one through the winter, you’re going to die…. You’ll slip and fall and yell for help but nobody will hear you..” Billy is not one to mince words.
Planning skills required. Remote island living in Maine requires a high level of planning. Island dwellers do not quickly run to the store. Trips & purchases must be planned out carefully and executed well. “Become a good planner, a trip to the store may be tide dependent or even worse for a forgotten gallon of milk.”
Unexpected visitors. Island life may seem like getting away. However, Maine islands are often shared with maritime workers. “Commercial harvesters have rights to be in the intertidal zone (you own to the low water mark but the intertidal zone is subject to some rights to the public). You might have a visit from a friendly clam digger or wrinkle gatherer. ”

Billy Milliken
Owner of Duck Ledges Island
Broker/Owner Bold Coast Properties

Billy is deeply rooted in Downeast Maine, the 6th great-grandson of the first English Settler of Jonesport, Billy is actively involved in local politics and serves the community in a number of positions. His real estate career began in 1988, closely working with his grandfather who started the firm in 1965. Billy is totally focused on his clients making a fully informed decision and provides a local perspective newcomers to the region should know. Billy also advocates for commercial fishermen and public access to the shore. Billy is an expert in local zoning and can help you navigate complexities that emerge when buying or selling.

Although today, Billy’s full-time real estate business requires most of his time, he enjoys moonlighting occasionally as a herring fisherman (a nighttime activity) and holds a recreational lobster license. An avid outdoorsman, Billy’s other interests include golf as well as a variety of seasonal outdoor recreation and he has coached little league for several years. Billy resides in Jonesport, has three children and two grandchildren.

source: Bold Coast Properties

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread 🍞 Recipes 2024

Stephen — Wed, 11 May 2022 03:30:45 +0000

DownEast Maine
pumpkin bread

September 23, 2019

Written by Stephen Ondich

Today’s article is a mash-up of two of my favorite things. Downeast or Down East refers to a large region of eastern Maine. If you are from away, Downeast is a curious term. In this article, I first tell you about the origin of term. Then I give you tips to make delicious Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread.

Downeast, Maine

Location

The mid-point of Downeast Maine (Machias) is 68 miles from Acadia National Park.

Machias is Acadia Adjacent.↵

However, Bar Harbor is also considered to be part of Downeast.

Down East Maine Pumpkin Bread

Where is Down East Maine?

Downeast Maine generally refers to the eastern most regions of Maine.

The coastal border begins in Bar Harbor and continues Northeast up along the Canadian border. Down East runs through both Washington county and Hancock county.

The scenic areas of the Bold Coast are located in Maine’s Downeast region. However, the term also refers to inland areas of Maine bordering the eastern coastal areas.

What does “Down East” mean?

To many people from away, East makes sense, as this area is located on the eastern border of Maine. However the two word combination of Downeast is confusing.

Downeast is a maritime term referring to a ship’s sailing direction. Sailors referred to the area as Down East because ship traveled downwind in an easterly direction to arrive from the port of Boston.

Down East Ambiguity

Linguist Michael Erard identifies two reasons why the term is confusing.

There is no corresponding term of Upwest representing a return trip from the East Coast of Maine toward Boston.
Reference materials sometimes include portions of Canada in Downeast. The term’s origin refers to a sailing direction. Thus, it makes sense that the region would not abruptly cut off in Maine. However, most modern interpretations are specific to Maine, geographically.

Down East References in Print

Generally speaking, most online sources date the origins of the phrase “Downeast” back to the early 1800’s. However, one of the first dictionary references to the phrase is in the 1825 edition of The Oxford English Dictionary.

An extensive list of DownEast-themed books is available online at Down East Books. According to their website, they first published in 1967 and focus on Maine literature with an emphasis on Down East locations.

Despite a change in ownership in 2013, Down East Books maintains its regionally-themed catalog.

Down East Maine Pumpkin Bread is the Best!

If you love pumpkin bread and Maine, you’ll want to taste the Down East variety of this oven treat. Although traditionally a Fall staple, pumpkin bread is OK year round, as far as I’m concerned.

These are not my own pumpkin bread recipes. Below, are links to four sites with awesome Down East Pumpkin bread recipes.

Genius Kitchen

This pumpkin bread recipe nails the spices and comes out moist every time. Many people think it tastes better the day after. Try for yourself and let us know!

All Recipes

This recipe is reminiscent of Starbucks Pumpkin Bread. With just under 10,000 reviews, many people found this Down East Pumpkin Bread recipe by Laurie Bennett on point.

Bake At Midnite

If you like Down East Maine Pumpkin Bread a little less sweet and a little more pumpkin- flavored, Bake At Midnite has your recipe.

Ski Boots in the Kitchen

This simple and nontraditional recipe uses chocolate chips. This chocolate pumpkin bread is a must-try.

How Do You Know When Pumpkin Bread is Done?

Waiting for your delicious pumpkin bread to finish in the oven is difficult. Seemingly, all the hard work is done. However, if you fail to remove the pumpkin bread at the correct time, your efforts will not be rewarded.

The goal is moist and tender bread that is cooked all the way through. Here are 3 tips for taking your Downeast Pumpkin Bread out of the oven at just the right time.

Watch the entire pumpkin bread for signs, not just the outer edges. You’re looking for a cracked pumpkin bread top to let you know the middle is baked through.
Observe the sides of the bread pan. When the bread starts to pull away from the pan edges, the bread is almost ready to come out.
As a final test, push a toothpick into the middle of your Down East Pumpkin Bread. If it pulls out clean you are finished. If the cake interior clings to the toothpick, give it a few more minutes to finish.

How Do You Keep Down East Pumpkin Bread Moist?

Most of cannot (or should not, at least) eat a full loaf of pumpkin bread in one sitting. Thus, this creates the dilemma of keeping your pumpkin bread moist for future meals.

Realistically, under optimal conditions you have maybe two to three days before your bread becomes dried out. To maximize its moisture seal any leftover bread inside of a Zip-lock seal-able plastic bag. Also, make sure to squeeze out any extra air, without squeezing the pumpkin bread, of course!

Some people use aluminum foil but I prefer seal-able bags. The reason is that aluminum foil lets in some air. Not a lot, but some. If you’re going to save the leftover bread, you might as well make it last as long as possible. To that end, use seal-able plastic bags.

Why Did My Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread not rise?

Hopefully, you will not need this information. However, in the event that your bread comes out of the oven flat, you’ll want to know why.

There are two common reasons why pumpkin bread does not rise.

Batter was filled too high in the pan. This comes down to gravity, my friend. Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread wants to rise but cannot generate a lot of force to do so. Thus, if you over fill the pan the batter has to work to hard to rise. It will give its best effort, it’s from Maine, after all. However, the batter will soon retreat back to the pan floor in defeat.
Check the date on your ingredients before starting. If your baking powder passed its prime a while back, you may want to head over to the local Hannaford’s and pick up a new one. It’s a dollar a box. Plus, this is your pumpkin bread not a science experiment! Use fresh baking powder or risk the disappointing consequences. Now that I think about it, the this was likely the culprit in our failed Jordan Pond House Popover disaster a few months back.