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Fire Danger
Island Spirit Flies High
November 8, 2012
Author : Kate Hotchkiss Taylor
Category: Community, Environment
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The doctor’s appointment is important because my son has mild scoliosis, side-to -side curvature of the spine common in adolescence. Time for a checkup and hopefully an “okay, go ahead” on a sports schedule that includes ocean rowing with six other crew. Problem is, my 14 year old and I are on North Haven island, the car is on another island, and we need to drive inland to Hallowell to see “Dr. Scott” (first name), a dedicated physician we first met years ago via the M/V Sunbeam’s Telemedicine service. Days like this I wonder why we live on Maine islands where logistics are often inconvenient, especially now that we are forced to navigate between two isles so our boys can attend high school.

Chief Pilot Roger Wolverton with Island Spirit - - Photo by Kate Hotchkiss Taylor
The flight is exquisite! I happily watch the morning

A lobster boat heads out among Penobscot Bay islands. - - Photo by Kate Hotchkiss Taylor
Too soon we bank left and land at the Stonington Municipal Airport – a paved airstrip! I could stay up there for hours and am disappointed the best part of the day is over.

Early morning approach to Stonington Municipal Airport runway "two-five" on Deer Isle- - Photo by Kate Hotchkiss Taylor
Pilot Wolverton takes my bike out of the aircraft’s luggage compartment, puts on the front wheel, snaps my picture, and then takes off - quite literally.

For twelve months of the year Penobscot Island Air pilots fly mail, groceries, packages, people, pets, livestock, office equipment, bikes, and more to Maine islands. – Photo by Kate Hotchkiss Taylor
As I bicycle to Isle au Haut Boat Services’ dock - my husband had left the car there before boarding the mail boat to the island - I am still floating from the upliftingly beautiful ride over Penobscot Bay. I love biking. I love flying. I love the sea and its islands, especially in Maine. What could be better than enjoying these unique lands from above, and then biking along their picturesque roads and trails? If I had more free time I would fly to various Maine islands and bike to my heart’s content!
Putting vacation day fantasies aside, I shove

Island Spirit flies high. – Photo by Kate Hotchkiss Taylor
We drive back to Rockland through rush hour traffic and road maintenance, making the North Haven Ferry with barely a minute to spare. Eleven hours of travel for an eleven-minute appointment. I would be annoyed about such a time sucking experience except that I love my son, I love this doctor who even makes house calls during his own island biking excursions, and I love heavenly gorgeous plane rides over Maine islands.

--Photo by Roger Wolverton
Kate is a photographer, writer, and global business consultant living on North Haven with her husband and two sons.
www.katehotchkisstaylor.com
www.taylorwrite.com
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