Six years ago, reports about a new coronavirus outbreak on the other side of the globe had been percolating through the news for several months. And then, right about this time, as the winter morphed into spring, the COVID-19 pandemic hit here in Maine. If you were paying attention up to that point, those halcyon days we called normal life were officially over in an unprecedented way. 

There was stress and anxiety enough to go around, and the only thing certain in those early days of the rapidly spreading virus was more uncertainty. “Social distancing,” “self-quarantine,” “shelter-in-place,” and “flattening the curve” became part of our daily lexicon. Fortunately, many Mainers were able to find a measure of solace by escaping into the outdoors, something that was thankfully encouraged by our government leaders.  

A statement from Gov. Janet Mills declared: “[…] the great outdoors is still open. Please enjoy it safely.” And from Judy Camuso, Maine’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner: “During these times, getting outside and enjoying the outdoors is a wonderful way to recharge, while maintain social distancing practices.” I was walking my neighborhood trails daily to keep from going completely stir crazy, so this was easy advice to follow. 

People from the urban centers around the state took flight, as did many from the heavily populated regions outside of Maine; all were seeking the wide open spaces, the fresh air, clear skies and healthy sunshine as far from the city as possible. And just like that, the Acadia National Park trailheads here on Mount Desert Island were overflowing. In March, no less. You may have experienced the same where you live. 

Too much of a good thing is often, well, too much. My wife and I decided this might be a good opportunity to explore further Down East, beyond Acadia, where there were plenty of trails that few people know about, many we had never even hiked ourselves. And so, trying to make the best of a terrible situation, that’s exactly what we did for many weeks to come, hiking pretty much everything in the region. 

Down East Maine encompasses all of Hancock and Washington counties, an area of 4,409 square miles area ranging from Penobscot Bay to the Saint Croix River on the border with New Brunswick. Across this sparsely populated region, at least 10 land trusts have protected lands, and built and maintained trails, in addition to the swaths of state and federal properties that are also available for public recreation. 

The Crabtree Neck Land Trust oversees 400 acres in Hancock, and there we found six preserves featuring some 14 miles of hiking. We enjoyed this close-to-home-but-never-been adventure so much that we hiked everything over a couple days. The out-and-back on the Old Pond Railway Trail was by far our favorite, but we also really liked the Ice Pond Preserve and the Carter Beach Corridor. 

Scattered over the Down East region are 21 Maine Coast Heritage Trust preserves, most sporting hiking trails. Among these many beauties are two standouts, in my humble opinion, and both are in Lubec. The rugged environs of Boot Head were all about rocky headlands, peat bogs and cobble beaches, while Hamilton Cove was home to all that, plus precipitous cliffs. At each, we reveled in huge views over the Grand Manan Channel. 

The hike at Schoodic Bog in Sullivan is a Frenchman Bay Conservancy project that circumnavigates the scenic wetland with fine views of Schoodic Mountain en route. At Ingersoll Point in South Addison, we enjoyed hiking to Carrying Place Cove and Wohoa Bay, thanks to the Downeast Coastal Conservancy. And among the Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s extensive inventory was the sweet figure-eight hike along Patten Stream in Surry. 

The COVID pandemic wreaked havoc on every aspect of our society, but if there’s a bright spot to recall from that dark period, it may be the unexpected chance many of us had to recreate in the great outdoors. The wonders my wife and I discovered as we wandered about Down East during those unsettling times remain today, and I invite you to visit and experience some of this amazing beauty for yourself this spring. Enjoy, and leave no trace. 

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is a Triple Crown hiker, freelance writer and author of three hiking guides. Connect with Carey on Facebook and Instagram and at [email protected].  

The crowd was loud, the number of jerseys with his name on the back were plentiful, and Cooper Flagg was back in New England for his first game at TD Garden as an NBA player Friday night.

Flagg, whom the Mavericks selected with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, grew up in Maine rooting for the Celtics. Boston was as close to a hometown team as he could get back then.

During his postgame press conference, Flagg was asked what the crowd was like and whether or not he’d like to experience it from the other side as a Celtic one day.

“Nah, I love being a Maverick,” Flagg said. “That’s home and I don’t want anything else. It was incredible to be able to play here, obviously this is the place where I came as a kid and got to watch, so I think it’s going to be incredibly fun for the rest of my career for me to be able to come here and playin front of this crowd.”

Flagg, who is in the first year of his rookie deal, likely won’t hit free agency until 2030. Bringing him to Boston before then would probably have to involve a trade. He is under contract for next season, and the Mavericks have a club option for 2028 and 2029.

With Flagg averaging 20.3 points and 6.5 rebounds as a rookie with room for his game to grow, hanging onto him as long as possible seems like the logical move for Dallas unless something unexpected happens.

Despite losing to the Celtics by 20 points during Jayson Tatum’s return, Flagg seemed to enjoy the experience of playing in Boston.

“I had a lot of people come up from back home. Having that experience was really cool,” Flagg said. “The energy was incredible tonight, obviously, with Jayson coming back. The energy was great, it’s an incredible environment and an incredible place to play.”

His time in Texas is just beginning, and this isn’t the Mavericks’ last trip to TD Garden. But, there’s nothing like the first one, and this was a moment that Flagg wanted to savor.

“It meant a lot. I tried to take a moment to take a deep breath and take it all in,” Flagg said. “It’s a dream come true just being out there on that court competing and playing at a high level. It’s really special.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s catch of lobsters declined for the fourth straight year, state fishing regulators said Friday, as the industry continued to grapple with soaring business costs, inflation and a changing ocean.

The haul of lobsters, Maine’s best known export and a key piece of the state’s identity and culture, has declined every year since 2021, and some scientists have cited as a reason warming oceans that spur migration to Canadian waters.

The sector brought in 78.8 million pounds (35.7 million kilograms) of lobsters in 2025, down from more than 110 million pounds (49.9 million kilograms) in 2021, regulators said. It was the lowest total since 2008.

Inflation hit the industry hard last year, and there were more than 21,000 fewer fishing trips than in 2024, according to Carl Wilson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Market uncertainty due to tariffs and a late start to the busy portion of the fishing season also played roles, he said.

“This combination of factors likely contributed to the decline from 2024 to 2025 in the lobster harvest of more than eight million pounds and a decrease in the overall value of more than $75 million,” Wilson said in a statement.

The vast majority of the country’s lobsters are caught in waters off Maine, though they are also trapped elsewhere in New England.

The overall catch, among the most lucrative in the U.S., is frequently worth more than $500 million at the docks each year. Last year it was more than $461 million.

The southern New England lobster fishery has been declared depleted by regulators for years. That decline happened as waters warmed off Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, and scientists have warned that the trend could be repeating off Maine. The crustaceans are sensitive to changes in temperature, particularly when young but also throughout their lives.

Last year the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said lobster populations have shown “rapid decline in abundance in recent years” in key areas and declared the species to be experiencing overfishing. Environmental groups have called for tighter regulation of the fishery.

Some members of the industry have pushed back on that assessment and say fishermen are already restricted by regulations meant to conserve the lobsters and save endangered whales.

Last year’s catch was still relatively high compared with historic numbers, up from typically 50 million to 70 million pounds (about 23 million to 32 million kilograms) in the 2000s and even less in the decade before that.

The industry saw a boom in the 2010s, when hauls were over 100 million pounds (45 million kilograms) per year, topping out at more than 132 million pounds (60 million kilograms) in 2016.

While prices remained high for both consumers and dealers, the high cost of necessities such as fuel and gear made for “not a very profitable season,” said John Drouin, who fishes out of Cutler.

But it was not all bad news, as lobsters were trapped more consistently than the prior year, said Steve Train, who is based out of Long Island.

“Hauling was more consistent, with less peaks and valleys, and the price was higher in the summer months,” Train said. “But I think I landed a little less.”

Lobsters remain readily available in restaurants and seafood markets, though prices have been high. They typically sold for $3 to $5 per pound at the dock in the 2010s and have been more than $6 per pound in some recent years. Last year the price at the dock was $5.85 per pound.