Maine Coastal Islands--Bold, Beautiful but Fragile When I gaze out from my sea kayak upon a cluster of spruce clad islands off of our rockbound coast, the sight is so beautiful that it just plain hurts. If you paddle or cruise the coast of Maine, you know what I mean.
These submerged mountains guard the coast and help create our rich marine ecosystem. Even though these islands look rocky and rugged, they are really quite fragile. The soils are thin and the number of visitors is increasing, so it's important that visitors tread lightly. Human activity has had an impact on the coastal islands for centuries. Many were cleared for their timber, farmed, or used to raise sheep.
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