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 Skiff Race Pemaquid. ©Photo by Sam Murfitt
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Photographs documenting New England’s working waterfronts will be on exhibit at the Ellsworth Library through January 30. Photographer Sam Murfitt of Kittery, who is also a boatbuilder, launched his “Working Waterfront” project to document the disappearing traditions, culture and people along the New England seacoast. The exhibit includes a selection of photographs covering all aspects of the maritime industry from northern Maine, Beal’s Island, New Bedford and Gloucester taken over four years. Murfitt has worked as a commercial photographer and as a boatbuilder for C.W. Hood and Paul Rollins, among others, for the past 40 years.
 Pemaquid Boat Race. ©Photo by Sam Murfitt
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Sam Murfitt has been documenting the fishing industry in New England for several years. Based in Maine, Sam regularly drives the length of the coast to get photographs of a boat launch, or lobsterboat race, then races himself to Portland to shoot a council meeting. From there he might go to work on a boatbuilding job in York, or to Machais where he is a sternman. Enroute he’ll stay with friends, pick up news about fishermen, boats, fishing, the industry, and take photographs.
Murfitt has covered all the lobster boat races for several years. He goes to management meetings from Machais to Warwick, Rhode Island photographing the player in the process. He takes pictures because he’s a photographer. He takes pictures of the fishing industry because he’s been around the coast all his life, and he knows that what he is seeing will not always be around.
 Model lobster boat racers, Jonesport, ME. ©Photo by Sam Murfitt
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There are people up and down the coast known to many for one reason or another. There are waterfront people known to few, but are for one reason or another are of interest. There are places, things, occupations, and activities that make life on the working waterfront what it is, and that is of interest to Murfitt.
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