MaineIslands_-8
Storey King, engineer for the Sunbeam, a medical aid ship operated by the Maine Seacoast Mission, tends to the ship's hull while tethered to the docks on Matinicus at low tide on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. The Sunbeam can only enter the small harbor on Matinicus at mid-to-high tide. Once the tied goes out, the ship sits aground, which allows King to inspect the hull and subsurface mechanical elements for the ship. Matinicus is Maine's most remote, populated island roughly 20 miles off the coast. During the mid 1800s, more than 300 people lived on Matinicus. Now the island has 15 year-round residents, with fishing being the primary economy. The population swells in the warm, summer months with tourists and seasonal residents. But winter often means quiet, solitary days on the island and the few remaining residents depend on the Sunbeam as a resource hub a a gathering point for the community.