I’m Jake Newman. The Portland Logbook is my love letter to this city: the food worth hunting down, the history that refuses to die, the corners you only find if you’re paying attention.

The Shipwreck at Kettle Cove

I was walking along Kettle Cove with a close friend, scanning the ground for treasures like we normally do. A bit of sea glass, some beach trash, a cool rock we get weirdly attached to like it has feelings and we’re offending it by leaving it behind. In between the rocks and patches of ice, buried in the sand, we found an old clay pipe. It was worn down and smooth, probably had been getting knocked around in the surf for years.

At first, I thought it was carved from stone because I had never seen anything like it washed up before. It didn’t feel like something that just naturally ended up on a beach.

That’s when Megan said something I hadn’t heard before. She looked out at the water and said she wondered if it came from the shipwreck out there, the one with the girl who went to Boston for her wedding dress.

And that was it. I was immediately hooked.

I had never heard that story before, but once she said it, it made sense. Kettle Cove looks calm most of the time, but the water off Cape Elizabeth isn’t. There are ledges just under the surface you can’t see, and the weather can turn fast. In the 1800s, ships were moving up and down this coast constantly, and wrecks along this stretch weren’t unusual.

So I went home and looked into it.

In 1807, a ship called the Charles wrecked just off Richmond Island. It hit the ledges and broke apart in rough conditions. Sixteen people died.

One of them was a 24-year-old woman from Freeport named Lydia Carver.

She had gone to Boston to pick out her wedding dress, and on the way back to Maine, she never made it home.

The wreck happened fast. Fog, Cold water, rough surf, no real way to make it to shore.

Days later, her body washed ashore along Crescent Beach and was buried nearby, close to where she came in. The version people still tell is that a trunk washed up next to her, the wedding dress still inside.

People have been telling some version of that story here ever since.

We stood there for a while after Megan said it, just looking out at the water and then back down at the pipe in my hand. It didn’t feel like something that just randomly ends up on a beach.

Based on a little research, the pipe is likely from the early 1900s, so it wouldn’t line up with that wreck. Still, it was enough to send me down the rabbit hole.

Once you hear the story, it’s hard to walk that stretch of beach the same way again.

See Where It Happened

A Good Person Is Looking for Work

This is a little different than what I usually send, but it felt worth putting out there.

I have a close friend who’s looking to get into landscaping and gardening around Portland, more on the fine- and detail-oriented side of things. He’s in his 30s, in great shape, and just wants a real shot at learning the work and doing it well.

No experience yet, but fully aware of that and ready to start wherever he needs to.

In his words: zero experience, plenty of enthusiasm.

He’s comfortable with power tools and already used to driving and hauling trailers, so he’s not starting from zero when it comes to working with his hands.

I know him well, and I wouldn’t put this out there if I didn’t mean it. He’s reliable, shows up, and sticks with things. The kind of person you don’t have to check on once he’s there.

Honestly, if I had a crew, I’d hire him.

If you run a landscaping company, or know someone who does, you should meet him.

Just let me know, and I’ll connect you.

Shoot Me a DM or Just Reply

THIS WEEKS CONDITIONS
☀️ SUNRISE: 6:50 AM
🌅 SUNSET: 6:50 PM
✨ Local Opening : Y%F Coffee
✨ Local Favorite “Shop” of the Week: Abbiocco
✨ Local Artist of the Week: Palaver Strings

Portside Real Estate Group

🏡 I write The Portland Logbook, and I also help people buy and sell homes in Portland.

If a move is on your mind, I’m always happy to help you think it through.

Work With Jake

🐾 Adoptable Buddies of the Week! 🐾

🐶 Cooper – 2 yrs
A big, happy goofball who just discovered snow and can’t get enough of it. Loves people, loves to play, and would thrive with an active home that’s ready for a loyal, energetic best friend.

🐱 Squid – 9 months
A shy, quiet girl who just needs a little time to feel safe. Best in a calm, cat-savvy home with another confident cat. Go slow with her and you’ll earn something really special.

🐰 Captain Hook – 5 months
A confident little rabbit with a big personality. Loves attention, loves space to roam, and once he settles in, he fully runs the place. Perfect for someone ready to spoil him properly.

🐕 Interested? Check them out here

If the link doesn’t open anymore, it means they’ve already been adopted!