"Salt Water Parish"

Date1954 – 1957

AbstractTitle: "Salt Water Parish" Views of ship Sunbeam III at anchor in calm waters. Intertitle: "Navigation in Maine waters is varied and hazardous." shots of radar scope turning on the mast of the ship, and men in the wheelhouse using navigational aids and navigational charts. Views of a small coastal fishing village with fishing boats anchored in the cove. Shots of the Sunbeam passing a fisherman at work in his dory. Views of the evergreen-covered coastline. Intertitle: "On the Maine coast, winter takes a cold, long-lasting grip." Views of a bell buoy covered in ice as Sunbeam passes. The snow-covered mountains are in the background. A crewman shovels the decks of the Sunbeam and knocks off ice. Views of lighthouse on a snowy landscape, and houses along the shore covered in snow. A harbor still has fishing boats at anchor despite the snow. More views of lighthouses in the snowy landscape, including Matinicus Rock light station, built in 1837, five miles east of Matinicus Island. A lighthouse keeper launches and dory and rows out toward the Sunbeam. Intertitle: "Mid-winter scenes in an outer island Community." POV shots from Sunbeam as it passes by a small fishing community in a cove in winter. Some fishing boats are still out. Three boys raise an American flag on a flagpole. and pose for the camera. A woman exits her back door with bucket and ladle in hand, chips at some ice, then walks along a snowy path and chip ice away on a small opening in the snow and gathers water for her house in the bucket. She walks carefully back down the path toward her house. More small houses and buildings surround the cove which is lined with ice. Lobster buoys and lobster traps are stored for winter. Views of small church on the shore. A young boy herds some ducks into a pond. Two other boys and a fisherman pose for the camera. Children watch as a man works on the engine of a car. Views of a man sawing firewood, a fisherman posing by his buoys, and a young boy scampering to a dock full of stacked lobster pots. Intertitle: Out door [sic] play makes rosy-cheeked children." A pet (?) crow perches on a log as boys jump and try to catch it. One boy climbs out on the log and grabs it and hands it down to one of the boys. Another view of the crow sitting on the handlebars of a bicycle and the children gathered around him. Views of a sled trail on a hill next to the church and children sledding down. Children pose with their sleds. Sledding on an open hill near the harbor. Intertitle:"Mission Christmas gifts bring joy to children like these, as well as to "old folks". " Two young girls sit on the step of their house and pose for the camera holding a cat. Pan the clothing, books and toys on the storage shelves at Mission headquarters ready for Christmas distribution. Intertitle: "Tons of used clothing are distributed to ease tight family budgets." Mothers, children and older women and men are seen leaving distribution center, arms filled with clothing and toys. Intertitle: "The Sunbeam moves island families and staff members, with all their household goods." Views of Sunbeam tied to a dock crowded with navigational buoys, a station wagon packed with household goods I driven aboard the stern. Boxes are unloaded from the hold of Sunbeam, and Easter lilies and luggage are seen on the deck. Many of the items are unloaded into a dory and rowed ashore. On shore, the boxes are unloaded into a wheelbarrow, or carried by hand into a house. Intertitle: "The sick and the bereaved rely on the Sunbeam." Men carry a stretcher off of Sunbeam onto a dock. Views of a fisherman rowing a dory around a sheet of ice to come aboard Sunbeam. Sunbeam underway in a snowstorm. Sunbeam grabs a mooring off the snowy coast. Intertitle: " Visits to lighthouses and lifeboat stations bring Christian fellowship to isolated personnel." Views of the light at Goose Rocks light, a spark-plug style light built 1890, sits in the Fox Island Thoroughfare that passes between North Haven and Vinalhaven. Views of Sunbeam crewman putting packages in his dory, rowing to the lighthouse, and chatting with the keepers. View of Hendricks Head lighthouse, Southport, from the water, and the crewman visiting the keepers, and launching the dory from a ramp. Views of lighthouse with boat launching ramp and very rustic village seen from the Sunbeam at anchor nearby. Views of a lightkeeper and his family at their post. A child chases a rabbit and the family waves goodbye as the visitor leaves. Views of Sunbeam anchored offshore as visitors walk up the ramp from the water to the lighthouse. Long views of Ram Island lighthouse near Boothbay Harbor, built in 1883, and Sunbeam anchored nearby. shots of the lightkeeper's house and a dog, cat and keeper who walk out a ramp to the light tower. Intertitle: "By boat, car, and on foot, Mission workers make pastoral calls." Views of man on island feeding hungry sheep. Views of dory beached on shore as Mission worker walks up to house accompanied by the man. Piles of firewood are seen ready for winter. The two men approach the local church. Views of woman and her young son standing in dooryard which is full of lobster traps. shots of rural house, with outhouse. Young girls pose for the camera, as do older men and an older woman. Shots of farmer posing near his cows. Sunbeam approaches another rural fishing village. Intertitle: "An island minister is friend and helper to everyone." Shots of Sunbeam easing into a dock. and items being unloaded from a station wagon by the minister, including a playpen and musical instrument. Views of a mother with newborn child and two toddlers posing for the camera. shots of the minister filling a bird feeder. Shots of a farmer on a saltwater farm with his horse and oxen as the minister talks to him. Intertitle: " A widow in the late eighties cuts her own wood." Shots of woman in long coat and sunhat sitting on ground with saw, sawing a tree trunk. The minister helps push it over. Intertitle: " Children gather for Christian instruction in Bible Clubs and Sunday Schools." children of varying ages file out of a school or church building and pile into a station wagon. The car is so full that a rope is tied across the back to help keep children from falling out. Children exit a home carrying books and pose for the camera. Shots of many of them leaving on their bicycles and tricycles. Shots of children posing in the snow. Intertitle: "Mission assistance helps keep small churches open and active." Pan a harbor from land , and long shots of people exiting a church. Views of another, larger church. Intertitle: "By community effort, an empty schoolhouse becomes a Mission chapel." Views of residents cleaning up the dooryard of a building, loading debris on the back of a truck. A new window is installed and the alter can be seen through it. Views of children and adults painting the side of the building. A young man and older man climb onto the bell tower on the roof, and a can of paint is passed up to them. Shots of illustration with poem written on it: Little Ship Sunbeam A blessing on our "Sunbeam" craft, Larboard and starboard fore and aft; May God protect and guide her way Through rocky reach and isle strewn bay! Her freight is golden gospel love; Her power comes from Heaven above; Her chart is right her compass true; Her captain Christ His friends her crew. To lonely folk she brings good cheer; Relief to those in pain and fear; To children something warm and bright; To those who sit in darkness, light. Then let the wind blow high or low, Serene and brave our boat shall go; For Jesus sails the sea again. Along the granite coast of Maine. Henry Van Dyke" Intertitle: "THE MAINE SEA COAST MISSIONARY SOCIETY 24 Ledgelawn Avenue Bar Harbor Maine"

• Maine Sea Coast Mission

• Maine Sea Coast Mission