Subject: Re: machias seal island
Date: Jun 04, 2004 @ 00:28
Author: kontikipaul ("kontikipaul" <contikipaul@...>)
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>http://www.mainebirding.net/puffin/norton/msi_patch.jpg
> http://www.coastguides.com/r6/r6.html?http%
> 3A//www.coastguides.com/r6/6.45MachiasSeal.html
> http://home.comcast.net/~sacnin/images/map3.jpg
> http://www.med.mcgill.ca/alumnicorner/images/BT3,%
> 20S3.jpg
>
>http://www.surfbirds.com/media/Photos/sbflight.jpg
>
>http://www.siue.edu/GEOGRAPHY/ONLINE/Schmidt.htm
>
> http://robert.carceller.free.fr/lum20/phare/machias.jpegthousand
> REMOTE, fascinating Machias Seal Island lies 10 miles southeast of
> Cutler and almost equidistant from Grand Manan Island to the
> northeast. The island is tiny, a mere 15-acre speck on the chart,
> but both the United States and Canada claim it as theirs, and they
> have disputed it for more than a century and a half.
> COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
> It is hard to imagine why the sovereignty of this scrap of land is
> in contention, but it is, and the outcome probably will be decided
> at the International Court of Justice in The Hague several
> miles to the east. If it was simply a question of which flagshould
> fly at the lighthouse, if would be fairly ludicrous, but nowadays,are
> with the 200-mile limit and fishing rights at stake, the issues
> more serious.both
> COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
> Apparently, American sovereignty of the island was confirmed in
> the 1783 Treaty of Paris and in the Treaty of Ghent, which endedthe
> War of 1812*. But by the time of the Civil War, it was in disputeand
> again. The American known as "Tall Barney" claimed Machias Seal
> the surrounding waters in 1865 and single-handedly defended themclaim
> against a landing of Canadian officers in the spring of that year.
> But Canadian merchants from Saint John with shipping interests had
> already established a lighthouse here in 1832, and eventually the
> lighthouse was taken over by the Canadian government. They now
> that the operation of the lighthouse established "effectiveSeal
> territorial occupation." See below for the latest in this dispute.
> IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU HAVE VIOLATED
>
>
> What is not in dispute is who the island really belongs tothe
> seabirds. As noted in the Canadian Sailing Directions, "Machias
> Island is home to five species of breeding seabirds: puffins,(506-
> razorbills, petrels, arctic and common terns. It is one of the
> largest known colonies of arctic terns on the east coast of North
> America and the largest razorbill and puffin colony south of
> Newfoundland." If you want to see the spectacular bird population,
> come early in the summer, because they will have migrated by mid-
> August.
> INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW.
> For years several commercial operators have made runs to Machias
> Seal from mainland ports. Andy Patterson sails out of Cutler (259-
> 4484), Captain Butch Huntley operates out of Lubec (733-5584), and
> Preston Wilcox operates out of Seal Cove on Grand Manan Island
> 662-8296). The Maine Audubon Society also sponsors occasionaltrips.
> PLEASE RESPECT AND SUPPORT THE WORK THAT HASoperates
> Perhaps the best known skipper is Captain Barna Norton who
> out of Jonesport (497-5933). Captain Norton has long been achampion
> of American ownership of the island and can even trace hisownership
> of the island to his great-grandfather, Barna Beal, none otherthan
> the one they called "Tall Barney." Once when Captain Norton rowedretaliation.
> ashore brandishing the stars and stripes, a Royal Canadian Mounted
> Police helicopter swooped down and buzzed the island in
> BROUGHT YOU THIS INFORMATION. BUY THE GUIDE!close
> In the spring of 2001, however, the Canadian Wildlife Service
> suddenly prohibited visitors to the island. Tour operators were
> furious, and vowed to keep bringing birdwatchers to the waters
> by.the
> COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
> You can get to Machias Seal Island in your own boat, too. Even if
> you can't get ashore, you will see plenty of puffins. Cutler is
> most convenient point of departure. Set your course directly forthings
> Machias Seal. The 82-foot lighthouse is visible for 14 miles.
> COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
> On the way out you will occasionally see buoys marking bottom
> trawls, sometimes with a radar reflector at one end. You may also
> see fluorescent floats marking the nets beneath. All of these
> are to be avoided. Be sure to pick up the flashing red bell thatusually
> guards North Shoal and North Rock 2 miles north of Machias Seal
> Island.
> IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU HAVE VIOLATED
> In July of 1964 the fog horn on Machias Seal sounded continuously
> for 31 days, but don't let that discourage you. The same month the
> following year there was only one day of fog.
> INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW.
> The moorings off the island are private and lightweight, and
> used by the tour boats. Anchor due east of the lighthouse, in theuse
> lee of the island, in 9 to 16 feet. If a heavy swell is running,
> anchoring will be difficult. The bottom is rocky and holding
> uncertain.
> PLEASE RESPECT AND SUPPORT THE WORK THAT HAS
> In the event that the rules change and you are allowed to land,
> extreme caution when landing on the slippery rocks in the swells.sign
> Take your dinghy ashore to the seaweed-covered rocks and work your
> way cautiously to the wooden plank leading to the ways. As the
> says, "Debarcadere Dangereux."and
> BROUGHT YOU THIS INFORMATION. BUY THE GUIDE!
> Even if you can't get ashore, you'll see lots of puffins, auks,
> terns flying and fishing all around. Be sure to bring yourbirds.
> binoculars, your camera, and a lot of film.
> COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
> Even before the ban on visitors, the Canadian authorities felt
> strongly that human intrusion adversely affected the nesting
> They had imposed a strict limit of 30 visitors per day. If youwere
> number 31, you were not allowed to land. The commercial skippersincluded
> made predawn departures and radio calls to be sure of being
> in the quota. They noted with wry satisfaction that yachts tendedto
> arrive in the afternoon.been
> COPYRIGHT 2002 DIAMOND PASS PUBLISHING
>
>
> * Robert Godfrey writes:
>
> I don't believe that the Treaty of Ghent addressed the nationality
> of Machias Seal Island, although it definitely authorizes the
> Boundary Commission to establish sovereignty of that area. I've
> unable to find reference to the island in the treaty recordswith
> available online. The Treaties of 1908 and 1910 refined boundaries
> down to the middle of Grand Manan Channel, but not further south.
> Also, an International Court of Justice defined the boundary
> beginning 10-minutes to the south of Machias Seal Island, and
> traveling southward. I can't find treaty reference to the area
> specific to the island. It would be interesting to discuss this
> an expert on the international boundary issues, and to see moreseason
> documents regarding the "grey zone."
>
> The latest in the US/Canadian territorial dispute:
>
> A 110-square-mile area off Grand Manan remains in dispute between
> Canada and the United States. Traditionally, Maine fishermen have
> lobstered in these waters during the summer months, when the
> Canadian lobster season is closed. But some of the Grand Manan
> fishermen claim that when their lobster season opens in November,
> the lobsters are already fished out by the Americans. In response,
> the Canadian Government has recently decided to allow out-of-
> fishing off Grand Manan. Many of Grand Manan's 132 licensedwant
> lobstermen oppose the decision, however. They claim that nobody's
> catch is going down, they don't want a summer fishery, and they
> to keep peace with the Americans. What most of the fishermen would
> have preferred was a negotiated settlement over out of season
> fishing with the Americans, but that didn't happen.