Achieving balance between reaching your goals, the greater environment and having a life is one of the greatest tricks we can pull off.

Monday, March 7, 2011

The project that pulls at you

Sometimes, no matter how difficult a project is, or has become, you feel this deep need to make it happen. Even against the better advice of your inner voice there is something that just draws you to it, pulls you to it.  This is how I feel about King Charles' Coast, or, Whose Beach Is It Anyway?

I have been vested in this project for well over two years now.  Ever since the knowledge of how the coast of Maine, or more precisely the access to the coast of Maine works. I always knew there was a lot of coast here, with all the bays and inlets, the isthmi and the islands. But I never realized that over 94% of the coast was privately owned.

Yeah well, that isn't that big a deal right? A lot of the US coast is privately owned. No biggie.  If you can access the beach you can still surf it or hang out and just chill below the high tide mark, right? Nope! Not in Maine!

This whole crazy world of coastal laws and the battles that focus around it all reveled itself to me and I have to say, I was pretty shocked. Rules written in 1647 remaining in force to this day?  Ownership to the low tide mark, which can be like 200 yards out in some places here?  Whats more when I asked folks about this, people who I really thought would be 'in the know', very few people had any real knowledge, and those that did were hazy at best.

I am hugely vested in the coast of Maine.  My family is, my friends are, this community is. Maine is a coastal state and there is a pride in the maritime sensibility here. This is part of why I am pursuing this project. And I am looking to the masses to help get it done. Those of you who care about coastal access, in Maine and across the US coasts, who enjoy the ocean, I am hoping you will take a look at the project on Kickstarter, and help get this important documentary made, either by contributing, or helping to spread the word.

Here is how Kickstarter works: you support a project by contributing a given amount of money. BUT! If the project doesn't reach the goal amount in the time allotted, you are never charged the money. So  you say, ok, I can put $20 towards that, but if the funding amount isn't reached in the time limit, they never take the $20 off your credit card. It's a pretty cool thing really. Then if the goal is reached, for your $20 you get some sort of reward, like copy of the film, or a poster or whatever the $20 reward is.

Take a look at the project- follow the URL and check out the video, the description and all the cool rewards. I Really do believe this doc will resonate with all the coastal users in Maine, and beyond.  Thanks for taking the time to check it out.  

Here is the link: