A recently-found first draft of a famous document says this: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all boats are not created equal, but most are endowed by their creators with certain unalienable traits, that among these are the enhancement of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Warning: This draft may have gone through a few changes before being issued.
But the diversity of boats is one of the truths that makes the pursuit of happiness easier on the Maine coast. Above, you see an eclectic trio giving a colorful performance in Conary Cove. Below, you’ll see a mixed quartet performing a more serene composition in Great Cove.
(Images taken in Blue Hill and Brooklin, Maine, on July 23, 2026.)