From 1874 until 1915, the "Storm Warriors" of the Fletchers Neck Life Saving Service and the citizens of the Village of Biddeford Pool shared a common history. During the 19th century, the stretch of Maine coast between Portland and the busy docks at Portsmouth, New Hampshire was among the most dangerous passages along the coast of Maine. Rocky beaches, hidden ledges, dangerous currents, and small, low-lying islands were treacherous to mariners. In December 1874 the Biddeford Pool Life Saving Station began its first active season. Six "surfmen" made up the crew charged with protecting this transit. Gleaned from local newspapers, stations logbooks, official records of the Life Saving Service, and the papers and memories of involved families, these are tales of men at odds with the fury of nature- men who subscribed to the motto: "You have to go out but you don't have to come back."

About the Author

Richard Parsons is a member of the Biddeford Historical Society and serves as the historian on the Executive Board of the Friends of the Wood Island Lighthouse. He is the author of Wood Island Lighthouse: Stories from the Edge of the Sea . He lives in Biddeford, Maine.

Book Information
ISBN 9781684752638
Author Richard Parsons
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Down East Books,U.S.
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield