At age 10, Maggie McGaw looked at Maine on a map for the first time. She grew up on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. Her father ran a marina called the Antigua Slipway in English Harbour, which was affiliated with Wayfarer Marine in Camden, a long ocean away from this tropical paradise. So, when he got hired to manage the marina in Maine, she looked at the map and asked him, “What are we doing, leaving the Caribbean for the North Pole?”
Though a culture shock at first, she quickly fell in love with the state. She attended Hope Elementary and Camden Hills High. Though she initially wanted to pursue a career in metalsmithing after taking courses at the high school, her father’s passing made her reexamine her path at age 25. “I thought I liked working alone in a studio environment,” she says. “But when I pursued a career in real estate—something so much more social and engaging—I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and it allows me to get out and explore new parts of Maine every day.” She loves connecting with people and helping them find what they are looking for. And who better than someone who so intimately knows the area?
The cluster of communities that include Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Hope, and Appleton holds a special place in Maggie’s heart. Camden, the center of all five, is well-known as a fabulous getaway, but she says there is a strong, year-round community here. Every time a client of hers purchases a home and moves to the area, she notes how quickly they become ensconced in the fabric of the town.
The small, tight-knit community seems to be made of people who really want to be there. They’re drawn to the area for the art and standout galleries, the nature and hiking trails, the harbor, the wonderful library, the renowned restaurants. There’s something for everyone here. “Even in the winter, when it’s quieter, the restaurants stay open. You have to try Suzuki Sushi Bar in Rockland!” she gushes. Plus, it’s an easy drive to the acclaimed restaurant. All five towns are easily accessible to one another, with Rockland and Belfast within a 30-minute drive from downtown Camden.
Living with the seasons is an intrinsic quality of many Maine communities. Fall is Maggie’s favorite time of year because the leaves turn and the busy season starts to slow down. “You can take a short ride from the coast inland and see the leaves change through the hills and over farmland.”
Winter, though quiet, offers a more introspective stretch for residents to spend more time indoors and focus on creative exploration. “I really look forward to the winter when I can finally focus on the jewelry projects I have been dreaming of all year,” she says. “There are a lot of really incredible artists in the midcoast. I think people draw inspiration from the beauty here in the summer and then enjoy the time to be indoors and make their art.”
And oh, the magic of summer in the midcoast! The first thing Maggie has to say about summer? It’s too short! Traffic in town increases as the town comes alive for summer visitors. Smoothie bars and lobster shacks start to open up—seasonal milestones in this small town. “My girlfriends and I can’t wait to get the first lobster roll of the season,” she says, “and when the smoothie shack opens up, you know summer’s started.” The secret to year-round happiness here? There’s always something to look forward to at any given time of year.
Camden Harbor is the town’s lifeblood. “I grew up at Wayfarer Marine. In high school, I worked on the docks fueling and cleaning boats,” she says. “The whole working harbor is steeped in history and has always been captivating to me.”
Camden is a seasonally shifting town full of people who have moved there because they love the lifestyle, the culture, the art, and the beauty. This offers unique perspectives from people who have lived all over and found home in this little pocket of paradise in Maine.
