Another Wet Maine Summer??? (closing, costs, shop)

[Maineah]

A week or two of wet weather is one thing. This pattern looks like it is NEVER going to end. Maine Writer pointed out (in another medium) that there is only one partly sunny day predicted for Maine from this Sunday (May 21) straight through the end of the month beyond the Memorial Day weekend. That's a lot of rain. I'll be haying my lawn at this rate.
This does not bode well for the tourist season either. If people see a rainy, wet, forecast for Maine they will cancel their trips and stay home. It happened in 2009 when we had week after week of rain through mid July. If the tourist dependent businesses lose June and July again on top of the low numbers of tourists expected from the $4.00 a gallon gas prices there will be MANY places closing up shop for good. This is the proverbial "double whammy" the tourist businesses just can't handle so soon after a disasterous 2009. It won't just affect the tourist industry. The tons of non profit organizations who depend heavily on tourists to visit and spend money at the hundreds of annual summer festivals throughout the state will suffer as well.
Lobstermen, already set for a record season as lobsters are plentiful, are going to be getting next to nothing for their catch if there are no tourists coming to Maine. Add their fuel costs and high bait prices to a low boat price for their catch and many of them may not survive this summer. Wet weather and Very high gas prices....not a good start to the summer season I'm afraid!!

[jzinckgra]

Already having flashbacks of 2009. Dreadful!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I watch "The Farm Report" at 5 AM most Sundays. This past Sunday the 90 day forecast was for normal temperatures and above normal rainfall. That puts us out to the middle of August. Those folks from the Ag Department are quite accurate. Plan accordingly.

We will have a very good summer with high water for canoe trips. The cheapest electricity is made with hydro power. The fishing will be better. The roads will be less dusty.

[Nor'Eastah]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

We will have a very good summer with high water for canoe trips. The cheapest electricity is made with hydro power. The fishing will be better. The roads will be less dusty.

Great! What's wrong with cheap lobster, cheap electricity, lots of canoe trips, and good fishing???

The folks from away (and I mean, really away) won't be heading to Maine anyway due to high gas prices. So you Maine folks will have your state pretty much all to yourselves!

As for that lost revenue...you know, the stuff the tourists bring up there? You'd only have to work for it anyway. This way, you can all relax and enjoy the best season of all wothout working!

[Revi]

I don't care as long as we have some sun around the middle of July and into August. We just need to get the tourists in for a month or so to stay afloat. If it's rotten for a while that will give me a chance to get stuff done to sell to them during the peak month.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by jzinckgra

Already having flashbacks of 2009. Dreadful!

Actually, for me that would be a good thing, We had a great garden year, and if the Ag forecast the NMLM quoted comes to pass, we should do well at market once things get to growing.

Of course at present the issue is getting them to growing... in 09 we got into the garden earlier and weren't delayed by tractor follies.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah

Great! What's wrong with cheap lobster,

My in-laws are lobstermen. They'd like to pay their bills.

[Submariner]

River was down, our fiddlehead field was exposed and fiddleheads were coming up beginning last Thursday. Yesterday / today the river is up high again. I can't see picking fiddleheads from a kayak. Don't know if being underwater will delay the fiddleheads from opening.

Just spoke with a neighbor who has about 10-yards of manure for me to come get. We have been trying to workout when exactly I can get it. I have already gotten 4-yards of it, but for now the ground is too wet. Again. It seems a pain if I am going to be doing this all summer.

[Maineah]

Ha Ha, Ho Ho until reality sets in. I remember the same so- be- it attitudes from everyone in 2009 until they knew someone who's gift shop folded or the lobster place they like closed.
Inland folks probably don't care that much as most tourists spend their time on the coast. The effect will hit you eventually. People on the coast will have to go inland to get a job. They may have to move there to afford to stay in Maine. You can laugh it up now but you'll see things you never imagined if this summer turns out to be as bad as 2009.

[Zymer]

My garden is producing the most amazing crop...



...of #&%@#* dandelions. To look at it, you'd think I planted them intentionally.