The Atlas Obscura Audio Guide to Maine’s Wilderness

Most of The Well’s produce comes straight from Jordan’s Farm and surrounding farms in Cape Elizabeth. Courtesy of The Well at Jordan’s Farm.

In this Atlas Obscura series, we soak in the beauty of Maine’s wilderness. Join us in exploring its rugged coastline, lush forests, and craggy hills alongside locals who draw inspiration from these landscapes in their work—be it pottery, culinary experimentation, or guided coastal tours.

First, we set sail with Captain Becky Sigwright on the oldest windjammer in the United States: the Lewis R. French. Out on Penobscot Bay, we get an unbeatable view of the Maine coastline, sing sea shanties, and make a pit stop to eat some fresh lobster.

Next, we check out the studio of production potter Hanako Nakazato. Splitting her time between her native Japan and Maine, Hanako’s pottery combines the aesthetics of Japanese tableware with shapes and colors inspired by Maine’s rural beauty.

On dry land, we wade through a field of wildflowers to The Well—a farm-to-table restaurant that’s literally on a farm. Chef Jason Williams shows us how he hand-picks the ingredients for each meal every day, letting the ever-changing Maine weather set the menu.

Row out with us to Wood Island, which is less than a square mile in size but has more than its fair share of larger-than-life stories. The island has been home to a celebrity dog named Sailor and a famous pickpocketing incident, and is said by some to have an inexplicable ghostly presence.

Finally, we visit a blueberry farm that honors an unusual tradition: annually burning the crops to rejuvenate the fields for the next year.

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