Letters

Island Defense Network

To The Editor:

I enjoyed the sampling and reading of your magazine, Portland Monthly.

I, at one time, spent a short period of my life on the islands making up the Portland Harbor Military Defense System.

I have shared the Portland Monthly issues I purchased (July/ August 1987, "Portland At War") with acquaintances who were formerly in military service with U.S. Fifth Infantry, 8th Coast, or 240th Coast Artillery units. They also share my interest with the islands making up Casco Bay. I have encouraged them to share any pictures or stories of interest relating to military life while serving in the defense of the Merrill Clark Portland

Sugar & Spice

To The Editor: . Your overview of Maine skiing and- ski areas in the December/ January, 1988 issue of Portla.nd Month Iy ("Confessions Of A MaIne Ski Bum," by Charlie Brown) was excellent. I would like to point out, however, that in the superlative category Sunday River has the greatest lift capacity, 14, 750 per hour vs. Sugarloaf's 12,505; largest snowmaking coverage, 280 acres vs. Sugarloaf's 210; and largest grooming fleet, seven Pisten Bully's vs. Sugarloaf's six. Wende F. Gray Bethel

Exceptional Facility

To The Editor:

As a skier, it was with keen interest that I turned to "Confessions of a Maine Ski Bum" in the December/January issue of Portland M~nthly. I was most impressed WIth the manner in which you presented so many facts and figures and still offe;ed a readable and enjoyable article. (Charlie Brown's) tonguein-cheek reference to a Maine winter "lasting as long as the siege of Stalingrad, with about as many pleasures" was wonderful.

The considerable amount of effort and time required to compile and present guide information is not lost on me. I am also aware of the constraining factors affecting detailed descriptions. However, as marketing manager of The Bethel Inn & Country Club, I was disappointed in that the only comments made regarding our resort were that we offered cross-country skiing and a three-night package.

Granted, there are many lodging and winter recreational properties of merit in Maine, yet, I feel our exceptional facilities and amenities were worthy of additional detail, given the content of your article.

The Bethel Inn's Cross-Country Ski Center does indeed offer 42 kilometers of groomed trails, second only to Carrabasset Valley in leng.th and variety. Our golf course faIrways offer ideal terr~in for the novice, and our extenSIve network of wooded trails challenges skiers of all levels. T elemark skiing lessons are available as well as a racing loop and specially groome? layouts. for practicing Nor?Ic ~katl.ng techniques. A speCIal ski tourmg center by all accounts.

As for The Bethel Inn itself, our facilities include traditional inn and new townhouse accommodations with working fireplaces, two rest~urants, a tavern, nightly entertamment, sleigh rides, ice skating rink, sauna, and a complete year-round recreational center scheduled for completion in February. Consider also we are located in the center of , . Bethel, a charming and full-serVICe New England village, as you well know, just 10 minutes away from Sunday River and Mount Abram. Please do not interpret my remarks as criticism; my intentions are educational. I am an avid Portland Monthly reader, and it is in both of our interests to have accurate, informative, and enjoyable features, Bill Barter Bethel

Deep-Sea Capable

To The Editor:

Thoroughly enjoy your magazine, which continues to improve in quality. However, I'm not sure about your statement in the December/January issue that the Research Vessel Cayuse is Maine's first deepsea research vessel.

I remember seeing the R/V Aqualab tied up at t~e South ~ortland piers of the MaIne VocatIonal Technical Institute. As I recall, the Aqualab started life as ~ Navy minesweeper, and was a gIft from the Navy about 1960. It probably was about the same size as the Cayuse, and should have been considered to be "deep-sea" capable.

Or did I imagine the whole thing? Ken Lackie Washington, D.C.