Rhode Island’s Ocean and Coastal Magazine

Spring/Summer 2021

Letter From the Editor

MAKING THE MAKERS

Not wanting the art of quahog tong making to be “lost to history,” Ben Goetsch, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council aquaculture coordinator, reached out to us a while ago to ask if we would be interested in writing about the few remaining local craftsmen supplying equipment to dwindling numbers of quahog tongers. That request led to our cover story (page 8) as well as got us thinking about other makers connected to the oceans—like wampum artists, salt makers, and boat builders. We also looked more broadly at less tangible creations, like communities being built and strengthened, as we see in “Cold Water Women” (page 2) and “Solidarity Through Seafood” (page 36). 

And speaking of makers, we want to thank the writers and photographers who make each issue possible—many are longtime contributors whose names you see issue after issue and you come to know through their work. We are grateful they share their gifts with us, capturing stories from all corners of our coastline and helping us to appreciate the many facets of Rhode Island’s ocean and coastal places and people. 

While we recognize that our oceans and coasts, their resources, and the communities that depend on them are still facing challenges from climate change to covid, we wanted in this issue to celebrate the beauty of the things that people make from the ocean and for (and with) their neighbors. We hope these stories will give you a moment of respite amid the daily fray.

                                  —Monica Allard Cox, Editor