Machias Seal Island (July 17, 2022)
Located roughly ten miles off the coast of Maine and New Brunswick, Machias Seal Island remains a unique anomaly in North American geography as the only dry-land territory still subject to a sovereignty dispute between the United States and Canada. While the U.S. stakes its claim based on proximity, Canada has maintained continuous presence on the 20-acre outcrop since 1832 by staffing a lighthouse, a practice continued today by the Canadian Coast Guard to assert jurisdiction. Despite the unresolved legal status, the island is best known to the public as a protected sanctuary and one of the most vital breeding grounds for Atlantic Puffins in the region. During the summer months, the island hosts thousands of nesting pairs, offering a rare opportunity for researchers and photographers to observe these birds from hidden blinds, a peaceful contrast to the centuries-long diplomatic ambiguity that defines the surrounding waters.
