Photos of a Maine Summer on the Water, as Told by Our Readers

In celebration of our favorite season, we asked our readers to send us their best water photos because, truly, what is a summer in Vacationland without a plunge into the lake or the salty sea breeze in your hair? From fishing to tubing to wading, and, of course, canon-balling, scroll through the gallery to check out some of our favorite reader snaps:

“I took this photo in July of 2017 when I first started to get into photography. I went for a long walk in the woods with some friends and their kids and we made it out to this rope swing! I got in the water to take this at sunset. Perfect Summer Day!” -Brianna Waltman, Corinna
“Two Maine Mermaids hosted a Solstice Sunrise Swim, complete with crowns to celebrate the light! We drove overnight to arrive before first light, & once our feet felt the icy lick of Maine’s ocean, all exhaustion left us and only serenity remained.” -Carin Teresa, Kettle Cove
“I quite like to think our girls came from some fairy haven. That idea has led to photograph them in many landscapes. Magic on a lake is endless. This image is one of my favorites.” -Kit Aroneau, Camden
“Enjoying a sunny warm, perfect July day in Casco Bay. The kids were jumping off the boat living their best carefree summer life!” -Jen MacDonald, Yarmouth
“A summer trip to Moosehead with friends and family wouldn’t be complete without a paddle and a quick dip.” -Jeff Harrington, Asheville, NC
“I was driving through Falmouth, and just happened to be in the right place at the right time.” -Anna McCabe, New Gloucester
“My son and grandson live in Charlotte, NC but come to visit every summer. They relish traditions like jumping off the boat on a hot day, and shrieking when they hit the freezing water.” -Nina Horner, Bar Harbor
“An evening of fishing with the guys.” -Skip Guptill, Vienna
“Sheldon (10) of Friendship, ME, takes a break from playing in the water and sits upon knotted ropes in the harbor near his home (2017). This is an excerpt from a longterm project (“Friendship”) about his family and their story.” -Jennifer Hoffer, Portland
“Every summer we spend a week at the family camp on Moosehead Lake, in North East Carry. This is a photo of my son, Donovan jumping off the dock, just as his dad did when he came here as a child. If you look closely, Mt. Kineo is in the distance.” -Erin Burnham, Auburn
“It was a perfect day for boogie boarding at Fortune Rocks Beach in Biddeford. Max was having the best time! I just wanted to capture his pure joy!” -Sue DiMartino, Newburyport, MA
“Every year we make the trek up to Kokadjo, Maine to West Branch Pond Camps. There’s so much to love about the location, particularly the forced disconnection. Books, games, and relaxation in abundance…this day on the dock captured it all for us.” -Jared McNabb, Boston, MA
“My friend Joanna, owner of Bar Harbor Oyster Co., took this photo of us with her oyster cages in the background. We hadn’t been together in over 2 years, and it was the perfect summer day in Maine.” -Bettina Reece, Portland
“I shot a project focusing on the impact that African Immigration had on the Lewiston-Auburn area. The community pool was a very important center of activity in Kennedy park.” -Susan Flaherty, Boston, MA
“Sailing with friends on a windy July day.” -Marina Pappalardo, Portland
“Having little early risers in my life isn’t always a bad thing. Opening my eyes to a misty sunrise at our camp on Long Pond (KI road, east of Greenville).” -Amber Stone, Farmington
“I was swimming at my secret local beach playing with my underwater camera when a girl came up to me and asked what I was doing. I said I was trying to take pictures underwater and she offered to model for me. The afternoon light was just perfect.” -Juliette Sutherland, South Portland
“This photo was taken July of 2015 on Popham Beach. We were one of two families there that day, and the shore was completely socked-in by fog. My daughter spent the entire day squealing with joy, rushing up and down the beach in the clouds! It was magical.” -Rachel Massey, Portland, OR
“Best friends since birth, they spent all day in the water trying to catch wave after wave. Love this little fist bump nearing the end of their all day session.” -Erika Whitters, Cambridge, MA
“They wouldn’t stop smiling. It was a warm summer day on East Grand Lake in Northern Maine. The tube was inflated, the boat gassed up, and fun was had.” -Pete Talbot, Limington
“My husband’s family has a camp in North East Carry on Moosehead Lake that we go to every year. Two years ago, when I was 7 or so months pregnant, we went up just the two of us. While fishing on Lobster Stream, the light was just right and I snapped this!” -Cassy Burnham, Cumberland
“It was perfect summer day in Maine, swimming at our favorite little beach on Cushings Island, just playing in and with the water.” -Meghan Scribner, Portland
“The schooner, Dirigo II, was in need of much repair and had a final destination of Belfast. The fog was thick as we motored across the bay from Castine making the slow trip quintessential Coastal Maine.” -Robert Trumble, Orland
“My husband was testing out our new-to-us Sunfish when I heard my son running down the dock. I’m glad I got my camera out in time to catch his cannonball mid air.” -Randi Blaisdell, Rome
“We took a day trip to Boothbay Harbor to visit the aquarium. This is my daughter, Elena, looking so natural and in her element. The magic hour lighting paired with the bright greens and blues was just *chefs kiss* beautiful.” -Jessie Vera-Barrett, York + Melrose, MA

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