MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 23, 2024
On the rocky back shore of Peaks Island lies a small beach where, for at least a decade, likely longer, people have stacked the shore’s flat, shale rocks into towers that teeter over the landscape. The structures are knocked down often, either by high tides or by other people, and are quickly replaced. They have become so ubiquitous that at some point, the area became known as Cairn Beach. But for years, islanders have debated whether the cairns should exist. Some said the cairns disrupt the back shore’s ecosystem and pristine beauty, while others contended that building cairns is a fun and relatively sustainable activity.