Looking out on Bradstreet Cove in South Bristol. The woods on the right are part of Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust’s Capt. Robert Spear Preserve in South Bristol, a gift from Beth Fisher and family.
Beth Fisher, of Phippsburg, and family recently donated an 18-acre South Bristol property to Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust.
Located off Texas Road, the land includes a quiet stretch of shoreline along Bradstreet Cove. The terrain rises steeply from the water up to a rocky spruce-covered ridge.
The woods are a haven for wildlife. In addition to many year-round and migratory bird species, neighbors have sighted fox, coyote, deer, bobcat, fisher, raccoon, snowshoe hare, and porcupine on this wooded parcel.
Capt. Robert Spear built a home on Texas Road in South Bristol as a young man before later settling on the Kennebec River in Phippsburg. Spear loved spending time in the Maine woods and coastal waters, and Fisher says he shared this love of the outdoors with his children Julie Spear and Charlie Spear.
A graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, Spear started out as a helper at the Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol. Later he sailed as mate and captain, then pilot, on a variety of vessels in the merchant marine.
A moss-covered rock formation at the Capt. Robert Spear Preserve in South Bristol.
Spear died in 2010.
“Friends and family knew ‘Robby’ for his quick wit and sense of humor, but above all he was known for his kindness to all, people and animals alike,” said Fisher, Spear’s widow. “During the 14 years he fought cancer, his focus remained on helping others and paying it forward.”
It is Fisher’s wish, and that of Spear’s children that their gift of land will allow others the opportunity to find peace and solace in these woods by the water.
“We wish to pay it forward, in remembrance of Rob Spear, who lived life abundantly despite its challenges and always with a bright smile and a kind word to all he met,” the family said.
No trails are planned for the property in the near future due to its small size, limited parking, and importance to wildlife.
Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is a nonprofit, nationally accredited land trust with active programs in land conservation, water quality, trails and public access, and nature education in the Damariscotta-Pemaquid region. For more information, email info@coastalrivers.org or go to coastalrivers.org.
