Greg Anderson has started his own business this summer as a mobile marine technician. While his business may be new to the area, he is not: a Bristol native and Lincoln Academy graduate, Anderson is excited to work in a community he knows and loves. (Johnathan Riley photo)
Community, like a good boat, needs to be maintained regularly if it’s going to stay afloat. For Greg Anderson, a marine technician, Maine outdoorsman, and Bristol native, doing his part in the community means doing what he does best: keeping boats working in the water.
This summer, Anderson started his own mobile marine technician service, Mission Marine, handling anything from winterizing needs to general service, all the way up to a full refit. Anderson is covering clients’ needs from bow to stern.
“It’s really a boatload, if you will,” Anderson said, laughing.
Anderson said he and local fisherman Merritt Wotton were out fishing in Muscongus Bay trying to come up with a name for Anderson’s business.
“It’s always been a goal of mine to get out on my own,” Anderson said. After a long while of back and forth between him and Wotton, they had found the name.
“Soon as we said, ‘Mission Marine,’ I knew that was it,” Anderson said, smiling. “I’m always on a mission.”
For Anderson, that mission now is to provide residents of Lincoln County, and beyond with a mobile marine technician service they can trust. While Anderson’s business may be new to Lincoln County, he himself is a familiar face in the landscape.
“I had a great, great childhood here,” Anderson said.
Anderson grew up in Bristol, attending Bristol Consolidated School and graduating from Lincoln Academy in 2015.
Anderson’s love for his community is exemplified in his time at Lincoln Academy; starting even then, Anderson was a leader amongst his peers.
Anderson represented the Class of 2015 on Lincoln Academy’s Student Council, was Freshmen Class President, and his senior year he was captain of both the boys’ varsity soccer and lacrosse teams.
When Anderson wasn’t on the sports field, Eagles fans could count on Anderson leading the spirit of the student section at basketball games. Anderson was also voted “Class Clown” by his peers for the yearbook superlatives.
Despite his well-rounded and involved time at Lincoln he did express remorse about one thing: he wished he had participated in the vocational program at Lincoln.
“I am lucky enough to have chosen a career path I just totally fell in love with,” Anderson said; his only regret was not getting involved earlier.
Since, Anderson has accrued almost a decade of professional experience working with a variety of seafaring vessels in a variety of boatyards on the coast.
Anderson’s career as a marine technician started to take shape during related summer work in high school. During those formative summer months, Anderson had a mentor who recognized his love for taking things apart then back together — he suggested joining a technical program.
When it came time for Anderson to make a decision about his education after Lincoln Academy, he decided to head south to Orlando, Fla. and matriculate at the Marine Mechanics Institute.
“When I’m not working for a paycheck you can find me working on my own boat at home,” Anderson said
Anderson graduated from the program in 2016. Since then he’s worked for different boat yards like Lyman-Morse in Camden, for three years, and then Hodgdon Yacht Services in Southport for three years.
The business has been going well so far, Anderson said. Much of his business is in Lincoln County, but he’s got clients as far down as Portland, and as far north as Belfast.
In between those times in the boatyards, Anderson was fishing out of New Harbor, which Anderson said, is why working with lobstermen is a priority for him.
“I want to be able to service lobstermen as well, that’s always been a big thing especially in this community,” Anderson said. “So, it’s not just leisure, it’s commercial as well.”
Anderson said that eventually he’d like to get a shop set up somewhere in Bristol, but wherever he ends up putting a shop, he’ll always offer the mobile services.
In the more immediate, this winter, Anderson said he’s looking to possibly subcontract for a few boatyards.
Anderson praised the many mentors he’s had in the boatyards he’s worked in, as well as his peers, and wanted to express his gratitude to them all.
“There’s always been a really solid group down at the docks,” Anderson said, “I’ve been lucky.”
Anderson’s gratitude extended to Lincoln County and the special community qualities of the community, and the landscape.
“When people have time off, the place they want to be is right here in Maine,” Anderson said as a group of oystermen waved from their boat. “There’s just something about this place and I’m fortunate enough to grow up right in it.”
Contact Mission Marine at 682-8280, its Facebook, or send an email to missionmarinellc@gmail.com.
(Do you have a suggestion for a “Characters of the County” subject? Email info@lcnme.com with the subject line “Characters of the County.”)
