Goss Beach likely takes its name from one of the historic fishing families on Matinicus Island, Maine's most remote year-round inhabited island located 20 miles off Owls Head in the Midcoast. The beach serves the tight-knit community of fewer than 20 year-round residents, swelling to 100-200 during summer, on an island whose Abenaki name means far-out island.
The beach is one of two sandy shorelines on Matinicus, complementing the island's woods and more than 700 varieties of wildflowers and ferns. Visitors can observe the working lobster harbor with its breakwater and public wharf, reflecting the island's continuous fishing heritage from mid-18th century cod, mackerel, and herring fisheries to today's dominant lobster industry.
Matinicus Island's remote location and tiny population mean no restaurants operate on the island. Visitors must bring all provisions via the mail boat from Rockland or seasonal air service, embracing the self-sufficient lifestyle that has defined this tenacious island community for over 250 years.
