Pictures: Lyle Such
Camera: Canon 5d Mkiii
On our short trip to the East Coast, we had a little time to spend in Maine. We flew directly into Portland and drove straight to the harbor where we had arranged a boat to take us out to sea to collect some lobster. The sky was clear and it was the perfect day to be out on the water.
Leaving Portland's harbor.
Fort Gorges.
We were on the lookout for the white buoys with green tops. Each boat has a specific set of traps and Maine is highly regulated to keep the lobster population healthy. Once we located one of our buoys, the work began.
Just like in fishing, you have to make sure the lobster is large enough to keep. There's a special tool that hooks into their shell, and you measure from the eyes to where the tail begins. If the lobster falls short, you throw them back and they get to avoid becoming someone's meal for the day.
This one came up just short, fortunately for him!
Each new trap had to be securely baited with small fish before throwing back into the water.
We had to rubber band the claws shut so the lobsters wouldn't cause harm to us, or to one another once they've been placed into the tanks.
Hauling in more traps.
The Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse.
Once we made it back into the harbor, we walked over to The Portland Lobster Co, where they steamed the lobsters and we had an amazing lunch.
After lunch we had to hit the road. We were driving to Stowe, Vermont and were driving through the White Mountains to get our first glimpse of the fall leaves changing. We left a little later than we had planned, and missed the time of day when the light would have been best. Even without the right light, it was still beautiful, and gave us a hint at what the next few days would hold in store for us.
