not so friendly lobsterman in Maine

[Anduril]

Terrie and I have been cruising Maine for almost a month now on ANDURIL, and for the first time I wish I had a gun on board... One lobster boat on the Johns River harassed us with boat wakes and obscenities... luckily no harm was done but it certainly left a bad taste and uncomfortable feeling in our guts.

On 8/23/2017, we were anchored in the Eastern Branch of the Johns River (N 43 54.5, W 69 31.9) . We had been in this beautiful little cove since Monday 8/21 and seen very little local boat traffic. At approximately 4pm on 8/23, a lobster boat with a “tuna tower” named GOIN DEEP, came into the cove and when passing our anchored boat ANDURIL, throttled up to throw a large wake\wave at us. The boat rolled violently such that items fell to the floor in the cabin. My wife and I were both down below. We came up to see what caused the wake in this small, flat calm cove and saw the lobster boat proceeding down to the back of the cove where it slowed and turned around. As it came back, they repeated the throttle up, throwing a large wake at us and then shouted obscenities at us, including “ Go back where you came from” and other choice phrases. We made no provocative moves what so ever. We were the only “cruisers” in the cove. There were several local boats on moorings with no occupants. I did talk with a man on a dock on the east shore earlier that afternoon who owns the red sailboat at anchor in the cove.
The event with GOIN DEEP shook us up quite a bit and caused an anxious night wondering it they might return to do more serious damage or harm. We have been sailing the coast of Maine for a month and this is the first time I wanted to have a gun on board. I did set out a 12 gage flare pistol and bag of shells just in case. The night was uneventful.

The next day (8/24, today) as we left, sailing down the Johns River we saw the same boat GOIN DEEP working lobster pots near Johns Island and Witch Island approximately N 43 51.6 , W 69 32.4 at about 9:15 AM . I took some photographs of the GOIN DEEP as we when by on our course south. They did nothing but continue working their lobster pots.

Attached are several photos of GOIN DEEP ME 9592C.

I sent this story and the attached photos to the Maine Marine police.

[JPA Cate]

Sorry you had such an unfriendly experience.

It does happen sometimes. Lots of people don't like the "summer people". Many fishermen detest yachts. Lobster fishermen may feel yachties bother their pots and steal from them. It's their livelihood, we're perceived as rich dilettantes, the undeserving wealthy. There's some of it the same attitiude here among some fishermen. It's how life is.

It wasn't really personal, although I'm sure it seemed so. Next time, be prepared to get the registration of the boat, it will be useful in the report.

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Now, about having a gun, using it would only have escalated the situation, a situation in which small damage was done, and people's feelings were hurt, probably not what you really want.

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I'm sorry your good lady and you had such an unpleasant experience.

Ann

[rwidman]

Check your state and local laws, but I'll bet that situation is not something where lethal force is justified.

I've heard it said many times, "Don not display a gun unless you are prepared to use it." If you point a gun at someone, they may shoot first. What are you going to do then? And a professional waterman is likely to have a gun on board.

[Anduril]

Final say, RE: GOIN DEEP registration ME 9592C

We have been in Maine from Isle of Shoals to Roque Island for almost 30 days now. I expect lobsterman\lobsterboats to work their pots starting before dawn and rock and roll the yachties thru the normal course of picking and dropping pots. I don't complain upon waking up at 5 AM and have even come accustom to getting up and starting my day then.

Knowing this, I strive to find anchorages away from the pots and have had some success in finding these elusive locations... yes there are a few, and I thought I was in one.

For the most part, lobsterman have waved back after I wave at them, and I have done my darnest to keep from snagging the pots, even when they are laid down every 6 feet in every direction with pairs and triples tied together. I have bought lobster directly from a guy in a remote cove near Jonesport with total curtesy and no complaints.

Unprovoked, potentially harmful attacks ( my wife and I were not hurt, but could have been ) are not called for in any form.

In most places being responsible for your boat wakes is a condition that could bring legal action.

[SecondBase]

This guy is clearly the exception to majority of working maritime. The boat closest to us is the most likely one to help each of us if there's a serious problem on the water. That reality almost always engenders a mutual respect but clearly not this time.

Maine has a strong economic interest in thriving tourism not situations like the above. You might contact Maine Tourism, Govt Affairs officer: Diane Johanson, Director of Government Affairs 800-767-8709 x104 djohanson@mainetourism.com. She can probably get the additional / right state level resources informed.

[danielamartindm]

Jerks like this are rare, but they can really ruin your day. If you'd had a firearm, you might be in jail now. I find it prudent not to let things get personal, ever. In the past, I've been the first one in a cove to anchor, and boats have come in and anchored uncomfortably close to me when they had plenty of room. I sighed to myself, said nothing, and simply moved to a more comfortable spot. Maybe I'm a weenie, but if I were looking for confrontations or arguments, I'd stay ashore.

[Cormorant]

Uggh. Sorry to hear about this. Generally Maine lobstermen are either benignly aloof or outright friendly.

I'm just curious about the "Go back where you came from." What's the hailing port on your stern? Are you foreign flagged?

I imagine that jackasses aren't really attuned to such fine points, but was wondering if they harbor a grudge against some particular locality.

[Captain Bill]

I would not call lobstermen like these rare, but they are in the minority. My estimation is that about 2/3 will ignore you completely, of the rest maybe 90% would do what I would call light harassment. That is pull their boat 100 ft in front of you while sailing and stop dead in the water, drag a pot 50 yards and drop it directly in your path while you are working your way through the only clear lane though the pots for miles, etc. This happens every time I go to Maine at least a couple of times. I decided years ago that in Maine "No wake" is a noun that describes the wake made by a lobster boat when slowed to a speed where it plows the deepest possible hole in the water.

Before considering a gun perhaps you should read "The Lobster Gangs of Maine" by James S. Acheson and find out what you are dealing with.

All that being said, it's still a wonderful place to cruise.

[CarlF]

As you say, the great majority of Maine lobsterman are courteous and friendly (assuming you are too). But every community has a few problem cases.

Three or four years ago there were some similiar incidents in Merchants Row near Stonington. This brought a swift response from The town of Stonington. They posted on Active Captain at several anchorages the cell phone numbers and email addresses of the Stonington harbor master, Town Manager, and Marine Patrol officer with a request that any future incidents be reported to them. The postings are still on AC. As far as I know, the problems stopped - quickly.

These are small communities where no lobsterman wants to be on the wrong side of the harbormaster.

On the John's River, I'd first try the South Bristol harbormaster. Officers & Employees | townofsouthbristol.com

While I don't mean to excuse what happened to you. This summer in Maine I've had far more wake incidents from other pleasure boats passing too close than lobstermen.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Anduril

I sent this story and the attached photos to the Maine Marine police.

Consider direct report to USCG, too... and submitting a post in ActiveCaptain (perhaps a hazard to navigation, but at least a comment on that anchorage).

-Chris

[Group9]

I try and teach my kids to remember that you've never met your last a-hole.

And, a gun won't keep you from getting waked by some sociopath. But, it might save you from what he decides to do next, though.

It's hard not to observe that our society is unfraying. But, if you didn't report this to the police, you really don't have much of a complaint. The criminal justice system only works when everyone uses it.

[SecondBase]

CarlF and Chris - great posts.

Group9 - I believe the OP mentioned alerting the Maine Marine police.

One point I'd like to emphasize in line with Carl's comment is the OP''s precise title "lobsterman" which is singular.

[taxwizz]

Hopefully your boat won't get snagged in his lobster lines many times which will then have to be cut, particularly when you are finally leaving the harbor at the end of your cruise.

[Mithril Bham]

Same happens here in the PNW with crab & salmon fishermen. Most are fine but I've had some bad experiences as well. Maybe some sailboat ran over their net costing them money & a day of fishing. Maybe lost some pots to sailboats. Fuel is expensive and having to swerve to go around boats sailing costs money.

If you pulled out a gun up here the chances are the fishermen have more and bigger guns and are more likely to use them.

Sad when these things happen. I do my best to give them a wide berth and stay out of their way.

[briblack]

the lobstermen seem to always assume that they are the stand-on vessel. and have the right of way. many commercial fishing vessels make the same assumption, even if they're not really fishing at the time, just traveling to and from. lobstering is not really fishing, nor trawling. no lines in the water, while moving, more hunter/gatherer. I don't think they're even entitled to the privilege given real fisher/trawler boats, while actually engaged in this activity.