Lobster Pots in Nova Scotia?

[Roniszoro]

I'm thinking about a trip north next year from my current base in Connecticut. As I'll be single handing, the thought of dodging lobster posts in Maine is a bit daunting without having another set of eyes focused on only that. But the lobster season in Nova Scotia ends on June 15th. Does anyone know if the lobster fisherman remove their pots once the season is over? One option for me is to sail straight from the Cape Cod Canal to Nova Scotia, passing Maine completely. It is my understanding that Nova Scotia is quite beautiful.

Thank you in advance for your input.

Ron

[CaptTom]

Yes, no (or at least, very few) buoys outside the lobstering season.

That said, there are always other unexpected obstacles in the water. I'd strongly recommend maintaining a sharp lookout anywhere, underway. I grew up boating in Maine and it's a habit which has served me well in other places, too.

[s/v Moondancer]

Sailing from Prince Edward Island to Miami, lobster pots were not a problem in Nova Scott but Maine was a nightmare with even narrow harbor entry channels full of pots.

My wife had the boat pulled and a line cutter fitted!

[deblen]

Canadian law requires pots to be taken ashore during closed season. / L

[Cpt Mark]

While Canadian requires all pots to be removed some get dislodged in waves/storms and float off to parts unknown. On the west coast I have seen pots out of season not to mention the odd scientific buoys. Line cutter, good idea. Cold water diving gear and a very sharp serrated knife not as good. Towing insurance, very good.

Even keeping a very close eye out only works so well. Wind, waves obscure the buoys and night time doesn't help either. It would be nice if they had ais on those buoys.

[PineyWoodsPete]

Our intro to lobstah buoy line hang-ups was in '98 soon after we entered Maine waters under sail on our F-P Antigua 37 cat, from Cape Cod canal headed to SW Harbor. After clearing the first island, tidal current running pretty fast on our Stbd beam and clearing a pot buoy to port we came to a sudden stop, hung up on the port drive-leg with the submerged "toggle" buoy line to the main one. Fortunately no prop wraps as we had earlier approaching the Canal Zone from the S, at night, with heat-fused heavy poly-propylene line around both prop hubs, yielding only to a hack-saw.

A catamaran in Maine waters in the summer is a nightmare, and we decided to spend the rest of the summer in Nova Scotia - a wonderful, friendly, beautiful, inexpensive and buoy-free experience!

[tstano]

They do use buoys for other purposes, keep your eyes open.

[rwidman]

You really need to watch where you are going at all times. Not just for lobster pot markers (or crab trap markers further south), but other things in the water.

On my trawler, I get a great view ahead of me, especially from the flybridge. On my friend's sailboat, not so much. One has to look way ahead to see what's in front of the boat.

[BillKny]

We sailed Nova Scotia in the summer two years ago and loved it, especially the lack of lobster pots. We are fortunate that our boat has a minimal entanglement risk, so lobster pots are more of and annoyance to us than an existential threat. I can not even imagine the stress of sailing a boat with a spade rudder, and exposed shaft prop in Maine.

Yes, there are other buoys that you have to watch for, but that’s true anywhere.

If you are the “off-the-track,” adventurous sort try hard to arrange a visit to Sable Island, 125 miles east of NS. It has truly been one of the highlights of our years of cruising.

https://fetchinketch.net/2019/08/23/...fog-and-bones/