They’re Off

Lobster Season in The Bay of Fundy was opened this morning – two days late. From an outsider’s perspective the process of deciding when it would start was, in a word, messy. The boats want to go, the weather isn’t cooperating, and I got the sense that the DFO just got tired of arguing and finally threw up its hands (metaphorically speaking) and said “Fine. Do what you want”.

I made it down to the old Fish Plant this year and got a lot of shots. I should point out though that the combination of icy cold, shaky hands, moving boats, and a slow shutter speed (because it’s the middle of the fricking night) means that I got a lot of, um, artistically blurred images.

I haven’t been through all of them yet, but these are the best of a bad lot so far.

The boats were all loaded with baited traps by late last night. They were also loaded with other critical supplies such as coffee.

The Season starts when a DFO Officer shines a torch from the top of the Lighthouse peninsula. This doesn’t stop boats from crowding the imaginary line at the entrance to the Harbour just so they can get a few minutes closer to their destination.

Most, if not all, of these boats are headed south to a small group of islands known as The Wolves. I’ll try to get a shot some night of their lights in the waters around those lumps of rock. After I’ve recovered from this frozen adventure.

I really shouldn’t complain – at least not too loudly. The Fishermen obviously have it far worse. *grin*

Once the start was signaled I went to the Lighthouse to try for photos of them crossing the water. Refer back to the whole blurred pictures explanation for my failure.

However, boats were approaching on the far side and they lit up the sea smoke.  I’m willing to lose sleep every night if it means I can see the world looking like something out of a wild fantasy novel.