Anti-Diver Sentiment on Cape Ann

[King Kong Matt]

I wonder (just thinking out loud) what divers are worth to the local economy on Cape Ann. My guess is, notwithstanding our own thoughts to the contrary, that we are probably not worth much in the greater scope of things and we are not worth the hassle.

It's too bad as I really enjoy the area but if its between boat diving and getting hassled by cops, locals, and others, I think I'll be forced to stick to boat diving.

 

[Bob3]

Last time I was at Magnolia, a lobster boat "buzzed" a couple of divers who were less than 10 feet away. I've seen this happen before, but never this close and this fast. I'd love to see someone video this happening... Just a thought...

I wonder why the sale of bangsticks hasn't picked up ...

 

[ckjacques53198]

I just got certified and after reading all the crap about lobster I'd rather just buy them at Stop and shop or a local fish market than deal with being frisked by Barney Fife. I just want to be underwater, relaxing and taking it all in.

 

[Scott5644]

I just got certified and after reading all the crap about lobster I'd rather just buy them at Stop and shop or a local fish market than deal with being frisked by Barney Fife. I just want to be underwater, relaxing and taking it all in.

You say that now, but after you catch your first one you will have a different opinion. I am a non-lobster eating person (more for my wife ). For me it's the hunt...... and taking in it all in.

 

[paulthenurse]

Why folks ruin a wonderful lobster dinner by pouring butter all over it, I'll never understand.

 

[STOGEY]

It's just not the lobstering, jsut to go out and dive with a group of divers. Supposedly everybody now has to use a flag.

 

[mobster75]

The individual dive flag/float rule applies only in Gloucester waters, correct? And Back Beach is technically in Rockport, right? (Please? please?)

I did my UW Nav specialty dives on Saturday and my instructor had us use individual floats cuz she heard of the change in policy. Let me tell you. it was a ROYAL pain the butt as my UW Nav classmate and I kept getting tangled up in each others floats and it def got in the way of trying to count kick cycles and navigate a pattern w/o surfacing.....

Its entirely retarded... The ironic part is about 20 ft away from a lobster trap I came across two VERY legal lobsters literally just loitering in the middle of the day, in the open. If I had my catch bag with me on the that dive....... Anyways... the trap remained empty all day though as we had to swim past it a few times during our pattern searches.. Lots of little lobsters hanging around it, just not inside....

Grrrrrr... Death to the lobstering business! Its getting ridiculous...... They are no more entitled to their living than we are entitled to our hobby. Except most of us are doing it for fun, and not to screw them out of lobster... Lobster-fishing is NOT a god given right... If they overfish them, then suck it up and go learn a trade or something useful and stop complaining.... Not my fault they can't do basic math or grammar....... I thought all the REAL lobstermen went fishing in a tougher boat in George's Bank? Anyone fishing off the shore cant seriously wake up in the morning and consider themselves a "lobsterman" can they!?!?!?

 

[Soggy]

Has anyone *actually* been ticketed for this rule? My view on the whole issue is, if we cannot get it repealed, ignore it. It's been there for years...this is not a new ordinance. If I have to pay a $50 ticket once every couple years, so be it, but I doubt there is going to be any serious enforcement of this type of rule unless you are a jerk to the officer in which case they will start to look for obscure laws to write you up for (like when I got a ticket for "Unreasonable Noise" when I honked my horn at someone once).