Spectre
Contributor
The seas from hurricane season hit Cape Cod on September 11th, but due to the TV focus on the events of that day, the effect of the seas never made the news.
There were at least two boats near my bushman's boat that broke their morings and were a total loss on the rocks. Bushman's boat took a bit of a beating, but at least survived. The stories from those that were there said his boat was almost vertical in the waves, with the wind direction crashing the waves and swamping the boat. 2 of the 3 batteries were destroyed, and the jury is still out on the other one. He lost a few other things [teak covers, etc...] but no substantial damage.
The result of that storm raised havoc on the lobster traps, and while today was planned as a fishing day, we had some trap salvage to deal with.
As we got to the wreck where the traps are, there was another guy setting anchor near the wreck. As we were gearing up, we saw his dive flag go up. Ok... a diver.
We get all ready, decide to make it quick and split up. Bushman was heading to the stern to deal with the traps over that way, and I was headed to the starboard side 'problem' traps. I ran a reel to the wreck, so all Bushman had to do was go along the wreck until he found the reel, and follow it to the anchor. If there was a 'signal' [catch bag, or something hooked to the line] that ment I was already up, and he needs to bring up the reel. [same signaling for me].
I set the reel, headed back down the line to where the trap I had to salvage was. I couldn't untangle it, so I cut the line and brought it over to the anchor. I headed back to the wreck and went along for a while to see if there were others wrapped. After about 20 minutes I headed back towards the reel [Bushman's planned bottom time was 30 minutes]. He hadn't been by yet when I got back to the reel, so I headed back towards the stern a little. Turned, got back to the line @ 28 minutes. I was checking for something hooked to the reel when Bushman almost gave me a heart attack as he taps on my leg.
He pulled out his slate, and wrote "got two traps in". I couldn't quite figure out what he was talking about, and I asked "in boat?". He then took the slate and wrote "left 'em, panicy". [vis was bad, and the current was pretty strong across the stern]. I checked his air [1/3 of his tank], and send him down the line as I grabbed the reel and started reeling in. I got to the anchor as he was getting into the boat, so I took the time to bring up the trap I salvaged.
He asked if I wanted to go get the ones he left. I had a half tank, so no problem. We pulled the anchor and started heading over. "Where exactly are they?" "About 10 ft from that trap" [pointing to one off the stern]. At this point the other diver was on the surface... over by the stern. Bushman says "Yea, they are right about there. One of them has a couple bugs in it". We get over there, and I say "Where?" "Where the diver is".
OK. So he drops me off, I drift over to the lobster buoy and decend. I hook my reel off on the trap there, and head off towards where the other traps were supposed to be. I swim for a minute or so, and I see fins. I get closer, and I see the diver, kneeling in the sand, digging around in the trap. He swims away right then, and had never saw me.
I get to the trap, it's open. I look in. There is one lobster in it. I grab him, measure him, and let him go. I close up the trap, hook up the lift bag, and take it back. Leave it, go for my reel, come back, and bring the trap up.
As I'm on the surface, I ask Bushman "Did you leave the trap open?" "No", he says. "Well, that guy is raiding traps then". I was so pissed off that I totally forgot about the other trap.
There was another boat there fishing.. husband, wife and two daughters. They came over and was asking what was up. We explained it, and he was asking questions; as he has traps there as well.
I get out of my gear as we drift around, and we see the other diver getting on his boat. We motor over and confront.
"Excuse me Sir. You do realize that touching lobster traps that aren't yours is illegal"
"It was a ghost trap"
"It was our trap, we just brought it off the wreck... "
"But it had no buoy"
"We just cut the line 5 minutes before you raided it"
"It was a ghost trap"
"You realise that it is illegal in Massachusetts to touch any trap, goast or otherwise".
"I was just opening it to make sure nothing gets killed in it"
[whole debate on the fact that american lobsters don't get 'trapped' in traps].
"I'm sorry, I'll leave fresh traps alone. Would you like your lobster back?"
[note... the trap was so fresh, it still had bait!]
After he left, the other boat came over, with one of their traps that they pulled.... to share with us the divers boat registration number... and to share the fact they he had raided their traps as well...
There were at least two boats near my bushman's boat that broke their morings and were a total loss on the rocks. Bushman's boat took a bit of a beating, but at least survived. The stories from those that were there said his boat was almost vertical in the waves, with the wind direction crashing the waves and swamping the boat. 2 of the 3 batteries were destroyed, and the jury is still out on the other one. He lost a few other things [teak covers, etc...] but no substantial damage.
The result of that storm raised havoc on the lobster traps, and while today was planned as a fishing day, we had some trap salvage to deal with.
As we got to the wreck where the traps are, there was another guy setting anchor near the wreck. As we were gearing up, we saw his dive flag go up. Ok... a diver.
We get all ready, decide to make it quick and split up. Bushman was heading to the stern to deal with the traps over that way, and I was headed to the starboard side 'problem' traps. I ran a reel to the wreck, so all Bushman had to do was go along the wreck until he found the reel, and follow it to the anchor. If there was a 'signal' [catch bag, or something hooked to the line] that ment I was already up, and he needs to bring up the reel. [same signaling for me].
I set the reel, headed back down the line to where the trap I had to salvage was. I couldn't untangle it, so I cut the line and brought it over to the anchor. I headed back to the wreck and went along for a while to see if there were others wrapped. After about 20 minutes I headed back towards the reel [Bushman's planned bottom time was 30 minutes]. He hadn't been by yet when I got back to the reel, so I headed back towards the stern a little. Turned, got back to the line @ 28 minutes. I was checking for something hooked to the reel when Bushman almost gave me a heart attack as he taps on my leg.
He pulled out his slate, and wrote "got two traps in". I couldn't quite figure out what he was talking about, and I asked "in boat?". He then took the slate and wrote "left 'em, panicy". [vis was bad, and the current was pretty strong across the stern]. I checked his air [1/3 of his tank], and send him down the line as I grabbed the reel and started reeling in. I got to the anchor as he was getting into the boat, so I took the time to bring up the trap I salvaged.
He asked if I wanted to go get the ones he left. I had a half tank, so no problem. We pulled the anchor and started heading over. "Where exactly are they?" "About 10 ft from that trap" [pointing to one off the stern]. At this point the other diver was on the surface... over by the stern. Bushman says "Yea, they are right about there. One of them has a couple bugs in it". We get over there, and I say "Where?" "Where the diver is".
OK. So he drops me off, I drift over to the lobster buoy and decend. I hook my reel off on the trap there, and head off towards where the other traps were supposed to be. I swim for a minute or so, and I see fins. I get closer, and I see the diver, kneeling in the sand, digging around in the trap. He swims away right then, and had never saw me.
I get to the trap, it's open. I look in. There is one lobster in it. I grab him, measure him, and let him go. I close up the trap, hook up the lift bag, and take it back. Leave it, go for my reel, come back, and bring the trap up.
As I'm on the surface, I ask Bushman "Did you leave the trap open?" "No", he says. "Well, that guy is raiding traps then". I was so pissed off that I totally forgot about the other trap.
There was another boat there fishing.. husband, wife and two daughters. They came over and was asking what was up. We explained it, and he was asking questions; as he has traps there as well.
I get out of my gear as we drift around, and we see the other diver getting on his boat. We motor over and confront.
"Excuse me Sir. You do realize that touching lobster traps that aren't yours is illegal"
"It was a ghost trap"
"It was our trap, we just brought it off the wreck... "
"But it had no buoy"
"We just cut the line 5 minutes before you raided it"
"It was a ghost trap"
"You realise that it is illegal in Massachusetts to touch any trap, goast or otherwise".
"I was just opening it to make sure nothing gets killed in it"
[whole debate on the fact that american lobsters don't get 'trapped' in traps].
"I'm sorry, I'll leave fresh traps alone. Would you like your lobster back?"
[note... the trap was so fresh, it still had bait!]
After he left, the other boat came over, with one of their traps that they pulled.... to share with us the divers boat registration number... and to share the fact they he had raided their traps as well...
We do it for the fun of the hunt. I wish lobstermen understood that.
