My View of Life on the Dock
Here’s Susie Byrd- Lobsterman extraodinaire. Susie had the option of taking the day off when her skipper John Herrick decided to stay in, or go fishing on another boat. Wanna guess which option she chose?
If you guessed go fishing, you’re right. She just can’t get enough. She just loves being out there on the water. I swear this girl has salt water running through her veins.
Susie Byrd- Lobsterman, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Sam operates his lobster operation as a solo act.
He gathers whatever fish gurry he can find and then pulls his truck loaded with the totes of gurry down to his parking spot at the State Fish Pier. He parks and then heads down the ramp to warm up his boats’ engine. Then he heads back up the ramp and around to his truck that has the fish gurry on it which he will pull over to the loading boom (in the picture). He parks the truck there with the totes of gurry and then walks back around and down the ramp to his warmed up boat and then pulls the boat up to the dock where the loading boom is. He gets off the boat, climbs up the ladder and hooks up the totes of gurry to lower down on his boat. The boom swings out over his boat and once the bait is aboard his boat he then hops in his truck and parks it in the State Fish Pier parking lot. Then he climbs down the ladder and heads out lobstering with his bait aboard.
Sounds confusing right? It’s a lot of work.
Sam Lowers Bait Onto The Lady Marie, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Tony Gross’ Messed Up Claw, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
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Tony Gross’ Messed Up Claw, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
I knew something was wrong when Tony’s wife Abby pulled up to the dock with his lobsters. Abby never comes down the dock but this day was different.
Tony Got his finger stuck in the hauler and it ripped the tip off. Not good.
Toby Burnham Pitchforks Fish Racks, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Toby uses bluefish racks for bait. it is cheaper than herring and stays in the bait bags longer.
Toby Burnham Pitchforks Fish Racks, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Here is George, first mate on The Trapper John taking off his oilskins after a long day fishing.
George Taking Off His Oilskins, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
All baited up and ready to go lobstering. See the bait in the tote? That’s what you call dragger bait and is mostly comprised of mud hake, small whiting and herring.
Matt Ring Aboard The Stanley Thomas, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Fishermen Tattoos- Shawn Cromwell, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
now i am moving to az. where the men are men and the sheep are baaaaaaaaaad !!!! i’ll miss alot of things here.the early morning sunrises as my boat goes across the water on my way out to sea and fish are jumping around me always put a smile on my face, or hearing the lobsters spalashing in the trap just as it comes out of the water, it makes a sort of clicking sound all lobstermen love hearing. alot of the (full time ) guys cry and moan abought prices for this and that (but) day after day they risk their lives to go out and earn a living to bring in a product that most of the people that eat them have no idea just what risks lobstermen go through. i’ve heard people in supermarkets complain abought the cost of lobsters in the winter and think to myself, just yesterday my boat was iced up and almost flipped over when a wave hit me sideways. i could have died for that lobster you’ll butter up in your nice warm home and your complaining ? get real !!! but on those special early
mornings on the way out to sea i love being a lobsterman, their is a freedom and since of pride that i do a job most people just deam abought. something i never thought about is when someone would ask what i do i would say (i am a lobsterman ). and i was proud ! so guy’s i am off to raise bulls in az. for rodeos and to relax and though i wont miss alot of stuff abought lobstering i will miss those special mornings and being able to say (i’m a lobsterman ) shawn cromwell f/v/ pamela & patricia
The Big Grizzly Bear Represents!
Big Lar’ Represents!, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
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Fishermen Tattoos-Shawn Cromwell, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Andy would like to know what the readers think of the “love brush”. Should he keep it or shave it?
Andy Kippen- Gloucester Lobsterman, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Hey George, you have no idea how happy I am that you decided to make the new davit out of steel instead of knotty pine. It was painful watching the frustration as you disassembled that second one. Video coming soon! Looks like the third time is a charm.
George Hardy With New Steel Davit, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
George Hardy Video Trial Click here
Harrison Golden shows us his new lobster boat the Chassea and it’s slick lobster holding tank.
Toby With His Ladies, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Toby aboard the stern of his lobster boat the Jupiter II. Toby just re-fiberglassed the setting table and set some cut out playmates in under the clearcoat.
I guess Toby is never going to be lonely out at sea hauling his gear.
Bait aboard, boat fueled up, coffee in the thermos, but no mate.
Pete Mondello Waiting For The Crew, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Lobstermen Truck Series- Joe Sanfilippo, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Here is Joe Sanfilippo’s Chevy pick up truck.
Joe carries the normal stuff that skiff lobstermen carry in the back of their pick up trucks- fuel jugs, water jugs, covered fish totes to put bait in, some random buoys.
What you might also notice in the back of Joe’s truck are the dory oars and bench set up that he uses to train for the upcoming International Dory races. Joe is an avid rower and always a contender to represent Gloucester with his partner in the International Dory Races between Gloucester and Lunenburg.
He lobsters out of a 22 foot Eastern skiff after work at Gloucester Engineering and on weekends with his son Ryan.
Good Morning Gloucester 