Our first lobster catch of the season!

     Today at the Harry McDonough Sailing Center in South Boston we were able to catch our first lobsters of the season! The sailing center has been a prominent hotspot for catching lobsters in years past, so it was about time we caught some. The three lobsters we caught were a spectacle to behold. Every single child on the dock wanted to see and touch these clawed insects of the sea. Sam, who visited the site for the day demonstrated the sheer force a lobster's crusher claw can exert on certain materials. Collective gasps of astonishment were heard from the campers as one of our lobsters was able to crush the sturdy calcium carbonate shell of a clam with ease.They were certainly a nice change from the usual green crabs and the occasional spider crab.

A camper with one of the lobsters we caught

     Not only did we look at lobsters, Sam and I led a group of campers out to the pier on the other side of the island to see if we could catch some striped bass. The campers were very happy to be a part of the fishing process. Some campers were tasked with preparing the bait while others were tasked with handling the professional rods Sam brought. Unfortunately, there were no striped bass to be caught. We were hoping to catch a skate or two to bait the lobster traps but they too proved to be elusive. However, the disappointment did not outweigh the good fortune of us catching the first lobsters of the season. I am confident that the team and I will catch many more!

Sam and some campers fishing at the pier

Until next time,

Vinh Tran

Lead Harbor Explorer