The Lobster of London

January 23, 2014.

How's the weather? Chilly? Yeah, here too. The Polar Vortex thats blasted the continental United States has pushed an unusually prolonged period of Northerlies our way. Just like back in the states, North wind means lower temperatures. We had 5 consecutive days of overcast. Hell it even drizzled for 2 days as the temps here swooped down to 73°. Drizzle, overcast, no dazzling sunshine for 5 days.....it was like being in London. Since we were in “London” I decided to do what I imagine the Brits must do during times like this. We went looking for some bloody lobster.

Not much wind but God damn dreary

We were hiding from the wind down on the South side of Ragged Island. We had 4 boatloads of friends hunt this area a week ago.

Looking south, across the runway towards the anchorage

There had been a Dominican fishing boat working these waters and our disappointed friends pronounced these waters “fished out”. After a few days of dreariness I had to get into the water and do a little recon.

Since it was raining I wasn't surprised that nobody else wanted to join me. I clipped the dinghy to my weight belt and towed it behind me as I swam a few obscure coral heads in the anchorage. I found 7 bugs and took 3 home satisfied that the lobster were still here in numbers.

The next day was marginally shitty so Steve and I took 2 new guys out looking for their first lobster. It was cold, gray and visibility wasn't the best but both guys went home with 2 lobster apiece in about an hour.

On Wednesday we were walking around town and contemplating having lunch when out on the horizon we saw something odd. The sun. We headed back to the boats and after a quick bite Steve & Kim along with Christy & I headed out to some heads that have treated me very well in the past.

Evidently, placing a wet finger on the lens has a negative affect on the clarity of the picture....but you get the idea.

Pickins' were a little slow to start with as the lobster we saw were just too small to kill. But then things started to “flow”. At more than one point I could see 5 bugs at a time. Often while swimming one back to the dink I would see another and try to note exactly where he was so I could come back to get him. In 2 hours the 4 of us were headed home with 24 good sized bugs. Everyone in the anchorage had lobster for dinner as we went from boat to boat distributing them.

The sun is out and the lobster are still here. What more could a bloke want?