LOBSTA!!!!
Mark's former USNA co-worker, Tom Moran, shared his past adventure at Lobster Fest so we added it to our TO DO list for 2015. We were not disappointed.
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| Rockland Breakwater Light. |
We arrived in Rockland on Wednesday, picked up a city mooring ball, made a trip into town in the dink, and on the second trip into town the outboard died - AGAIN. This is getting old. Our outlaws, Henry and Sharon Cardenas, were due to arrive and be our guests for the weekend so we moved to the city dock - in the middle of Lobster Fest. Perfect.
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| Daruma. In the center of the action. |
No longer needing to rely on the dink, Mark could make multiple trips to HAMILTON MARINE, a short walk away. What a store! Everything you could ever want or need for a boat. Almost all the local fisherman have an EPIRB onboard so this is the place to get the battery replaced - inexpensively.
H&S arrived Wednesday evening and the lobster feasting began. The lobster cooking is quite an operation run by Peter Smith. The "kitchen" is a permanent facility with electric hoist and they have the process down pat. I love watching professionals do what they do best.
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| Out of the freezer truck... |
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| Over to the kitchen... |
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| Lobsters in the cooking crates... |
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| Crate on the hoist... |
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| Crates into the boilers... |
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| Crates, and boiled lobster, out of the cookers... |
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| Lobster into the insulated crates to be delivered to the Eating Tent to be sold... |
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| And eaten! |
Tom Moran and Molly stopped by on Thursday and we had a lovely daysail out past Owl's Head.
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| Visiting ship - USS Tortuga (LSD-46). Open for tours during the Fest. Sailors, Marines, and local Coastguardsmen escorted the Maine Sea Princesses during the Sea Goddess Pageant. |
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| Mark, Tom, Molly, and Sharon. |
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| Owl's Head Light |
Thursday evening, H&S treated us to "Steins and Vines" where we could sample the wares from local vineyards and breweries. And then eat lobster.
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| Drink and Drain. |
Friday night's featured band was Tower of Power. Geezer crowd on their feet, rocking out to tunes from their childhood. And eat lobster.
Saturday, was the Lobster Parade, with the Clydesdales and every local town showing off their firetrucks. We have never seen so many Shriners on mini-bikes and in mini-cars. Surprisingly, there were very few bands.
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| King Neptune and the Sea Goddess. |
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| Sharon wanted to see the Clydesdales |
H&S departed and we moved out to a mooring ball. The evening's entertainment was Don McLean. The crowd was larger, older, and mostly stayed in their seats - until the classic "American Pie." We stood off to the side - eating pie.
The Sunday highlight was the International Great Crate Race. Fifty wooden lobster crates are strung together and, for a $10 entry fee ($5 for 11 and under), you can try to run across the bridge. Most people made it across 4-5 crates before falling in the water. And then came Connor McGonagle, now age 15, trying to break his 2012 record of 6000 crates!!! Other returning champs were Scarlett Flint age 8, and Harrison Page age 10. What a hoot!
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| Connor McGonagle on his way out the first time. Every tenth crate is orange. |
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| Scarlett Flint on her way back. |
Monday and Tuesday we relaxed in Rockland. Used the wifi at the library. Visited the amazing Farnsworth Museum. Rode our bikes around exploring the city. Did laundry. Shopped.
The harbormaster, Ed, and the Dockmaster, Nathan, were so friendly and helpful.
We will definitely return.
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| The Lobster Cooker - all cleaned up and ready for next year. |
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| The Lobster Fest is over. Two weeks to get ready for the Home and Boat Show. |
