Matthew Roberts throws a lobster pot bouy overboard on the Miss Ann out of South Bristol. (Paula Roberts photo)
Retired banker and real estate agent Alden McFarland calls lobstering his therapy. He has been lobstering most of his life and, like most fishermen, loves his time on the water. He calls himself a fair-weather lobsterman, and with just 200 traps, it is more of a hobby than a career.
He captains the Miss Ann out of South Bristol and fishes the Damariscotta River. McFarland donated a trip and the opportunity to be a lobsterman for a day to the Pemaquid Watershed Association’s raffle last spring.
Six-year-old Matthew Roberts, of Damariscotta, got to be the lobsterman of the day on Monday, Aug. 21. His grandparents, Chris and Paula Roberts, of Damariscotta, and friends Skip and Karen McCarrick, of New Jersey and Jefferson, joined him aboard the Miss Ann.
Although filling bait bags was not his favorite job, Matthew was a trooper. He helped band lobsters, throw back the small ones, throw the keepers into a barrel of water, and throw the red and yellow bouys back overboard, and he learned a great deal from the patient captain McFarland.
Lobsterman for the day Matthew Roberts helps the captain of the Miss Ann, Alden McFarland, band lobsters. (Paula Roberts photo)
McFarland taught Matthew and the others all about lobsters and lobstering. Karen, a science teacher in New Jersey, was thrilled with the opportunity to be a lobsterman for a day. She plans to bring her newfound knowledge back to her urban classroom.
Matthew’s favorite part of being a lobsterman for a day was holding the baby lobsters and gently returning them to the river. He also enjoyed banding the lobsters and playing with the starfish and crabs that came up with the traps. He even found a baby eel in the seaweed on the boat’s rail. After examining it closely, he returned it to the sea.
Beautiful weather, calm seas, and a great teacher in captain McFarland made for a perfect day for the lobstermen for a day.
