A CHILD LEARNING HOW TO CLAMP A LOBSTER'S CLAWS
A ONE-IN-A-MILLION BLUE LOBSTER
Extracted from my book Our Summer in Boothbay Harbor. Click the cover photo for more.
In Chapter 4 of my book I cover three of the many events that occur annually in Boothbay Harbor. The next several postings will be about the Windjammer Days.
During the third week in June, 2009 Boothbay Harbor celebrated the 47th
Annual Windjammer Days. This was a community-wide festival celebrating
the relationship of the town to the waters of the surrounding region and the
livelihood these waters have provided since Boothbay Harbor’s beginning
days. It was unfortunate that the weather that year was uncooperative. As noted in the Introduction, June that year had more rainfall by far than any in recent years, and the two days of the well-planned festival, a centerpiece of Boothbay Harbor’s annual lineup of events, was not spared. Despite the inclement weather during 2009, I found the festival overall to be great fun, the various venues engaging and informative, and the entire program excellently organized. For those who braved the rain, and what true sailor would not, it was well worth the trip. The lineup of events included:
· Lobster boat races
· Pancake breakfasts
· Craft shows
· Tour of the Coast Guard Station
· Lobster talk at the Maine State Aquarium
· Tour of the Maine Department of Marine Resources
· Antique boat parade
· Several outdoor concerts
· Many events for children: touch tanks, face painting, puppeteers
· The Windjammer Fleet arriving under sail
· A concluding parade, concert, and fireworks
Maine
Maine State Aquarium
The first morning of the festival Elysee and I drove to McKown Point, a quick five minutes from town, which was also accessible by a free tour bus. Three of that day’s events were scheduled at the point. We began by visiting the Maine State Aquarium and attending the “Lobster Talk.” The talk was mostly for children, and seeing their
eager, inquiring faces was, by itself, worthwhile. I also picked up some pointers on lobsters. The lobster is so important to the economy and identity of Boothbay Harbor as well as Maine, it deserves a chapter all to itself. The highlight of my aquarium visit was seeing the blue lobster; a denizen I did not know existed.
