A Maine Lobster Boat Adventure

By Kim Knox Beckius

Updated 05/16/17

  • 01 of 17

    Setting Out on a Lobster Boat Adventure

    Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure Rockland Maine
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine From May through October, Captain Steve Hale offers Lobster Boat Adventures aboard the Captain Jack, a traditional Downeast lobster boat. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine

    Ever wondered what a lobsterman's day is like? Want to learn all about Maine's delicious and mysterious crustaceans? Are you dying to know how to tell a male from a female lobster? Then come along on this photo tour, or book your own spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure out of Rockland, Maine.

    In September of 2006, my family and I joined Captain Steve Hale and his 7-year-old grandson, Jack, for a memorable lobster fishing trip in Rockland Harbor where we literally caught our dinner. On our hour-and-a-quarter tour, we learned all about lobster buoys, traps and bait; watched Captain Steve haul and check his traps; discovered which lobsters are keepers and which must return to the sea; and soaked up the scenery including amazing views of Rockland Breakwater Light. My daughter even got a chance to drive the lobster boat.

    For lobster boat tour reservations or more information, call 207-542-6852.

    Let&#...MORE39;s go catch some lobsters!

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 02 of 17

    Oh, Buoy!

    Lobster Buoy - Each Maine Lobsterman Paints His Buoys with a Unique Color Scheme and Design
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine One of the first things we learn is that each Maine lobsterman paints his buoys with a unique color scheme and design. There are 30-35 lobstermen who fish out of Rockland, so it is important for each to be able to identify his traps. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 03 of 17

    Black and White

    Maine Lobster Boat Tour - Finding the Right Buoy
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine Captain Steve Hale's buoys are white with a horizontal black stripe. His daughter's, he explains, are white with vertical black stripes. "We can fish 800 [traps] by law," Hale says. "I have 300 in the water; that's all I can tend.". © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 04 of 17

    Hauling a Lobster Trap

    Maine Lobsterman Steve Hale Hauls a Lobster Trap - Photo
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine Hauling lobster traps is not easy work. When Steve Hale fell off a wharf and broke his back in 1999, the Maine lobsterman feared he'd never fish again. While he recuperated, he cared for his newborn grandson, Jack, and when Jack was 3, Steve had an idea. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 05 of 17

    A Bright Idea: Offer Lobster Boat Tours

    Maine Lobster Boat Tours - See How Maine Lobstermen Do Their Jobs - Photo
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine Steve Hale's idea: take Maine travelers on lobster boat tours and provide them with a unique opportunity to learn how lobstermen do their jobs. Here, he brings up the first trap we'll check for Maine's prized catch. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 06 of 17

    Size Matters

    Photo - Measuring a Lobster on Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure Rockland Maine
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine We've got one! Captain Hale measures the lobster from its eye socket to the end of its carapace. "Anything over 5 inches we keep and anything under 3-1/4 inches goes back," he explains. This little guy falls just shy of regulation size. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    Continue to 7 of 17 below.
  • 07 of 17

    Checking for Lobster Eggs

    Maine Lobster Boat Tour Photo - Checking for Lobster Eggs
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine In our second trap, we find two nice-sized lobsters that weigh between 2 and 2-1/4 pounds. In addition to measuring each lobster, a Maine lobsterman must check the underside of each lobster for eggs. Egg-laying females are also set free. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    Continue to 8 of 17 below.
  • 08 of 17

    Male or Female Lobster? How Can You Tell?

    How to Tell a Male Lobster from a Female Lobster - Photo
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine How do you tell a male lobster from a female lobster? Captain Hale shows us that the first pair of pleopods or swimmerets on a male lobster are hard, whereas on a female lobster, they are soft and feathery. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    Continue to 9 of 17 below.
  • 09 of 17

    Watch Out for Those Claws

    Maine Lobster Boat Tour Photo - Captain Hale Slips Rubber Bands Over a Lobster's Claws
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine Once Captain Hale determines a lobster is a keeper, he uses a tool to slip thick rubber bands over the lobster's claws and places it in the cooler. In 2006 when we took our lobster boat tour, Maine lobstermen were getting $4.10 per pound for lobster. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    Continue to 10 of 17 below.
  • 10 of 17

    A Crab in a Lobster Trap

    Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure Photo Tour Rockland Maine - A Crab in a Lobster Trap
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine What's this? Lobster traps are intricate contraptions, but other sea creatures do manage to find their way in. Crabs like this one usually find a way out on their own. There's no market for Maine crabs, so Hale tosses them back or eats them for dinner. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 11 of 17

    A Little Lobsterman

    Lobster Boat Tours in Maine - Captain Jack Lobster Boat is Named for a Little Lobsterman
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine For Steve Hale, the best thing about offering lobster boat tours is that he can bring his grandson along. The lobster boat is named after Jack, who is so comfortable on board he can curl up and nap. He's been his grandfather's sidekick since he was three. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 12 of 17

    Lobster Questions

    Photo - Learn About Lobsters on a Maine Lobster Boat Tour
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine Captain Hale enjoys answering his passengers' lobster questions. Even Mainers learn something. The most common query: why aren't the lobsters in your traps red? The answer: the red pigment in a lobster's shell only emerges when it's cooked. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    Continue to 13 of 17 below.
  • 13 of 17

    Still Life with Lobster Bait

    Photo Still Life with Lobster Bait - Herring are Used by Maine Lobstermen as Bait
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine We learn plenty about the tools of the lobsterman's trade on our lobster boat tour. For example, the bait used to lure lobsters is herring. Many canneries once operated in Rockland, Maine, but Hale says Americans have lost their taste for canned fish. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 14 of 17

    Stinky But Scenic

    Photo of a Maine Lobsterman Baiting His Trap with Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse in Background
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine Maine lobstermen have a stinky but scenic job. Captain Hale ties up a new bag of bait for his lobster trap as we sail past the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 15 of 17

    Lobster Boat Tour is Fun for Kids

    Lobster Boat Tour is Fun for Kids in Maine - Photo
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine My daughter's favorite part of our tour was when Captain Steve Hale invited her to drive the lobster boat. She took her role as lobster boat captain very seriously. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    Continue to 16 of 17 below.
  • 16 of 17

    Jack Wakes Up

    Lobster Boat Photo Tour - Captain Jack Can Apply for a Student Lobster Fishing License
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine My almost-4-year-old was thrilled, but being at the helm of a lobster boat is no big deal for Jack, who was 7 at the time of our trip. When he turns 8, he'll be eligible to apply for his own student lobster fishing license. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

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  • 17 of 17

    You Can't Get Fresher Lobster

    Photo Catch of the Day Restaurant in Rockland Maine
    ••• Join a Real Maine Lobsterman on a Lobster Boat Tour from Rockland, Maine The best part of our tour was eating the lobsters we caught! Hale sells his catch to passengers, and his daughter owns nearby Catch of the Day, where our lobsters were cooked to perfection. You can also eat lobster rolls on a lobster boat lunch cruise. © 2006 Kim Knox Beckius

    If you've ever wondered what a Maine lobsterman's day is like, come along on this photo tour or book a spot aboard the Captain Jack Lobster Boat Adventure.

    As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary services for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. Ethics Policy