| If you are a boater, in particular a sea or ocean-going | | | | After a wonderful sleep on the water, we got up the |
| boater, you have probably tried your hand at catching | | | | next morning, had breakfast and decided to spend the |
| prawns and/or crabs with their respective pots. And if | | | | morning at a nearby weekend market. This market is |
| you have tried this, then you know how many traps or | | | | held every Saturday during the summer season, and |
| pots you have lost over the years! But it is so | | | | hobby farmers and crafters come from all over the |
| rewarding when the traps come up with our dinner, | | | | area to display and sell their wares. It really is quite fun. |
| that we try it again, over and over every year. | | | | Up came the boat anchor and off we went. As we |
| This is the story of our weekend boating trip and yet | | | | motored we watched for floating logs and other traps. |
| another lost prawn trap. My husband and I have been | | | | It wasn't too long before Jan cried out. "The trap, the |
| boating for several years with friends on their Bayliner | | | | trap. There is our trap!" Sure enough as we circle back, |
| on the west coast and enjoy our excursions through | | | | there was the trap that had been lost the previous |
| the San Juan Islands in Washington state and the Gulf | | | | weekend. We came alongside the float, and slowed |
| Islands in British Columbia. Crabbing and prawn trapping | | | | the motor. My husband went to the aft of the boat |
| is very popular among both pleasure boaters and | | | | and began pulling in the line over the transom. It was |
| commercial fisherman in these areas. | | | | very heavy. |
| Our friend Jan had just had another birthday and her | | | | He pulled and pulled. Slowly the line came up and into |
| husband Hank decided to buy her something that they | | | | the boat, but no sign yet of the trap. Oh, my goodness. |
| could both enjoy. You guessed it, a prawn trap. Out | | | | Did this mean that the trap was full to overflowing with |
| they went at the first opportunity early one morning in | | | | prawns that had been trapped for the last seven |
| July and dropped their prawn trap over the side of | | | | days? If so, we were in for a very large feast that |
| their Bayliner. The attached float was clearly visible to | | | | night. Pull, pull and pull some more. By this time my |
| other boaters and had their name and boat registration | | | | husband's brow was wet with sweat, and his brand |
| number painted on the side. As the day progressed, | | | | new Hugo Boss white boating shirt was getting |
| they decided it was time to check the prawn trap for | | | | splattered with mud and seaweed that was coming up |
| booty. Dreaming of the delectable dinner that awaited | | | | with the line. |
| them, they took off in their dinghy to check the trap. | | | | Finally after several minutes of pulling, he could just |
| Around and around they went looking for their trap, but | | | | make out the shape of the trap. There was a large |
| it was not to be found. They took their bearings from | | | | whitish-gray mass coming up with the trap. But what |
| the land and were sure that they were in the correct | | | | could it be? Was it a log? Was it a block of cement |
| spot, but no such luck. Once again, yet another prawn | | | | that a commercial trapper had put in? Was it a seal, |
| trap had disappeared. Back to their yacht and a dinner | | | | trapped in the pot? It was still too far down to see |
| of pork and beans. | | | | clearly. He pulled some more. As it was getting closer |
| The next morning they weighed anchor and started | | | | and within reach, the line snapped from the strain. My |
| off for the next day's location, looking as they went for | | | | husband was thrown back towards the other side of |
| the missing prawn trap. It was becoming obvious to | | | | the boat and the mud went flying everywhere! |
| them, that it was gone. | | | | It was lost! The trap and its contents, whatever they |
| The following weekend, my husband and I were invited | | | | might have been, were gone. Our mouths stopped |
| on board their yacht for the weekend. It was a | | | | watering. There would be no prawns for dinner once |
| beautiful weekend as we headed out across the | | | | again. We've puzzled over this one for a long time. |
| straits towards the islands where we intended to drop | | | | What was in that trap that made it so heavy? I guess |
| anchor and spend the night on the hook in a secluded | | | | we will never know. |
| cove. The weather was sunny and warm and the | | | | And our friends, Jan and Hank, have purchased and |
| winds very calm. We spent the night and enjoyed the | | | | lost several more traps since this experience. They tell |
| company and conversation. Lots of laughter, especially | | | | us that they have enjoyed many dinners on their |
| on the topic of missing crab and prawn traps. We | | | | Bayliner complements of their traps, but they never |
| kidded our friends about losing another trap. "How | | | | seem to catch anything when we are out with them. |
| many is that, this year?" we asked. "Too many," they | | | | Strange coincidence or not?! Maybe it is just one of |
| replied. | | | | those fishing stories! |