A scuba diver had an unusual encounter with a lobster in Middle Bay this September.
During an outing with the Maine-iacs Dive Club at Mitchell Field on Sept. 28, Lana Smithson discovered the crustacean tangled in fishing line.
“There were four hooks and a weight in the mess, too,” Smithson said. “She had been stuck for such a long time that a lot of thick, red algae was growing all over her, including over her eyes, face and antennae.”
Smithson, an experienced diver who often removes plastics, trash and “ghost gear” during her explorations of Maine’s waters, cut away the line with medical shears and removed algae from the lobster’s eyes.
“Usually lobsters will either try to get away or they’ll raise their claws at you,” Smithson said. “She did neither. She walked up to me with claws down as if to say, ‘Please remove more of the algae.’ Then she sat still while I picked off more algae. Poor animal. I hope she survives.”
The Maine-iacs typically dive in Portland, but after the September excursion, they are planning a return trip to Harpswell.
“We had a great dive with a small group of eager explorers willing to drive to Harpswell,” said Kate Willeford, a member of the club who lives on Harpswell Neck.
In addition to fishing tackle, divers spotted ghost gear and golf balls under the surface. Ghost gear consists of lobster traps and other lost fishing equipment that accumulates on the seafloor.
Next time, the club will have a mission — members plan to organize a “cleanup dive” in either Middle Bay or Stover’s Cove to remove ghost gear and other debris.
Willeford said the group was unfazed by this summer’s shark sightings in Harpswell waters. “We had to take a group pic beside the shark sign to show that we can still dive, swim and enjoy our waters!” she said.
