In For The Blow

A steady stream of fishing boats arrived today. Three at the Town Pier and three at Straight Wharf. All western rigs-

Torpedo Weapons Recovery Vessel

There was an interesting ship here during the recent blow. She was a torpedo weapons recovery vessel or TWR. I have never seen her here before and had no idea what she was used for. After consulting with Captain Tobey Leske and Captain Blair Perkins, I learned what she was and what her mission is.

Here are a few pictures of her as she was tied to the east face of Stright Wharf-







Click here for information on a torpedo weapons recovery vessel

Nub War Update

I went to the meeting yesterday at the Maria Mitchell Association. There were 6 commercial scallopers there. Also in attendance were Robert Kennedy, Frank Dutra, Whitey Willauer and a few civilians. 

It was agreed upon that the Shellfish Association draft a letter voicing the fishermen's concerns and send it to the State Biologist, Michael Hickey. The letter to Hickey will ask him to leave things alone this season and not change any size law to the raised annual growth rings on the scallops we will be harvesting this year.

There is an emergency SHAB meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 28 to discuss all of this with Dave Fronzuto and Jeff Mercer (our new Town Biologist) along with the members of SHAB. 

If you are a commercial scalloper, please find the time to come to the meeting. 

URGENT! RE: Commercial Scalloping

This just in:

There is chatter around the waterfront tonite. I've been hearing from some of my informants that there may be a change to the size of the raised annual growth rings on the scallops that we will be allowed to commercially harvest this upcoming season. This year, the adult scallops have a very small raised growth ring, perhaps 5 mm. I'm hearing that the powers that be are looking to only allow the fishermen to keep scallops with a 10mm growth ring and no less. 

There will be a meeting of the scallopers at the Maria Mitchell Association on Vestal Street at noon tomorrow (Wed October 22). I will be in attendance. Hope to see any concerned scallopers there.

Please get the word out. 

Windy Waterfront

Well, we're back into our typical winter weather. Windy and cold. It's been blowing an ever-living gale for three days now. I finally ventured out to the waterfront and grabbed a few shots today.

Looking down the fairway-


Another sailboat on the beach at Monomoy joining the other two wrecks that have been there for a year now-


A rough and cold looking harbor-



A moored boat getting tossed around like a cork at Francis Street Beach-


This old girl wasn't so lucky. Her mooring line parted and she ended up on the beach bumping up against a bulkhead. Luckily, someone put out fenders on her port side to cushion the blow. Otherwise, she'd be smashed to pieces in no time-


The Cap. John & Son 4 pulled into port late this afternoon and tied up behind the Hy-Line office. She looks to be a whale watch boat. She was carrying golfers who will be participating in a tournament tomorrow. They came over from Martha's Vineyard in all this wind. I asked the captain how it was crossing the Sound. He gave me a one word answer- rough!