This cluster of buoy’s caught my eye while on a walk in Winter Harbor last summer.  At first glance I loved the way the light hit the buoy’s in the trees, the shadows, the colors and the aging process that has taken place.

Then the stories behind the buoy’s began to take shape in my mind’s eye.  I would imagine that these tools of the lobster industry have seen an amazing amount of change over the years.  Changes like the weather, the rules and regulations that have come and gone and sometimes come back again,  changes in the actual people who continue to lobster year after year.  The way various folks care for their equipment and the industry standards for such equipment.

I have added a red and yellow buoy in honor of my Grandfather, Dennis Coombs and his years lobstering.  I know this color belongs to someone else now.  I hope he enjoys the business as much as Dennis.  Only one buoy had distinguishing marks and it appears to belong to Barto.  There are probably markings and numbers on the other buoy’s that I could not see.  I would imagine that some local folks can recognize others by the color combinations.

Finally, how did these buoy’s get hung in the trees-retired from their job on the water?  Does anyone miss them?