Lobster Boil

I always look forward to lobster season, when I can buy fresh lobsters from fisherman who sell their catch right off the wharf. My quest for lobsters is about more than just food. It's a chance to meet people, and establish new friendships. I try to visit as many communities as I can each summer. It is humbling to talk to some of the older fishermen on those trips and hear their stories.

There is only one thing better than a boiler filled with lobsters cooking on the stove, and that's a boiler filled with lobsters cooking on an open fire on a beach by the ocean, and sharing them with friends. It was a good day for such an outing and with five fresh lobsters to cook, I headed to a friend's cottage. I will always remember what she said when they were building their new summer home. When things were not going well, while still under construction, it was referred to as the "friggin' cabin". When things went well, it was the "cottage". Well, it's definitely a cottage now, set back in a beautiful garden, overlooking the ocean.

It was a short walk down the path to the beach and after a couple of trips, my friend and I had carried down everything we needed. We found the perfect spot to build a fire pit with rocks. We gathered dry wood for the fire and when it was burning just right, we put on the pot. While the lobsters were cooking, I went for a walk.

There was a gentle breeze off the salt water and with the sun hitting it at just the right angle, it looked like the surface had been sprinkled with diamonds. It was positively hypnotic. The sky was clear and the scenery absolutely beautiful, all the way down the bay. If you take time to look down when walking on a beach, you can really appreciate the many beautiful colors in the sand and rocks, as well as a variety of shells and unique pieces of driftwood. I get some interesting shots by pointing the camera straight down, instead of just shooting across the beach.

The smell of the lobsters cooking drew me back to the fire. The wind had picked up by this time so we decided to head back to the cottage to relax and enjoy our meal. We ate our fill of lobster, potato salad and homemade bread, and shared a bottle of wine. A fitting end to a wonderful day.

That experience inspired me and I went back to the same beach on another occasion to cook a pot of mussels in the same fire pit we had built there before. A couple, out walking their dog on the beach, joined us. This time we stayed on the beach, shared some interesting stories, scooped out the delicious, steaming mussels and ate them straight from the shells.

I wonder if that fire pit is still there. I think I have a package of smoked kippers in the freezer....