Lovin’ Lobster’n on the Lulu

Growing up in South Louisiana along the bayous, lakes, river and Gulf, we learned early that if something swam or crawled in the water, it likely was good eatin’. 

We poled and cast lines to catch all varieties of fish in the bayous and canals near Des Allemands, LA, proclaimed the Catfish Capital of the Universe by the Louisiana state legislature.  We caught crabs off fishing piers using string, chicken necks and a net. We trawled the bottoms of lakes and the Gulf of Mexico for white and brown shrimp, pulling large nets behind small boats bobbing on white-capped waters. And, of course, we slogged among the snakes through the mud-bottomed swamps in waist-high water wearing knee-high boots to catch that Louisiana delicacy, crawfish.

Thus, it should come as no surprise that during a trip to Maine, we had to experience lobstering. We weren’t residents of Maine, thus didn’t qualify for a lobster fishing license. And we didn’t have the time nor the tolerance to toil for a season as a deck hand on a local lobster boat, as attractive as that might have sounded (not!). But on a one-day cruise ship stop in Bar Harbor, we found the near-perfect solution – the Lulu Lobster Boat tour.

I say near perfect for two nit-picky reasons. First, growing up in the Sixties, the idea of a three-hour tour leaving any harbor with nearby islands stirred some Gilligan-like skittishness from deep inside my memory banks.  And second, according to the website, this was more observation than participation, and didn’t offer the catch-clean-eat options like our salmon fishing trip in Alaska.

Putting that first concern aside and recognizing that finding fresh lobster near Bar Harbor likely would be as simple as bead collecting for a topless twenty-something at Mardi Gras, we pre-purchased our tickets through Trip Advisor before leaving home.

We sailed into Bar Harbor on Holland America’s Zaandam on a perfect June morning — not a cloud in the sky and a warming trend pushing temperatures to the mid-70s by the our 10 am tour departure time. For the record, I also had checked the weather reports since the first five days of our cruise had been plagued by rain, wind and lots of motion from the ocean. The not-perfect storm that followed us up the St. Lawrence River had weakened and moved well out to sea. No Minnow or Lulu tossing-weather was expected, though I still did attract an odd stare or two when I hummed the Ballad of Gilligan’s Island as we cast off.

Let’s also get some other details on the record. The Lulu Lobster Boat is an actual lobstering vessel, common to what you’d find in ports along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Maine and into Nova Scotia. As required by law, the operators possess a lobstering license, although it’s a demonstration license which prohibits keeping the catch. They use commercial traps that support sustainability and safety for lobsters and humans alike. Their traps are identified by uniquely-painted lobster buoys that dot the surface everywhere.  And the crew is made up of local marine-experienced Mainers.

But that’s where the similarities to commercial lobster fishing end. Lulu Lobster Boat has been reconfigured for comfort, with rows of padded seats in the center and around the perimeter, covered by a Bimini top to block sun and rain. Sides can zip down in cold or rainy weather, which wasn’t necessary for us. And, unlike Skipper Jonas Grumby, captain Finn and first mate Galen assured us that the Lulu stays in port if the Bar Harbor weather is expected to start getting rough.

We threw off the moorings at the end of an ebbing tide, watching intrepid hikers walking across the now-exposed land-bridge over to Bar Island and kayakers paddling away from the downtown docks for their own excursions. A few gulls circled overhead then turned back, knowing that this tour boat wasn’t worth the effort to follow for three hours in exchange for a paltry few fish.

Motoring through the harbor past our cruise ship and around the man-made breakwater, first-mate Galen regaled us with area history, nearby landmarks and local stories of townies and fishermen alike. Gliding further from the harbor, the peaks of Acadia National Park loomed in the distance as we sailed toward the seal-laden shore of Bird Island and the Bird Island Lighthouse.

Leaving lobstering for a little later, we idled just off shore of Egg Rock Island, with binoculars and cameras pointed toward the beach. Hundreds of huge seals sunned on the sand and rocks while the hungry dove nearby for underwater treats. By now, the tide was rising slowly, and the larger seals labored further ashore, flapping their flippers and flopping their bodies to gain a few inches of drier shore with each effort. As we changed direction to circle the island, the unmistakable stench of dead fish, bird poop and assorted ocean detritus drifted overhead, prompting shrieks and gasps from the youngsters onboard. That combination – and a few parents saying loudly that their kids looked sick — encouraged Captain Finn to accelerate, get upwind, and hasten to the next highlight on the circle tour of the island – the lighthouse itself.

From a safe distance offshore, First Mate Galen recited a quick history of the lighthouse and its keepers. He added a few stories of how intrepid light-bearers braved Maine winters and weather to keep their light burning brightly, then explained how modern navigation and automation made the lighthouses obsolete. Just as the youngsters began to look bored, Galen started talking about the fog horn, which sounded loudly, as if on-cue. After a few moments of wide-eyed amazement by the kids, Galen explained how radios in nearby boats now are used to sound the horn, as Captain Finn grinned widely with the radio control in hand.

One more short ride and it was time for the real lobstering. In the smooth seas of a protected cove in wonderful weather, Captain Finn snagged the float line, attached the winch, and pulled the traps easily to the boat while Galen narrated the steps. Each trap revealed multiple lobsters of varying size, plus a few crabs. Captain Finn demonstrated the measuring process and tossed the smaller crustaceans back into the sea for another day. Galen led an onboard show-and-tell with the larger specimens, revealing body parts, determining gender, and engaging the kids to place the claw bands. Then, we all had the chance to pose for pictures with the lobster, including some feigned lobster-kissing. After everyone had a turn, the lucky lobsters were returned to the water to rejoin sea-faring friends and family – a legal requirement for the demonstration license held by the Lulu.

With our appetites now set to lobster, we returned to the dock where our party – and many others – headed directly to the plethora of lobster and seafood restaurants in Bar Harbor. We chose Stewman’s Lobster Pound, conveniently located right on the dock and offering a choice of dock-side or indoor dining. When we returned to Bar Harbor by car later in our trip, we sampled other lobster pound locations in the area that offered better prices. On our final day visiting Bar Harbor and trekking to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in Acadia National Park, we found Beal’s Lobster Pier in Southwest Harbor and agreed it was our favorite. At this combination of seafood market, restaurant and lobster-shipping located on a working lobster dock off the beaten path, we picked a 3-pound lobster to share. We added clams, corn and potatoes, plus a few adult beverages. Then, we sat in the sun away from the Bar Harbor crowds, pulling lobster meat from the abdomen and head, plus every claw, knuckle, foot and tail joint we could pry open. Our lobster bibs captured or deflected most of the flying liquids and shell shrapnel, but lucky for us we didn’t have any close encounters with tourists, cats or scavengers for the remainder of the day.

On reflection, we learned that lobstering was like the other seafood harvesting we had done growing up in Louisiana. But mostly, we simply enjoyed the three-hour tour and would recommend it to anyone visiting the Bar Harbor area.

Know If You Go:

• Advance sales. While tickets are sold at the dock, we’d recommend advance purchase if you’re visiting during peak season. We found Lulu Lobster Boat on TripAdvisor.com, where we read lots of great reviews but found tickets weren’t available. So we headed over to Lulu’s website and bought our tickets directly, receiving fast e-mail confirmations and easy ticket processing.
• Cruise tours. Bar Harbor is a popular cruise stop for several major lines, and some of the lines offer Lulu Lobster Boat as a packaged excursion. While it’s always convenient to purchase directly from the cruise line, prices are higher. But you also eliminate any risk – no matter how low! – of missing an early tour due to slow tendering into town or missing your sailing due to some unforeseen problem.
• Lobster ice cream. Yes, it’s a real thing. Someone best described it as an unhappy marriage of sweet treats and salty sea fare, and I can’t improve on that. We tried it at Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium in Bar Harbor, then bought other items that were more to our liking. That said, our favorite ice cream spot was Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream, where we didn’t even ask about a lobster flavor.

You Might Also Enjoy

If you enjoyed this story of our family travels, you might also enjoy:

• Salmon Fishing Lessons from Alaska, another of our cruise and boat-based summer excursions, this one featuring a fish fight, hunting eagles (they were hunting!!), whale tails and tales.
• Save on National Park Admissions, where a variety of passes can reduce your admission fees, especially if you’re 62-or-over.
• Trip Planning for Renting and RV, as we set out for a nearby state park with kids and grandkids in a rented RV, and
• Our Travel Café website, the full and growing assortment of our family adventures over the past few years arranged by menu type.