When it comes to seafood, I am one of those guys who is just looney about lobsters. And if you are like me, the lobsters in Maine and throughout Atlantic Canada are always at the top of every lobster lovers list. The best part of our Eastbound Adventure in Ladybug is the promise of being unleashed on my personal quest to find the Holy Grail of lobster rolls. And so, my quest began at Stewman’s right at the harbor in Bar Harbor. This is a lovely spot where we sat on the deck overlooking boaters, kayakers and miles of blue ocean. I can’t imagine a prettier spot to tuck into a lobster roll.
The next day, at the advice of a lovely lady at Wild Acadia, we ventured on a journey to find the renowned Thurston’s Lobster Pound. Located about a 45 minute from our site, this proved to be one of the all-time coolest spots ever. Thurston’s is dripping in authenticity, far and away from the more touristy Bar Harbor. It is located in a small lobster fishing town in Bernard, Maine where the guarantee of a fresh lobster roll is evident as you watch the lobster fishermen literally deliver their catch straight from their boats.
This was another amazing spot to sit and watch the activity among the lobster boats. And it also was evident how hard these fishermen work each day. Each evening they place their traps once again with tasty pieces of herring inside to lure lobsters. Each trap is tied to a colourful buoy that marks where the trap has been placed, and also designates which lure and trap belongs to the right owner.
Many of these men and women come from a long line of families in the lobster industry. They are proud of their history and generational ties to the sea. Faced with ongoing challenges, these determined folks continue to make a life and a living doing what they love. We can learn a lot from the resilience and strength of fishermen. My quest would lead nowhere without their efforts, so a big thank you to all the fishermen (and women) on both sides of the border for what they do to bring the best of seafood to our plates.
We left Maine aboard The Cat, a special ferry boat that crosses each day from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and back again. It’s a nice way to save some heavy duty driving, enjoy beautiful sites, relax and watch a movie, or have a nap. It would be a perfect cruise except for one minor thing, there are no lobster rolls available on board. After arriving in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, happily back in Canada, my lobster roll quest continues.
