A couple of days ago this fresh faced youngster came in the office looking for a job on a lobster boat.
Frank usually handles these requests because I hate to go to bat for an unknown and put them on a lobsterboat. Inevitably about 20% of these guys off the street work out. When they don’t work out I feel like I’m the asshole when said greenhead doesn’t show up to go lobstering and the skipper looks at you like it’s your fault because you recommended him.
Well Frank asked the greenhead if he had any previous lobstering experience and he told us that he had gone a couple times on an inshore lobsterman’s boat. Inshore lobstering aboard a boat that only hauls 100 or so traps a day is entirely unlike lobstering on one of the hard core lobstermen with big boats and serious drive. So he didn’t have a whole lot of experience but he looked clean cut and not a druggie and seemed like he had a desire to learn the trade.
So one of our best lobstermen and also one of the most hard core, Tuffy had been looking for a second backman to complement the ever reliable Nate. Tuffy goes HARD. It’s not a boat ride around the inner harbor and back to shore for Tuffy. He’s going deep and hard and through the winter in the worst of elements.
Well of all days to be initiated into the world of hard core lobstering, this poor unfortunate soul got indoctrinated today. In this weather, 25-45 mile per hour north west wind. Not fun. It was pouring rain this morning when they pulled up to get bait and when I saw the greenhead aboard all I could think about was how fucked this kid was going to be today (and not in the good way).
I mentioned to Frank that the “new kid” was on Tuffy’s boat and he rolled his eyes, knowing that the kid is in for a long day.
So fast forward to a few minutes ago. A few bolts of thunder sounded off and the rain was coming down in sheets so Frank decided to call Tuffy to see how they were doing out there. Tuffy said the greenhead had been puking all day long even while he was putting herring into the bait bags.
Tuffy also added “I like bringing new guys. It means I get to eat their lunch.”
I can just picture Tuffy laughing at the kid, saying “Hey kid, you gonna eat that?”
When the kid shakes his head no, weak and a faint color green he’ll rip the brown bag that the greenhead packed off the dash and tear into his peanut butter jelly sandwich. Laughing the whole time.
Good Morning Gloucester 
I have certainly blown my share of cookies at sea. Let’s hope this young man rises to the challenge and continues fishing. I will watch for updates….
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I gotta tell you, I don’t think I’d do any better than him either.
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So, Joey — you a writer? Cuz that was some story.
Very nice. I could feature a whole book of them.
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Some might say that. Others like tootalltony would say I’m a low budget, uneducated, lowlife. 🙂
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OH C’MON JOEY! Your not uneducated.
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He’ll get used to it especially if Tuffy is as good a fisherman as he always was & pays him well.
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When I started school and could only go fishing with my dad during February vacation , man oh man, I can remember getting so sea sick for the first 2 – 3 days. After that I got my sea stomach back. But man them few days was something to remember and never will I make fun of a sea sick person. It happens.
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That was a good one Joey. I’ve never gotten sea sick. My buddy Zig, went to go fishing a few weeks ago out of Newburyport. He said it was so bad out there that all the fleet of boats turned around and headed back in. He said some people were actually coming off deck. And there were also green faces. When I’ve gone deep sea fishing I’ve seen the poor bastards that get sick. One guy on this particular run had to be feeling like he was dying inside, he puked the whole time. My God I felt so awful for him.
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Poor kid… You should interview him!
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Dude, what do you think I’m a fucking hack?????? Of course I interviewed him. Video at 2PM!
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Please watch your language on the blog!
The f word is only supposed to be used by low budget, uneducated, lowlifes
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Drat! I think I’ve been outed!
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Nice! A little coffee break entertainment!
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Joey i bullshit you not i (never) got seasick and i was a commercial fisherman since i was 9 years old starting on my grandfathers boat scalloping out of newbedford ma. to king crabing in alaska as a teenager , offshore lobstering for Charlie on the michale christian then owning my own boat lobstering . i got sick sure , flu stuff like that but never seasick and i fished in stuff that most skippers now day’s dont even think about fishing in. you know what i mean joey, in the days captians went out in anything . ne winds , fog ? and your point being ? seasick is just a part of life for greenhorns , if they want to be a fisherman they just work through it. being a commercial fisherman is not the type of job for everyone , to those of us who did it our whole life it’s not a job but a way of life !!!! it’s something that you are or your not. even now that i retired and moved to AZ. It’s still in my blood and i miss the salt spray in my face , the quiet sound of the ocean in the wee hours whille on wheel watch , hell i even miss cussing out the gulls as they swoop down to steal my lobster bait , but most of all i miss the proud feeling when someone askes what i do and saying (i am a fisherman). interview that kid , if he was meant to be a fisherman he will just laugh and say i am ok now no big deal , what’s the price today ?
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some people get a real thrill seeing others suffer
The greenhorn will learn if he just gets a chance.
Tuffy just needs to be patient
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