Tag Archives: Draggers

Narragansett: More than 80 boats take to the sea for Blessing of the Fleet

Fishing trawlers, pleasure yachts, Coast Guard vessels and even the Block Island ferries all received a benediction as they passed through the Galilee breachway Saturday afternoon for the annual Blessing of the Fleet. “Lady Frances, may almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and all those who sail upon you,” the Rev. Francis Kayatta, pastor at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Narragansett, intoned while making the sign of the cross as the Lady Frances passed by.,, “Proud Mary, may almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and all those who sail upon you,” he repeated. “And your little dog too,” he added to a passenger holding a small dog. The passengers yelled back, “Thank you, reverend.”>click to read< 14:32

The Blue Wave and Blue Mist sank more than 50 years ago. Grand Bank never forgets

The vicious storms of February — with gale-force winds and mountainous waves — are a constant reminder to Grand Bank of the price its people have paid to earn a living from the sea.,, Many of us still have painful memories of the loss of the schooner Mabel Dorothy in 1955, along with her six-man crew. This tragedy was followed less than four years later when the steel side trawler Blue Wave capsized and sank, carrying her 16-man crew with her. Just seven years after that in 1966, a similarly designed ship from the local fishing fleet, the Blue Mist, met the same fate, taking the lives of the 13 men onboard. >click to read< 06:54

Maine: Scallop season opens to positive early reports

The Downeast scallop season got underway this weekend and early reports are that the fleet was active, the fishing good and the price satisfactory. Divers got the first crack at scallops in Blue Hill Bay as their season opened on Saturday. Draggers had to wait until Monday to get out on the water. According to Marine Patrol Sgt. Colin MacDonald, plenty of them did despite less than ideal conditions. Saturday was a good day for diving. Though the temperature was chilly, scallop buyer Joshua Buxton said divers selling to him at the South Blue Hill pier all reported that there was no wind on the bay and that the water wasn’t rough. Monday was a different story,,, >click to read<10:20