A few years back my wife and I were headed to the Mudhole in company with two other boats. When we got there it was about half tide rising and the whole place packed with pots. The first boat made it in OK. The next picked up a pot and went on the ledge. I anchored just off the entrance and got in my dinghy while the grounded boat's skipper got ready to go over the side to free the prop. I took his anchor out and stood by while he went down and freed the prop. Once the boat started floating we got him in and reanchored. Of course we were communicating by VHF and after it was over a lobsterman came on with a rant about yachties casually cutting a working mans pot loose. After he finished my wife responded that he had retied the line after he got it free from his prop.. There was no response and after a couple minutes my wife keyed the mike and said "You are welcome" in a nice sweet voice. The second silence was most enjoyable.

Having made several trips to Maine, I'll happily take lobstermen any time compared to the "watermen" down here on the Chesapeake. My impression has been that if you anticipate what they are doing on the water and at least try to avoid interfering, they will treat you OK, they also seem to make an effort to not set up tricky situations while maneuvering. On the other hand Chesapeake crabbers generally seem to fit the DILLIGAF types. Maine lobstermen are professional, Bay crabbers ................. Of course my wife has noticed I don't complain as much about crab pots as I did.