There had been fewer pots in Maine up to now, but heading towards our harbor for the night, they were suddenly everywhere. And one, a toggle, got too close. The buoy lines are under a lot of tension, but not so for the toggles. I slapped down the throttle but grumble crunch silence. I cut the line with the hook knife but couldn't spin the prop. Put the genoa back up and began to sail. Not for long! Had to tack and ran into more pots, picking up perhaps both a buoy and its toggle.

I'd already called our friends on Calypso who turned back. I tossed them a tow line and went aft to free us. The hook knife pulled out of its mount and stayed on the warp. I cut the line with a Boye knife but didn't try to retrieve the deadly hook blade.

Another island along under tow and we, yes, picked up another pot. Another swipe of the Boye knife and off we went, now sprouting quite a set of floats.

I found the phone number of the diver on Isle au Haut from last summer and called. He answered and said he would be going off-island in the morning but could come right over.

We all made it to Merchant / Harbor island and Calypso picked up the mooring. We then pulled in the tow line and rafted up. Landon DeWitt showed up shortly thereafter and cleared out the assorted gear. $50 well spent. We had caught the (first) pot at 4:00 and were all clear at 6:30.

A lot of floats and a swift resolution.

Up to now it's been a great cruise with fine weather and enough sailing to counter the motoring. Hmmm, another downpour. And it's turned cold and gray. But empty anchorages and fabulous scenery. One bar of EDGE data; let's see if this goes out.