Let me begin by saying we love fresh lobster. We would like to thank all the lobster fisherman who work tirelessly to bring in the harvest. We've watched them leave port before sunrise, haul their pots all day long, and then clean their boats well after dark. But...

The aggravation of steering around these buoys all day long can be a real pain in the a**. It make us feel like a prisoner of the helm. In the fog it can be downright dangerous.

Most Maine sailors don't seem too bothered by them. I can only conclude this is because everyone here sails monohulls. Traditionalist that they are take on these multicolored prop jammers like they are slalom skiing.

Our boat, on the other hand, cuts a twenty-five feet wide path through the water and has two propellers on the outer edges. Often times we have them touching both sides at the same time. And believe me when I say they are everywhere.

We feel very fortunate to have escaped unscathed so far with only one close call. In another few weeks we should be past the worst of the minefield.