Pre-Winter Marina

Pre-Winter Marina In Progress

I returned to the town pier on another unseasonably mild December day.   The post-foliage, "pre-snow" landscape has been quite dreary, yet at the marina, the boat and water colors were as bright and vivid as any other time of the year.  This painting was intended to be a color study, an attempt to match the sky, grasses, water and dock as accurately as possible.   I think it was very close in person, although the photo may not seem that way.

This painting scene was very similar to the painting "Unloading Lobster Traps," completed just a couple of weeks ago.    The unloading of lobster traps continues.  Just how many traps do each fisherman work each season I wondered?  Given the constant flow of returning lobster boats, all weighed down to capacity with traps, and the Massachusetts Commercial Fishing Policy, a maximum of 800.

Pre-Winter Marina

The dark blue Four Sons lobster boat was returning to the dock.   It sat very low in the water due to the weight of the traps.     The bright orange coveralls of the two lobstermen contrasted well against the complementary ocean blue.   One lobsterman was steering to the dock while the other sat on the pile of traps in the back smoking a cigarette.    The Cygnet was docked alongside the pier to the far right, also busily unloading traps.