Eugene Eaton was my grandfather. Four generations later our family still fishes the same grounds he fished. He taught us to be good stewards of the North Atlantic and the marine ecosystems of the Gulf of Maine - something that we are incredibly proud of to this day. EB White gifted a copy of this film to my parents on their wedding day - a treasured gift.
So neat to see this - I had always heard about this film, but never saw it (I even asked at the Deer Isle Historical Society - the people I asked didn’t know about it). I remember your grandfather well - he was always so kind to me as a kid!
When I was young, our family used to rent a cottage from the Heanssler's on Sunshine Isle. I remember watching the lobstermen heading out to their traps in their boats at sunrise. I have such wonderful memories of the time we spent there and of the Sunshine and Deer Isle area.
I was just 12 years old when I started as a crew on a lobster boat just as this video shows. Our pots were square or rectangular in Southern Maine, not circular as this video from "downeast" were. We could not mingle the lobsters in either a bushel basket or a salt water circulating barrel as they would attack each other and could drop claws to keep from "bleeding" to death before they could be sold. So my job was to peg the lobster claws and re bait the traps. Build traps in the winter, knitted the "heads" also and crewing was my summer job for 7 years. Best job I ever had! This video brought back some great memories with its so accurate depiction of our lives in those days. Our price was $.035/lb and yes, we averaged 200 lbs per day during the shedding season in mid summer from the same number of 135 traps. Our day started around 5 am and was completed by 1 pm, with boat cleaned and at her mooring.
Appears to be a late 30's boat. Maybe 37 ft. I wish there were plans like it somewhere. By the late 30's hard chined boats but with similar sheer line and layout otherwise, began to replace these and were documented by John Gardner in National Fisherman in 50's and reprinted in his last book Boats to Build and Use. They rolled less violently in a beam sea and were more speed efficient above 25 mph, less efficient below that. I notice that some of the boats had masts for steadying sails which he didn't bother with. Still, I wonder where plans like this boat can be found.
We do scallops dragging and small lobster fishing out in passamaquaddy bay and a lot of wrinkle picking and digging for clams in the winter I live right on the bay
yes, the cleverly devised sustainability myth and big corporations destroyed the individual fishing industry...they are in the process of destroying everything now. very sad......Willie
200 pounds of lobster which took him 12 hours of very hard work and $60.00 is his pay in 1954. His Gas is deducted from that amount. He gets ready to return to the Lobster Traps the next day. Alone and willing to work hard for, hopefully, another $60.00 pound day or better! I was BORN in Waterville, Maine in 1954 and had no idea $60.00 was a good payday for these fishermen, Lobstermen. I do remember in 1968 my father paying $90.00 per month for rent for a nice apartment on the beach in Santa Monica, California, I was working in a restaurant after High school in 68 and made $50.00 per night working for the Waitresses. I got pay and tips. I see now that was great money and easier than fishing in Maine. I do Miss Maine though. My Home State.....Bless you all. Hall Family. Lacombe, Veilleux, Maheu
I grew up on the water and used to go out with relatives.I pulled the rope to bring in the pots I did it all.I love the smell.I remember Jean as my grandparents lived in Stonington.I grew up on the water in Stockton springs.It’s awesome to C this film
One of the most intense pleasures, going out on the blue lobster water in a lobster boat, as if alone all day, long hours without thought or worry. That's why I went out, and for money, when I lived in Jonesport. I didn't own a boat, though, and wasn't a true lobsterman like my ancestors, so I stopped.
A lot of the fishermen took it upon themselves shortly after to add in a feature that allows a regulation of the sizes that came in and out of their traps :)
@@UntamedMainer They used to run this on a loop at the Maine Maritime Museum lobster boat display, (which was AWESOME), I watched this one day there. Bath, Maine.
This was a film produced by a program called "Omnibus" -- At the time they were experimenting with journalistic techniques in filmmaking, and EB White was one of several more literary-inclined figures asked to choose a topic, given a crew, and put into the field. Ed Murrow's "See it Now" was one of the big inspirations for a lot of these kinds of productions, seeking to give the viewer a SENSE of experiencing the news/story as opposed to just being told about it. I hope that helps! It's a beautiful film.
amazing. Probably nobody fishes like this anymore. Hauling each trap manually. Not something I would ever want to do. Although would be fun for a day to see what it is like. I could use the workout for sure.
Lobster fishing is still done very much like this. Boats and traps (pots) are more modern, and fisherman rely more on GPS now than charts to find their pots, but it's still done by hand and winches. Hard, back breaking, and often dangerous work!
Its done almost exactly this way unless your on a huge offshore rig in federal waters lol people say more then that know iether to sound smart or they really like hearing themselves talk
found this again. I just watched a video about fishing. it's an amazing way to make a living. Still want to get up to Maine and go on a boat to see what it is like. But not a job I would want to do. Kudos to all those who make a living this way you are all beautiful souls.
I thi k in his later years gene used to buy lobsters for his restaurant. He used to come to vinalhaven in his boat n buy lobsters off my uncle sonny warren.
Back when television wasn't controlled by exhibitionists, narcissists, pervs and lunatics. I was too small when they made this film, and got thrown back into the sea.
We do scallops dragging and small lobster fishing out in passamaquaddy bay and a lot of wrinkle picking and digging for clams in the winter I live right on the bay
Eugene Eaton was my grandfather. Four generations later our family still fishes the same grounds he fished. He taught us to be good stewards of the North Atlantic and the marine ecosystems of the Gulf of Maine - something that we are incredibly proud of to this day. EB White gifted a copy of this film to my parents on their wedding day - a treasured gift.
I googled and found a tombstone for Cape. Eugene Harrison Eaton. It looks like he was in the military. Was that him?
I'm his great granddaughter...my grandmother is Sadie eaton
So neat to see this - I had always heard about this film, but never saw it (I even asked at the Deer Isle Historical Society - the people I asked didn’t know about it). I remember your grandfather well - he was always so kind to me as a kid!
My family fishes Vinalhaven. My Grandfather did, my son does. 🦞✌️
He was in the coast guard stationed on Staten Island during ww2.@williamhicken1206
When I was young, our family used to rent a cottage from the Heanssler's on Sunshine Isle. I remember watching the lobstermen heading out to their traps in their boats at sunrise. I have such wonderful memories of the time we spent there and of the Sunshine and Deer Isle area.
I was just 12 years old when I started as a crew on a lobster boat just as this video shows. Our pots were square or rectangular in Southern Maine, not circular as this video from "downeast" were. We could not mingle the lobsters in either a bushel basket or a salt water circulating barrel as they would attack each other and could drop claws to keep from "bleeding" to death before they could be sold. So my job was to peg the lobster claws and re bait the traps. Build traps in the winter, knitted the "heads" also and crewing was my summer job for 7 years. Best job I ever had! This video brought back some great memories with its so accurate depiction of our lives in those days. Our price was $.035/lb and yes, we averaged 200 lbs per day during the shedding season in mid summer from the same number of 135 traps. Our day started around 5 am and was completed by 1 pm, with boat cleaned and at her mooring.
lol heads
I'm a big fan of E. B. White, but I had never heard his voice until now. Thank you for this.
SueH57 Audible.com has him reading Charlotte's Web.
I showed this to my 87 year old father Frank Davis. He remembered both of these men and lobstered the same area.
I met EB WHITE back in 1976 when i used to pasture my cows there. He was a great man n fun to set n talk with him.
This is pure gold. Thank you for uploading this!
Lovely documentary with poetic descriptions. Thank you.
The man doing the introduction is Alastair Cooke. He gained fame later in life for doing the introductions for Masterpiece Theater on PBS.
Beautifully told and the video was wonderful.
Appears to be a late 30's boat. Maybe 37 ft. I wish there were plans like it somewhere. By the late 30's hard chined boats but with similar sheer line and layout otherwise, began to replace these and were documented by John Gardner in National Fisherman in 50's and reprinted in his last book Boats to Build and Use. They rolled less violently in a beam sea and were more speed efficient above 25 mph, less efficient below that. I notice that some of the boats had masts for steadying sails which he didn't bother with. Still, I wonder where plans like this boat can be found.
It says in the commentary around 6.15 mins it's a 34 foot boat.
@@mattgibbs73 Right you are.
Beautiful words from a great American Writer- have a read of "One Man's Meat'.
We do scallops dragging and small lobster fishing out in passamaquaddy bay and a lot of wrinkle picking and digging for clams in the winter I live right on the bay
"an independent man, and a free land and sea" dont hear of that sort of thing around New England these days....
yes, the cleverly devised sustainability myth and big corporations destroyed the individual fishing industry...they are in the process of destroying everything now. very sad......Willie
@@bonniejohnson1518more like the government and NGO’s
200 pounds of lobster which took him 12 hours of very hard work and $60.00 is his pay in 1954. His Gas is deducted from that amount. He gets ready to return to the Lobster Traps the next day. Alone and willing to work hard for, hopefully, another $60.00 pound day or better! I was BORN in Waterville, Maine in 1954 and had no idea $60.00 was a good payday for these fishermen, Lobstermen. I do remember in 1968 my father paying $90.00 per month for rent for a nice apartment on the beach in Santa Monica, California, I was working in a restaurant after High school in 68 and made $50.00 per night working for the Waitresses. I got pay and tips. I see now that was great money and easier than fishing in Maine. I do Miss Maine though. My Home State.....Bless you all. Hall Family. Lacombe, Veilleux, Maheu
I grew up on the water and used to go out with relatives.I pulled the rope to bring in the pots I did it all.I love the smell.I remember Jean as my grandparents lived in Stonington.I grew up on the water in Stockton springs.It’s awesome to C this film
Big up Eugene Eaton
One of the most intense pleasures, going out on the blue lobster water in a lobster boat, as if alone all day, long hours without thought or worry. That's why I went out, and for money, when I lived in Jonesport. I didn't own a boat, though, and wasn't a true lobsterman like my ancestors, so I stopped.
Very interesting! Thank you!
Great film! But it from the size of that lobster he hauled I'd guess it was before size limits!
A lot of the fishermen took it upon themselves shortly after to add in a feature that allows a regulation of the sizes that came in and out of their traps :)
Very rare film from a man that saw more than most.
Excellent
That $60 haul would be $660 in today's dollars (2022). And fuel was $0.29 per gallon, about $2 today.
Love It! Iwas four when this was made!
What is this from? I'd love to get a copy of it.
It was shown on tv in the 50's. I'm not sure how you could get a copy, but I will let you know if I find out!
+Untamed Mainer thank you sir
@@UntamedMainer They used to run this on a loop at the Maine Maritime Museum lobster boat display, (which was AWESOME), I watched this one day there. Bath, Maine.
This was a film produced by a program called "Omnibus" -- At the time they were experimenting with journalistic techniques in filmmaking, and EB White was one of several more literary-inclined figures asked to choose a topic, given a crew, and put into the field. Ed Murrow's "See it Now" was one of the big inspirations for a lot of these kinds of productions, seeking to give the viewer a SENSE of experiencing the news/story as opposed to just being told about it. I hope that helps! It's a beautiful film.
Great Job you are doing. How can can I get some?
Get ahold of “sunshine seafood company” down in stoninington, it’s owned by his son jimmy
He’s probably my cousin im fro, deer isle Maine also an I’m an Eaton
bro is just giving up his spots
amazing. Probably nobody fishes like this anymore. Hauling each trap manually. Not something I would ever want to do. Although would be fun for a day to see what it is like. I could use the workout for sure.
Lobster fishing is still done very much like this. Boats and traps (pots) are more modern, and fisherman rely more on GPS now than charts to find their pots, but it's still done by hand and winches. Hard, back breaking, and often dangerous work!
Its done almost exactly this way unless your on a huge offshore rig in federal waters lol people say more then that know iether to sound smart or they really like hearing themselves talk
found this again. I just watched a video about fishing. it's an amazing way to make a living. Still want to get up to Maine and go on a boat to see what it is like. But not a job I would want to do. Kudos to all those who make a living this way you are all beautiful souls.
What have we become?
I thi k in his later years gene used to buy lobsters for his restaurant. He used to come to vinalhaven in his boat n buy lobsters off my uncle sonny warren.
Back when television wasn't controlled by exhibitionists, narcissists, pervs and lunatics.
I was too small when they made this film, and got thrown back into the sea.
almost look like adam sandler
HartBreakKickz HBK I was thinking the same
Comment
What you know about maine
What do YOU know about Maine?
It’s real cold in the winter!
i know a thing or 2
I know I fish the same waters ;)
I know enough.
😂 hard-working guy. $60 is not much by today’s standards
It was about $650 in today`s money. A new Ford was $1700.
We do scallops dragging and small lobster fishing out in passamaquaddy bay and a lot of wrinkle picking and digging for clams in the winter I live right on the bay