Those Ellusive Crab and Prawn Traps

If you are a boater, in particular a sea or ocean-going boater, you have probably tried your hand at catching prawns and/or crabs with their respective pots. And if you have tried this, then you know how many traps or pots you have lost over the years! But it is so rewarding when the traps come up with our dinner, that we try it again, over and over every year. This is the story of our weekend boating trip and yet another lost prawn trap. My husband and I have been boating for several years with friends on their Bayliner on the west coast and enjoy our excursions through the San Juan Islands in Washington state and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia. Crabbing and prawn trapping is very popular among both pleasure boaters and commercial fisherman in these areas. Our friend Jan had just had another birthday and her husband Hank decided to buy her something that they could both enjoy. You guessed it, a prawn trap. Out they went at the first opportunity early one morning in July and dropped their prawn trap over the side of their Bayliner. The attached float was clearly visible to other boaters and had their name and boat registration number painted on the side. As the day progressed, they decided it was time to check the prawn trap for booty. Dreaming of the delectable dinner that awaited them, they took off in their dinghy to check the trap. Around and around they went looking for their trap, but it was not to be found. They took their bearings from the land and were sure that they were in the correct spot, but no such luck. Once again, yet another prawn trap had disappeared. Back to their yacht and a dinner of pork and beans. The next morning they weighed anchor and started off for the next day's location, looking as they went for the missing prawn trap. It was