Lobster Fishing on the West Coast

When I tell people that I'm a part-time lobster fisherman, they usually envision dangerous and dramatic circumstances as depicted on shows like Lobster Wars, or even The Deadliest Catch. However, out here in Southern California, things are much more relaxed.

First of all, it's the Pacific Ocean. When Ferdinand Magellan first discovered it, he named it Mar Pacifico, which is Spanish for "peaceful sea". In contrast to the treacherous conditions of the Atlantic along most of the East Coast, working out here on the Pacific is smooth sailing, so to speak.

Here are some photos of a routine morning, traveling out of Newport Harbor.