An afternoon of crab fishing with Rick Crane and crew on the Crane's Legacy!
You never know where life will take you!
I've had a little project in mind for some time and asked Fujifilm Canada if i could borrow their new medium format camera, the GFX 50R. A week later the 50R, along with a selection of incredible GF lenses showed up at my door. I had some unscheduled time so a little day adventure was in order to warm up to the new camera and glass.
Intending to head down the south side of the Bay of Islands for some reason i made the decision to drive the north shore instead. I spent a few hours exploring some of my usual haunts, exploring the subtle nuances of the medium format camera. At 11:00 am sharp my stomach told me it was lunch time and it was up over the hill from MacIvers and down into the scenic oceanside town of Cox's Cove.
Fries and gravy were ordered at the local take out when a gentleman looks up and asks, "You're Scott Grant?" I reply , "Yes sir, i am. Who are you?" "Rick Crane. Do you want to go out crabbing with us for the afternoon? You can take some pictures?"
Of course my response was "Hell yeah!"
Rick is half legend in these parts. His colourful character helped him land a spot on Discovery Channel's Saltwater Cowboys for three seasons.
What i didn't expect from Rick was just how nice of a guy he was. My first hint was when my fries arrived. The crew of the Crane's Legacy also choose take out for dinner but were 20 minutes ahead of me and had already finished eating when my lunch was ready. "Take your time, my son. Have a good lunch. We'll wait for you on the boat." Can't say i expected that! Everyone i talk with says the same about Rick. He's rough and tough, but he's there in a heartbeat for anyone in need.
Much respect.
Back at the dock Rick and crew are patiently waiting for my fry filled waddling self to show up, willing to help load my gear on board. In short order we're headed towards Penguin Arm for an afternoon of straightening tangled crab pot lines. Wind had pushed the sea ice which passed over the buoys and made a mess of hundreds of feet of rope. As you'll see shortly this was no afternoon pleasure cruise!
The Crane's Legacy!
Bait. Calamari anyone?
Captain Rick Crane
The hard work begins.
Snow crab harvest.
Major tangle!
By catch!
Smaller pieces of ice remain in the bay.
Those ropes are much much longer than you may think at almost 500 feet each!
A real looker!
Rick wasn't one to stand back and watch his crew work.
The tangle from above.
Crane's Legacy wheel house.
Not your average day at the office!
Crab pot details.
Lots of deliciousness in there!
Unfortunately rope found its way around the propellor shaft which meant it was time to head back to port.
Unless you are a photographer you may not appreciate the level of detail and dynamic range from Fujifilm's medium format GFX camera system. Stunning would be an understatement. This image is the torture test. Incredibly there is detail in the both the highlights and the deepest shadows!
The view looking into Penguin Arm!
Back on dock.
With any luck this won't be my last time out with Rick Crane and the Crane's Legacy! I can't imagine what it would have been like at sunrise or sunset!
Thanks for taking the time!
To book a wedding or photo session please contact me via email 'scott@roninphoto.ca' or call (709) 639-5335. I'm located in Steady Brook, on the west coast of Newfoundland, in Canada.
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Always a fan of Scott Grant's photography and a fan of Rick Crane and Crane's Legacy, having watched them on Coldwater Cowboys. I would say it was a very memorable day for you and I would have jumped at the chance too! Having never used a medium format camera, I was eager to see these photos, and they are amazing. I loved this photo story, actually made me feel like I spent the day on the water with you. And as a side note the fries and gravy in Cox's Cove are to die for! Kudoos Scott.
ReplyDeleteI can attest, Rick’s there “in a heartbeat” for sure. It doesn’t surprise me that you had a wonderful day aboard the Crane’s Legacy. But no matter how many times I see it—the Bay of Islands never ceases to surprise how beautiful it can be. Take care!
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