Our captain, Mike, pulled up by hand one of his traps, marked by blue and white polka-dotted buoys. We were in suspense as we leaned over the side of the boat to see the catch. For our first stop, we had one lobster that was too small and one that was a bona fide ''keepuh,'' said Mike in his Down East drawl. While Mike did the hauling, our guide, John, explained the many rules of lobstering. At times, Mike would walk around the boat with lobsters or other creatures found in the trap, such as stone crabs or starfish, giving everyone a close view before throwing the catch back in.
Passengers have the option of buying the catch, with prices varying with the market.
If you don't have kids with you and want to splurge, try the American nouvelle cuisine at The Arrows on Berwick Road, 1.8 miles west of Ogunquit center. Among a handful of New England restaurants top rated by Zagat, the restaurant features romantic dining in a Colonial farmhouse surrounded by spectacular gardens. The best way to work off your meal is by walking the 1.25-mile Marginal Way. Each year some 100,000 strollers traverse the scenic path that connects Perkins Cove to Ogunquit village. The century-old footpath lies between homes and the ocean and affords majestic views of the Maine coast.