For any lobsterman missing a buoy, they may want to check with a man living on Scotland’s west coast along the country’s Orkney Mainland. Martin Gray, a Scottish beachcomber, found one of Boothbay lobsterman Mark Jones’ lobster buoys on April 26, and offered to return it.

Gray traced the Maine fishing license number located on the green and orange buoy to locate the owner. He also posted the buoy’s photo on his Orkney Beachcombing Facebook site. Eventually, Jones’ daughter Caroline learned about the Scottish man’s attempt to return the buoy via social media.

Caroline Jones, who lives in Florida, contacted her father.

In Gray’s email to Caroline Jones, he thought it would be fitting to return the lost buoy to its owner.

“It looks in good shape to me. And I love the idea of reusing the buoy after it’s been on such a long journey,” wrote Gray.

Mark Jones later contacted Gray by email to thank him for his concern. Mark Jones informed Gray that he wasn’t interested in the lost buoy. Mark Jones said buoys are lost all the time.

“It probably would cost more to ship back than it costs,” Jones said. “I admire his passion, but I don’t really see what the big deal is.”

Jones believes beachcombing is one of Gray’s passion. He checked out Gray’s Facebook page, Orkney Beachcoming, and saw several photos of the fishing materials Gray has found in the Bay of Skaill.

It seems a strong North Atlantic Gulf Steam transports loose buoys and other fishing materials from the coast of Maine toward Nova Scotia and continues eastward to Labrador before finally reaching the Bay of Skaill in Scotland.

“It seems to be a real passion of his,” Mark Jones said. “On his Facebook page, there are all kinds of postings of what he’s found on the beach.”

This is not the first time a Scotsman has tried to return a lost buoy to a Maine fisherman. Mark Jones said he read a Bangor Daily News article from about 10 years ago about a Scot contacting a Down East fisherman about returning a lost buoy. 

Gray, 50, is a tour guide and driver at a Scottish distillery. He regularly searches the beaches two miles from his home for washed-ashore objects. He identified Jones’ buoy with the help of fellow beachcomber and Facebook friend Rosemary Hill of Kerry, Ireland.

“I’ve been a beachcomber my whole life. I was aware Maine fishermen have a four digit registration license number on their gear,” he said. “I contacted Rosemary, who has established incredible contacts within the Eastern U.S. and Canadian fishing industries. So I pinged her for help. And a few hours later word got back it was Mark’s float.”

Gray also used Facebook to seek out the owner. One of the first to recognize the buoy was Caroline Jones who posted on Facebook: “That’s my Dad’s.”