April 25, 2017

According to yesterday’s Eye on the Sky team (VPR) today’s coastal storm is weakening. I trust these guys and this is what allowed me to decide to leave the floats and boat on their moorings. Most of the others were prudent and didn’t take the chance; an east/southeast wind can mess things up in Duxbury Bay. So I went out early this morning to drag some oysters and did some culling on the float. It started calm and ended up pretty bumpy. The float survived though, as did I. Gregg Morris and Ben Lloyd also remained throughout the day. Today’s summary: 45 degrees, east wind (15-25), and lots of rain.

The water temperature has come up significantly over the past two weeks. Crabs are everywhere, the slipper shells (Crepidula) are releasing bright, yolk colored, eggs, and the oysters are finally putting on some edge. The osprey’s continue to snatch up mystery fish and the laughing gulls that arrived about 12 days ago, are waiting for the anchovies and menhaden to show up. They look hungry.

Back home at the barn the gardens are picking up some steam. The winter rye that I planted last fall, from the seed stock that I grabbed from Todd Hardie’s farm (Thornhill Farm, Greensboro), is rich and growing a few inches per week. The garlic, also from Vermont (Love Your Mother Farm, Hinesburg) is also moving quickly. Tomatoes, fennel, and other plants remain in small pots inside for a couple more weeks. Oh yeah, I planted mammoth sunflowers in four of my old upweller silos, leaning against the house. They are vulnerable to the feisty red squirrel that has decided to take up residence somewhere around here. I’m not sure what to do about that. Man, are they feisty.

Here it comes now, finally. The bay is alive again and its going to get really busy soon.