The Rest of the Story

The Panamanian adventure left off with Astarte having a restocked pantry and the intrepid travelers heading onto their next journey--a trip to the jungle. We had arranged for a guy to take us by lancha (skiff) to Rio Carti (pretty much south of where we were but on the mainland), where we had arranged for transportation to the jungle lodge. The lancha ride was smooth---and NO RAIN! We got taken to one of the Carti islands and dropped off--I expressed some concern about not being on the mainland and needing to meet a driver (my Spanish was improving!). I was told we had to wait for another boat to take us up the river. So we did and got a good look at life in a Kuna village while we waited. Eventually, this other boat came--it was quite similar to the lancha, but driven by others, presumably willing to take more of our money. So, off we went, up the river.

I was envisioning our destination being a little village up the river. With each passing bend in the river, crocodile, iguana, low-hanging tree branch, and local, I was beginning to think we might be starring in a re-adpatation of "Heart of Darkness." Don't get me wrong, I actually kind of like Joseph Conrad, but really, I was beginning to wonder when we passed the Kuna cemetery and saw a few empty boats along the river banks.

Eventually, we slowed down and the guy asked me if I was going by car--when the answer was affirmative, we pulled to the side of the river and sure enough, there was a road and our guy, Michael was waiting. No town, no telephone, and definitely no rental car agency! We loaded up our packs and began the ascent of the Llano-Carti road--what a trip. It is in the process of being rebuilt, and after having seen the video of what it used to be like, it now looks like a super-highway. But it was like a roller coaster. We stopped and snapped a few pictures and had our first jungle wildlife encounter: an anteater! Very cool.

We got to Burbayar Lodge and had some lunch and went out on our first jungle hike. Michael turned out to be our guide as well as our driver and he was very good, pointing out all sorts of very tiny frogs, ants with very painful bites (bullet ants), and telling us about the many birds and plants we saw. We saw our first sloth but were told our hopes of seeing capybaras (the aforementioned ROUSes) wouldn't be realized because they stay in the lowlands. Oh well.

We survived that outing and must have proved ourselves well enough to get taken on a much longer, more difficult hike the following day. Keep in mind, it has rained a lot and the forest floor was a mud pit--we were given Wellie boots and walking sticks at the get go, but the muddy conditions meant lots of awkward slides (but no wipeouts!). We walked for about 3 hours out to a beautiful waterfall and were really impressed when Michael called in a few birds for us--very neat!

The lodge itself was a bit more rustic than what we had figured on (based upon the rather exorbitant price)--no electricity, we had running water but not hot nor potable, and one of the most uncomfortable beds I've ever slept on! And the bugs were a bit creepy--with no bug net around the bed, reading by headlamp at night was not an option! Lights=bugs. But of course we lived to tell the tale and our early consumption of the non-potable-but-not-advertised-as-such water hasn't rendered us bound to the bathroom...yet, anyway!

We left the jungle still wanting to see howler monkeys (we had heard and smelled them, but not seen them) and of course, capybaras. We got our bird fill--the hummingbirds of many varieties were like kamikazes flying around the main building and dining table. And the toucans and parrots were abundant. Some of the smaller songbirds were really beautiful and this jungle experience did give me a new appreciation for birds, even if I can't remember any of their names. I'm sure the typical clientele comes with spotting scopes, Swarovski binoculars, etc.--we had some point and shoot cameras and a cheap pair of backpacking binos, but they did the trick for us.

Our final day got rained out (seemed to be the theme of the trip), so we didn't get our last hike in, and we headed back to Panama City for some city exploring and a trip to Gamboa and the Parque Nacional Soberania. There we finally did see our howler monkeys--very cool. And they really do swing on vines! We'll have to make another trip to Central or South America to finally see a Rodent of Unusual Size.

Abondanza of Vegetable and Schmutz

Well, on our final day, we awoke to the sun shining, the call of the conch telling us bread was ready at the local island tienda, and the long-awaited vegetable boat visiting the anchorage only one boat away! When it rains, it pours. We had heard of the mythical sun and the vegetable boat over the last week or so, and apparently both are not just figments of the cruisers' imaginations! To top it all off, Michael managed to catch a pineapple floating in the anchorage on his way from retrieving the bread-free food (albeit not of the piscine protein sort!).

We enjoyed our first "dinghy raft up" cocktail hour the other night. This seems to be purely an American thing since none of the foreigners (well, aren't we all???) in the anchorage joined in. The Brit anchored next to us seemed profoundly confused by the concept of the whole thing when we explained it to him and declined, but overall it was nice to hear people's stories and exchange all the dips and snacks that were offered-we also enjoyed watching Nigel, the boat dog, negotiate the dinghies and try for some passed snacks.

Yesterday we tried snorkeling the reef off of Tiadup again and instead of eagle rays, squid, and colorful fish, we ended up feeling like we were swimming in the sewer system-plastic bags, river and ocean schmutz, and some flip flops (which our hosts have decided are ruining the planet, along with plastic bottles, and I don't disagree). Some sort of weird current is creating mats of flotsam (aka The Sargasso Sea) in the anchorage, but even when we got outside the reef there was just a lot of crap in the water and it seemed fresh as well-bummer. But, the poor conditions were not all bad because it sent us off exploring and we found a few other spots that definitely deserved a look and provided us with our colorful fish fix for the day!

So while the weather hasn't exactly been anything to write home about, we've managed plenty of relaxing: reading, playing games (I was officially the big dominoes loser!), and just sitting and chatting over rum drinks and drizzling rain. We got a few good snorkeling group adventures in and saw lots of beautiful sites around Kuna Yala. I'm sure this is one of those areas where "you should have been here 10 years ago…" but the culture (and molas) seems vibrant and there aren't so many other boats that you can't find a parking spot with an unspoiled view (Michael did score us the penthouse suite in our present anchorage-until the current changed direction, and now we're in the basement).

A big thanks to Barbara and Michael for graciously letting us invade their space, maintaining Astarte in excellent form, keeping us well fed and hydrated, and for showing us how this whole cruising thing works. And in spite of our contributions of nuts, pasta, peanut butter, and fishing tackle, we still left them with less beer and rum in their hold than they had when we came aboard, so I'm hoping the supply boats manage more regular appearances! All in all, I'm thinking cruising is a pretty nice gig!

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Lobster Amnesty

While we are all suckers for good sea critters (both to look at and to eat), we've noticed that the locals are selling some pretty tiny lobsters in these parts. Barbara and Michael had been selective about choosing the big daddies prior to our arrival, but as they entered the more popular anchorages, it seemed the mean size of the offerings was decreasing. This prompted some jokes about buying lobsters and throwing them back-ridiculous in concept, but not unlike what some non-profits are doing with commercial fishing shares in parts of the world.

So when an ulu came by the other day selling crabs and lobsters among other things, we took the bait and purchased 2 crabs and 6 lobsters, most of which were quite small. It was then decided that the two smallest lobsters would accompany us on our afternoon group outing to the reef and be freed. Ridiculous? Perhaps. But it made for a good adventure, trying to find the perfect rock hole for the repatriated langostas. They seemed content (if not a bit dazed) upon arrival on their new reef and we're hoping they will live long(er) and prosper. Their relatives tasted quite good.

As for other wildlife sightings, we saw some reef squid and a few spotted eagle rays, one wearing the bonus of a remora. The reef fish seem to be plentiful here and the corals are quite bright. We're hoping for a bit more sun so that we can get in some last bubble blowing tomorrow.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

"No One's Given Me The Clap Yet"

We've left Moron Island and are glad all are aboard. Unfortunately, our trip up the Rio Sidra with Lisa to see crocodiles (and potentially a ROUS) was bust due to some bad storms. So we idled away the rainy day and went ashore on Moron to do some exploring of our own-no crocodiles or ROUSes there and we were glad to leave the rain and murky water behind.

We're now a week into our time on Astarte and have settled into the cruising routine a bit. With this we have acquired specific "jobs." I use that term loosely because it's quite clear that Barbara and Michael have the real jobs dialed and we just try to fill in where we can. As such, Anchor Boy came to life. One of the critical aspects of any type of boating is anchoring; this task becomes even more critical when the boat is your home, reefs are lurking all around, and you want a good night's sleep, free of worry about whether your anchor will hold if it starts to blow. So, to assure a set anchor, someone usually dives in to approve or disapprove the way the anchor came to rest (the joy of the tropics!). Mark, with superb diving abilities, decided this job was right up his alley. With a clap of the hands from Barbara or Michael to signal the appropriate time, Mark dives in and comes back with a full and detailed report of the anchor's position and security. A non-perfect report gets a haul back and reset of the anchor. After our 3rd anchoring attempt at Moron Island, Mark, with fins on and mask in hand, said, "Do I go? No one's given me the clap yet." "I think that's a good thing," was the wife's response.

We're now anchored in one of the "popular" anchorages in Kuna Yala: The East Lemmon Islands. It is kind of like living in a condo complex with the many boats and many people creating plenty of entertainment in the anchorage. We did a nice snorkel yesterday and will try for one or two new spots today. Yesterday we managed a lunch of lobster and a dinner of crab cakes, so, life is good.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

The Great Lion Hunt of 2009=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=85?=and other adventures.

There had been some discussion prior to our arrival about the introduction of the lionfish to the Caribbean and what that meant for the local fishes and human swimmers. Forewarned, we brought with us some information on recognizing and reporting these beautiful but invasive and poisonous critters, and also some hints for what to do if you come in contact with them-ouch. After posting the info with the Kuna congreso and announcing it over the Net (a sort of morning radio talk show whereby some people convey pertinent information and others like to hear themselves talk), we figured we were done with it…and besides we had failed the 1st (and only) inquiry for the "professional marine biologists:" What is the incubation period of hawksbill turtle eggs? (The answer is about 6 weeks and at least the question wasn't about %^#&@^ dolphins!)

That failure aside, Mark and I went on a swimming circumnavigation of Olosicuidup upon arrival at the Coco Banderos (the Coco B's)-a very beautiful group of palm-clad islas with turquoise water and cool birds. We got most of the way around, seeing the ordinary cast of characters, when we saw an unusual stump in about 8' of water. Mark dove down and found a lionfish tucked within the root wad. Thus began the Great Lion Hunt of 2009…

After a re-anchoring to take advantage of the primo spot in the small anchorage, Michael grabbed his spear gun and he and Mark set out to slay the dragon. They did in fact manage to slaughter the wily beast*, dragging it through the waves to shore where they shook it vigorously from the spear and gave it a proper burial after pounding it to bits (by the way, this activity is deemed completely appropriate by said "professional marine biologists" given the invasive nature of the beastie-and the PMBs are decidedly better versed in fishes than turtles).

So, to reward our heroic men for making the ocean safer for both man and (other) beasts, we celebrated by having a delicious dinner of sentoya, a local crab that looks like a cross between an Alaskan king crab and a red rock crab and tastes wicked good-and at the fair price of 2 for $5 we couldn't go wrong-except that the shells were hard, very hard!

Another night in the Coco B's saw us trying for a quick snorkel and then a departure for Moron Island-we are pretty sure at least part of the crew may find their people (that would be the part of the crew that repeatedly bangs body parts on any boat part that happens to be standing by)!

*Note: The referenced wily beast was approximately three inches, approximately the size of your neighborhood goldfish…"its fins were REALLY big though"…and those are the poisonous parts!

November 21, 2009

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Molas, Crocodiles, Late-night Visitors, and Rain

It's been an eventful few days here on Astarte, not the least of which was a humdinger of a squall last night at the convenient hour of 0230! Yuck. The dinghy has subsequently been bailed twice and still has a bit of water. The good news is that the water tanks are full, with water to spare! And our drying clothes got a second dousing while on the line. The bad news is that the squall wasn't the end of it and we continue to see the rain fall…and that once crystal water around Green Island has turned to mud. Yuck times two.

Backing up a bit, we did have an encounter with Lisa, "master mola maker and infamous transvestite" (as per The Panama Cruising Guide) before leaving the Lemmons. Barbara has written a bit about the Kuna's propensity for approaching boats and selling their wares. Having read about Lisa just a few hours earlier, I couldn't help but be intrigued enough to see her molas and chat her up (her English is quite good). And she had some very intricate molas. I'm not really a connoisseur and know nothing about the fabric arts (hell, I can hardly sew a button), but luckily the guide books tell you what to look for. My hopes of finding a Mola mola mola (yes, there's a fish joke in there) weren't realized but we did pick up a few nice ones and a very kitchy mola beer coozie! We'll hang with Lisa again when we talk a river tour in a few days.

Still no joy in the fishing world. We've heard reports of a crocodile (a wee pup at 5' in length) in the vicinity-he seems to be a bit of a local legend. Combined with the murky water, the snorkeling potential is rapidly declining, as you may imagine! We were hoping the murky water might lead to some fishing luck (it is looking more like Chesapeake Bay or the Gulf than that gin-clear water we were lured by), but alas even the changing conditions can't dumb down the local stocks enough to take a bite.

Lastly, we heard the saddest tale of woe last evening when we were approached by two Kunas well after dark. They arrived in the midst of yet another squall. They had been out collecting coconuts (Kuna currency, forbidden to visitors) and as they were paddling for home, their ulu (canoe) was upended. While these boats are very cool, we witnessed their lack of stability when the Kuna man selling octopus toppled out of his earlier in the day while trying to close the deal with us-he came to the surface with the octos held high! At any rate, the guys lost all their cocos, one canoe paddle, and some pride. The younger of the two (15) was a bit scared by the whole episode and they decided we were a safe bet. So, they got cookies and coffee, a towel, some shelter, and time to regain their courage while they waited for a weather window to make the 3 hour paddle home (not sure if that was calculated with 1 paddle or two?). The older one (20) was fluent in Spanish so we chatted a bit, at which point we learned about the crocodiles, turtles, and white sharks (though we're thinking some kind of reef shark) in the area-this story was further compounded by a side note whereby their dog had recently been eaten by a crocodile. Hmmmm. Barbara and I (the cynics in this case) just couldn't help but wonder if we were being put on! At any rate, it makes for a good story!

We're hoping for some clearer air and water tomorrow, but are content to read and sip rum punches for the time being.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Porvenir or Bust

Guests Aboard Astarte, Comarca de Kuna Yala, Panama

Buenos dias! After struggling with my ever-diminishing Spanish skills in Panama City for a day and a half and finding the only $4 beers in the whole country, I was glad to board the plane to El Porvenir. Check-in was fairly simple at the airport (the former American military base in the Canal Zone). They bilked us for our extra luggage (gringo surcharge??), but not too bad, and we didn't have to leave all those nuts and that Dunkin' Donuts coffee we acquired as gifts behind! Security is considerably lax and they only asked to see the rum we had in our handbags-really, they looked at it and gave back to us. It was a bit disconcerting to see 5 guys standing around fixing the plane before we boarded, but we trusted the pilot and when he gave the okay, we boarded.

While the small size of the Twin Otter we were directed to was no surprise, what we didn't know about was the size of the runway in Porvenir. I'm pretty sure it would be considered a palm-lined driveway in some neighborhoods. The dude had won the window seat, which left him scanning for coral reefs. I got the aisle seat, which left me looking at the cockpit controls and the approach. I can't say I didn't utter a "Dios mio" under my breath when I saw this thing! We skidded to a halt 50 feet before the beach on the far side. B and M were there to meet us and M said he saw some pretty green folks deplane-I don't think we were among them, but I'm glad to be avoiding that runway on our return trip. Of course, he just flew back to Porvenir and didn't mutter anything about this runway-obviously he is tougher than I when it comes to sketchy airports! A great start to this adventure, at any rate.

We checked in with the Kuna congreso who lightened our pockets a bit and then it was off to the boat to chill with some coffee and breakfast snacks and watch the rain storms roll in. And it rained. But then it cleared and we took off for the West Lemmons-and as we were approaching, another rainstorm rolled in and this one was serious tropical rain. B bore the brunt of it, being on reef watch on the bow. Though, with a track-line to follow, we anchored without much ado, got settled, and took off snorkeling in the afternoon.

After a scrumptious dinner of lobster and pasta, some good times meeting the Tumshis, and several glasses of wine, we all crashed at cruisers midnight (which fits my sleeping patterns perfectly). A little bit of rain kept us on our toes during the night, but all and all a good rest was had by all.

Today we moved on to Green Island which is a picture perfect Caribbean island. We did a nice long snorkel in the afternoon and Mark and I tried to make up for the lack of fishing joy we had on the passage by trying again from the dinghy-so far we're not bringing much luck to Astarte to go along with all that tackle we brought…there's always tomorrow…

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

The Calm Amidst the Storm

If you're on the eastern seaboard and have a pulse, you probably know that we're getting battered by a nice nor'easter here in Chesapeake Bay--winds gusting in the 50s, tides many feet above normal, power flickering intermittently, and those trees we probably should have cut down living dangerously and threatening us with every gust.

I have been keeping a keen eye on the NOAA tidal predictions/observations and laughed out loud when I received an e-mail stating that "Today's seminar about rising sea levels has been cancelled due to rising sea levels." If inquiring minds want to know, the real-time data can be found here or here.

But, despite the turmoil outdoors, I decided to crank the heat and hunker down to do some reading and just lay low. It is actually quite peaceful and for the first time in many weeks I don't feel like a chicken with its head cut off! In addition, I actually have some time to pack the remaining items for Panama and make sure I practice those few key Spanish phrases that may prevent humiliation...or at least interrupted travel plans!

Lagging Baggage

As we are in the midst of prepping for our great Panamanian adventure (for a taster check out Barbara and Michael's blog), I recently purchased some airline tickets for domestic (Panamanian) travel. Recognizing that the planes would be tiny, I had to investigate the baggage policy to make sure we knew our weight limits. The translation just cracked me up, and so, for a good laugh, I'm posting it here...and I assure you, my ability to translate the intent of such a message from English to Spanish would have been no better, seeing as how I've already confused some nouns and probably requested goats instead of transportation--still it's good for a laugh:

International flights Lost Baggage

First and foremost we apologize for any inconvenience caused.

If you are seeing this page is because his luggage was lost.

You should have submitted a claim by that baggage, which for some reason is lagging in some airport or was mistakenly delivered to another passenger.

The airline tells you to fill out the form, which was the procedure, however if you have any suggestions or questions you do about your baggage please send email to: XXXXXX with the number of claims, which 'll taste immediate response on the investigations.

Summer Highlights

As I sit celebrating the equinox, the official end of summer (even though the fashion police would have you thinking Labor Day was it, when you officially stored your white shoes and seersucker suit), I couldn't help but revisit some of the finer moments of the summer by getting back on the blogwagon.

Major summer endeavors included: our bourgeoning garden, field work for both halves (MN's was much more "adventure on the high seas" than mine, but I got to sleep in my own bed every night), maintaining a comfortable yet inexpensive temperature in the house, playing and watching lots of tennis, and a little travel here and a little travel there. All in all, we didn't die of heat stroke and we managed plenty of weekend adventure despite our geographic location.

The garden turned out pretty well, with much success in our first attempt to grow warm-climate crops like peppers. We had great success with the cayennes, but I think my favorite was the Italian sweet Corno di toro pepper--delicious.

The tomatoes started off with a bang and grew, and grew, and grew. Unfortunately, they grew huge but didn't exactly become laden with fruit as we had hoped. We did get a few delicious Cherokee Purples, which were similar to a Brandywine but I think even more flavorful. They are a keeper and will make the cut next year. We also had a bumper crop of basil, with staggered planting so as to keep us in the money all summer long. The combination of the tomatoes and basil led to many an Insalata Caprese. We did lose our parsley to a family of swallowtail butterfly caterpillars--an early crushing of one, led to amnesty for the rest and one decimated parsley plant! These guys seemingly eat their weight in a day!


In other critter news, we did have a Wild Kingdom moment--Marlin Perkins wasn't there to narrate, but I was, and I could hardly contain myself when I saw the snake I had been watching go for broke after a toad clear across the yard. Snake 1, Toad 0.


Our furry 4-legged critter didn't dig the heat and humidity much and on more than one occasion I found myself adjusting the thermostat downward on her behalf--she is spoiled. In the end I figured the cost of the AC was minimal compared to a trip to the vet to patch up all her bare spots! Perhaps she'll get shorn next summer to make the Virginia heat a little easier to bear. She did find some solace in beach-going--the water seemed to suit her as well as the Pacific, though she was a bit confused when her people got in it too.

As for the travels, I had high hopes for the girls' backpacking trip to the Bigelow Range--sadly, the weather made for not such a great outdoor experience and the end-of-trip Geary's were consumed a bit short of their planned date. The moose didn't seem to mind the rain and cold though, so our trip wasn't without one good wildlife sighting. I'm pretty sure next year a desert trip is in order--or at least something in an arid climate!

Even in the desert southwest it rains though. We made it to CO for a short trip to see some pals and explore a bit. Highlights from that adventure included a biking brewery tour of Fort Collins, many breakfasts at Lucile's, and a nice (but partly rainy) hike up to Emerald Lake and a view of Tyndall Glacier (or what was left of it). The air is thin at 10,500' but we must have been in better shape than we thought or the adrenaline took over, because it didn't seem all that bad!

And, lest we neglect our "home" state, we did manage a recent weekend camping trip to the wilds of western VA. We passed through Staunton on our way to the George Washington National Forest and I think I'd like to go back there some time--very cute town with sort of an artsy vibe to it. The camping was okay but the company was great. We did some chillaxin' and had some fun with zen campfire cooking and smores-making.


A hike up Shenandoah Mountain and the history lesson that came with it left at least one member of our party tired--so tired she skipped the smores-fest and took herself to bed--right on two comfy sleeping bags, neither of which belonged to her.



And last but not least for the summer of 2009 was a typically fantastic return trip to the Emerald City. We saw friends, jumping salmon, wedded bliss, hangovers, and alas, "the mountain was out" almost the entire time we were there.

Catch of the Day!

Speckled Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (juv.)

Seems like forever ago when this site last saw some action related to the briny deep...and while I can't promise deep, I can promise briny (but for deep, check out the blog from the MAR-ECO cruise to the mid-Atlantic Ridge--some whacky stuff they are finding!). After straining my memorization skills and trying to master the art of prophesying exam questions over the last several months, I have finally been freed up to do what it is I was born to do: play in the water! Despite being surrounded by painful jellyfish (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) and pinch-like-hell blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), I've been having a grand old time splashing around. And besides, if the crab is going to pinch me, I'm going to eat its brethren...only fair, eh?

Typically, this time of year, I have been up to my eyeballs in pollinating reed canary grass, surveying some mighty fine marshes (or at least they used to be, anyway) and wishing the sneezing and eye itching would stop. The rare instance would arise when I'd get to squeeze some fish, and it would be even rarer if they were of the salty type. So, wasn't I just in my glory when I got to pull up some trawls today and find a treasure-trove of sea critters awaiting my inspection! Trawling is kind of like Christmas morning--when the net comes in, it's full of surprises. Of course, this is less so on massive surveys where seeing one more arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) or pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) might cause you to jump overboard (the salty dude can attest to this, as he's spent 3+ weeks trying to keep himself in the boat). But my trawl was a simple little device that worked well without being overwhelming. In addition, when you are new to a system, everything seems cool...well, okay, maybe not the spot (Leiostomus xanthurus).

Lined Seahorse, Hippocampus erectus

Of course, some things are truly remarkable and I have to put the Syngnathids up there. These fishes include seahorses and pipefish. Of course, I had seen seahorses in aquaria many times before, but despite considerable effort looking in tropical seagrass beds on every vacation opportunity, I had, until recently, failed to find one live and in its own environment. My recent role as helper scientist had me donning the mask and snorkel and as I meandered about I saw a seahorse and lots of his relatives, pipefish! And it seems they come up in trawls relatively frequently, if not in great abundance, so I was thrilled when we pulled a few in today and I got to take some photos! Fun! Their prehensile tail is pretty cool and I could see it being quite a useful adaptation when trying to cling to eelgrass blades.

The other surprise catch was what I thought was Chesapeake Bay's version of the spiny lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus orbis), the cutest fish of all time. But lo and behold, the lumpsucker is a cyclopterid (lumpfish, in the same group as lionfish, Pacific rockfish, and cottids: Scorpaeniformes). Our catch was identified as a spiny boxfish (or striped burrfish Chilomyclerus schoepfi), a Tetradontiform (pufferfish and triggerfish are also in this group). Whatever name you call him, he came out of the net all puffed up and we had to try awfully hard to get him to deflate to his normal size and bouyancy before letting him go. I do think my first photo, when he inadvertently rolled over, looks like something from Star Wars:

Upon righting him, his fins became apparent and he proved to be just another incarnation of the Actinopterygii.

Paean to the Firefly

It's been several weeks since the local fireflies began illuminating our yard with their pulsing glow. And, perhaps in the interim, I have become slightly obsessed with them. They are also a source of curiosity for the dog--what is this thing that lights up in front of my nose and then disappears? It seems like they have hit their stride in the last week, more abundant than in the weeks prior, the light show in the yard more showy. And so, when I saw the article in the NY Times tonight about researchers who actually study fireflies (how cool is that?), I figured I should finally put fingers to keyboard and punch out an ode to this amazing creature.

My previous post on the insidious insects in my garden notwithstanding, there are many insects I find fascinating: staphylinid beetles, luna moths, bees of any nature, chironomids (if only because I've looked at zillions in fish guts), lacewings. But the firefly has to be the most captivating of them all. I had kind of forgotten all about them until a few years ago when I was back in Maine at the right time. While the sight of the flashing yellow bug butts reminded me of my childhood, it was my best buddy's absolute amazement at them that really made me feel like a kid. See, the East Coast does have a few things that other Coast lacks...

So, a few weeks ago in my effort to get a closer look at the beautiful firefly, I grabbed some cake-sized tupperware from my parents' cupboard (I was there claiming free dinner), and scurried about the yard trying to capture a few--okay it was easy, they aren't good fliers...And thank goodness they aren't because when it got loose in the pristine environs of my mother's kitchen, I was quickly able to recapture it, although my hysterical laughing and insistence that everything was "just fine" was a dead give-away to the actual events that were unfolding. I got a good look at its bioluminescent abdomen and its striped elytra. Unfortunately, the camera/glass jar/cellophane photo-station my dad and I constructed was inferior for photographing insects, even the slow-moving, relatively photogenic ones. Even so, we had a good time constructing it, he trying to over-engineer it and me trying not to kill the little fellow (he did make a good point that it would be a lot easier if it was dead). I sort of felt like I was 10 again.

Birds, Bugs, Backyard Bonanza

Round about March when the days began lengthening and morning seemed appreciably earlier, we were amazed at the cacophony of birdsong outside our windows. Some of the calls I had heard before, but not since I had left New England for the West Coast. Some were new. All were delightful to listen to, reminding us of what a songbird-poor environment we had left! Now several months later, I'm beginning to see why so many songbirds can make a living here: bugs.

Gardening in the Northwest is great for a number of reasons: 1.) It never gets so hot that you don't feel like doing it; 2.) Everything grows; 3.) It's in the culture--some people need to buy new toasters or SUVs to keep up with the Joneses, others need a fantastic garden...and until now, I had failed to consider a 4th reason: a relatively pest-free environment. Sure, there were slugs and some cut worms (and many garden-reducing mammals), but nothing that would pepper an entire eggplant plant with bullet holes in one night, rendering its leaves photosynthetically useless (thank you flea beatles!). And there were so many aphids on our sweet peas this weekend, we think we lost the lot of them. Bummer.

I also have had more than one encounter with cockroaches, or in the local parlance, Palmetto Bugs, which just makes 'em sound as sweet as a peach pie! My first ever encounter with Periplaneta americana (or perhaps one of its relatives?) was when I had an apartment in Athens while studying abroad--they were gross and freaked me out--nasty sewer pests. They also were all over the place in Hawaii, but seemed slightly less threatening. Now that they are locally referred to as Palmetto Bugs, they seem even more benign. Admittedly, I do think of rural roaches as just one of the smorgasborgd of bugs, while urban ones have some sort of horribly fetid association. So, Palmetto Bugs it is.


At any rate, I have gone on several smooshing campaigns over the last few weeks, some being more successful than others--must keep up the fight! The bugs here are ruthless! Luckily, we do have some friends to help us out, namely all those birds and many frogs. One smart fellar has taken to sitting on the cross-member of our screen door where escaping light must provide an ample supply of phototactically inclined (or dazed) insects.

It's not all bad news in the garden either! I finished off the arugula harvest and started the basil and sugar snap pea harvest last night--combining the ingredients to make a delicious pesto for some homemade pasta! Yum! It was so green and fresh looking! I highly recommend the arugula/basil combination--the arugula gave the pesto a nice peppery spiciness to conteract the sweet basil!




After a rough start, Fygmalion, our Mission Fig, seems to be off on a blazing growth spurt. We had pretty much given him up for dead and labeled him DOA when the lemon tree we ordered at the same time flowered like mad and there was nothing but a stick of the fig. I guess we learned the lesson there: transplant shock doesn't mean death! Both trees seem to be doing well in their designated locations, the lemon filling the back deck with sweet smelling blossoms and Fygmalion leafing out in all directions.



The beans (green, lima, and scarlet runners) seem to be happy as well, as all are flowering, the scarlet runner beans already having set fruit.

The cucumbers (slicers and lemon cukes) have taken over more than their fair share of the garden space and are flowering like mad. Some of the flowers are even turning into spiky little cucumberlings already!

So, despite the bugs and torrential downpours, things in the garden seem happy and we are pleased to start eating the fruits of our labors. Save for the astronomical amount of hard earned cash we've spent on soil and soil amendments, the plentiful rain has kept our watering bill minimal and the ample sun has proven, once again, that "Through the miracles of photosynthesis, small plants will become large plants" (R.T. 2006).

Coastal Adventure

With the weekend suddenly freed up by a canceled class, we loaded up the rig and set our sites on points east, hoping to find some beaches to walk and a place to swim in some saltier water. We crossed the epic Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, saw lots of nesting osprey on the other side, and decided to check in at Kiptopeke State Park before venturing forth up the DelMarVa peninsula to explore various off-the-beaten path towns. With overcast skies and temperatures in the low 70s, there didn't seem to be a lot of pressure on the park--add to that the astronomical bridge/tunnel toll and the even more astronomical campsite fee (what ever happened to the 10 bucks to pitch a tent...and no, I don't need cable TV?) and we probably could have flown back to Seattle...okay, that's an exaggeration, but one night on the Eastern Shore quickly became spendy, even with the spartan accommodations of the aging (and leaking) EMS Isolation Hut!

After choosing out campsite (least of the evils: fewest full sized pick-ups and blue tarps next door), we ate some Farmer's Market grub acquired before leaving 'Billsburg while sitting on the beach and telling the pup she wasn't allowed to run free. After attracting every no-see-um on the beach, adding to my already pock-marked feet and ankles, we called it quits and got on with our adventure. We hit Cape Charles, Exmore, Wachapreague, and Onancock before getting out to Chincoteague. 

Well, not so fast. As it turns out, the DelMarVa Peninsula is about the most dog-unfriendly spot we've ever been to! Our four-legged buddy was not pleased--promises of long walks on the beach and salty furs, were quickly turning into too much time in the cargo-hold trying not to step in her water bowl or overheat. It seemed, as we approached Chincoteague (after passing the NASA alien-listening devices), that the island was much more God-friendly than Dog-friendly, judging by the numerous Jesus-oriented billboards on the way over the marsh (perhaps it should have been a sign?). But we wandered through town and made our way to the Chincoteague/Assateague gateway. 

So, you see, not only are dogs not allowed on the beach at Chincoteague, they aren't even allowed in cars in the parking lot on the USFWS Refuge! Good thing we drove all the way there! They can take their stinkin' ponies (there's more than a little irony there, as the ponies the US Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to protect are no more native than the grazing cows destroying the refuge I used to use as a field site--or our car-bound canine, for that matter!). Certainly I understand the need to protect wildlife, which would be fine, if the Refuge system actually focused on native species. But it just seems a bit contrived, this whole "protecting the ponies" thing and all. Good grief. Anyway, there was a whole heckuva lot of very nice salt marsh...so we'll remember that and go back to bird watch another time. 

And we did find a great beach closer to home with no tent site or expensive toll needed, so we'll be returning there to turn ourselves into lobsters once again.  The water is warm enough to swim--and had it been warmer and sunnier (well, okay the sun obviously was strong enough to do some damage), it would have been very refreshing! G did not like her 'peeps frolicking about in the water--she would try to swim to us and then get freaked out and go back to shore anxiously awaiting our return. She did like rolling in the sand and then brushing her soaking, sandy body on me and my beach towel to dry off--it resulted in a big mess and a lot of laughs. In the end, we all had fun, even the furry beast, who consumed more than her share of sea water....ooopsies.

Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

Photo from Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife

...I don't know, but he was headed toward the Montessori school, so I'm sure they would have given him several options to choose from. Yes, the turtle really was headed toward the school, but happened to be smack dab in the middle of the two yellow lines on a busy roadway when another driver and I stopped to rescue him. Not sure why he was headed to school, as he was coming from the direction of a perfectly good wetland, but perhaps he sensed some higher calling-it happens to the best of us.

My turtle identification leaves a little bit to be desired, and as it turns out, there are lots of options for these parts. I narrowed it down to a few possibilities and after figuring he/she wasn't a snapping turtle, it seemed a Northern Red-Bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris) was the next best thing, since not much else gets to the size of this one (~12" from stem to stern, of the shell, that is). Since these guys take 15-20 years to reach maturity, I would guess this one was pretty old. Also, as it turns out, this species is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act--hopefully safe passage to school will yield fitter offspring, but I'm not really sure it works that way in the turtle world.

At any rate, it was a good wildlife sighting--especially on the way to work!

And, once I again, "I like turtles!"

The Great Geoduck Hunt of 2009

Geoduck:

Pronunciation:

\ˈgü-ē-ˌdək\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Lushootseed (Salishan language of the Puget Sound region) gʷídəq

Date:

1883

: a large edible clam (Panopea abrupta syn. P. generosa) of the Pacific coast that usually weighs two to three pounds (about one kilogram) but may attain a weight of over ten pounds (4.5 kilograms)

And there it begins....

So, one of the annual rites of summer is the Bounty of the Sea party hosted by our good friend, in a location unlike any other, and so full of beer and sealife it's amazing no one ends up with food poisoning...because after all, all sealife looks delicious after several beers. And lucky for us, we just happened to be in the area when the low tide dipped to -3.4' exposing all sorts of intertidal wonders, and making for prime geoducking.

The great thing about the late spring/early summer low tides is that they fall smack dab in the middle of the day--bad if you're a little eelgrass plant (Zostera marina) trying hard not to dry out waiting for the incoming tide, but ummm, ummm good if you're out to dig halfway to China in search of a phallic-looking clam (and incidentally, the antipodal point to our geoduck grounds happens to be somewhere between S. Africa and Antarctica, and not China at all). While the breeze was fresh, the air temperature wasn't bad and our bellies were full of breakfast, so we set out for the hunting grounds with tools of the trade and some beers for the clam bucket.

The first task in hunting the goeduck, is to locate a siphon sticking up in the sand. Our preferred location happens to have a mixture of horse clams (Tresus spp.) and geoducks--differentiating between the two can be tricky, but our well-trained party had it down (and I'm not about to divulge all the secrets here). Horse clams make for fine clam burgers, so in the event of a mis-identification, not all is lost (and the secrets aren't that secret as there is plenty of available information on how to dig geoducks). Horse clams also tend to be a little easier to dig, yielding higher success rates and cleaner, drier clothing. A couple of intrepid diggers from our group pulled 7 out of a single hole--that's some persistence!

Once the siphon is located, the "tube" is placed around it and pushed into the sediment. At this point the furious digging begins (I don't know that speed is critical, it just makes for a more dramatic pursuit). It helps to have a few looker-on-ers cheering you on and critiquing your digging--think public works project, but with a lower budget.

If the beastie is deep, it becomes necessary to employ advanced techniques, including finding a really tall dude with 6' long arms to reach in the hole. In the absence of said character, contortionism plays a good role in wrangling the siphon and then shell. It's important not to cut the siphon during the digging process or you will be ridiculed during extraction--the best dug 'Ducks have intact siphons, showing off all their overstuffed glory.


And if all goes well: success!

They are kind of awful looking things, but they taste pretty alright and go nicely with cold beer. This year's haul also included plenty of mussels and steamers and some tasty clam burgers. Not bad for a few days of fun.

Outside of sticking the rental Versa in a wetland, the trip was a big success. We got to hang with our 'Peeps and feel like we were back in our own habitat. Spending some time collecting salty seafood was just the ticket for spending a remarkably lovely weekend in the PacNW. We missed having the Salty One out on the mudflats with us, be she no doubt enjoyed her time at the familial dog spa.