Monday, June 23, 2025
Woke up to a beautiful and
balmy morning today, which is so welcome! We set out around 9:30 to go
harvesting clams and oysters with Marc as our tender driver as he is hobbled by
a torn meniscus right now, and getting on and off the whaler isn’t easy for him.
The water was glassy smooth on the 10 minute run over to the clam beach where
John, Beth and I quickly filled the buckets with a plethora of perfect
littleneck clams. The clams are buried just beneath the gravelly surface,
easily turned over with a basic garden claw, it takes no time at all. The
oysters, also plentiful, are simply laying on the beach, most not even attached
to rocks, so it is really easy pickings. We did a slow cruise of the shoreline
back to the boat and noticed with excitement that the starfish are back! I
can’t recall seeing them in recent years. Predominantly purple ones dotted the
shoreline among the chartreuse seaweed making for a beautiful display of
nature’s colors. As we drifted over the shallow shelves along the shore we also
noticed a huge population of sea cucumber, another creature we don’t recall
seeing from the past. These are all signs of a healthy and robust marine environment
which is just so wonderful to witness. Also present in the bay were big balls
of herring jumping and flipping on the surface, another good sign. Back at the
boat after lunch with the temperatures rising, Beth (an avid swimmer) took to
the water enjoying a refreshing swim. The water is normally very warm, in the
low 70s during the hottest summer months, but today was only 64 degrees which
is certainly a reflection of the cool May and June we’ve been experiencing.
Later in the afternoon I took the kayak out for a spin around the shorelines
and little island next to us, gliding over the oyster beds just beneath the
surface. Dinner tonight was Cumin Roasted Salmon with Cilantro Sauce, some
lemon cream pasta from my nephew-in-law Gionny (check out Forchetta Pasta
online), and balsamic tomatoes and basil over burrata.
Lots of starfish pictures
Sea cucumbers below the surface
More starfish on a shallow ledge
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