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Home My WebLink AboutJuly 08, 2004 - Messing about in boats July 8, 2004 • The Suffolk Times � essin a ou 1 n oa s ,��,,,�.� � � u , � n�, ,,,;i i, �i,�^ - � . m r lll i ,� .._,y,...�jr , , - � ii r ��)�, �A/ dC' �..,�� n, i � ' ��,'dl�lll��l Aili r ' . �., �� / r ., l lu ll li � �. � ��'r y i�liti t� �,° �� ""hA' ^if,�� ui l .� '�� , �� . � .. 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I coT a c��.t,H�aoM my son,who With a little help getting aboard,we had just put his boat in thc water,ask- soon were ready to cast off our lines ing us iY we wanted to go for a ride. and head out of the creek.The dock He had spent two days working on th where we keep the small boat we usc boat and now it was ready to go.Of to get to the big boat is at the head oP course we took him up on it.At the a small creek with lush salt marshes dock we were on both sides.The tide was running �OCv$ greeted by his out,and we all marveled at how clear two children, the water was.The reason was simple: ON who are no It had been filtered by the marsh longer kids,but grasses it passed through on its way NATU RE more like adults. out to the bay. by Paul From the dock This marsh,like all marshes,acts Stoutenburgh we headed out like the oil filter in your car or like the — where thc boat filters in your air conditioner.The was moorcci. same rinci le holds true here. meticulous stalk to look us over.It Many others had takcn shclter there.Our boat lay quietly on the was feasting on killies and shrimp. There was a lovely,dry,northwest water as other boats,out in the bay, Then a green heron flew by;it proba- wind blowing,keeping us cool and scurried for home.By now the sun bly has its flimsy stick nest in the near refreshed.We decided to head over to Was getting low and our afternoon had by woods.I know it doesn't build the cove,where we anchored with the run its course.We decided to head much of a nest because I can remem- stern facing into the wind.That let us home.Coming back through the chan- ber looking up at one years ago and reap the benefits of that lovely north- el,we could clearly see the loss of seeing right through it to the eggs west wind.We had lunch and loafed arsh grass that plagues many of our lying there on what looked like a about.The two grandchildren,Chelse creeks today.There are large areas of bunch of sticks. and Paul,had brought along their lit- dead marsh throughout our creeks There were least terns (our smallest tle dog,Ro�.y,and they wanted her to and no one seems to know the cause. terns)diving in the creek.They come learn how to swim.So Paul Not only are we losing the into these quiet waters for easier fish- put on his wetsuit,as the important marsh grass but in .The 're havin a difficult time t water was still a little chill , The marsh g Y g rY- Y also we are losing the filter ing to live with humans,who have and then blew up an inflat- BCtS III�@ feeders,the mussels that taken over most of the beaches they able raft and took the dog the oii filter used to line the banks of the once nested on.There are a few place along for its first swimming marsh and cleanse the set aside for them,such as the one at lessons. In your ear. N,aters.As the marsh dies,it the breakwater in Mattituck.There It was a joy to watch the recedes,leaving the exposed you can see a large,thriving colony of two of them.Where we anchored mussels to die. these nesters on the sand.I only hope there were fiddler crabs along the I have so many wonderful memories Mr.and Mrs.Raccoon don't find them shore,so Paul had to take the dog of this area.I remember sitting at the and decimate them.Drive up there ashore to acquaint her with them.We mouth of this creek,fishing with Har sometime and you'll see an excellent watched the little black-and-white do Waite into the wee hours of the morn- example of a tern colony. pounce and bark.I don't know who �ng.He'd be smoking his pipe and I'd The engines were idling as we made was more scared,the fiddler crabs or be making coffee down below in the our way out of the creek into the bay. the dog. little putt-putt boat I had.We always We were in no hurry to get anywhere. Then the wind abruptly shifted to Went for weakfish.Sometimes we'd ge Millions of blades of grass capture the the southwest.It blew 20 or 30 knots as many as 20 or 30.The extra fish particles in the water.All this material an was so strong the boat pulled the were always in demand by the neigh- eventually settles around the base of light anchor from its grip on the land. bors.Of course,once in a while we'd the grasses,creating what we call a There were some anxious moments as hook into an eel and that would foul bog.Here we could see one way the engine came to life,thc anchor up everything in the bottom of the nature helps to cleanse her waters. was pulled in and the boat was quickly boat—lines,boots and slime.We'd I couldn't help seeing the swallows repositioned.How the wind did blow! bash away until the eel became limp, working over the creek.They have Sailboats were coming in with just and then we could get the hook out.I their feathered nests underneath some their jibs flying,some with all sails would usually skin the eels right there of the docks.I was sure they were down and motor running.The bay because we didn't want to take home snapping up the greenhead flies that built up whitecaps in no time.It was the slimy guts,and besides,the crabs had swarmed over us as soon as we no longer the peaceful bay we had would always enjoy them when we got on the boat,but armed with fly known earlier. tossed them overboard. swatters,we soon put them to rest. We pulled up anchor and headed But that was years ago,when weak- You know,greenheads actually cut for Robins Island.Boats had shifted fish were at their most numerous. you.That's why their bite is so painful. from the usual protected spot around Party boats in the marinas were Then as the cut bleeds they take up to the east side of the island.The wind bulging with anxious fishermen from the blood.The female is the only one was so strong that we joined them in the west end,all coming out to reap that does this nasty trick. taking shelter in the lee of the island. the harvest of fish.The boats would Soon the engine started and we We anchored in the quiet waters of anchor at Roses Grove,just west of were on our way.We passed by a great that magical island.The beaches look Jessups.They'd chum with shrimp sup white egret that stopped its slow, the same as I remembered them from plied by a lady from New Suffolk.We 50 or 60 years ago—no groins,no called her the"Shrimp Lady."She'd bulkheads,just the natural drift of the go along the edge of the creek with a shoreline. small hand net collecting the shrimp and sell it by the quart to the party boat captains.The shrimp would lure the weakfish to the back of the boat and then,with a worm on the hook, the weakfish would be snagged.Thosc were the years,the '30s and early '40s, when I was growing u in Cutcho ue.