Island Rain and Beach Combing
Greetings from the island everyone. I hope that all of you are doing well and staying dry with this unprecedented rainfall that our area, including the island, has been having lately.
In my 21+ years total out here, this is the wettest that I have seen the island. As of this writing on July 9, the island has received 38 inches of rain since the last week of April, and 15 inches of that in the last five days! Even with 4WD, our makeshift island dirt roads are pretty much un-driveable right now, having become deep rutted and water filled sludge trails.
Our water tanks and the underground water table for fresh water wells should certainly be topped off after these last several months of rain. And the fresh water ponds for the cows are all full before the heat of summer sets in, so that’s a very good thing. Of course the island and roads will eventually dry out, probably faster than what you would think, so the deluge of rain is simply a current inconvenience that will work itself out. Mom always told me that you face life’s hardships the best you can, and then be happy that you overcame them and moved on.
As has been the case for the last five years or so, only a very minimal amount of sargassum sea grass has washed ashore on the beach this year. During my first 15+ years out here, EVERY late Spring and into Summer, a huge amount of sargassum would wash ashore. . I’m talking tons of it to the point that it was stacked 2-3 feet deep along the entire stretch of island beach. I don’t know if the changing currents are diverting it elsewhere now, or what the reason is. I just know that I miss using it to add to my raised beds for vegetable gardening.
What has continued to wash ashore, at least on an occasional basis, and are a joy to find during beach combing walks, are seashells and sea beans. It’s rare after all of these years that I’ll pick up a lot of seashells, unless it is a really unique one, or if I’m doing it so that kids can have and enjoy them. A few weeks ago while walking the wrack line (line of debris left on the beach by high tide), I came across a beautiful and colorful conch type shell, one that I had never seen before. I later learned that it was called a Triton Trumpet (Google that name), and I was so thankful to have found it. I keep it for others to see on my outside display shelf unit.
I also enjoy collecting the sea beans (actually seeds that fall from trees and bushes into rivers and waterways around the world, and eventually wash ashore on all the ocean beaches). They come in different varieties and shapes and names, and are fun to collect and display. If I’m ever in doubt the name of a particular sea bean, my go-to sources for info are Mike and Sam Burnett; they are beyond knowledgeable about sea beans and all beach related finds.
Well that’s it from the island for now, everyone take care and please have a most wonderful day.
