Tag: Environment

An early spring is bringing fears of a severe drought in Rhode Island and elsewhere in New England.

Dangers of an Early Drought in RI

Ocean Science

4/5/2012 - It has been an early spring so far, and as leaves and buds come out, trees and plants will start sucking water out of the ground at a very fast pace. Generally, this is a time of abundant water (April showers bring May flowers!). This year, however, our streams are… SEE MORE

Environment

Friends of the Bay's sole focus is protecting the quality of the water around Oyster Bay. Photo courtesy of Friends of the Bay.

Friends of the Bay Begins Water-Quality Checks

Ocean Science

4/5/2012 - Friends of the Bay is the only organization whose sole focus is protecting the quality of the water in the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Complex. Friends of the Bay staff and volunteers take water samples and collect scientific data at nineteen sites throughout the harbor on a weekly basis from… SEE MORE

Environment

Stevens Island, which sits in the center of Mosquito Harbor.

Making, and Savoring, Memories of Mosquito Harbor

4/3/2012 - Anyone who chooses to live on the coast and loves every day of it, as I do, can remember the place where they first fell under the spell of saltwater. It could have been a beach you went to, a town you rented a house in, or a vacation that… SEE MORE

The pristine shores of Western Cove in the village of Sunshine. Sheep and Little Sheep islands sit in the distance.

Deer Isle, a Delightful Watery Escape

4/2/2012 - Deer Isle, a geographically fractured island that marks the eastern boundary of Penobscot Bay, splits into numerous pieces of land, each protected by a seemingly endless amount of harbors, coves, inlets, and islands. Surrounded on all four sides by separate bodies of water, the island is truly a paradise for… SEE MORE

Environment

Whales putting on a show in front of volunteers at Race Point Light, off Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Lighthouse Volunteers Rewarded with Whale Show

4/2/2012 - Cape Cod Chapter volunteers took a moment from their work at Race Point Light Station on Sunday, April 1, to do a little whale watching. A few whales were really putting on an incredible show just a couple of hundred yards offshore! SEE MORE

Even an unnamed storm can expose a harbor's vulnerabilities. Make a storm plan now to prevent surprises this summer.

Creating a Storm Plan: 4 Tips to Remember

4/1/2012 - There is little that can be done on board once a Category 2 or above hurricane arrives. Make your preparations, EARLY, and seek shelter on shore. Check your insurance for a named storm clause which may pay, at least partially, for hauling expenses. But storms less powerful than hurricanes will… SEE MORE

Environment

A Northeaster, though not a named storm like a hurricane, can be a big, dangerous storm.

Planning for Summer Means Planning for Storms

3/31/2012 - If you're like most sailors, April finds you making plans for the boating season ahead. You're probably scouring the charts and deciding which favorite harbors to visit this year, and which new destinations to plug into the GPS. I learned the hard way, though, that in addition to these dreamy… SEE MORE

Environment

Wind Map, a slick new online tool to see wind patterns nationwide.

New Toy for Weather Junkies: Wind Map

3/29/2012 - We've said it before, and we'll say it again: We are weather junkies. We love anything that helps us better understand the conditions around us, and the latest online gadget looks like one that will be fun to stare at for hours on end. We discovered Wind Map through an… SEE MORE

Environment

Jesse Leach heads upriver to his oyster farm.

Oysters, Surprising Protector of the Bagaduce River

3/29/2012 - Native Americans called this place matchebiguatus, which means place where there is no safe harbor. They were referring to the currents and tidal flats and rocks and reversing falls of the Bagaduce River and Northern Bay. Depending on the tide, the river surges one way or the other beneath Route… SEE MORE

Buck's Harbor is a beautiful and wild place, where rocky islands guard the rough waters of Machias Bay.

Savoring the Quiet Around Machias

3/29/2012 - Maine's Washington County is the place where the term Downeast becomes less of a myth and more of a reality. Towns like Cutler, Jonesport, and Lubec sit perched on the bold cliffs over the rough waters of the Atlantic. The lobster boats outnumber pleasure craft, and the working man outnumbers… SEE MORE