Almanac, May 6, 2005 -- II

The three-masted sharpie schooner SoundWaters has been sailing the Sound and trawling the harbors and bays in search of benthic treasure. We carry an educational collection permit which allows us to trawl certain sections of LIS and then practice "catch and release." We catch stuff and then use it as a teaching tool with classes of school children.

Last week in pea soup fog inside the breakwater in Stamford we picked up not one but two tractor tires in the cod end of the net. After much cursing and mechanical advantage and splattering mud, we got the tires aboard and found many treasures inside the trash. It is quite amazing that the net didn't rip as we pulled the tires along the bottom and then up to deck. Two lobsters were found hiding in the mud inside the tires. One had been in quite a fight as it was missing both its claws. We catch very few lobsters in Stamford (our home port) so it is always a thrill when we do; these two just took way more effort than usual.

-- Shane Walden & the SoundWaters Crew