Merry Christmas

Greetings CBFL Members and Friends,

May you have a great Christmas and a happy New Year!

This picture was taken today on St. George Island with the temperature at 17 degrees F.

From Cap'n Russell and 1st Mate Fulchiron

Tributary Strategy trip in St. Mary's River

The Lower Potomac Tributary Strategy team visited the Bay Lab Monday the 25 Th of August.
They went sailing aboard the Dee of St. Mary's amongst Bottle nose Dolphins in the mouth of the St. Mary's River. A dozen Dolphins followed the skipjack for about 15 minutes and responded to crew members tapping the side of the vessel by coming very close to us while underway. Team leader Mike Billek and other trib team members amazed as to how close they came to us. Good food and drink was provided by the membership and legislative proposals were discussed during the members meeting.

Fall Season at CBFL

Greetings CBFL Members and Friends,

With Labor day fall just around the corner, www.thebaylab.org is gearing up for the Fall season.

St. Mary's County Public Schools usually begin the second week of September.

The Purple Martins are leaving St. George Island to start their trip to South America.

They had a great nesting season and I guestimate that 50 new birds are now winging their way south from the Bay Lab.

All the young Ospreys are now flying and beginning to learn their trade as fish catchers. As the hunger pangs increase so does their efficiency rate. The Island Creek, which splits St. George Island will produce about 30 new birds. The adults will begin to leave in September after the young can fish successfully for themselves. The young birds will also go down the 77th parallel in October to over winter in the uppermost parts of South America. It still amazes me that the adults leave early and the young birds follow a month later.

The crab business in the Lower Potomac is slow now with males being advertised for $150 per bu. along the roadsides. I am sure the Patuxent River and Wicomico River crabs are higher because of the quality of the crabs in those two rivers. New crab regulations will come into effect in October in an effort to conserve about 35% of the female ( Sook ) populations in both Maryland and Virginia.

Trolling and bottom fishing has been great locally. We have plenty of Stripers, Bluefish and Atlantic Croakers. We have also had our full share of Sea- Nettles so far this year.

Please save this date......SEPTEMBER 26th -- a Friday evening -- for

Chesapeake Bay Field Lab's " Characters of The Chesapeake " Gala at The Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Md. 20674

Dress this year is Nautical Casual and will again include the famous "Shipwreck" punch aboard the skipjack, another noteworthy dinner under the culinary direction of John Hetmanski & Company and the continuation of the Virtual Voyage Spoof to be commandeered this year by another couple Characters of the Chesapeake.

Remember: "It's Our bay, Let's Pass It On"

Capn Jack and 1st mate Fulchiron

Australian farmers visit

Australian farmers enjoyed a crab feast aboard the Dee of St. Mary's on Thursday evening.
The crab feast was catered by Crab Knockers of Leonardtown, MD.
The menu included jumbo male crabs, corn on the cob, fried chicken, coleslaw and assorted drinks. After much discussion about farming practices in America and Australia, everyone settled down and "filled their crab tooth".

The Sea Nettles have arrived

The first Sea Nettles ( jellyfish) were seen on Wednesday at St. George Island. They overwinter throughout the Chesapeake Bay rolled up in little balls settled on the bottom. The nettle breaks apart and starts to grow when the salinity and water temperature rises. They will be a constant pest throughout the summer. Fall weather with its cooler temperatures feature their demise

Birds testing their wings

Totally amazing how fast these ospreys grow. Just a few weeks ago they couldn't raise their heads up, and now they're going to the sides of the nest and testing their wings out. The adults are testing their fish catching capabilities to keep this brood fed. Most of our local birds should be on the wing by the first of August. Parents will leave mid-September, and youngsters to follow in October.

Welcome from Capn Jack

Greetings CBFL Members and Friends,

School trips at CBFL will continue for several more weeks. The Shore Side program has received great reviews from all the participating schools. Many thanks to the staff and volunteers that make the programs such a success.

The aft cabin project is complete. It was a welcome addition. Our thanks to Goddard boatyard for a job well done.

The baby Ospreys are peeking their heads out of the nests. They will grow extremely fast now that the wdeather has warmed and many fish are available. Mom and dad will make many flights every day to bring meals home.

We have good crop of Soft Shell clams (mannose) coming along in the Patuxent River. There are also many Cow Nosed rays here . They love to eat these clams. Rockfish are plentiful in the Lower Potomac. Some Atlantic Croaker are showing up on the steep edges in the Potomac River off St. George Island.

The crab business is slow. Maryland and Virginia are now working on plans to conserve about 35% of the mature female population this season.

Remember, "It's our Bay. Let's pass it on "

From Capn Jack and 1st mate Fulchiron