Fishing for Trouble

  After the midday heat subsided a bit, I headed to the pier to check the little skiff and just cool off a bit.  A brisk wind had picked up causing the marsh grass to give a little dance.  Dragonflies were darting about the tops of the reeds and occasionally alighting on the pier posts.  Over the water, a few gulls dove after menhaden.  All was seemingly peaceful and good.  Harmony reigned over the Bayou or at least it so appeared.  On my way back up the pier was when I spied something troubling.

  It irks me how irresponsible some folks can be.  I am all for having a pretty yard with flowers and water features.  I am not all for the dumping of invasive plants from water gardens out into the Bay.  Water Hyacinths are known to cause trouble with a capital T.  As beautiful as the blooms are and as intriguing as the little pontoon-like stems can be, these are not plants to let loose in any waterways.  Water Hyacinths multiply at an alarming rate and within a matter of two to three warm, summer months can completely clog bayous, channels and even bays.  This overgrowth soon shuts out any other natural marsh plants and eventually makes the water even uninhabitable by fish, shrimp, crabs and other water life.  The plants are just bad news all together.

  While I could not reach these plants and since Son is still recuperating from his hurt knee, the plants will have to wait a few more days.  At least, they are corralled in the small inlet where we tie the boat during inclement weather.  Hopefully, they will stay put and not be washed back out into the Bay.  With these two clumps having washed into my area, I am concerned just how many others have been dumped into the Bay.  If only people knew....or....more to the point, if only people cared.