Pea Crabs...Not From The Gulf!

   Now here is a "horror" story for all you readers who enjoy that sort of thing!  Not really but it might turn the stomach of those prone to queasiness.  Instead, this is a story about just another part of the life of an oyster.  Down here, oysters are a big thing.  Most local folks can be found with an oyster bench, shucking knife and a huge pile of shells in their yards.  Personally, I do not like the smell so the oysters have to be shucked far down the hill near the marsh.  The stench gets really bad after a few days so I just as soon have it as far away from the house as I can get it.  Also, personally, I do not care for oysters.  I may eat a few if they are tiny and if they are fried really crispy.  I am definitely NOT going to eat a raw one.  That said, I could do without even having them anywhere nearby.  Still, Mark likes them so that mound of shells is a fixture to be reckoned with.

  This afternoon, he came home with a few oysters and proceeded down the hill to open them.  He called to me and told me to walk down to where he was.  There, he handed me a tiny crab.  He was confused as to why there was a crab IN his oysters.  Yep, he found more so it was not just a fluke.  The fluke was...he had been sold the oysters as Gulf oysters...they are not.

  The tiny crabs are called pea crabs and they are parasites that crawl into the gills an oyster and feed upon whatever happens to filter into the shellfish.  (Oysters use their gills for feeding not breathing.)  If times are good and there is a lot of food filtering through, the oyster is fine but if times are lean, the pea crab still eats and the oyster gets very little.  The crab never actually kills its host but does sometimes make it thin and sickly.   That said "fluke" comes from the fact that pea crabs are not found in the Gulf of Mexico.  They are found out in the Atlantic so oysters containing the small crabs are definitely not locally harvested.

  Now comes another fluke...one by me.  I had no idea about these round, little crabs until I did a bit of research.  When I was handed the critters and saw they were still alive, I did what any critter loving person would do...I released them into the shallows.  Was this a good idea?  Probably not but it all ended well...sort of...maybe.  As soon as I dropped those pea-sized crabs into the inch of water, they were struggling to grab ahold to something.  They are not accustomed to being free from their secure house of an oyster shell.  I watched for a few moments then had to laugh as the Snowy Egret darted in for a meal...three pea crabs released....three pea crabs consumed. 

As for that "not being accustomed to being free" statement, only the male crabs actually swim about.  The females remain their entire lives inside their host's shell.  The male will come to visit and the female actually lays her eggs inside the oyster.  The tiny larva form is spewed out with the oyster "spat" or oyster spawn.  Mama Pea Crab keeps on feeding until the next male crab comes to visit and the cycle is repeated.  

  So...now you know what pea crabs are, where they are found and what they are doing inside an oyster.  Just another reason for me to not like oysters...parasites!

Oh, those Thumb Splitters!

   Every summer, we stockpile enough shrimp to last us until the next season.  Off season shrimp are usually not our good, ole Gulf shrimp and I made the mistake of buying those one time.  Never again.  Now, several hundred pounds of shrimp are bought, headed, peeled, washed, bagged and frozen.  These will make fine meals such as gumbo, poboys or shrimp burgers come this winter.  A shrimp poboy, for my non-bayou friends, is a delectable sandwich made with friend shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes and special sauce pile high on french bread and then slightly pressed to sort of mingle all those flavors.  We use only shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico for any and all of our dining pleasures.  Nothing else matches up to the flavor which is why the fully stocked freezers.  That preparing is what took up the morning here in the Little Bayou House.  Shrimp!  Beautiful Gulf shrimp!

  You know you are getting fresh shrimp when you head down to the docks to meet the boats as they are coming in to port.  The shrimp boats work all night and will head in to sell their catch.  If you are there early enough, you pretty much are guaranteed the "pick of the bunch" even though that means you do get a few "extras" with your haul.  At that time, the shrimpers have not had a chance to pick through the shrimp and discard any "undesirables" so you take what you get.  Most shrimpers are kind enough to "through in a couple extra pounds" to cover the little fish that might be dumped into the coolers.  It has never bothered me to sort them.  In fact, it is sort of interesting to see what is lurking out in those Gulf waters.

  This morning's haul had the usual little pufferfish, squid, croakers and tiny flounders among other oddities.  It also held several nice size mantis shrimp.  Mantis shrimp are the "prize fighters" of the small critters under the water.  These things can literally "pack a punch" which is why the shrimpers call them "thumb splitters".  The mantis shrimp have club like appendages that are held like fists and are used much the same except the punch is much stronger than any a human can give (compared to size).  The punch is so powerful that one punch can smash through a oyster shell and it is so fast that it creates cavitation bubbles.  When those bubbles burst it causes a shockwave which gives sort of a double punch which can kill or dismember prey even if the mantis shrimp misses its initial target.  The thumb splitter name comes from injuries shrimpers have received by grabbing a mantis shrimp.  A mantis shrimp can inflict a very painful injury in the form of a gash or even (in some places) a broken finger.  The Mantis Shrimp has the most powerful and fastest "punch" known to mankind!  (Think about that one the next time you are eating shrimp....then thank a shrimper for doing the hard work for you.)

  Thankfully, the critters in our shrimp were already either weakened or dead by the time we were messing with them.  Other than a few pokes from the shrimp spikes (one on the head and one on the tip of the tail), Son and I came through with flying colors.  The shrimp are all stowed away in the freezer and we await the next batch.  

The Eerie Calm

   Once again, our eyes are on the horizon as we await yet another storm system that is predicted to come our way.  We know that the path is still up in the air as these entities have their own "mind" when it comes to making landfall.  Hopefully, "Sally" will scoot across the Gulf quickly and head to shore without stalling.  It is that time over water that causes us worry.  The waters of the Gulf are hot which is never a good thing when it comes to storms.  It fuels them.  The longer a system stays over the warm water, the stronger and better formed it will become.  We will just have to wait and see how this one plays out.

  While on the pier early this evening, I had to marvel at the peacefulness of the Bay.  Nary a breeze blew even though storm clouds washed the sky in an array of blues and grays.  I had the feeling that this was supernatural. Was this the "calm before the storm"?  In a way, I hope not.  It has been my finding that when the area goes into a eerie calmness such as this, the lurking storm does not treat us well.  Hopefully, that will not be the case.  To be honest, however, I have a nagging feeling in the pit of my belly.  Wherever "Sally" makes landfall, there is sure to be plenty of flooding due to the angle of her approach.  

  Folks, use a bit of commonsense when dealing with tropical storms and hurricanes.  Neither is something you should take lightly.  Son and I will ride this one out in the Little Bayou House as we have every one before.  It should be interesting.  Stay safe!

My Friends Have Returned

  One of the first things Mark and I do each morning is take a hike down to the pier.  We start our day by looking out over the water and reflecting on how blessed we are to live on our Bayou.  For some, it may not seem like the best life but, for us, it is our little piece of paradise.  It is hard to imagine living anywhere else.  This morning, the realization of those blessings increased dramatically.

  Recently, the wildlife in the area has faced a terrible blow.  The opening of spillways has released, not only river water into the Gulf, but an extreme amount of chemicals.  Those chemicals wreaked havoc on the critters.  Hundreds of dolphins and sea turtles washed ashore.  They had huge lesions caused by the tainted water.  Thousands of other sea creatures perished as well.  This morning, a pod of bottlenose dolphins happily played in the waters of the Bay.  Mark and I watched as these fine creatures feasted on the schools of mullet.  As they chased the school of fish, they would breach the water and cause huge swells.  

  Seeing the dolphins at play gave me hope that soon things would be back to normal for my critter friends.  We, as humans, cause so much tragedy for the other creatures of this world.  It makes me sad to know that by human hands so many animals perish needlessly.  It is good to know that Mother Nature can sometimes put things back in order.

Another Tempest

  With the way things look at the moment, the Gulf of Mexico has received another slap in the face.  Just nine years ago, we had to endure the oil spill that, not only killed off so many marine creatures, it also killed off so many lifelines of the Coastal families.  We are a seafood based industry down here.  Fishing is a way life.  The shrimpers, oystermen, fishermen, crabbers, seafood factories, charterboat captains...you name it...were all out of jobs.  Their boats and gear lay idle while the oil killed most everything within its reach.  Many lost their boats.  Others lost their homes.  All lost their way of life.  It was a hard time for the Coast.  It was years before things began to return to any semblance of normality.  Finally, the seafood returned and was deemed fit to eat.   It took years after that for the industry to return to its profitable self but many folks had already moved on to be able to support their families.

  Now, the Gulf of Mexico faces another tempest.  While all Coastians are ready and eager to help those in the flooded zones of the country, opening the spillways has, once again, created a mess for the fishermen. The marine creatures are dying at a great rate.  Countless dead dolphins, sea turtles and fish are washing ashore.  Entire oyster reefs have died.  Crabs have literally suffocated.  Shorebirds are not to be found. Schools of fish and shrimp have moved further out in an attempt to escape the water pouring into the Gulf. Many folks do not seem to see the harm in what has been done.  "It is just fresh river water so it cannot be doing any harm." is said over and over again.  Sorry, that fresh river water wreaks havoc on saltwater marine life.  They do not have time to acclimate before it kills them.  That "fresh" river water is also polluted from runoff.  Whatever has been flooded up north of us has now spilled into the Gulf.  Fertilizer, sewage, any number of chemicals and...yes...oil is making a mess down here.  

  Don't get me wrong.  We are not blaming anyone.  We are not pointing fingers.  We are not begrudging those who are trying to save their places and livelihoods that are flooded.  We understand THAT whole scenario as we are subjected to hurricanes that flood our area and we are sympathetic to those that are suffering.  We understand that something had to be done to provide some relief.  However, there has to be another answer.  Opening the spillways has done nothing but spread the devastation to another area.  

  All of that said, the fishermen down here are working frenetically to catch what they can before the waters get any worse.  The boats are going out further to make catches of "clean" shrimp and fish.  (The crabbers and oystermen do not have that option.)  This plan is working as far as catches but puts a new strain on the fishermen.  Fuel prices, boat upkeep and extra time spent are making it a struggle to "stay afloat".  The fact stands that the wages they earn has not kept up with the current state of affairs.   Many cannot afford to keep running as their expense outweigh their profits.  It is a sad situation.  

  Mark and I were able to get shrimp today from one of our longtime suppliers.  This shrimper had to go outside of the "dirty" zone to get a good catch.  The shrimp are beautiful and we are thankful he made the decision to keep trying.  It is our plan to buy as many pounds of shrimp as we can to help those struggling.  We have been there and done that ourselves.  It is also our plan to stock up on the seafood so that, if worse comes to worse, we will have a good supply on hand to ride us over until the Gulf cleanses itself.  Our freezers will be filled to capacity within the next few weeks.  To those in the flooded zones and to those struggling with the situation in the Gulf, we hope and pray that this is soon over for all of us.  To those with the ability to help any in need, please do.  There are so many out there that have been affected that need help.  We are all in this together.

 

A Storm is Brewing

  If you live on a Bayou or any body of water for that matter, it is not a bad idea to check the weather forecast now and again.  Recently, I read a report that the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season was going to be rather active.  Here, any storm has the potential of dealing a hefty blow and it is best to be prepared.  There is a wise saying of "For storms, it is best to be prepared...not scared."  Makes good sense, when you think about it.  Storms of all strengths come and go.  They barrel across the Gulf and smack the Bayou with a vengeance at times.  Those are entities to be dealt with seriously.  Preparations need to be made well in advance.  Then, there are those like the squall that is to hit tonight and tomorrow.  Other than pulling in the fishing gear, little is to be done so we sit and wait for it to pass.  These are, more or less, minor nuisances with a good bit of wind. 

  This morning at daybreak, the horizon foretold of the upcoming squall. Thick, heavy clouds rolled in from the Gulf and soon completely blocked the sun from view.  Southerly winds blew the tides well up in the marshes again but by tomorrow those marshes will be flanked by mudflats as the north wind will shove the water far out of the Bay. Tonight, the rains will start and there will be a sudden shift in the wind direction.  The threat this time will be coming from the north.  Our weather, today, is just a forerunner of the real system.  A friend came, once again, for her "fishing therapy".  We sat on the pier through several spotty rain showers and the blustery winds.  The tempest will arrive much later in the night and hang around throughout the day tomorrow with the incoming cold front.  Regardless of the direction of the storm, it is best to be alert....be prepared...not scared.  (You know, I like that saying.  It is a good, no nonsense approach!)

Something Big Comes Our Way

  Since the Back Bay is rather shallow except for the one man-made channel running along the opposite shore, small boats rule.  Rarely do we get crafts of any size up our way.  Only during hurricanes will larger boats will push their way in to find a safe mooring spot.  Mostly barges run the channels. The other morning, however, a huge ship slowly made its way up the Bay.  This gigantic ship was heading in to one of the marine docks up a ways.  There it will receive repairs or supplies. It was interesting to see the three harbor tugs guiding the massive craft through the channel. I cannot imagine fitting that thing through and under the bridges that span the channel in so many places.

  As is my custom with anything a bit out of the ordinary, I photographed the huge vessel.  I figured that I might as well check into this ship and learn about what was running through the area.  With the aid of a zoom lens, the name of the vessel was clearly evident.  The "Harvey Hawk" was sliding past the pier!  Ok, so a little investigating gave me the clear picture.  The Harvey Hawk is a supply ship that runs out to the middle of the Gulf of Mexico to bring whatever is needed to the workers on the oil rigs.  It is just a bit shy of 300 feet long and a bit more than 32 feet wide.  Yep, that is pretty big. So big, in fact, that I could not even get the whole thing in my photograph!

  

Storm on the Horizon

  What a difference a day can make.  The days have been beautiful here on the Bayou for the past, oh, well...summer!  We have had rains to keep the gardens flourishing, sunshine to warm our souls and just enough breezes to keep the sweltering summer days at bay.  Then, wham!  In a mere twenty-four hours we are threatened with a hurricane.  The storm, Nate, has entered the Gulf of Mexico and is barreling across to meet us headlong.  We have a lot to do in the morning.  Our sunrise will look a tad different come tomorrow!

  Folks who do not live on a coastline and are not bombarded periodically by these storms have little idea what is involved in preparing for them.  I will not go into detail but lets just say that to be fully prepared for whatever Mother Nature has to throw at you, ain't easy.  Those who do not prepare ahead of time, sometimes regret their lackadaisical methods.  To me, it all goes down to that "better to be safe than sorry" adage.  

  With Nate traveling at such a high rate of speed, there is little chance that it will become a severe storm.  If he stalls anywhere in the Gulf, we will have plenty to fret over.  Hopefully, he will decide to be quick and to the point.  "Lets get it over with!" sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

  In the meantime, I will try to post as many pictures as possible for as long as possible.  Things may slide through fine but there is always the outside chance that things could get a mite hairy.  The Bayou will be rockin' tomorrow so say a little prayer for everyone down this way.  

East Winds Bring High Tides

  The weather has been a bit unsettled for the past twenty-four hours or so.  A stiff easterly wind has pushed the tide far up into the Bay.  Most of our neighbors' piers are under water.  Their boats sit moored unreachable.  A weather system has moved across the Gulf and is bringing rain, wind and high tides.  This is nothing to cause worry other than for those who have to travel flooded roads. Since I pretty much stay on the Bayou, I can purely marvel at the Bayou at is fullest.  The only threat we have is that critters from the marsh are now seeking higher ground.  It pays to be watchful when traipsing about the hillside.  Any number of snakes may be out and about but the only worrisome ones are the cottonmouths.  Others may give you a fright but the moccasin may give more than you bargained for.  I also have to keep close watch on PJ, the newcomer dog, as he may not be aware of the dangers of said snakes.  

  Pop always used to say that an east wind never brought anything good.  He was referring to fishing, of course, and claimed that "good" fish did not bite during an east wing.  I figured that since fishing was out other things should be done.  The inclement weather gave me the opportunity to work more on props for the upcoming clue hunt.  Our debut run is this Friday whether we are ready or not.  Mark has to go back to work so we rallied together a group of his brothers and sisters.  They will be our "trial" team.  Hopefully, things will run smoothly for them.  I have not been able to work as much on the props as I would have liked due to an injured leg but Son and one of his buddies have taken up the slack.  They have the "working" parts ready but the decorations are still not complete.  Today's work put me closer to finishing my parts but there is still a lot lacking.  Three more days to get things completed is pushing it.  Wish me well!

  The storms that roll in off the Gulf always inspire me and get the wheels in the brain turning.  There is just something about the excitement of a good storm to shake up things a bit and I definitely need a good shaking!