The Bucket List

I'm pretty sure you have been cornered at times at a party or over dinner by someone who relentlessly asks questions about something you know about that he/she doesn't but wants to.  I was that bad person a few years ago at a gathering of interesting people. 

My first victim was someone who was farming oysters. This is quite the cottage and larger industry where I live and actually it is fascinating.  Peconic Bay, at the eastern end of Long Island once supported substantial oyster beds and in our little town there were a dozen or two companies that harvested and packaged oysters. Once upon a time, people were actually paid in oysters and if you were really down and out, that is what you ate - period. Now they are a buck a throw at the restaurants and therefore good as gold - so folks are raising these things.

Oyster survival rates are pretty low bordering on dismal and over the two year cycle from seed(ling) to let's eat lots of bad things happen.  I won't bore you with the details until I learn more but I'm pretty sure I'm going to put a couple sets or cages out and see if I can harvest something in a couple years.  I'm not having any luck with tomatoes and the deer eat everything else edible so perhaps I'll have some Farmer Brown luck.

My second "cornered - you can't escape" was with two crew members of the tall ship "Lynx" that is in the harbor for a couple more days.  They brought with them stories of sailing and the sea, the war of 1812, blockades and fast sailing privateers, and generally tidbits of great interest.  Tuesday (tomorrow) I get a tour and an opportunity to speak with the captain, a female who gets seasick and is generally afraid of fish (so I'm told). 

The Lynx was what is known as a Baltimore ship and the NASCAR  speedster ship of the time. It was just quick afloat and could run the British blockades...just zip right through.  It has something to do with the shape of the hull and the draft and above all, the ability to turn on a dime.  I think they relented and will give me the cook's tour because these two wanted to eat their food instead of talk about what they do.

One of them, the electrician/engineer, has been sailing for years now.  She is interesting and educated with a bright eye and willing, friendly smile. A good egg by all appearances. She said that in the last interval in her life that she tried living on land for a bit and couldn't - that she wanted to live at sea or at least on the water and that soil just wasn't for her.  I intend to ask her about that because it is so "something" that I can't put my finger on but something that I've heard before in different occupations....folks who can't or don't want to inhabit other settings....fish out of water so to speak.

Well then. There it is. Oyster farming and sailing a tall ship.  My plate if full and my week set.