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| From August 2, 2011 |
Last week I spent a day volunteering with the North Carolina Coastal Federation moving mesh bags of seashells from Jones Island to its shoreline, creating a sill for oyster larvae to attach themselves to and grow. The sill is making lots of crabs and fish and other critters happy, too. The woman to the right of the photo above is Lexia, our cruise director for the day. We moved all bags here. (There were 265, but we're not bragging; the Marines were out from Camp LeJeune and moved, oh, 10 times as many in the same amount of time.)
 Here is Lexia and a colleague from the Coastal Federation stacking the bags, which were three across and four high. Because the tide was way, way in, they had to feel their way along. |
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The Federation is also planting sea grasses around the island to restore habitat and some biodiversity around the place.
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| From August 2, 2011 |
Nothing went to waste. The oyster shells (which are very expensive and came from all over the place.) that fell out of the bags were dragged onto the barge and carried out to the water to work their magic. This took the muscle power of the entire group minus one loafing photographer.
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| From August 2, 2011 |
A section of the sill looked quite at home out there.
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Our group consisted of a family from Illinois, the father of which seemed to be all about the Air Force, a retired Marine, a high school guidance counselor, a middle school reading teacher, college interns with the Federation, a local bee keeper and her two girls, and some other folks from near and far in North Carolina who just plain care. When I got back to base here on Topsail, I decided not to read the paper. It felt right to dwell in the goodness for a while.
My World Tuesday
My World Tuesday
24 Comments
What wonderful work! It's great to dwell in goodness for a long long while.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good job Sandy. That feel good should last some time. We don't even get the paper any more. It is full of poison and unknown (to me)children playing sports. If one needs a shot of poison all you have to do is turn on the tv. I would much rather dwell on nature.
ReplyDeleteSuch a labour of love. And I'm grateful for that photographer for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA labor of love indeed! And what a wonderful project to be involved with, Sandy! I do understand about not reading the newspaper and it does feel wonderful to dwell in the goodness whenever we can! Wonderful post for the day! Hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Good to read a positive story about humans helping the environment. :) I hope you spent a good long time reflecting on this good deed. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat effort! How well done! Nice series of pictures Sandy.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a worthwhile project, and I'm glad that there were so many volunteers from so many different places helping out. I will admit, though, that I'm glad the 'loafing photographer' got these pictures that you've shared.
ReplyDeleteWell done, Sandy and great shots. Pat yourself on the back! Here, so much damage was done on the Gulf coast from the oil spill and from the floods in the mid-west ... all that fresh water draining into the gulf isn't very good for oysters and other salt water critters.
ReplyDeleteWell done to you and the team working hard for the love of Nature Sandy.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of a great project.
ReplyDeletethat is really a good way to spend time to help nature. Very admirable! nice shots! My world entry is here.
ReplyDeleteSandy, what a great project. It is wonderful to have so many volunteers. Great photos, thanks for sharing your day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful project! It is nice so many volunteers have gotten involved. I know that NYC is also working to restore oyster beds in it's waters in a effort to combat pollution.
ReplyDeleteGreat effort. Wonderful shots of the event.
ReplyDeletethis is a wonderful and worthwhile project. it's good to see people giving their time for the environment. around here, there is an industry that uses seashells for crafts and furniture. even animal bones (from steak houses.:p).
ReplyDeleteOnce again, wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks as always for participating in my Limerick--Offs!
Madeleine Begun Kane
So interesting, very nice photos to!
ReplyDeleteHi there - great work - now what we need is for government to understand that this type of work is vital and actaully help people do it!
ReplyDeleteCheers Stewart M
amazing activity...so worthwhile and fun!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, your fellow volunteers, and US Marines. I've been told, I can't vouch for it, that in some areas like in the Pacific Northwest they don't let bars and restaurants sell oysters on the half shell because they oyster shells are to be "replanted" like what you guys did.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have read the paper either afterwards.
That was s truly worth while day and your rest and little gloat at the achievement were well deserved.
ReplyDeleteHugs and Blessings . . . Arija
I hardly ever read the paper. I'd rather read your posts.
ReplyDeleteMany blessings to you and all the volunteers who care so much.
What a wonderful project!
ReplyDeleteCarolina Mts
you and I share the same philosophy, we both love the environment to volunter.
ReplyDeleteHope you get lots of oysters.
Thanks for being here.