I can't remember a better couple of hours in my life. The stable, peaceful ship moves along in silence with the wind -- magical. There are beautiful vistas everywhere and many species of birds to see in their various patterns of flying, and we got close enough to see the ugly baby ospreys in their nest and the diligent and beautiful parents going and returning. I saw blue crabs, lots of birds, jumping fish, and calming vistas.
I learned so much from well-crafted, literature-quality family and personal stories that made real the global warming in the Bay, DDT in the ecosystem, the conflicts about how to bring back the oysters, what the big donation-seekers really are doing, and more. You have to wonder why the state won't just stop oyster fishing until they recover. It would save the watermen instead of destroying their industry and then turning a dead Bay over to corporations who finally may resurrect it out of self-interest. These narratives were inspiring and persuasive. I'm impressed with the watermen's insights into their industry and its decline.
The ship is beautiful. Captain Murphy is a rare human being. And this trip is something I'd hate to have missed. We were a huge group, so I didn't get any fresh oyster, so I'll go again, hoping for a slow day. I can't imagine eating an oyster right out of the Bay, not just alive on ice but a living Bay oyster.
There's so much to enjoy. Capt. Murphy even told us a great place to eat. A truly wonderful couple of hours. read more