It’s springtime, and for right whales, the plankton feeding is easy. A large group of the endangered mammals were spotted via aerial surveys in the waters between Gay Head and Block Island in the late winter and spring. “That’s a really interesting area that’s had relatively little survey effort until recently,” said Philip Hamilton, a research scientist with the New England Aquarium. The surveys began because of the Cape Wind project, he said, as part of an effort to determine the impact the Nantucket Sound project would have on endangered species.
Sara Brown
Spring is an iffy season on the Vineyard. The ocean’s chill delays the reawakening of color and blossom for a seeming eternity while blustery winds keep summer at bay. But something is going on beneath the sea that keeps pulses racing: the spring run of striped bass, which brings these magnificent fish back to our shores from wintering grounds in the Chesapeake and elsewhere. What could be a greater affirmation that we have survived another winter and that all is right in the world of nature?
Kib Bramhall
This year will be a busy one for the cadre of Islanders who keep a close eye on what’s going on at Norton Point. From fishermen to scientists, the two-and-a-half-mile barrier beach that sometimes connects Edgartown’s South Beach and Wasque on Chappaquiddick is a source of fascination. In April 2007 a northeaster broke through the beach, creating an inlet that connected Katama Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. In the years that followed, the “opening,” as it is known in local parlance, migrated eastward.
Sara Brown
For me, fishing is generally not a social activity. It is intensely personal, private, and intuitive. Except for family, I tend to be an angling loner. The concept of a fishing friend was an oxymoron until I met Luciano and was introduced to KLP.
Kib Bramhall
The most important game fish in local waters is in deep trouble. The writer, a renowned fisherman and longtime conservation columnist for Salt Water Sportsman, thinks he knows why.
Rip Cunningham
It’s no surprise, perhaps, that among the ranks of Woods Hole scientists are a handful of people who have a foot on both sides of the ferry route.
Sara Brown
There’s a tendency to think that Island fishing ends after the derby’s final hurrah in mid-October. But wait a minute! They may be premature.
Kib Bramhall
