Parker River Clean Water Association Annual Canoe/Kayak Trip
March 31, 2008
When: Saturday, April 5, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Where: The Bridge on Thurlow Street in Georgetown, MA
The Parker River Clean Water Association invites everyone to join them on Saturday, April 5, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am for their Annual Parker River Canoe/Kayak Trip. This is a great opportunity to get out and explore the freshwater section of the Parker River.
This section of the river passes through the beautiful Massachusetts Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area. Put-in for the canoe/kayak trip is at the Bridge on Thurlow Street in Georgetown and take-out is on River Road in Byfield.
Participants must have their own canoe or kayak. Life jackets are required. Seats may be available by prior arrangement for a few people who do not have their own boats. This trip is suitable for families and novice paddlers, unless there is very high water.
Dress weather-appropriate and bring water, snacks, and a camera. It is possible to see wood ducks, signs of beavers, turtles, and early migratory birds in this lovely wilderness section of the Parker River.
To register for the trip or for more information, please call Trip Leader Marlene Schroeder at 978-462-9062.
Volunteers Needed for Parker River Clean Water Association’s 12th Annual Fish Count
March 30, 2008
The Parker River Clean Water Association (PRCWA) is looking for volunteers to help them conduct their 12th Annual Fish Count from mid-April to mid-May. No experience is necessary to assist with the count.
To assess the ecological health of the Parker River, the PRCWA and local citizens are organizing a volunteer effort to count alewives swimming upstream to spawn this spring. The count will compare numbers of fish to those from a similar study in the 1970s. Average counts of the past five years were only 510 fish, whereas in the 1970s there were more than 30,000.
When: Monday, April 7, from 6:30 to 8 p.m
Where: AT the Newbury Town Library in Byfield Center
“We are concerned, because the past five years’ counts have shown a sharp reduction in the number of fish spawning in the Parker River,” according to Parker River Clean Water Association President Don Bade. “Counting the fish helps us to measure the extent of the decline, instead of relying on anecdotal evidence.”
Alewives, like salmon, begin their lives in freshwater. The fry swim downstream from headwater ponds in the fall. Three or four years later, the adult fish have grown to be 10 to 13 inches long. They return from the ocean to spawn in April and May, when freshwater temperatures reach the mid-50s.
Local fishermen and women will also be active volunteers in the fish count. The Essex County Sportsmen Association is joining the Parker River Clean Water Association and the Massachusetts Audubon Society in conducting the effort. A corps of volunteers will count fish for 10 minutes out of each hour between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week, from mid-April to mid-May.
Persons interested in assisting with the count should attend the volunteer training, which will include a presentation about the alewife migration and instruction on how to count and take water temperature measurements. At the training, volunteers can sign up for one or more of the 10-minute time slots. Families are welcome to participate, as long as children are at least 8 years old.
For more information, call the Parker River Clean Water Association office at 978-462-2551 or e-mail parker.river@verizon.net.
Oceanview Publishing Announces Forthcoming Release of Stealing Trinity
March 30, 2008
Susan Greger, Publisher at Oceanview, commented, “It is with great pleasure that we announce the follow-up to Ward Larsen’s multiple award-winning debut, The Perfect Assassin. Stealing Trinity is a mesmerizing, sweeping novel that moves at breakneck speed across some of the world’s most fascinating places.”
4th Annual “Toast To The Coast” - A Celebration of Wine, Food and Noble Brew
March 30, 2008
When: April 17, 2008. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
Cost: Tickets (bought in advance): $35.00 or $45.00 at the door
If you love to eat and drink and are looking for a great excuse to sample fine wines, beer and ales, and appetizers from some of the Seacoast’s most exceptional restaurants, then make sure you purchase tickets for the 4th Annual “Toast To The Coast” on thursday, April 17, 2008 at Ashworth By The Sea, Hampton Beach, NH.
The 4th Annual “Toast To The Coast”, A Celebration of Wine, Food & Noble Brew, is co-sponsored by the Hampton and Exeter Area Chambers of Commerce. Proceeds from this event benefit Chamber Community Projects.
If you go, be prepared to sample a variety of fine wines, noble brews, and savor hors d’oeuvres. Novice to experienced wine aficionados and foodies will have the best of all possible worlds at their fingertips on Thursday, April 17th.
What You Will Find at the “Toast To The Coast”
The Hampton and Exeter Area Chambers of Commerce have gathered wine and beer distributors, as many as 10 fine restaurants, and several bonafide wine experts. This annual event draws hundreds of guests from the Seacoast area and beyond.
The “Toast to the Coast” is the most popular event of the year attendee-wise. So a word to the wise, get your tickets early - you’ll also save $10 by buying in advance.
It will be an evening of temptation with seared chicken breast with oranges from Ashworth by the Sea, lobster stew from Sharon’s Sea Grill, decadent fudge and other confections from Hutchinson’s Candy, and much more from other fine restaurants like the Purple Urchin, The Old Salt, and Tavern at River’s Edge.
Restaurateurs will also compete for the prestigious award “BEST OF TOAST TO THE COAST”. Who will be “Top Chef “on the Seacoast? If you are a restaurateur interested in competing, please contact the Hampton or Exeter Area Chamber’s of Commerce for details.
Tickets may be purchased at the following locations:
- The Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce, 1 Lafayette Road in Hampton, (603) 926-8718
- The Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 Water Street in Exeter, (603) 772-2411
- La Cave a Vin, 103 Water Street in Exeter, (603) 777-9996.
Hamptons Beach Erosion Civil Trial Gets Underway in NY
March 30, 2008
This past week a civil trial got underway in a Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, NY to determine if Suffolk County should be held responsible for repairing the beaches in the Town of Southhampton that are losing sand because of erosion.
This is an interesting case with significant ramifications if the Town of Southhampton and a private homeowner should win their case and prove that groins (jetties) owned by Suffolk County are causing the damage. An article by Mitchell Freedman in Newsday, March 27, 2008, describes details of the case in more detail.
If the case is successful against Suffolk County, the County could be forced to spend millions of dollars to pump sand back onto the beaches, and continue to do it for decades to come. The issue of groins and their impact, in particular, on the shoreline located on the downdrift side of the groins is one of the key points being argued in this trial.
With the unavailability of Federal and State funds and their unwillingness to support and maintain beach replenishment efforts throughout the country, legal action by coastal property owners and communities may prove to be another tool to use for brokering a solution to beach replenishment efforts.
New Research Vessel for Gloucester-based Whale Center of New England
March 29, 2008
The Whale Center’s research vessel allows researchers to collect a variety of data unavailable from other platforms. Long-term studies of endangered humpback, right, and fin whales involve identifying individual whales by photographing natural markings.
While some of this information can be collected from local whale watch vessels, the research boat allows longer times at sea and access to areas that take too long for whale watch boats to reach.
The Whale Center of New England is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 to study the whales frequenting waters off the Massachusetts coast, especially on Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge. The Center’s mission is to conduct research on whales and their habitat and to actively engage in marine conservation and education.
Name the Boat Contest
The Whale Center of New England is holding a naming contest for the new research boat. Submit your idea for the best whale-related boat name to 24 Harbor Loop, Gloucester MA 01930 or to info@whalecenter.org.
The winner will receive a free whale adoption, a Whale Center T-shirt, a whale photo, and a ride on the boat.
The deadline for receiving all entries is April 16, 2008.
Related Websites
Gasoline Almost $4.00 Per Gallon On Nantucket
March 28, 2008
For more information, see the article by Jason Graziadei in the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror. Mr. Graziadei’s article has an interesting comment by Art Kinsman, the director of governmental affairs for AAA Southern New England. Mr. Kinsman said he could not find another location in Massachusetts that had higher gas prices than Nantucket.
Nantucket isn’t alone, however, as gasoline prices are already over $4.00 per gallon in many locations on the West Coast.
Fees On The Rise at Hampton Beach and Wallis Sands State Parks
March 28, 2008
Here is a quick summary of the new rates:
- Day use rates for state parks will increase $1 a person to $4 for adults and $2 for children between ages 6 to 17.
- Camping rates will increase $5 a night.
Fees for using Hampton Beach and Wallis Sands state parks:
- Vehicle fees will increase by $5 to $15 for cars, and from $6 to $20 for recreational vehicles and buses.
- Parking Meters: You’re going to need to bring more quarters! The fee for parking at Hampton Beach is going up from $1.50 per hour to $1.75 per hour.
2nd Annual Great Marsh Symposium: A Coastal Treasure In Our Backyard
March 25, 2008
The 2nd Annual Great Marsh Symposium:
Discover a Coastal Treasure in our Backyard
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008
Time: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm (and Optional Field Trips from 3:00 to 4:00 pm)
Where: Parker River National Wildlife Headquarters
Cost: $12.00 (Note: Pre-registration is required)
Did you know that the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England is sitting here right in our backyard? The North Shore’s Great Marsh is the largest continuous stretch of Salt Marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire.
If you want to learn more about this wonderful natural resource that many of us take for granted, then plan on attending the 2nd Annual Great Marsh Symposium on April 12, 2008. The theme of the 2nd Annual Great Marsh Symposium is “Discover A Coastal Treasure In Our Backyard.”
Experts will speak about the history of the Plum Island Airport, striped bass research, photography of the Great Marsh, archaeology, seasons on a salt marsh farm, ecological mysteries and much more.
These experts will give short presentations on a variety of Great Marsh topics including the following:
- “Four seasons on a salt marsh farm“
- “Historic aviation in the Great Marsh“
- “In search of the salt marsh tiger beetle and other mysteries of the Great Marsh.”
The 2nd Annual Great Marsh Symposium is being hosted by the Great Marsh Coalition with support from EBSCO. The Symposium will be held at the Parker River National Wildlife Headquarters in Newburyport from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Three optional field trips are being offered from 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Information on the field trips will be included with your registration confirmation, and you may sign up for one of them on the day of the Symposium. Plan to attend a field trip at one of these nearby locations:
-
Plum Island Airport
-
Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm
-
Workshop/Gallery of Geoff Walker.
Pre-registration is required to attend this symposium as space is limited. The $12 registration fee covers refreshments and the cost of a program guide including synopses of talks. Register early as space is limited!
Please bring your own lunch, or you can order a Bistro Bag from Carry Out Cafe (978-499-2240).
To register by phone using a credit card, call Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center, 978-462-9998, or download the registration form at http://www.greatmarsh.org/.
To register by mail (United States Postal Service), download a registration form.
If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Leahy at (978) 927-1122 x2700 or kleahy@massaudubon.org.
Marsden Named President of TradeStone Software
March 25, 2008
“With his vast experience and knowledge in dealing with international supply chains and working with global commerce communities, we’re confident TradeStone’s presence in the global retail market will continue to flourish.”
Website: TradeStone Software
Situated on the ocean, Newburyport holds a host of opportunity for the visitor. But instead of traditional hotels, consider Massachusetts timeshares. Resorts offer sumptuous ensuite appointments and amenities not available in hotels. Rent timeshare for an unforgettable vacation experience.
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