MACKEREL.
Day 125 – This morning it was 56 degrees when we got up and cloudy. It was supposed to rain, but the sun came out. You never know! The wind picked up in the afternoon and the sky darkened. Now they are saying no rain. You REALLY never know!
Rob took his camera for a walk this morning when the sun was out. He took a trail that led from the campground, down the hill to the water, and on around the bay, but he was stopped by where the entrance to a bridge had washed out. He wanted to take some pictures of the interpretive signs along the way, but he had the wrong lens with him. He did see some birds and took pictures of them.
We did a bunch of cooking that required plenty of prep. Everything is ready now (except for cooking of the tortillas), for Shrimp Tacos and Cod & Salmon Burritos (we’ve got both corn tortillas & flour tortillas). We made up a large batch of wonderful smoky sweet & spicy rub for all the fish, and cooked it (thanks Sophie for the recipe!). And we prepared a bunch of condiments & toppings. Can’t wait till dinner!
After all that, we still weren’t sure what the weather was going to do. We decided to just stay at the RV for the rest of the afternoon. We went out to the tent and read our books. It was cloudy and a little windy, but occasionally the sun did come out briefly. The high temperature today was 64 degrees. This is August?
The rain started at 3:30, and after it stopped, it cooled off rapidly. After a great dinner, Rob walked back down to the Bay with a different lens to get more pictures. It was very nice out and he got some good shots. He also found there was lots of activity in the water. The Mackerel were running; he got pictures and a video as they skimmed along in the water. From a Bide Arm Trail interpretive sign: “During the mackerel season in August & September, long-liners towing small light-boats which are used for drawing mackerel to the surface, light the harbour. This fishing technique creates a beautiful scene like a bright town on the water.”
And now, all you ever wanted to know about Atlantic Mackerel!
“The Atlantic Mackerel is a skilled predator, especially because of its ability to change strategies based on the size and location of its prey. The smallest prey the Mackerel will eat is plankton, where they will form large and tight aggregations, creating a kind of net to swallow thousands of plankton at once. This is a similar technique to that of a whale with baleen plates.
The next size of Atlantic Mackerel prey consists of shrimp, eels, and small or juvenile fish. When they hunt these species, they also form large predatorygroups called shoals, which sometimes number in the thousands. The Mackerel use these shoals to surround large schools of fish or eels to trap them. This technique is a fascinating example of the food chain at work. When they are trapped, the group of prey will swim in a frenzy, creating a ‘boiling’ effect on the surface of the water. This visual attracts birds of prey, which in turn tells experienced fishermen where to bring their boats.
Occasionally, Atlantic Mackerel will hunt larger fish, which they do in much smaller groups or even individually because the larger fish cannot be surrounded in the same way that smaller species can.” from americanoceans.org
Tomorrow we hope to have good weather for another drive, this time to the final group of small villages near here. And if there’s time, another trip to Englee to see the Hooked Rugs and Sea Glass Art at the Museum.
Later – just when you think you are done for the night, Rob glanced out the window and saw there was a sunset, and he rushed outside and back down the hill to the water.
THINKING OF YOU, GAIL!