An Around About Sailing Observation

[Don-MT]

I just stepped outside the office and saw a HUGE (and I mean 2000 + (well, I didn’t get a precise count)) flock of Snow Geese headed North. Second week in March, Mother Nature is right on time! Can spring be far behind? 65 days till Halcyon is in the water!! Shine On!Don

 

[tom]

Trees are blooming

Last Sunday while sailing we noticed that there seemed to be fewer birds on the lake,heading north?? The early trees are blooming and it was 70 today. yep spring is coming. I guess the gators will be out and about soon. They may be sunning themselves now near their holes. Haven't seen any turtles out yet but they come out before the gators.  When do the gators come out in Montana??? They start thinking about mateing around here about May. Crappie are biting that is a sure sign of spring. The bad thing about warm weather is the stinkpotters and PWC's come out of hibernation.

 

[Ranger Paul]

Cranes Heading North

I live in upstate California. We saw bunches of what I think are Sandhill Cranes heading North yesterday... I am always amazed that you can hear them but, when you find them, they are itty bitty tiny specks way high up in the sky. Must be that time.

 

[Don-MT]

Montana ‘Gators,

We have a very few ‘Gators around here. Most come out around the beginning football season. We do have the Yellowstone wolves around, but that probably goes over on the Politics, Religion, and Angst side of this site. I talked to a friend who had been ice fishing at the lake where I sail. He said there is still 20+ inches of ice. The Pussy Willows have “pussied” and the Crocus have pushed through the snow on the South side of the house.Damn, it had better warm up quick. Shine On!Don

 

[TT23844]

Geese made U-turn

Don- No sign of them here yet, probably 'cause it was 0°F the other night and today the wind-chill was reportedly -18°F. January seemed warmer than March.We've had a virtually snow-free winter here on the edge of the Atlantic, but sure cold right now. Geese instincts may have started them north but perhaps they saw Al Gore's movie & went into a holding pattern. Trees blooming, gators sunbathing, 70° & sailing all winter long ??? tom in Bham is just being cruel to us ice-bound folks. Count your blessings, tom. It sure sounds nice, except maybe for the gators.

 

[Ross]

My observations on the atlantic flyway has been

that the geese leave about the time of the full moon closest to the vernal equinox.

 

[Ctskip]

70 today and the daffodils are blooming

The magnolias are out and looking pink The trees are thinner now, thanks to the ice storm a few weeks ago. Lost a few too. Puttin chemicals on the lawn to kill the crabgrass. Raked 1000s of acorns off the front lawn, to give the grass room to grow. I put the bimini back on last week and started the diesel and went for a hour putt and a short sail just to air things out. Getting the bug. I did notice that the connection on my float switch was corroded and wasnt working. Time for the paint on rubber sealer. Aint it great messing around with boats? Cant wait for sleep overs. Reminds me, I must check out the propane stove. Almost time to put the hot rod up.  Keep it up, Ctskip

 

[Andy]

Gaggle of Geese

I would call that a gaggle of geese & a welcome sign to the mariner. S'ppose to have warm weather but moisture this weekend. Next weekend I'm goin' to do the spring spruce up and maybe do the first spring race (means it might snow). Maybe not, maybe spring is for real this time. Gee I hope so. I got boats to sail!

 

[tom]

Gators are like wolves and cougars

People get real emotional about gatorsbut they mostly leave people alone. Like wolves and cougars they will eat your dog if you aren't careful. Swimming at night alone isn't a good idea with gators around. But we see them regularly kayaking and they just submerge if you get too close. I saw one at Lake Eufaula that I would not want to kayak near. Big mean and ugly like those other gators from Florida.  I used to windsuf at Choke Canyon lake in South Texas. They had signs on the shore warning about gators. I was real carefull to to fall there and if I did fall I was back on the board before I even got wet. The biggest gator that I've ever seen was at Aransas wildlife refuge in Texas. He was at least 16' maybe more. I went therr to see the whooping cranes...didn't expect javelina and gators. We have been sailing all winter and the last two weekends have been great..stayed near hull speed all afternoon both times.

 

[newly anonymous]

signs of the times

Summer: people on this forum want to know how to control head odors.Autumn: people on this forum want to know how to winterize their boats.Winter: people on this forum want to know how to circumnavigate, cheap.Spring: people on this forum begin counting northbound geese.

 

[Jacques Leblanc]

Its spring in NewOrleans

Hows 71-77 degrees sound all weekend 5-10 Nots I even saw a few love bugs flying around and the bees are back. Deffinitely the signs of spring.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Saw a jellyfish yesterday, that's like the

first robin of spring around here.