MARCH 2000
Wednesday -- March 1, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.6 Water Temperature: 49
All rejoice... Miss "T" is home from surgery!! Was it my imagination or did she seem to perk up coming down the hill to "Island sounds," especially the geese and ducks who can be heard carrying on as soon as you cross the circular pedestrian overpass. Yesterday there was much contention over real estate as the geese are starting to divvy up 30 yard sections of Island perimeter. Two geese even fought over the fallen sycamore root ball near the captain's float where we were all able to observe a nest year before last.
Since the Club President has instituted the daily update to the web page by the Caretaker, and since there are rainy days in which there is nothing happening on the Island to write about, it is difficult for the Caretaker to avoid the opportunity to ruminate about Island issues which are on his mind. Of course, the Caretaker is not supposed to involve himself in "issues," only in security, administration, maintenance, and ferrying. But although his voice can not thusly be heard in meetings... questions might be raised in this Island log... especially since it is seldom read... even by the Club officers who are the only folks to whom it is actually distributed. Several such questions involve the recent request by a sister organization to be given the Sycamore Island membership list for a mass mailing. Despite the noble cause... is this the first step down the fabled "slippery slope"? Could not an organization wishing to advocate a worthy cause, such as joining it, do so in a letter or article published in our own Islander. Is there any way to control the use of a mailing list of an organization if it is given out even once?
Thursday -- March 2, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.44 Water Temperature: 49
The forsythia is beginning and the day lilies must be two inches high. Looking outside it appears cold and there is a chill wind, but last night the Island temperature did not go below 45 degrees. The weatherman has talked about how February was a very dry month... the drought continues... but you will notice the river level is staying up there... and a good rain will surely close the Island again.
Vicki Judson sent along the following :
Good news for our Annual River Cleanup! Nancy Brown (with the C & O Canal) kindly agreed to have a truck to stop by on the shore side of the Island on April 1, 2000, at the end of our cleanup to haul away all the trash we amass. So please spread the news to members. We can clean up without hauling. (My back feels better already.)
We've already talked to several members who have marked their calendars and plan to join in the effort. Please encourage others to CLEANUP and EAT UP. Cleanup starts at 9:00 am on Saturday, April 1 and runs till 12:00 noon. Pot luck repast begins thereafter. Our family is excited and looking forward to getting down in the muck with lots of other Island aficionados. PS We're looking for a grillmeister. Any volunteers, please call the Esch-Judson family at (301) 320-5787.
Friday -- March 3, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.35 Water Temperature: 49
White caps on the river this morning...the temperature rose above 40 before 0900 hrs but the wind has a bite. The low temperature last night was only 36 degrees... I am sure you have all noticed the min-max thermometer on the post going in to the screen porch.
It is that dreadful time of the year again... the Caretaker must give up his favorite joy of walking the Island at night and feels he must be confined to quarters when the sun goes down. There are so many little living things exploding their little tips out of the ground everywhere that it is hard to find a place to put your next step without doing irreparable harm to present life and future beauty... and so one ought not walk where or when one can not see. There is also great conflict in the family... the Caretaker is loath to let the Wife walk around outdoors without supervision to make sure she tip toes everywhere... and is perplexed at her comments about his "cranky and anal behavior." It goes without saying that the Caretaker believes the Island should be closed to humans for the entire month of March until all of this delicate life gets high enough above ground to fend for itself.
Saturday -- March 4, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.21 Water Temperature: 47
It was during late dusk when they came in swooping and squawking and adding their excited clatter to the general clamor. I can not stress enough how loud it is down here with all the waterfowl honking and greeting both morning and evening with the change of light. And so the swooping shadows did not seem so unusual, surely these were just being picky about which group of geese to join. Not until they landed in the trees at the foot of Ruppert's!! Wait a minute... those can not be geese... not in trees... and it took a moment to understand they were the year's first cormorants arriving. It was unusual to hear them making so much noise... or flying in formation. But there is a lot of "unusual" down here.
Once while pulling across on the ferry on a brilliant day at 1130 hrs and contemplating the deep blue of the sky, a passenger commented that from her perspective the pulley on the safety chain appeared as a "trembling orb of light". Now, the Caretaker was slightly miffed to hear this because, of course, he has now made a profession of peering at all things possible while spending so much of his life on the ferry... and he had never noticed any "trembling orbs of light". Was this some secret of the universe being denied to him... some higher mystery able to be perceived only by the initiated??? Subsequent ferry trips were not "illuminating"... even while taken at 1130 hrs on the pretext of adjusting the ferry rope in the same location... and now the Caretaker is highly miffed that there are such glories eluding him. Moreover, he is starting to suspect that many people come down here and experience epiphanies that they are not sharing... and this is a troubling thought because he has long considered the "Sycamore Experience" to be akin to a gold mine of wondrous insights... and he is selfish of this treasure and despairs that others may have tumbled on to the same discovery... and begs you all to share them before leaving with them. And if, perchance, you come down and find the Caretaker on his motionless ferry in the middle of the slough... you will know that the search for "trembling orbs of light" continues.
Monday -- March 6, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 3.9 Water Temperature: 48
We knew it was Saturday Night with the cormorants when we realized that they were making more noise at the foot of Ruppert's Island than the geese. In the almost dark they resembled just another formation of geese coming in, but noisily this time, which is unusual. Although they came in sounding goose-like... later they made a unique sound I had not heard before as about 25 of them congregated in a community tree... loud enough that their sound commanded the nearby river basin to such a degree as to shut up the geese ... no easy task... and with a sound that was almost more crow like. And all that splashing about... at first I thought some were chasing others off, until I realized they were chasing each other... but not off... and blushed at my own naive... and it did seem that couples would fly off together and make a 100 yard diameter circle over the water and land in the same tree. Clearly it was some mating ritual, akin to some prom nights we can remember.
Let's fess up... there is no altruism behind the resuming of the daily Caretaker's Log... it all has to do with avoidance... in this case of having to actually pick up a writing utensel and pen a letter to the Caretaker's Mother. After all... the questions "How are you" and "What's going on down at the Island" are so intertwined that these log entries should satisfy everyone. One simply clicks it on. Thus the motive was to be released from any obligations for letters or e-mail... to practically everyone and anyone, for that matter... and to resume a study of hermitage with a clear conscience. Well... this line of logic was tried on the Caretaker's Mother the other day... and I am disappointed to report that it did not go down well. In my family you don't mess with Mom... and I was informed in no uncertain terms that I was not released from letters to Mom because these writings did not say either of the only two things a Mom really wants to hear.
So Mother... I love you and I miss you!
Tuesday -- March 7, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 3.8 Water Temperature: 48
The changing seasons are a time to record many "firsts" on the Island as they occur, and today's are: the first daffodil... the first boxwood leaves... the first ants... the first spider (in the quarters)... and even the first bluebell flower!!! But only the first, as most of the bluebells are only up three inches, and many have not yet even appeared. On the way to vote this morning we saw the first green willows along Sangamore... a sure sign of the season's change. With school out for the elections and temps in the upper 60's it should be a busy day on the Island.
John Wiebensen, Member and Club architect, came down this morning with Paul, an engineer who is being consulted regarding the foundation for the proposed upgrade to the caretaker's quarters. He brought with him architect's drawings from his office archives of the Clubhouse renovations of 1957 and 1990 to provide additions for the caretaker to live in. These will be hung in the clubhouse "gallery."
Wednesday -- March 8, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 3.8 Water Temperature: 50
Monthly meeting night... this evening at the Gelb's house. Yesterday an immature bald eagle spent the afternoon checking out the Virginia shore and was a treat to watch. Additionally, 4 turkey vultures showed up three days ago and are now seen daily, cruising like a family unit.
Yesterday I mis-spoke about the visit of John Wiebensen and Paul Chung. Upon hearing that Paul was an engineer, I assumed that because John was currently working on the caretaker's quarters upgrade they were here on that project. Turns out that Paul Chung is an erosion engineer, and John brought him here to look at the situation wherein the upper end of the Island is being eaten away by the river at an increased rate following the '96 floods. The idea being explored is that of using snow fencing to girdle groups of trees to cause eddies that would result in sediment falling out behind. You can see the principle at work where there are fallen logs on the Island and the ground behind them is being built up as successive floods drop sediment behind them.
Thursday -- March 9, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 3.7 Water Temperature: 53
Annual "firsts" continue with this record breaking warm weather... the first insect hatch and swarm (fishermen take note), first violet leaves, first green on the new willow tree by the ferry, first use of the ceiling fan, first caretaker in shorts day, and the first kids at the rope swing. Note water temperature and you will understand why they did not stay in the water long, but there were three different groups of teenagers. I am impressed to record that of the nine observed, five wore life preservers.
Actually, John Krasny has pointed out that this year the Caretaker can make claim for that closely watched annual award to the "First person to Go Swimming at Sycamore Island in the New Year." True, this comes as a result of the falling-through-the-ice mishap, but as the Caretaker is known to be quite shameless he will have no thoughts about accepting this year's award and flaunting it before the Island's dedicated swimmers.
Friday -- March 10, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 3.6 Water Temperature: 53
Many of you have not seen Barney, our large, white, timid, Czech cat who stays indoors and away from people all day. But at night the Island is his, and we have grown to recognize that specific sound he makes when he brings home playmates such as mice, birds, voles, and an occasional baby squirrel. There is a cat door from the kitchen into the men's locker room that was bequeathed to us by Fred. And Barney is good about letting us know when he brings guests in to play with... when he brings them home for dinner we usually do not hear his sounds but stumble over the remains in the morning. So there is the more-than-occasional night time ritual of the Caretaker's Wife waking to that certain sound of cat-bearing-gift, and then nudging the Caretaker until he wakes and gets out of bed to rescue the poor critter. If the poor creature squeaks, then the gentle nudges quickly escalate to sharp elbows. The Caretaker's opinion is that Barney should be allowed to entertain his guests as he pleases... but there are, of course, certain opinions one gives up when one lives with a woman. The Caretaker's Wife has also suggested that if the cats were fed more there would be less critters brought in to play with, but the Caretaker believes that the large proportion of playmates to dinner guests is clear evidence the cats are being fed much too much already, although, sensibilities being what they are, he would never actually dare to say soA few weeks ago there was a seminal event in our family life when the Caretaker did not respond quickly enough, and Herself got up, donned gloves, and rescued a vole from certain torment. This was a good thing because as our new kitty, Miss T, has grown out of kittenhood, the incidence of such events has increased as Barney is obviously conducting training exercises on how to "acquire" new friends at night. Thus it was that last night the "gentle nudge" began at 0210 hrs. Now, the Caretaker had only gotten into bed an hour earlier, having gone with friends to see a certain famous West Texas band at the Birchmere. Furthermore, in order to affect deep cover and fit in with the crowd, he had been obliged to drink copious quantities of fowl tasting liquids. And thus it was that his first response was to grunt and role over and bury his head deeper in his pillow, figuring that now that the Caretaker's Wife had proven on-the-job capabilities in such matters, pretending insensibility... and in fact not having to pretend too much... might be enough to make the problem go away. And so it seemed as the Caretaker's Wife eventually got out of bed.
Now folks, I can tell you that there are certain phrases that go right to the reptilian part of our brain just as joltingly as a firehouse siren... phrases like "declare Defcon-4" or "they're beating on your little brother" or "the house is on fire." We can now add to this list: "Oh my gosh... Barney just brought a big snake in the house!!" And of course it was probably that "house on fire " edge in her voice that had my body jumping out of bed before my mind was awake. And I'll tell you what else... afterwards I noted with some surprise that my body did not carry my head into the other room before putting shoes on an otherwise naked body, because the head was still dismissing the whole event as a bad dream... until I walked into the other room and there they all were... a frozen woman, two cats, and an eighteen inch snake slithering and squirming in the middle of the floor.
It was not long after the snake was dumped into the river and the humans back in bed... the Caretaker trying to soothe his still semi-rigid Wife... 0235 hrs actually... that we heard the plop of the cat door and then moments later Barney made his "I've-got-a-new-friend" sound again. The consternation of the humans hardly needs to be described. And who do you think got out of bed this time??? Fortunately, this time it was only a mouse. OK... it was a large mouse... the largest we had seen... large enough that we had to check to be sure Barney had not yet summoned the courage to tackle one of the Island rats... but who would have thought the Caretaker's Wife would ever reach the point to be able to express such happiness that it was "only" a mouse. Standard rescue-the-critter procedures were begun... but in fact the mouse proved more than a match for the Caretaker in his "delicate" condition... or the cats for that matter... as the mouse managed to disappear and the search was called off at around 0300 hrs.
It would be nice to report that this was the end of it, but upon making that "last trip to the Bathroom" before getting into bed the Caretaker's Wife almost stepped on the first of this season's large spiders... and it was with a dark mood that she took to bed in refuge. It was while laying in bed with his unsleeping Wife and listening to the cats searching the living room for the mouse that the Caretaker had a horrible thought: How many other times had such cat toys been brought in at night and then been lost or had escaped into the quarters when Barney had become bored? How tentative and impermanent everything is... for although while living on the Island the Caretaker's Wife has, to her great credit, developed into a real "Conostoga Woman"... who could now move an indoor flower pot and discover a hiding mouse with a chuckle... suddenly finding a snake in the house would have her sending the Caretaker to the want ads. And it was while roaming this dreary line of thought that came one of those wonderful flashes of insight that laid open the answer to one of the Great Mysteries of the Island. There has never been a known answer to that inevitable question that comes immediately when anyone peers into the Caretaker's bedroom for the first time: Why did one of our predecessors build the bed almost 4 feet out of the floor so that you need a ladder to get into it? Now I think we know.
Saturday -- March 11, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 3.6 Water Temperature: 55
With these rains moving through the area the river is rising, but should not approach Island-closing levels until Monday morning.
It is a rainy day that would be dreary but for the brilliant yellows of the daffodils and forsythia, which are now coming to peak. I do not remember so many forsythia growing in so many out of the way parts of the Island, and wonder if they are very young or just reviving from the '96 floods. The bud extrusions that precede leafing are already shortening the Island viewshed, and before the first greening of new leaves gives a mistiness to long views, I must take this opportunity to wonder again at the increased visibility of the eight mansions across the river. I do not remember seeing more than a sometimes light during the early 90's... surely they have been removing trees over there... or at least doing extensive limbing up... and what about new construction?? They can even be seen during the day , especially from the bottom of the Island and at night the far shore is all lit up like a sub division. I do not remember this from ten years ago. I have already remarked upon the new building of last year that now overlooks the Island even when the Virginia shore is in full leaf. Does anyone know what is going on over there??? Shouldn't Members care??? Are laws being broken??? Surely this is ample reason to support the Potomac Conservancy.
Monday -- March 13, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.1 Water Temperature:48
What a sparkling morning... something about the light this morning makes everything look especially brilliant down here (...meaning down here in the river basin at the bottom of a quarter mile long hill as opposed to "up there" where the rest of you poor folk are required to live). But the river is rising from the recent rains... and rising very rapidly... NOAA forecasts that: "LITTLE FALLS IS EXPECTED TO REACH HAZARDOUS LEVELS LATER TODAY. " S0 stay tuned, it appears the Island will be closed Tuesday but re-open Wednesday.
Jack Colwell called Saturday afternoon to report that from his house six swans could be seen near the white warning buoys between the Island and Little Falls. Apparently they stop over for a day each year on their way to summer quarters at the Delaware Eastern shore. Frequently on the towpath, he also reported that the actual physical river gauge at Little Falls had been taken down, and it was no longer possible to take note of the river level when walking by. More intriguing, while recently hiking along Turkey Run with a friend surmising that it was a shame turkeys no longer lived there, one appeared as if on cue. Also on Saturday evening the cormorants were up to their loud mating ritual again, cutting up like it were downtown Saturday night again. They were sort of quiet all week and I have no idea why their cycle should correspond to ours.
Tuesday -- March 14, 2000 -- The Club is CLOSED
Water Level at Little Falls: 5.2 Water Temperature: 48
Last night the river rose above 5 feet at the Little Falls gauge, so the island is closed. However, if the river crests this morning as forecast, and then starts to fall close to the 5 foot level , we may open this afternoon none the less.
Today we can add to the "First List" the first vinca minor flowers, the first violet flowers, the first Dutchman's Breeches flowers, and the first marsh marigold flowers. Frank Daspit has responded to our report of the occasional visits of a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers to our feeder with the following tip:
I read your comments about the Pileated Woodpeckers with interest. My
favorite Golden Guide (Birds of North America) that I gave you, has failed me
this time, but checking the other books it appears that it's shouldn't be too
hard to separate male and female Pileateds. The male is shown in the Golden
guide with the red crest coming all the way forward of the eye almost to the
bill, and a red moustache running back below the eye. The female, which the
Golden doesn't show, has no moustache, and the red crest stops behind the eye.
Wednesday -- March 15, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 5.00 Water Temperature: 50
The river is falling very slowly... as are the river gauges upstream... and so it is likely that the rains of Thursday and Friday will close the Island this weekend. Stay tuned !!
Last night while checking on the water level at about 2320 hrs there was a lot of big flecks of white foam on the water. I recalled being told that such could be naturally caused... especially by high water events. But my fist thought was a question about why it seemed that I always see it only at night. By big flecks of foam I mean pieces maybe 10 inches by 24 by 6 in height off of the water surface. I would like to be told by someone really knowledgeable that it was natural... but my first thought was of industrial dumping. I will make a note to see if I can observe this at any other time during the day. But in fact... it does seem that it is only to be seen beginning just before midnight... when it will have passed all metro areas and be in the bay by dawn.
The first trout lilies and first Solomon's seals have their heads up. There seem to be so many more this year. This is also true of the bluebells... last year there seemed to be, in addition to the usual clumps, a lot of single yearling plants... and this year there are a lot of both singles and doubles. Because of the drought of the last two years it has been that long since the lawn has been washed over, and we may enjoy the benefits of two years of wildflower re-seeding.
Thursday -- March 16, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.7 Water Temperature: 50
With the river already high and two days of rain moving into the area, NOAA has forecasts that the river will reach "three quarters bankfull" over the weekend. This means 7-8 feet, and it is thus likely that the Island will close tomorrow and remain closed all weekend.
Birders take note... there are a great number of strange and beautiful and new bird songs to be heard here now. Yesterday the first cowbird made an appearance, and a few days ago I neglected to report the first bats. There is no question that there has been an insect explosion down here the last couple of days and thus the insect eaters are expanding their northern limits.
And fishermen take note... the first fish are now jumping... not very many of them... but they are there. More importantly, the cormorants are now staying in the area during the day to feed... so there is a stirring out there. There are fewer ring bill gulls on the water, and one wonders if there is a good reason their numbers diminish as that of the cormorants increases. A visitor recently observed that in the morning light the gulls arriving en mass looked like a "great body of light moving across the sky."
Friday -- March 17, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.44 Water Temperature: 52
Yesterday's rains covered the area for almost 24 hours but in fact were not that heavy and did not drop prodigious amounts. The river will rise but not enough to close the Island this weekend. Because of the high water one of the steps on the towpath landing has come off and must be replaced when the water recedes. As there is some doubt how soon that will be... all visitors to the Island should "watch that step." There is one other step that should also be replaced, and fortunately we have the correct size of treated lumber on hand to do so. Yesterday some of the sandier areas were seeded with Kentucky bluegrass and today the Spring seeding will be completed while the ground is damp. Bluegrass is used in the Spring because the seed is too small to interest grazing geese and its smallness means it needs to absorb less water and sprouts in just a few days... lessening the chance of being washed away by heavy rains.
No one watches the radar picture on the satellite more than your Caretaker... who 's life and comforts are greatly affected by rainfall patterns and river level. And for some time it has been a pet peeve to note how rain bearing clouds approaching the DC area generally break-up or manage somehow to go around the Metro area, like a river current around a rock. A National Weather service study has just proven that in fact it is difficult for rain bearing clouds to form in and downwind of highly polluted urban areas... and thus the phenomenon has been verified and explained.
Thursday -- March 16, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.7 Water Temperature: 50
With the river already high and two days of rain moving into the area, NOAA has forecasts that the river will reach "three quarters bankfull" over the weekend. This means 7-8 feet, and it is thus likely that the Island will close tomorrow and remain closed all weekend.
Birders take note... there are a great number of strange and beautiful and new bird songs to be heard here now. Yesterday the first cowbird made an appearance, and a few days ago I neglected to report the first bats. There is no question that there has been an insect explosion down here the last couple of days and thus the insect eaters are expanding their northern limits.
And fishermen take note... the first fish are now jumping... not very many of them... but they are there. More importantly, the cormorants are now staying in the area during the day to feed... so there is a stirring out there. There are fewer ring bill gulls on the water, and one wonders if there is a good reason their numbers diminish as that of the cormorants increases. A visitor recently observed that in the morning light the gulls arriving en mass looked like a "great body of light moving across the sky."
Friday -- March 17, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.44 Water Temperature: 52
Yesterday's rains covered the area for almost 24 hours but in fact were not that heavy and did not drop prodigious amounts. The river will rise but not enough to close the Island this weekend. Because of the high water one of the steps on the towpath landing has come off and must be replaced when the water recedes. As there is some doubt how soon that will be... all visitors to the Island should "watch that step." There is one other step that should also be replaced, and fortunately we have the correct size of treated lumber on hand to do so. Yesterday some of the sandier areas were seeded with Kentucky bluegrass and today the Spring seeding will be completed while the ground is damp. Bluegrass is used in the Spring because the seed is too small to interest grazing geese and its smallness means it needs to absorb less water and sprouts in just a few days... lessening the chance of being washed away by heavy rains.
No one watches the radar picture on the satellite more than your Caretaker... who 's life and comforts are greatly affected by rainfall patterns and river level. And for some time it has been a pet peeve to note how rain bearing clouds approaching the DC area generally break-up or manage somehow to go around the Metro area, like a river current around a rock. A National Weather service study has just proven that in fact it is difficult for rain bearing clouds to form in and downwind of highly polluted urban areas... and thus the phenomenon has been verified and explained.
Saturday -- March 18, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.3 Water Temperature: 48
Alan Gelb brought down the new "Private Members Only" sign yesterday, and it has duly been attached to the Club sign at the towpath landing. We discussed the possibility of having a Member's Camp Night, in which a Friday evening would be stipulated... either the Friday before Mother's Day or the one before Father's Day... wherein Members and their children (only) would camp out and meet each other. Perhaps the next day a canoeing event could be held for Parents and children to participate in... such as paddling up river in the canal and then portaging across to the river for a leisurely trip home. This would be a supervised expedition led by a Club expert. It would be a great chance for the children to share a bonding experience... to learn about the river... about a route they might take on their own sometime... about canoeing safety... and about becoming familiar with the river basin up from the Island. Stay tuned and watch your Islander.
Monday -- March 20, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.1 Water Temperature: 47
Happy equinox!! Twelve hours of daylight and night today. The weekend was cold and damp but many of you could not resist the sun on Sat and fetched up here anyway. Iris Miller came down to show the Island to family, and cheerfully left husband and dog on the towpath. However, she floated an idea not heard before: Members with dogs frequently leave them tied up at the towpath steps. She is the first to agree that dogs should not be allowed to run the Island... even on leash... but wonders if there could not be a "designated tie up place" on the Island itself where dogs could be chained on this side of the water.
At dusk on Saturday night I donned arctic garb and went to sit by the swimming area to see if there would be a repeat of "Cormorant Saturday Night Behaviour." But cormorant estrus seems to be over, and things were pretty subdued. They still cluster in the same group of trees near the water on Ruppert's Island that the Caretaker's Wife calls "Cormorant Hotel," and the number are increasing... 78 at last count.
Tuesday -- March 21, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.0 Water Temperature: 47
You will not be surprised that with all this rain the river levels are forecast to reach hazardous stages tomorrow morning. River levels are expected to pass 6 ft Thursday morning, and thus the Island may be closed right through the weekend. Stay tuned.
We discovered yesterday that sometime Sunday someone had tried to dismantle the collection of materials piled and stored on the swimming float. The swimming float walkway had been taken off... something that would have required several people. Several pieces of lumber were thrown about the swimming area lawn, stored flotation foam had been strewn about, the metal pole in the ground that the inner tubes are stacked upon had been pulled out of the ground and was found near a distant picnic table, and the excess metal cabling attaching the float to the tree had been pulled out into the walkway and tumbled dangerously about. Why this would have been done is a mystery, unless it was little children at play, and in fact the only possible people here on Sunday was a Pass Card Member with five children... although there is a question if the children were big enough to pick up and move the walkway. This person was called and said that it could have been his children... after all no one else was here, that when he eventually went to that end of the Island the deed had already been done and he left things the way they were, but agreed it was naughty if it was them. I asked him to find out for sure and call me back, explaining why it was important to know if it were them or if it was vandals who had come onto the Island. Nothing was damaged, but the way in which it was left, even if just by kids playing, was borderline vandalism.
Things like this are a good reason to institute a substitute caretaker's log... a separate book upstairs in which all substitute caretakers should make an entry during their duty if only to report on the weather. Many things may be noticed by the Sunday caretakers that are not serious enough to call someone about the next day, but might be noted and thus reported if there were a tradition of having to write something, if only anything, in the Island log. I would then re-write it Monday morning for the regular Island log, and we would then have entries for Sunday... which we do not have at present.
Wednesday -- March 22, 2000 -- The Club is CLOSED
Water Level at Little Falls: 5.2 Water Temperature: 45
River forecasts suggest that the Island will be closed at least until Saturday. Snow has and is falling in the upper elevations of our river basin, and whether or not the Island will re-open this weekend will depend upon what the warms temperatures of the next two days will do. Stay tuned!!
It's cold... it's bone chillingly damp... it's cloudy and darkish... but the fresh green color of the new growth on the Island is luminescent... it fairly glows... and with the ground saturated by this week's rains it is easy to see why the metaphor of plants "bursting out" is so common... as though the ground water pressure is acting like a great inverted garlic press in forcing the new growth out of the ground.
Members may notice a new light has been installed in the eaves of one of the canoe sheds, pointing out towards the Club canoes. This is not to facilitate late night canoeing, but to allow the Caretaker to monitor the night-time rise of water toward the canoes at that part of the Island from the dry and warm sanctity of his quarters, and then to function as a work light should it be necessary to dash out and implement the high water protocol at night.
Thursday -- March 23, 2000 -- The Club is CLOSED
Water Level at Little Falls: 7.0 Water Temperature: 44
The river has crested this morning at 7 feet, but there will be a secondary crest at 7.5 feet later this evening because of up river snow melt. The forecast for Saturday is near 6 feet, so the Island will be likely be closed Sunday also. Stay tuned.
During our tenure here we have followed and believed in the "Paw Paw Rule," much touted by the old river hands and promulgated by famous Caretaker Ken Fassler. This maintains that there is a hydrological relationship between the river level at Paw Paw and that at Little Falls... to wit, that looking at the river gauge level at Paw Paw and dividing it by half you will get what will be the river gauge level at Little Falls in about 36 hours. And in fact this was a warning made time after time by predecessor Peter Jones: forget the NOAA river level forecast for Little Falls... they are notoriously low and dangerously misleading to anyone living on an Island near Little Falls... look instead to the "Paw Paw Rule" to determine if one should get the canoes out of their racks and implement high water emergency procedures... or abandon the Island, for that matter.
For three years and many high water events this rule has guided us unerringly... with one freakish exception. So you can imagine how eyebrows arched during the flood of ten days ago, when the frantic preparations upon noting a 20 ft crest at Paw Paw were followed by "merely" a 7 ft crest at Little falls. And this morning, following a 10 ft crest yesterday at Paw Paw, the level is 7 ft at Little Falls and rising fast. What a fickle mistress our river... and I would bet my insubstantial fortune that in those languages where nouns are gender denominated... that the word for "river" is always feminine.
Friday -- March 24, 2000 -- The Club is CLOSED
Water Level at Little Falls: 6.41 Water Temperature: 46
The other afternoon I was sitting in the area known as the Caretaker's Yard... that area just below our great room... engrossed in my continuing study of the impact of goose feet on emerging trout lilies... trying not to upset them by following too closely for my observations... when our kitty Miss "T" came down the little slope from the front door. This is her first Spring, a wondrous event to coincide with her adolescence and filled with new experiences of every stripe. For some weeks she and the geese have been working out their relationship... they with a wary eye and she with great enthusiasm in discovering that birds could get so big. At first she would go bounding out with the unpent energy of new Spring... her sudden movements causing the geese to start and sometimes to be startled into jumping back with a flurry of wings. So much fun to get them riled and squawking. But they quickly got her number, and began to hold their ground, and so until now there has been wary dance as they felt out the boundary of each other's personal space... studying each other and then ignoring each other with practised nonchalance... Miss "T" stalking and playing without actually ever charging and threatening except by manoeuvre. Great play for young cats... but nothing too serious. But of course everything is serious in Goose World, and it has seemed as though the geese have begun to develop the disdain that all wild things instinctively feel towards those lucky, privileged members of the animal kingdom that eat from cans... as though recognizing that the lack of seriousness indicates the killer instinct of hunger is missing.
And so, as I sat in the middle of the yard and Miss "T" made as if to come to me, I prepared to watch the dance. Instead, I was witness to the humiliating education of a young cat... her world changed forever. No more of this walking around each other warily. The geese attacked! In matters of goose territoriality it is mostly the male goose that toes it up. But in this case it was the female that charged with single minded determination every time Miss "T" tried to enter the yard. And she tried to get to my chair from almost every direction, backing and making great detours. But no matter how far across the yard the female goose might be, she would come charging and honking and flying across to deny any part of the yard to Miss "T," and at one point chased her ignominiously back up the hill to the safety of the Clubhouse steps. Obviously we are close to nesting time and any possible interloper must be made aware of the proper order of things. Such humiliation for such a young and previously undaunted kitty, who now seems to devote her energies to little bugs instead of birds bigger than she is. I have wondered if this might be the reason our large Czech cat, Barney, never comes out during the day when the geese roam the Island: fear of humiliation.
By the way, although I have worried about the effect of large geese as they go trampling around the Island, it appears that except for the snapable daylilys, there is an evolutionary imperative that everything else growing here is able to survive large goose feet... unlike the impact of human feet.
Saturday -- March 25, 2000 -- The Club is CLOSED
Water Level at Little Falls: 5.9 Water Temperature: 48
This weekend is a good time to publish the present policy on when the Club/Island is closed because of high water conditions. These conditions should be known by the Members and therefore should be defined clearly and publicly... and be reviewable. The Club Captain is always informed and consulted about Club closings. The Island is closed when the water level at the Little Falls gauge is above 5 feet and rising. This is the level at which the river is declared hazardous to recreational use by NOAA, and thus an insurance liability threshold. Club canoes may not be used above this level. The ferry becomes increasingly difficult to operate above this level, and should not be operated even by the regular Caretaker without the high water safety chains, which are extra chains added to the regular safety chains to allow the trailing end of the ferry to swing around further down river and farther from the safety line. Above 5 feet it is increasingly difficult to get onto the ferry from the towpath landing, especially since the new iron hand rail makes it difficult to get the ferry close, especially without banging up the ferry, and oldsters and youngsters need to be particularly nimble to get aboard. Above 5.5 feet the river starts to rise over the ferry landing on the Island, and thus only wet or booted feet come onto the Island. When rising the river can do so suddenly and quickly, and thus go from 5 to 5.5 feet in a couple of hours.
The Caretaker may open the Island when the river level is below 5.5 feet and falling. The river frequently rises quickly but falls slowly. The limiting factor here is usually the wind, as a brisk up-river wind can blow even a burly ferry person off the ferry rope when combined with high, fast water. The Captain has decided that only the regular Caretaker is authorized to operate the ferry above 5 feet, and therefore the Island is closed any Sunday the water level is above the hazardous level. This decision has been reinforced by previous attempts to allow substitute caretakers to operate the ferry between 5 and 5.5 feet... and the several incidents that have resulted. River levels and forecasts can be monitored on the back page of the Washington post Metro section. The river is forecast to be 5.5 feet tomorrow morning and 5.3 feet the morning after. Because tomorrow is Sunday, the Island will be closed.
By the way... the Caretaker is obliged to report that he has received a telephone call from the Caretaker's Mother (fortunately the only one who reads these missives) and chastised soundly for his comments in the 23 Mar log about rivers and women.
Monday -- March 27, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 5.3 Water Temperature: 52
This is an Official Club Announcement!! Stop what you are doing right now!! Come immediately to Sycamore Island by any means at your disposal.!!! Spring is open on the Island!!!
This realization that some sort of critical mass had been reached occurred Saturday when it was suddenly apparent that the grass was gaining on the geese. There is now more green than bare brown on the lawn... most things have their heads up at least... and people can now bring their clueless feet on the Island without doing irreparable harm. The bluebells are bluing nicely, maybe only 20% so far, but even so it is quite a show. We will probably have an extended bluebell season this year because most are only an inch or so out of the ground. Actually we do not have a lawn, and will not until June. What we do have is an amazing wildflower garden resulting from the re-seeding that was possible because there have been no flood waters over the lawn now for two years. I wish some of you old-timers would come down here and put your eyes on this and tell me how it compares with lawns before the '96 floods. I remember the first year we were here a gentleman came down and expressed disappointment at the paucity of dog toothed violets, when in fact they seemed to be strewn everywhere. But this year they have appeared in the lawn by the zillions... and so too the regular violets, the Dutchman's breeches, the stars of Bethlehem, the marsh mallow, the Solomon's seal, a few so far unidentified, and of course the Spring beauties. Your Caretaker will again resist all pressure to mow anything except paths until they have all set seed.
Also the Island now has its first nesting goose... the location of said eggs to be kept secret to protect them from frivolous Members and unaccompanied children. However, our main goose couple is again constructing a nest in the root ball of the over turned sycamore tree near the Captain's float, and we will again this year have a "public" nest for everyone to see. There seem to be less geese this year, perhaps only 6 regular couples on the Island, and perhaps less than last year spending the night at the foot of Ruppert's Island. It could be that the geese feel that the neighborhood is being run down by the crowds at Hotel Cormorant there.
Your Caretaker was reflecting on these things and selfishly considering any justification to keep this announcement secret and the crowds at bay, when a cowbird landed and ran across the lawn. Of course... that was it... there are not yet any robins, the traditional sign... ergo the announcement must be postponed. The thought had only just fully formed before the first robin of the year landed and ran across the yard in characteristic fashion. So there you have it... I am commanded from above to tell you... get yourselves down here!
Tuesday -- March 28, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 5.11 Water Temperature: 53
This morning there was a terrific goose fight... the Caretaker's Wife had to run out and break it up before they hurt each other. Members think we live this idyllic life down here, but in fact at this time of year it is like living in a very busy and very loud immigrant neighborhood with all the attendant squawking, squabbling, and squealing. There is a lot of coming and going and fighting and arguing... and not just from the geese. Some days the bird sound can drown out the airplanes. Imagine!!
Yesterday morning flock after flock of cormorants came flying in... about twenty to a flock. There are over two hundred now hanging about Hotel Cormorant up at Ruppert's. The water is still high and fast so their usual rocks and half-submerged branches are not available, and they cluster in the trees and especially like the tree on the islet between Sycamore and Ruppert's, so we can get a good look at them. A tree trunk came down the river and a bunch crowded on as though to take an adventure and as it passed close to us one could see they were having a grand ole time of it... but also as they sailed merrily down river there was an Alice in Wonderland aspect to it. There is something buzzard like in the way cormorants look when hanging out in trees... as though they are "lurking" and waiting for something to happen. With over two hundred lurking about one might wonder if they have also heard that the fish ladder is complete... or maybe it is just that time of year. What could they be waiting for??? Fisherpersons take note!!
Thursday -- March 30, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.7 Water Temperature: 52
There he was... sitting on the screen porch watching the rain... listening to the faint and distant thunder... when lightning struck just across the towpath. It was definitely the closest the Caretaker had ever been to a strike, and there seemed some ionized property to the air. Rushing inside, Wife and cats were fraught, but it was immediately apparent where the slang originated to say a computer is "fried." It is the smell!! Two in-line surge protectors were not tripped, so it came down the telephone line again. This means that lightning has destroyed the Island computer once every year for the last three years. Immediate gloom and depression descended. It was only later that the thought of a silver lining occurred. What... no responsibilities for the Caretaker's Log... no chasing and pleading with the indifferent muse? Is that so bad? No... but when this was discussed with the Caretaker's Wife it was made clear that, of course he did not think she expected to be without e-mail for more than a day? And that of course he would handle it immediately... wouldn't he? Well, fortunately Club President Tryon Wells was able to come to the rescue with a loaner until the Island computer is fixed. Clearly, the best purchase this family has made was the in-house extended warranty, which has computer repair people walking down that hill at least twice a year, instead of us carrying heavy boxes up. And thus you have the excuse why there was no log entry for yesterday.
Friday -- March 31, 2000 -- The Club is OPEN
Water Level at Little Falls: 4.5 Water Temperature: 53
Our first intrepid fishermen, the brothers McCoy, came out yesterday to try out the post fish ladder situation. First by canoe, then at the Captain's float upon returning to the Island, they could only report one catfish for their efforts. The water is still pretty high and fast... but we see more herons and cormorants every day, so something must be happening.
This morning there was another ferocious goose fight between the alpha male whose mate is nesting on the downed sycamore root ball, and the couple trying to establish their nest on top of the canoe shed. Seems alpha male has determined that even the canoe shed is in his domain and it remains to be seen whether or not we will have a goose nest on top again this year or not. Stay tuned for more exciting neighborhood gossip.
Also early this morning there were seashore sounds as a stream of big, black winged gulls flew up river, migrating probably, as the sounds made me appreciate how different these were from our usual all-white gulls on the river who never seem to make any noise at all. Consulting the field guide I could not readily tell which they were.
Oh... and lest we forget... an important announcement: In preparation for the river clean-up day coming just on the day after tomorrow, the water has been turned on in the Clubhouse. Caretakers hate such events because, for instance, one of the ladies' toilets leaks between the seat and the water tank in some inconceivable way and the kitchen faucet now drips, both conditions that did not exist when the water was turned off last fall.
