General News: Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
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| A Blue Crab |
August 01, 2006
Temperatures in the 90s and a humidity index to match. For those who venture outside – and those lucky enough to seek relief on the water -- a world of nature at the height of summer awaits.
August marks a season when crabbers in the Hudson river can haul in plenty of full-size blue crabs in the highlands region, especially if the weather has warmed up the river waters.
If the water is salty enough, a situation that is fluctuates along with local weather patterns, more and more ocean fish can swim up the river to the highlands, including summer flounder, bluefish and weakfish.
August is also a time when young birds are venturing out on their wings, some preparing for their flights south. In the woods, berry-laden bushes attract black bears, so be careful if they find you nearby. Don’t feed or get too close if you see one on a trail.
The Hudson River Almanac reports that in August you can see some unusual sights in the water and along the banks:
“In August we begin to see the effects of another “river” - the Gulf Stream - on the Bight and the estuary. This wide band of warm water flows northward from the tropics. Each summer, tongues of this current spin off toward shore, depositing eggs, larvae, and juveniles of many marine species on our doorstep. Many of these are usually associated with warmer temperate or even tropical waters.
“Past finds include young bonefish and permit, both prized gamefish in the Florida Keys, and colorful reef fish such as spotfin butterflyfish and spotted trunkfish. Add to these exotics the many jacks, inshore lizardfish, pigfish, pinfish, and occasional sea turtle or small barracuda, and you begin to wonder why there are no coconut palms growing along the lower river in August.”
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