Wednesday, February 17, 2021

The Jawbone and Other Mysteries

 There we were, sailing across the Chesapeake in moderate winds when, something small and hard clattered into the cockpit from the masthead. For a moment were were terrified that i must be some critical pin, and that any moment the mast would go over the side. But upon closer inspection, it was a jawbone.

 
A brief Google search confirmed it was most probably from a raccoon.
 
 
But how did that get up there? I can only assume an owl was responsible, since I clean owl pellets off the deck now and them. Seems more likely than an osprey. 
 
 
 
But then what explains this chunk of asphalt, neatly lodged on my aft starboard aka? I doubt a bird carried it. Why would a racoon, and besides, there were no sings of attempted forced entry, which I would  expect if raccoons were about.

It's a puzzlement.

 

 



1 comment:

  1. Hey Drew, I stumbled onto your blog while stream of consciousness browsing the internet. As a climber/sailor and visitor to the Chesapeake region, I'm excited to have found a kindred spirit. Glad to see you're out this time of year, the folks here at Chesapeake Isle look at me like crazy as I tote the kayak down to the water in the near freezing temperatures. If you're looking for some company on a chilly day, I'd be more than happy to go for a rip! The content here is great, and I'm looking forward to checking out your book on anchoring. Cheers! -Steve

    ReplyDelete