Spring Comes to Charleston, SC

Well, I haven’t heard many complaints about the weather lately.  I was out with a kayak trip last Tuesday, and I think I managed to catch the worst of the last (hopefully) cold snap.  We were chipping 6 inches of ice out of the bottom of the kayaks and had to pour sea water on the straps to thaw them out and get them off of the trailer.  It was probably the coldest day I spent on the water this year.  By the time Friday rolled around and we went oystering, the highs were up close to 70.  Since then, we’ve seen the air temps hit 80 several times. 

The oysters are looking great right now, and this is about the fattest we will see them until next year.  The water is still relatively cool and is at 57 in the harbor right now.  We are going to get a good bit of NE wind the next few days along with some rain and cooler temperatures, so expect that to drop back down again.  Our oyster orders are looking good for the month of March, and Jeff and I will be out the next few days to get the 40 bushels we have ordered this week.  Give me a ring (843-345-6830) if you want to get your order in.

When the weather starts getting warmer, it makes me think about shrimp season.  Our long wait until shrimp festival and the blessing of the fleet is almost over.  The water managed to just barely stay above 45 degrees, so our shrimp catch should have survived for the upcoming season.  Most of the captains in McClellanville are starting to think about getting their boats ready for the season.  I’m starting to think about eating fresh shrimp.

The forecast doesn’t look too good for being on the water for the next few days, but Jeff and I will be out anyway, so check back for updates.  Until then, enjoy the weather.