Mossing Flotilla

Moss  Boats on Jordan Bay

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Every year, at some point during our vacation, we watch one or two small dory's cruising past our cottage windows from the Atlantic toward Enslow's Point.  This year there have been four our more dory's passing by in the form of a Flotilla.  What's going on?  It's time to gather Sea Moss.   

We watch one man per dingy lightly speeding by.  After several hours, we spy them on the return trip.  On return, each dingy is fully loaded with moss, heavy in the water, slowly heading toward town.  I do not know for sure, but it appears collecting sea moss is  a little side business when Lobster season is closed and the Georges Bank fishing boats have met their monthly quotas.  

The Sea Moss is sold and used as a thickening agent in food and it is also used in cosmetics.  Sea Moss, an all natural ingredient, is plentiful in Jordan Bay as well as other Bays in Shelburne County.  Seaweed is also abundant and is used in a variety of products, including garden compost. Unlike Sea Moss, Seaweed is so plentiful,  there is no need to search it out.

Watching the fully loaded boats on the return trip reminds me of raking leaves into a large pile on a sheet to be hauled away for compost.  You just keep adding a little more, until the entire pile is so large it is over flowing as you slowly drag it away.  

Friday Evening Fog