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What’s Going On Here?
I always find that February comes and
goes in a hectic flurry of activity. For such a short month, it always
seems to be packed full of projects and deadlines. Amid all the
commotion, thoughts of winter are temporarily pushed aside in the
Division of Parks and Recreation as we begin planning in earnest for the
coming spring and summer months.
While I normally enjoy this busy period,
the past few weeks have been filled with challenges and concerns both
big and small. It seems like everywhere I turn, things aren’t going
right. From silly accidents to more serious concerns, the world just
seems to be a bit “out of synch.”
It all began a few weeks ago when I
started a Sunday morning by breaking my toe. I’d like to say that I
accomplished this doing some “macho” activity. The truth of the
matter is it happened while I was cleaning up a mess our puppy,
Sketches, had deposited in the living room. Normally, this is a
distasteful but safe activity. On this particular morning, Sketches
decided to “creatively” change the rules and made it into a contact
sport. He watched with keen interest as I gathered up the mess intending
to toss it down the toilet. He took this to be a sign that playtime had
commenced. He repeatedly jumped at me in an excited frenzy attempting to
get to the “prize” in my hands. I tried to shoo him away and in the
process managed to slam my toe into the doorjamb of the powder room! In
that one painful moment, I knew without question the toe was broken.
Sketches mistook my hopping on one foot to be a sign that a new type of
game had begun. He joined in with renewed enthusiasm. With considerable
effort, I managed to successfully dispose of the waste and calm the dog.
As much as I wanted to be angry at Sketches, I had to admit it was my
own fault for not paying more attention to what I was doing.
While the injury to my toe was
inconvenient, I recognized it was hardly significant in the grander
scheme of things. It was simply another small item in a month that
didn’t seem to be going “right.” One thing after another left many
people feeling uneasy and disturbed. Among the issues were the national
tragedy of the Columbia space shuttle, escalating tensions between the
United State and Iraq, and tensions between the United State and North
Korea.
By mid-month, concerns over potential
chemical or biological terrorism had everyone running off to local
hardware stores to purchase sheets of plastic, duct tape, flashlights
and assorted other safety goods. It was often hard to sort through all
the information found in the media. Were these threats serious? How
should a reasonable person react?
The seriousness of the situation didn’t
really hit home until I attended a meeting concerning the ferry service
to Fort Delaware State Park. The service transports park visitors to the
fortress located on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. The Division
was informed that homeland security issues would require a number of
significant changes to the ferry service including security inspections
of visitors and their packages similar to those found at airports.
Visitors would also be required to show
identification prior to getting on the boat. In addition to this,
increased security staff would be necessary, as well as the development
of an overall safety plan. I was frankly stunned by these changes. After
all, they were talking about “quiet” little Fort Delaware. What was
going on here? Could the possibility of terrorism really exist at the
Fort? It seemed hard to conceive such a situation. I left that meeting
with a realization of how profoundly life in the USA had changed. Safety
in this “new” world was going to require a vigilance I never
imagined.
Winter Storm
Several days following the meeting,
Mother Nature decided to give much of the East Coast her own “wake
up” call. A powerful winter storm hit over President’s Day weekend
bringing near blizzard conditions. Compared to the rest of the state,
the resort area made out very well only getting about a foot of snow. Of
course, this was more than enough to bring the region to a complete
standstill. It took the better part of a week for most people to dig out
from the mess.
Our coastal parks experienced few major
problems as a result of the storm. While the snow and ice were a
nuisance, the greatest damage came from high winds and rough surf
conditions that pummeled the shoreline. At Cape Henlopen, the rough surf
created new and unfamiliar contours to the beach by over-washing several
areas of dunes. Sand eroded from many areas exposing forests of tree
stumps near the surf-line. These stumps are the remnants of ancient
cedar forests. Under normal conditions they typically rest under 5 to 10
feet of sand. Near Gordons Pond, the surf deposited thousands of
starfish along the beach. At Delaware Seashore, a similar bounty of live
whelks (commonly called “conch” shells) was deposited in several
locations in the park. Beachcombers soon discovered these unusual
treasure troves and came out in large numbers to see what else Mother
Nature had provided.
C onsidering the severity of the storm,
damage to the coastal parks was minimal. The only significant problem
was the loss of some boardwalk at the Cape Henlopen and Fenwick Island
bathhouses. All in all, we have to consider ourselves very lucky!
(Photo at left, damaged boardwalk at the Cape Henlopen Bath house.)
Looking Forward
As I look back over the past month, I
have to admit I’m glad to put February behind me. I’m really looking
forward to March and the start of spring. Hopefully, warm weather and
beautiful sunny skies are not too far off. In the meantime, my partner,
Bob, and I are off for a quick trip to Barcelona. If that doesn’t give
me a more optimistic outlook, then I don’t know what will!
For more information about upcoming
programs and activities, check out our website at www.destateparks.com.
And if you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, please
e-mail me at stephen.schilly@state.de.us.
Nature’s Best Bets
If you are looking for fun winter
activities, some “best bets” at Cape Henlopen Nature Center include:
Spring Peeper Serenade
Saturday, March 8, 7 p.m. • Learn about the courting behavior of frogs
and toads and then head out into the park to listen for calls of spring
peepers, chorus frogs, and other early spring amphibians. Limited to 25.
Pre-registration is required.
Rise with the Birds
Sundays, March 9 and March 30, 8 a.m. • Hike with a naturalist to
search for species of songbirds, seabirds, and raptors that may travel
through the park during their spring migration. Bring binoculars, a
scope if you have one, and a field guide. Limited to 12.
Pre-registration is required.
Journey by the Light of a Full Moon
Tuesday, March 18, 7 p.m. • Discover Cape Henlopen by night and take a
hike among the dunes with a park naturalist. Limited to 25.
Pre-registration is required. $2 per person.
Fresh Pond Exploration
Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. • Fresh Pond, located in Delaware Seashore
State Park is thriving with beach plum trees. We’ll travel by van from
Cape’s nature center to explore the grandeur of this pristine area.
This program is in celebration of Delaware’s Natural Areas.
Pre-registration is required. $3 per person.
For more information on these and other
park programs, contact the Seaside Nature Center at 302-645-6852.
Stephen Schilly is Park Operations
Administrator Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. He may be
reached at sschilly@state.de.us.
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