Weeds - reprise

I've already talked about the weeds in the lake this year. They're still completely crazy. I have some more photos to share.

The consensus on the island is that the weeds have never been this bad. You'll want to click to see the picture close up... it's better when it's bigger. That isn't a marshy spot in the photo, either. That's normally clear, wide-open lake right there with water about 8-9 feet deep.

Some popular theories about why they're so bad this year include the cold, wet spring - when the sun is hot and bright, the weeds pull away from the surface of the lake - or alternatively zebra mussels! They lake was badly infested with Zebra mussels in years past, the lake bottom is still littered with a blanket of jaggedy and sharp shells, but they're pretty much gone now. Zebra mussels are like little filters, cleaning lakes of pollution. Clearer water allows more sun to penetrate to the depths where the aquatic plants and algae thrive (thank you Wikipedia, font of all useless web knowledge.)

Whatever the reason, the lake is virtually choked with weeds this year. We can pass the afternoon entertaining ourselves on the porch by watching boats attempt to navigate across the weed mat.

That's good fun, that.

The floating weeds surrounding the dock were as bad this week as they were the week before, if not worse.

We picked up a cheapocheapo comb rake at Walmart, and I started shoving the mat of weeds around at the dock. It quickly became clear that I would put my back out in short order (there are somethings I just can't do anymore, shoving weeds while stooped over being one of them), so the captain graciously took over. On Father's day, no less. Is he not awesome? Sodden weeds weigh a metric tonne.

Dad and the captain shoved the weeds off to one side of the dock and pulled them up onto shore to dry out. I'm thinking of hauling them up to use in the bottom of my as-yet-non-existent garden bed. They'd make good compost, no? Free dirt!

What's a little depressing is that I know the next time we visit, the weeds will be just as bad as they were this time. Until we get a good hot stretch, I think 2011 will be "the year we battled the weeds".

At least my garden will be grateful.