The Wednesday Wetness

With help from Rodelio Tabotabo:

 Rodelio Tabotabo: Molchanov Certified Freediver, Underwater Videographer/Photographer, Cebu City

The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: Boots & Bikinis up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

 With Your Favorite Mermaid:

kira@kirajbeltran  | hawaii | adventures, ocean, boat & island life 🏝️

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: All You Can Eat marinated and ready for consumption at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

With Joy Noval

From Bethesda Today, Proposed data center in Dickerson would use Potomac River water for cooling

Dickerson was the site of a large coal burning power plant that used Potomac water for cooling. I can't imagine a data center would produce worse water. 

Blake Dodge @dodgeblake, "Data centers are not really causing water problems. You shouldn't put one just anywhere. But even if they triple by 2030, they’d require just 8% of the water consumed by US golf courses, as I reported for @PirateWires based on @AndyMasley's work. Stop the AI water doomerism."

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: But First, Coffee awaiting your digital amusement at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Kari Nautique@kari.nautique  Entrepreneur 📸 Sober Supermodel & Producer 

🏋️‍♀️ Fitness & Freediving 🧜‍♀️🏡 Recovery Residences ✝️ JESUS is Lord 🙏

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Terrain Features up on time and under budget.

News from MDDNR

Two missives from Maryland DNR. First, Public Should Report Marine Mammal and Turtle Sightings and Strandings in Maryland to DNR

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks residents and visitors enjoying coastal and tidal waterways to remain alert for marine mammals and sea turtles into summer through early fall.

Dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, whales, and other marine wildlife are regular seasonal visitors to the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, the Atlantic Ocean, and coastal bays. So far in 2025, Maryland has reported a higher-than-average number of strandings.

The five-year average (2020–2024) for marine mammal strandings in Maryland from January to May was 10 cases. As of June, the stranding program has responded to 29 animals.

 

Anyone who sees a marine mammal or sea turtle in Maryland waters is encouraged to report it via the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline, 800-628-9944, or use a simple online form to report deceased marine mammals or sea turtles. Anglers, boaters, and beachgoers should especially be on the lookout for stranded, dead, sick, injured, or entangled animals.

“Citizen reports allow us to have eyes on Maryland’s 3,190 miles of tidal coastline,” said Stranding Response Program Coordinator Amanda Weschler. “The data provided about each deceased animal and the select necropsies we perform contribute valuable information to the scientific understanding of the challenges protected species face in our waters.”

Since 1990, Maryland’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program ha s collected reports of more than 1,590 strandings.

One of the first cases the staff responded to in April was a West Indian manatee, reported by a private citizen kayaking on the Pocomoke River in Worcester County. DNR biologists determined that it likely stranded in late summer or early fall of 2024.

This was the first known stranded manatee in Maryland since November 2016. West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) are considered an “out-of-habitat” species in Maryland, making this sighting particularly rare.

Other animal strandings to which DNR has responded in 2025 are:

• 13 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
• Two grey seals (Halichoerus grypus)
• One harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
• One humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
• Five loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)
• One minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
• Five short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)

Not all reported animals are viable for necropsy due to factors such as decomposition, resource availability, and the accessibility and safety of the stranding site. In cases where necropsy is not feasible, Stranding Program staff collect morphometric data, stranding location information, and take photographs. The deceased animal may be left at the stranding site to decompose naturally, benefiting the ecosystem. Alternate disposal methods include burial on-site or removal to designated disposal facilities, depending on the circumstances and local regulations. A list of relevant contacts for individuals seeking assistance with disposal is listed on the DNR website.

The department urges anyone who encounters a stranded animal, alive or dead, to maintain a safe and respectful distance and record details, including photos, to provide with a report.

I haven't found anything recently, but a few years ago, a dead dolphin washed up at Matoaka and a few years before that a sea turtle on Calvert Beach.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Rolling out New Licensing System, MD Outdoors

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will introduce its new online licensing system, MD Outdoors, on June 24. This centralized system replaces the current system, COMPASS.

MD Outdoors will continue to offer products for all outdoor activities, including all Maryland hunting and fishing licenses and associated stamps and permits, boat and off-road vehicle renewal registration, and other services that will be available in this one convenient location. The system is designed to streamline the process of renewing licenses and permits as well as make it easier and more simple for new and returning customers.

Current license-holders will retain their DNR ID number; the new website will provide clear instructions on creating a new username and password for MD Outdoors, where customers can retrieve their account information. The new system includes auto-renew options, an easier-to-navigate interface, and an app that stores your license information, and can help direct people to new hunting and fishing opportunities. Other benefits and capabilities will be added in the future.

Along with improvements in the user experience, Maryland for the first time is offering the purchase of durable license cards that demonstrate fishing and hunting license validity. These rugged, collectable cards feature various images of Maryland fish and wildlife. 

That reminds me. My fishing license expires July 1. I might as well go over and check out the new site.  

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Overall Beauty up more or less on time and under budget.

Beach Report 5/2/25

A great spring, or even proto-summer day. Temps in the 70s, just a bit of humidity sneaking in.

The tide was about half way down when we started walking, and there was a good amount of gravel and shell hash to look through, and very little wave action to make it difficult. 

Georgia scored her third cow shark tooth for the week, although this one might be considered a calf shark. She also found a nice upper Snaggletooth that beat the current tooth occupying the kitchen window sill.

This little snaggletooth I found has the most unusual colors I've ever seen. The photo doesn't do it justice, but the center of the bladem on both sides was brick red.

The I stumbled onto this Snaggletooth that beat Georgia's by 1/16 of an inch, although it's much more robust. 35 teeth in all. 

I ran into a big Northern Watersnake sunning itself on the beach. It didn't stay around for a photo op, but this Common Snapping Turtle did. It wasn't all that happy about me, but I put him back in the bay.

Baby It's Cold Outside

And getting colder. MDDNR, Marylanders Asked to Stay Alert For Cold-Stunned Aquatic Wildlife

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks those visiting the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic coast to be vigilant of sea turtles who exhibit signs of cold-stunning, a condition that causes animals to become debilitated and experience hypothermia-like symptoms due to prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.

Cold-stunning typically occurs in late autumn and early winter when water temperatures begin to fall or when temperatures drop rapidly in a 24-hour period. Lethargic and unresponsive animals can be a danger to themselves and potentially to boaters. Cold-stunning can ultimately be lethal to certain species.

Stranding Network members respond to thousands of cold-stunned sea turtles along the Atlantic Coast annually. During the cold-stunning season, Stranding Response Program staff remain informed through weekly updates provided by NOAA. As of December 12, a total of 858 sea turtles have been reported nationwide, with most of them (more than 700 sea turtles) stranding in Massachusetts.

While this condition typically affects sea turtles, West Indian Manatees are also susceptible and have occasionally been reported in Maryland during winter. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program responded to a deceased, cold-stunned manatee in late November 2016, which was found stranded at the Dundalk Marine Terminal.

Anyone who sees a lethargic, floating, debilitated, or deceased sea turtle or marine mammal in Maryland waters or stranded onshore should maintain a safe distance and call the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline at 800-628-9944. The hotline is maintained 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

Marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The harassment, feeding, or collection of these species or their parts can result in fines, imprisonment, and/or the seizure of vessels and personal property.

As noted, sea turtles aren't very common, but not exceptionally rare in the Bay. Most of them manage to get back to the warmer ocean as the weather cools. Most. Manatees are indeed rare, but a few intrepid individuals do wander up from Florida most years and the ones that do are mostly immature males, by definition, not particularly particularly brilliant. 

The long term forecast show our weather descending into a persistent cold spell, with temperatures near 0 F predicted. Turtles and Manatees beware. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Smoke Break up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Happy World Turtle Day!

World Turtle Day is an annual observance held every May 23rd. It began in 2000 and is sponsored by American Tortoise Rescue. The day was created as a yearly observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats, as well as to encourage human action to help them survive and thrive. A study on the effects of biodiversity awareness days listed World Turtle Day as an example of how they increase the internet search traffic on the protected species. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Pool’s Open up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Fish Pic Friday - Aly From Alabama

Alyssa Hall@alyfromalabama 📍 Sweet Home AL | 27 ♥️ God Bless | Roll Tide 🌲 In the woods | On the water 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 @southernoutdooradventures 🎥 1M on TikTok | 18K on YouTube youtube.com/@alyfromalabama?si=4UTFHjVYBTIMK9BF + 1

A tough one, she wrestles enormous catfish, alligators, snapping turtles and snakes, hunts coyote, deer and wild boars. 

Linked at the Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Blast From The Pas up and ready for your digital pleasure.

DNR on the Watch for Cold Turtles

 WRDE CoastTV, Look out for cold stunned sea turtles

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is issuing a timely advisory to all visitors of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Coast, urging them to remain vigilant for signs of cold-stunned sea turtles.

Cold-stunning is a condition that can severely debilitate these marine animals, leading to hypothermia-like symptoms caused by prolonged exposure to cold water temperatures. Typically occurring during late autumn and early winter, cold-stunning becomes a significant concern as water temperatures start to drop, or when temperatures experience a rapid decline within a 24-hour period. Lethargic and unresponsive sea turtles pose not only a risk to themselves but also to boaters navigating the coastal waters. This condition can prove deadly for certain species, prompting Stranding Network members to respond to thousands of cold-stunned sea turtle incidents along the Atlantic Coast annually.

To ensure the safety and well-being of these vulnerable creatures, the Maryland DNR emphasizes that anyone encountering a lethargic, floating, debilitated, or deceased sea turtle or marine mammal in Maryland waters or stranded onshore should exercise caution by maintaining a safe distance and promptly contacting the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline at 800-628-9944. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

I've seen live sea turtles a few times in Chesapeake Bay, but to be honest, I've probably seen more dead and washed up than alive, suggesting there are more  around than you might suspect. I remember one time I was out fishing by myself, and a turtle's head popped up near the boat, looked around, saw me move, and ducked back down and disappeared. It was kind of cool. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Happy New Year! ready at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Pennsylvania DEP, DEP Releases Draft 2024 Pennsylvania Integrated Water Quality Report

DEP submits the Integrated Water Quality Report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the public every two years, as required by the federal Clean Water Act of 1972. Pennsylvania waters are assessed for one or more of four uses—drinking water, fish consumption, aquatic life, and recreational use—and determined to be supporting or impaired. A waterway is classified as “impaired” when it is not meeting water quality standards.

The interactive map in the “2022 to 2024 Changes” section makes it easy for Pennsylvanians to see whether their local lake or stream is supporting or impaired and whether this reflects a change in status over the past two years. With one click, users can see the details on which use (or uses) DEP assessed the waterway for. If it is impaired, they can see both the cause and the source.

For the 2024 report, DEP expanded assessment of waterways, with 7,566 stream miles and 103,777 public lake acres newly assessed or reassessed for a use. The 2024 report also shows water quality restoration, noting that since 2004, approximately 967 miles of streams and 28,727 acres of public lakes have been restored. A color-coded interactive map shows which waterways have been restored for which uses and when.

 The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: One Last Glimpse Of Bikini up at The Other McCain.

Beach Report 6/2/23

A very summery day, with temperatures around 80,  and a touch of humidity. There was no wind, and the bay was slick calm, except for occasional boat wakes.

A pretty good crowd at the beach, despite a lot of crud (mostly partly chewed up leaf litter) in the shallow water, especially in the lee of the jetty.

Sex on the beach:

MDDNR, Annual Horseshoe Crab Migration Returning to Maryland

There were many schools of "peanut bunker", juvenile Menhaden circling around in the shallows. I didn't see anything chasing them.

A fly-by from one of the small local sea planes.

It wasn't really a great day for fossils, only around 10 teeth, but this ray scute is one of the nicest ones I've found. From the light color, I was afraid it might be fresh, but it seems fossilized. The other little thing is complete ray dental bar. 

I found this little fellow down between the boulders way up the beach. It seemed like an odd, and bad place for a box turtle, he might drown when the tide gets all the way up, and from the clay smear on his carapace it looks like he fell off the top of the cliff. I carried him down the beach, and set him in a suitable looking brush pile,

Wednesday Wetness

With Gádor Muntaner@gadormunta Marine Scientist 🐚 Shark Conservationist & Researcher🦈 @natgeoesp Ambassador 🌊 📩 collab:gador@swaymgmt.es @aqualungdivers & @onlyone Ambassador🤍

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: 2B or not 2B up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

The Wombat has Late Night With Rule 5 Sunday: World Cup Edition waiting at The Other McCain.

Gone Fishin'

But definitely not like this:

Back later with pictures and stories, I hope.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Dina Meyer up at The Other McCain, on time and under budget.

Fish Pic Friday - Oceanic Barbie

Well monikered:

Instagram, Shy 🎣🧜🏻‍♀️ Public FigurePassionate fisher 💜🌻Light to those who need it. Prostaff: @southernsaltcoastal @big_nic_fishing @dorado_dreams @draggn_bottom - Dm for discount code.

She seems to fish from piers quite a lot, and has caught an astonishing number of different fish. She could afford to eat a couple of them.

Linked at Proof Positive in the weekly Best of the Web* and at the Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Danielle Rose Russell and FMJRA 2.0: Totem up on time at The Other McCain.

Beach Report 6/8/21

This bunny was still in the camera from a few days ago. I saw it before Skye, so I got a decent shot of it.

The ancient mariner, also in the camera from earlier.

Our smallest butterfly, the Eastern Tailed-Blue. 

An American Lady, somewhat worse for wear, and hidden in the grass at the boat yard. 

I found this baby turtle sitting on a rock in the harbor. It might be a Map Turtle or a Painted Turtle, I'm not sure which.

A bit of a red tide today. It wasn't here yesterday.

Temperatures were in the upper 80s at home today, but only lower 80's at the beach. And a bit of a breeze from the south helped.

The best of 34 generally unremarkable shark's teeth, a small White Shark (hastalis), I think. Oh, and 1 Drum tooth.

The beginning of the area we call the tangle. 

Extinction is Forever . . .

Except when it isn't, UPI, Scientists confirm discovery of giant tortoise believed extinct since 1906

A giant tortoise believed to have gone extinct more than 100 years ago has been found in the Galapagos Islands, and researchers are now preparing an expedition to see if more can be found.

Scientists from the California Academy of Sciences said the lone female turtle, identified with the chelonoidis phantasticus species, was found in 2019 on Fernandina Island during a joint expedition of the Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos Conservancy.

Yale University researcher Gisella Caccone and a team of geneticists performed an analysis on the tortoise and compared it with the last known specimen taken in 1906 for confirmation, according to the Galapagos National Park Facebook page.

"Rediscovery of this lost species may have happened just in time to save it," tortoise expert James Gibbs, vice president of science and conservation with the Galapagos Conservancy, said in a statement. "Now we urgently need to complete the search to find other turtles."

It would be nice if the could find a male on the island (as far as I know, the Galapagos Tortoise species are mostly endemic to a particular island (I think Darwin wrote a book about that). But if not, a hybrid, preserving half the genes could be an alternative. And I know just the turtles to do it:  COWABUNGA! THIS CENTURY-OLD TURTLE’S NO MUTANT, BUT MIGHT AS WELL BE AFTER SIRING 800 BABIES

Diego the horny tortoise

A 100-year-old giant tortoise named Diego and from the Galapagos' Española Island is retiring from controlled baby-making after he helped saved his entire species from extinction by fathering 800 children, reports The New York Times. Nearly eight decades after he was taken from his native habitat, Diego will finally return home to Española Island in March.

While Diego was one of several turtles participating in a breeding program at the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Center on the island of Santa Cruz, he "displayed an exceptional sex drive," according to the article. He joined the program in 1976 after living at the San Diego Zoo for 30 years. With his coital help, the Tortoise Center amazingly increased its shelled population from 15 to 2,000. Forty percent of those offspring were sired by — you guessed it — Diego himself. If you can believe it, though, he wasn't even the most feisty member of the bunch.

“Another more reserved, less charismatic male" produced 60% of the kids, according to James P. Gibbs, a professor of environmental and forest biology at the State University of New York in Syracuse, per the Times. A third male had virtually no progeny.

“It clearly is the other quieter male that has had much more success,” said Gibbs, according to the article. “Maybe he prefers to mate more at night."

The sly dog tortoise.

The Wednesday Wetness

 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Get In The Robot, Alegrachan ready to roll at The Other McCain.

Your Wednesday Wetness

 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Selina Kyle & Catwoman ready on time and under budget.