Note added November 6, 2017: The mussels and foxtail reeds at this part of Money Island NJ were washed away with rising waters over the next several years. We now have a steel seawall at the location this photo was taken. It turns out that ribbed mussels, while edible, are never tasty. Cricket was our collie who lived in Pennsylvania, and it is not clear why she was visiting me then when I was living at the bay in NJ. Perhaps the intent was to have her keep me company.
Ice formed on the foxtail reeds after a day of 50mph west winds pulled moisture from the bay. Temperatures were in the 20s all day.
I planned an experiment to test the growth of marsh mussels as an edible species. The basic plan is to grow then in deeper water under an unused dock in Nantuxent Cove (rather than the intertidal waters as in this photo) in a less dense environment and as they approach 4″ then move them to filter in clean well water treated with salt and cornstarch. Hopefully this will address the naturally bitter taste of marsh mussels.
Cricket seems to love the cold weather and we walked a few miles today handling errands for neighbors.
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