Of Books and Icebergs

Dear Bay Weekly:

We loved the Bay Weekly article on Bob Williams and the shrinking icebergs [In Search of Icebergs: Vol. 15, No. 44: Nov. 1] of which we became increasingly aware during our five and a half years in Canada. The territory Bob describes is familiar indeed — and so are the problems.

Bob is a fascinating man, living out my own dreams of adventure. Also good writing by Carrie Madren.

I’m glad there is so much mention of Annapolis Bookstore — the little old one is charming, but the new one is supposedly fantastic.

–Elisavietta Ritchie and Clyde Farnsworth, Broomes Island

North Beach, Save That Tree

Dear Bay Weekly:

I wanted to express a concern I have shared with the mayor of North Beach. One morning last week, I heard some activity next door. Outside, I saw a demolition crew about to tear down the vacant cottage on the lot next to me. I am pleased to see something positive done with this property, but I was upset to hear that the giant red oak that stands on the property line in the front yard was being considered for removal. This tree is a majestic oak, some 80-plus feet tall and very old. I wish any plans to destroy it would be reconsidered. As I understand, the building permits give the developer permission to cut this tree upon need or desire. This is a fairly large lot, and I hope the developer saves the tree. Beautiful trees like these make this community, and they don’t grow in a day. 

–Laura Dethloff, North Beach

Help Save the Bay with PooDooty

Dear Bay Weekly:

I quote the paragraphs below from Vol. xv No. 25 [June 21: Micro-monsters Lurk in Chesapeake Waters] of Bay Weekly online:

Dark dangers lurk in Chesapeake waters. It’s not Jaws that haunt our brackish estuary. Even jellyfish aren’t the darkest danger. It’s much smaller: vicious bacteria. These microscopic monsters don’t take big bites. They don’t drape us in stinking slime. But they do swim into our mouths, eyes, ears, cuts and scrapes, infecting us with colonizing bacteria that can ooze, swell and maim. …

A dog could have just pooped near the water, or a big rockfish could be decaying in the tide,” explained volunteer Sharon Brewer, drawing a weekly sample of water from the beach at Fairhaven Cliffs, in Southern Anne Arundel County.

No dog should use public property as a toilet. No owners should be allowed to decide if they will pick this one up or just walk away. Dog owners should use a PooDooty (www.poodooty.com) to catch dog waste before it hits the ground. Dogs will go in the bag and not even know it is there. But the dogs can’t put the bag under themselves; owners need to do it. Beaches should be enjoyed, not feared.

–Martha Cafferty, via email, Windsor, Ny