The Day of the Triffids

[Mirelle]

The river Deben, and no doubt other places, is infested, this year as last, by a new sort of weed, grass-like, with small bladders, pinkish-brown in colour, not interested in light levels, which grows with incredible speed, seemingly regardless of antifouling, to about two inches in a three weeks, leaving the bottom of your boat with the consistency of a doormat. Last year it appeared in July, same this year.

Does anyone know what it is and more important what can be done about it?

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[claymore]

Indeed it is triffidus vulagaris and must be regarded as a virulent virus. The only known cure known to man is to create the very finest of baggywrinkles with a length of stout hemp attached to each end. Two stout English Ale Drinking Morris Dancers must then work their way from stem to stern employing an up-down motion of the hemp (now you see why you need morris dancers) and scrub the hull as they move sternwards, all the while singing nasaly of Lamachree and Megrum or Long Meg and her Daughters.
This won't make any difference to the weed growth but it will help you maintain your Deben and Forum Image of being one of the old brigade.
Hope this helps

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Claymore
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[HansBlix]

My UNSCUM inspectors hav been and hinspected the site and I hav to agree that ve only solution is to burn ve wessel so zat ze deadly virus is conflagrated ...

vut, Mirrelle, my friend Ulrika who as you know likes older men will ve on hand to comfort vou vhile the job is done. I know how sad vis can be ...

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[Mirelle]

This is no joking matter!

You wait till you get it!

It has certainly spread as far as Brightlingsea.

I am not kidding - it will grow so fast in two or three weeks that your boat's performance will be unrecognisable!

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[Twister_Ken]

Lawnmower? nm

`

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[claymore]

Re: This is no joking matter!

Attempting to be serious - with the thought of the lovely Ulrika ministering to you at your time of loss - there was some weed growth on Windermere a few years ago and I buggered up a perfectly good outboard motor by getting it sucked into its cooling system - it didn't seem to grow on the boats as much as up from the lakebed

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Claymore
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[peterb]

Get a sample and send it to Kew. They may be able to identify it (or maybe you've found a new species? Fucus mirelleii?).

PS And before anyone complains to Kim, fucus is a genus of seaweed!<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by peterb on 21/07/2003 19:30 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Mirelle]

Tell me more

I can get a sample very easily, but I suppose it would be best to send it in a jam jar full of sea water?

What is the address to send it to and how much does the service cost?



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[claymore]

Re: Tell me more

Come on Mirelle - time to start thinking outside the box... what about a few tidal calcultions and then float it up to Kew?
I think the Nation expects more from you...posting it indeed!
Harumph.

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Claymore
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[Twister_Ken]

Re: Tell me more

Damn fine idea, Claysie. Last time I looked there was a nice Dutch barge moored at Kew Pier, and Mirelle would look a picture snugged up to it. And he could pop back to Chez Moi to drown his sorrows when the Head Seaweed Keeper condemns it as a menace to native flora and fauna.

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[max_power]

Arghhhhhhhhhhh……. Nature tis such a mysterious thing.

Perhaps it’s natures way of making us all try to slow down a bit. When it’s hot that is.

I am still trying to work out Bumble Bees. In theory they should not be able to get off the ground . Last weekend in around a F5 I saw one flying to WINDWARD while I was watching the world go by at anchor.

Doing pretty well too, with only moderate leeway !







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[peterb]

Re: Tell me more

You could try either the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew or the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7. I suggest an initial enquiry by phone to one or the other would give gen on prices. I don't have phone numbers, but if you're serious then an e-mail to the Royal Horticultural Society (thegarden@rhs.org.uk) who run a similar service might get the necessary information.

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[Mirelle]

Thanks a lot

Everyone who has seen this stuff (usually on the bottom of their boat) says the same sort of thing - "Never saw this stuff, before last year......hate it!"

I tried asking the paint makers at the London Boat Show but got no joy - I will do as you suggest.

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