Most of you already know my feelings about Chesapeake Bay water quality, which in my lifetime, has only worsened. Many years ago, I worked with James Price, a fisheries scientist who blew the whistle on mycobacterial infections in striped bass, and that those infections originated in that species while they resided in Chesapeake Bay. In humans, mycobacterial infections, if left untreated, are usually fatal. Well, fish, oysters, and other creatures residing in the bay cannot be medically treated, so those that are infected all die. At the time of the study, nearly 80 percent of striped bass had mycobacterial infections to one degree or another. Somewhere in my photo archives I have dozens of photos of striped bass (rockfish) with lesions or sores all over their bodies. And, even some that did not have sores, still had the infections, which was determined by necropsy when we examined their speens, which were mottled and spotted. Now, in order to kill the bacteria, you would have to nearly incinerate the fish when cooking to get the internal temperature of the fillet to a temperature that will be effective, which was also part of the study.
Ironically, last weekend, while sailing south past Battery Island, there were an estimated 200 boats anchored in the shallows adjacent to the island, and likely 600 people frolicking in the shallow, nasty looking, greenish brown waters. Same was true at the Spoils Island directly across the Havre de Grace Channel from Battery Island. And, at the top end of Susquehanna Flats, in front of the Perry Point VA Hospital, another 100 boats were anchored in the shallows, where folks were swimming. In this same area, are 6 sewage treatment plants, most of which are somewhat outdated and overloaded in their treatment capacities. These folks are frolicking in the confluence of the wastewater treatment plants of Perryville, the VA Hospital, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, North East and Charlestown. Fortunately, there is an enormous volume of aquatic vegetation in the same area, which absorbs a huge volume of the discharged nutrients.
Personally, I would not swim in the waters of Chesapeake Bay or the mid Atlantic coastal waters, which the EPA claimed are "unsuitable for human, recreational contact." A statement they made at a press conference I attended nearly 20 years ago, so one can only wonder how much worse those waters must be at this point. For the same reason, I do not eat raw oysters and clams caught in Chesapeake Bay, however I have recently consumed farm raised oysters raised in Virginia's coastal waters, which were very tasty.
Now, at age 75 (nearly 76), I'm already skating in thin ice. Like most individuals my age, my immune system is a bit compromised, I take just a few medications, though, but I know when I cut myself, it doesn't heal like it did when I was 25. Minor cuts now take weeks to heal. Therefore, for all you somewhat older codgers, those over 45 years of age, I would take some precautions when sailing in what retired Maryland DNR fisheries scientist Ben Florence claimed is the second filthiest estuary in the world, Chesapeake Bay. Keep a bottle of chlorine bleach on the boat at all times. A little bleach water goes a long way in sterilizing minor cuts and scrapes, and great for wiping down counter tops and any other food preparation areas. It's not a 100 percent cure all, but it really does a fantastic job of killing all forms of bacteria. I know of several recreational anglers that rinse their fish fillets in bleach water and then again in fresh water before cooking. A capful of bleach per gallon of water is more than sufficient to kill these pathogens.
In the years I worked in the field of medicine, I only saw three cases of mycobacterial infections, which was over a 15 year period. All three were really nasty, all three had a connection to Chesapeake Bay, and all three were treated with huge doses of antibiotics and survived. Since I left the field in 1975, the number of reported cases with Chesapeake Bay connections has skyrocketed to several cases per year. Personally, I don't intend to be among those statistics, and you won't find me jumping overboard to cool off on a hot summer day - my boat has a nice, freshwater shower that I utilize for that.
I also recommend keeping an antibacterial soap onboard for cleaning minor cuts and abrasions. I used to use Betadine Surgical Scrub, which is nothing more than soap and iodine, but I'm not able to find it locally these days, so I switched to phisohex, which is another surgical scrub soap that is nearly as effective. And, I have a couple fully stocked first aid kits, which rarely get used, and I hope they never need to be.
Thanks for thinking of me, Donna, and I hope you and John are enjoying your anniversary sail,
Gary