Vol. 2024 • No. 6 • August 9 - August 22, 2024
Also Featured
Fly Fishing, Dredging, Phragmite, Duck Friend, Walleye, Recipes, Boat Trailering, Etiquette
Ropes | Page 3B
Flotsam & Jetsam | Page 3A
Crew Members | Page 8A
Riggings | Page 9B
Fishery | Page 9A
Port of Call | Page 6B
Galley | 2C & 5C
Ropes | 3C
Port of Call | Page 6C
Ropes | 9C
By Justin Runberg editor@theameryfreepress.com
When someone says “I want to go fishing” the first thought typically is a person on a boat, with a rod and reel in hand. But, there are different ways to fish for the species you want. I am not talking about netting or spearing, but rather, fly fishing. Fly fishing can be a new challenge for experienced anglers. One of the best ways to explain fly fishing simply is to relate it to hunting. When hunting, people use, generally, either a rifle or a bow. Fly fishing is the “bow hunting” of the anglers’ realm.
“Fly fishing is a method of fishing that's much older than fishing with casting rails or spinning, spinning rail.,” said John Carlson, fly fisherman, “And it differs from those types of fishing by the fact that you're actually casting the line, whereas a spinning or a casting rod is casting by the weight of the lure that pulls the line out. So in fly fishing, the line carries the fly and typically you're able to fish with the fly, which is like usually a minnow or an insect imitation that are very lightweight. That's one of the big differences. So there's a lot of imitation of natural food for fish. Fly fishing isn't just about trout fishing. You can fly fish for virtually any species of fish.”
The method of flyfishing is a more simple, and older kind of fishing compared to today’s angler accessories. And there are things you can do with a flyrod that you can’t with a spinning or casting rod. And vice versa. People get into fly fishing because there is an art to
the craft and it takes some athleticism to do it effectively.
The art comes in the form of knowing what different species the fish will eat. The goal is to make lures that imitate
what the fish would eat normally. What makes it interesting is changing the fly depending on where the angler is during the season. For example, there are some aquatic insects that
go through multiple stages of growth before maturing. One of these species is the Mayfly.
The fish will go after these species throughout the different periods of its life. For Mayflies they begin life in the water. And then they begin their metamorphosis and will begin to look different and the many stages. This is called “Matching the Hatch,” matching the fly that represents the insect’s stages at the same time the fish are feeding on.
Although flies are made to imitate what the fish are eating, there are other types.
“So, there's different kinds of what you would call flies. Flies aren't always just insect imitations. They can be minnow imitations, which should be called streamers because fish, whether you're fishing for trout or maybe for small mouth bass, fish like to eat other fish, big fish that get big, eat other fish,” said Carlson, “And so it's common to have imitations of fish that are streamers. They imitate various kinds of minnows. Then you have imitations that are called wet flies or nymphs. Those are the subsurface insect maybe as it's alive, living on the bottom coming to the top. That would be like a nymph. A wet fly is a fly that maybe was originally in the air and then for some reason it gets on the water and it drowns and it's just floating loose.”
Another major difference between fly fishing, and a more traditional sense of fishing, is how the bait is casted. On a spinning or casting rod, if someone were to cast about 30 or so feet into the water, they wouldn’t have the ability to move the bait. Unless, they reeled in all of their line. With flyfishing you don’t have reel it in.
With the fly rod however, you can. You can pick the line right up off the water and relocate it in a matter of seconds. The reel on the flyfishing rod is more so to hold the line in its position and not for retrieving the fish. This is where the
athleticism piece comes to play when relocating the lure. If in a river, and you see some trout or other species of fish maybe 15 feet away, you can easily move the lure to that spot and move it around the water body.
Flyfishing in the state has been seeing an increase in in the sport and its popularity. On top of that, nearly $2 billion comes to the state in fishing recreational revenue. With how much it has grown, especially when it comes to outdoor recreation, it goes hand and hand with Wisconsin’s culture.
“I think fly fishing definitely has an established niche in fishing in Wisconsin. And more and more people are interested in fishing. Every once in a while, something comes along that grabs the attention of the public that really boosts the interest. And probably in somewhat recent history, we had a movie, ‘A River Runs Through It’ produced by Robert Redford and that generated a lot of interest in fly fishing,” said Carlson. “It has its own culture to it. There are organizations around like Trout Unlimited where you can become a part of a real avid group of fishermen and they like to fly fish. They might like to spin fish, they like to tie flies. And groups like Trout Unlimited aren't just about fishing. They're also really look at themselves more as a conservation organization.”
Although fly fishing can be used to catch most fish species, when people think of fly fishing their first thought may be trout. In Polk County there is many areas to fly fish on streams and have the opportunity to go for trout.
Great streams and healthy rivers that are cold and deep allow for the best climate for the trout to be caught. The species requires colder water and will die if the water heats up too
much. Some of the best trout fishing is actually within an hour in our neighboring county of St. Croix near River Falls. With the sport’s popularity on the rise, there are many opportunities for someone to learn the craft. The first would be to look at organizations similar to Trout Unlimited. Considered to be a conservation organization, Trout Unlimited has many resources to help you get your feet wet in trying fly fishing.
John Carlson also teaches classes in Amery about how one can begin their fly fishing
career. Having learned from other professionals, and having a lengthy fly fishing career himself, Carlson can offer a tangible course that educates people on how to pick up the hobby. He does this through the Amery Community Ed programs. He hasn’t done it in a few years but is happy to help those who are interested.
His last piece of advice to anyone going into fly fishing relates to the equipment. Before you are really good at anything, you have to put in the time to be effective at fly fishing. And when starting out, you don’t necessarily have to have
the best equipment on the market.
“They have some starter kits where you might spend $150 to $250 and would include the rod, a case, some line on the reel, a good reel to start out with. And so, it's like anything, if you're just getting started, you know you need to learn some things about it and if you determine that it's something you really like and you really enjoy, you want to make a big life commitment to it, then you can buy better stuff,” said Carlson. ■
By Megan Hoffman Contributing writer
Many farms have different animals that they take care of, including the Hoffman family. On their small farm, the Hoffmans care for eight goats, two Great Pyrenees dogs, and their newest member, a duck.
This new family member is very different from the rest of the farm, which may lead many to question why would you get a duck, when you have goats and dogs?
“It was really to keep Emma (Great Pyrenees dog) company,” said Joseph Hoffman, goat/duck caretaker. “Emma can't stay with the goats because she escapes all the time so we had to pin her up into a smaller area and really she only gets to watch baby goats when they are weaned, but then they only stay in there temporarily, so we thought that a duck would be a permanent solution to have Emma protect something.” says Hoffman.
Even though the duck doesn’t seem to do much of anything yet, it seems its main purpose is to keep
As you can imagine, a duck with a much larger dog could be very dangerous. But Hoffman explained that after a couple days Emma didn’t seem to mind having a little tag-a-long with her.
“She (Emma) allows it to lay next to her and in her fur, so she likes it now” states Hoffman.
Hoffman, says that “it has been a fun process seeing the duck grow and watch their relationship, initially Emma was not a big fan of it and watching her snuggle with it now is kind of cute.”
So now you know, if you have a dog that looks like it might need a new companion, consider getting a duck.
The Hoffmans have found that it is very easy to keep the duck happy and healthy, with some fresh water every morning/night and some fruits and veggies every day, they’ve found that it is very entertaining and stress-free when it comes to owning a duck. ■
By Justin Runberg editor@theameryfreepress.com
Of all the fish featured so far in the fish profile series, there is none more popular to the area than Walleyes. Found in most of the lakes in the region, the Walleye is a fish most anglers strive to catch. If someone isn’t an angler, they are also well-known to be great for eating.
The Walleye can be found, and thrive, in deeper lakes where it is cold. They are also found in rivers in both clear and murky water. The species original range went from Canada, to the Great Lakes, to the upper Mississippi Basin. With the introduction of lake stocking of fish, the species has now spread to the western and northeastern parts of the United States.
The fish is rarely seen in shallow water unless the sun is down. A nocturnal species, the Walleye does most of their hunting at night. At this time, they may come up into the shallow parts of the lake once the water has cooled off from the day’s sun. During the daytime hours the fish are found to be under the cover of rocks, trees, and aquatic plants.
The Walleye is a part of the perch family, but on a larger scale. The Walleye’s body is generally long and thin. Its colors vary between gold and an olive green, with a white belly. On its back, the Walleye is decorated with black bands that cross its back. The fish has two dorsal fins, one is spiney rayed while the other is soft rayed. This
means that those fins will have one that have a sharp end and one that does not. The Walleye’s head and mouth is a lot different than its distant cousins the Perch. The fish can grow upwards of three feet in length and weigh up to 20 pounds. Its mouth is lined with large
sharp teeth to go along with its lowlight vision. Both helping to make it one of the apex fish of the lakes.
The Walleye replenishes its population every spring. Starting as soon as the ice comes off the lakes, the species gets busy. The spawning starts generally in the month of April until the middle of May. When the water temperature reaches between 38-44 degrees, the spawning begins. Ideally, the best water temperature
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for a Walleye’s spawning is between 42-50 degrees, where the species will peak with their spawning. The fish is different than other species because it is not territorial and will not have parental care towards its eggs. The spawn usually happens over gravel and rocks, after some sediment has been cleared. From here the females will lay more than 100,000 eggs to begin growing. The eggs hatch after two weeks and for the fish that survive, will survive upwards of ten years on average. So long as an angler doesn’t scoop them up first. Their diets vary depending on the age of the fish. It also depends on what time of the day the fish begins to hunt. Since it is a nocturnal fish, it begins at dawn or dusk to find a meal. When the fish has hatched from its egg and is making its way into the big world, their main dish to start will be small insects. As the species begins growing larger, the more its diet opens up. When the adult reaches maturity, they will eat leeches, frogs, crayfish and even small mammals. However, their main food of choice will be
primarily other fish.
Catching Walleye in Wisconsin waters has become a staple when one has a rod and reel in hand. Each year, thousands are caught and enjoyed around the kitchen table. To catch these fish there are a couple strategies that can be utilized. The first, is to go on a windy day. When the wind is strong on the lake it stirs up the water. In stirring up the water it becomes less clear and a good opportunity to hunt for the fish to hunt. Because of their eyesight in lowlight conditions, this makes a windy day perfect for luring one onto your hook. The other prime time is during the spawn where they are moving in the day. The best bait to catch these fish are minnows, nightcrawlers, and small bullheads to name a few.
The Walleye has been one of Wisconsin most popular fish and continues to be year in and year out. When out on a lake this summer, check out the deep end with a line or two and you might be surprised by what you might pull up. ■
By Justin Runberg editor@theameryfreepress.com
There are many invasive species in the county that have a not-so-great reputation for taking over a habitat. One of the worst in regard to taking over is the phragmite. Phragmites are a nonnative perennial wetland grass. But look similar to native phragmite species.
“The reason I call it non-native phragmite is because there is a native phragmite that we have in Polk County,” said Colton Sorenson, Water Specialist of Polk County Land and Water Resources Department. “It looks very similar and is very, very difficult to tell the difference. So, the threats associated with it, is that it is an aggressive invader. So, if it gets in a wetland that typically doesn't have standing water in it except for big rains and maybe in the spring, it can truly take over on that entire spot. And kind of one thing that I can talk a little bit about is identification. One thing about phragmite is it can actually get up to almost 20 feet tall. So, it can really take over an area and be the only thing you'll actually see at the location.”
Phragmites, when grown, have a specific look to them that will help in identification of the species. When looking at the non-native species of phragmites the plants will grow between upwards of 20 feet and take over a habitat with its dense stands. Native Phragmites only grow between six and ten feet tall.
The leaves on the plant are smooth and linear looking. The leaves can grow
upwards of 24 inches long and about two inches wide. The color of the leaves resemble a blue-green with the leaves being tough to remove and stay on during the winter.
What makes the plant easy to spot is the flowers that bloom on at the top of the phragmite. They are bushy and a light brown often resembling a feather duster when done growing. They can grow an extra 15 inches from the top of the plant. They begin blooming in July and can continue to do so through September.
When phragmites are found, and thriving, they will take over an area in a sort of monoculture of the species. This in turn drowns out any other native plant species that are trying to grow. How they are able to take over large swaths of land is thanks to their rhizomes.
“There is areas where the conditions are right and the native phragmite might take over a whole wetland, but for the most part it just kind of stays in check and stays in smaller stands. Not really affecting too much. But the invasive kind, it's just constantly growing you could say. And it's constantly expanding,” said Sorenson. “So an interesting thing is, the underground roots are called rhizomes on a phragmite, and there's rhizomes and stolons, which the rhizome grows underground. And what's interesting about that, is those rhizomes can grow up to 12 inches a year, which is pretty impressive for the species. But what's
crazy is the stolon actually grows above the ground and it's basically a runner that's trying to find a new place to establish and it's above the ground and it can grow four inches a day.”
The stolons or “runners” are a major reason why the invasive phragmite can expand in such a short amount of time. For the non-invasive species, they are held in check and are spread through seeds and their rhizomes. Having the stolons, the invasive species can spread
like wild fire. One year people may find a patch and by the next, it has begun to take over more swaths of wetlands. Not only do the runners help, but the stocks also hold a couple thousand seeds per seed head. This makes the species one of the most prolific invasive species as it relates to spreading.
Within Polk County, there are eight populations of invasive phragmites. So far half of the populations has been treated through the county, with the
other half slated for treatment this fall. Half of the populations were found this last winter and were able to be seen from the road. Landowners are working with the Land and Water Department to help mitigate the issue.
There are a couple off ways to deal with the plant after it has been found and healthy. The first measure is to treat the plant with a herbicide. And is the most effective way to treat the species. The other way is to manually remove
the plant but has some difficulties associated with removal. When removing the plant manually, a person will want to make sure that they remove even the roots from the ground. Some roots can be found a few feet beneath the soil.
If those roots aren’t taken out, the rhizomes can and will facilitate a new phragmite population to start anew. If
someone were to go the manual route, they will want to bag the plants up after removal. After bagging the plants and are ready to get rid of it, do not take it to a composter. This will also help to facilitate a new population of the phragmites. In this instance, you will want to take the bags of the plants to an incinerator to make sure now spreading can happen.
The Land and Water Department of Polk County encourages people who may see a new population to reach out, so that they might be taken care of.
“We're always available, you know, worst, their best case scenario is someone calls us thinking they see invasive species and it's not, you know, that's best case scenario.” said Sorenson. “So we have no problem taking a look, we're out and about enough in the county that if someone does think they see something like this, odds are one of our staffs probably go in that direction in the near future and can stop and check it out. If anybody thinks they see something like this, feel free to give us a call and we can investigate it further.” ■
By Justin Runberg editor@theameryfreepress.com
There are many different types of machinery that can be found on the water. Some come in the form of a weed harvester, some in the form of a boat. Sometimes there may be a dredger aiming to do some pretty technical work on lakes and rivers.
Dredging is a means to be able to combat sedimentation that occurs in waters ways and water bodies. Sedimentation is when the sand and silt that sits at the bottom of water bodies are pushed down stream or to a certain part of the water body. When enough of the sediment builds up it starts to block waterways. When they are blocked, boats and other aquatic equipment cannot maneuver through. That’s where dredging comes in.
After the sediment has built up, depending on where it is, the dredger goes out to correct the issue. But when they do, the operators are also paying attention to what they may kick up when they begin the work.
“When there's a disturbance, we look at how, and what type of disturbance and to what scope, because disturbing
that material, whether it's redistributing lakebed material or actually picking it up and moving it, that is considered a dredging activity. So, it's really our regulatory term for a disturbance of that bed material,” said Crystal Von Holdt, Waterways Program Policy Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,
“There are a couple means or methods of dredging it. We usually break it down into mechanical dredging where it's conducted by probably some kind of floating watercraft or a barge of a vessel that might be carrying equipment like a barge with a backhoe, for example, or a backhoe type structure where there's an arm that can reach, and
then a bucket where that bucket then is put into the water, reaches down to the bottom depth and scoops and digs material, lifts it up, and then deposits that material or places that material somewhere.”
Sometimes there is also a container
or a dump truck sort of container that the materials will be scooped into to remove, or, to find a new home for it. Sometimes, the dredger doesn’t even need to go into the water. Some types of dredgers can be used from the shore. Instead of having a backhoe resting on the back of a barge, it would instead be moved right up to the shore.
The other way to dredge besides mechanical would be hydraulic dredging. Put simply, imagine a vacuum cleaner for the bottom of the water body. The hydraulic method utilizes a vacuum pipe that is long enough to reach the bottom of the water. The operators will then have that drag along the riverbed or water floor within the zone of the project.
When doing these projects, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has as top of mind is minimalizing any adverse effects from the dredging projects. Sometimes, depending on the method used, the process can kick up deep materials within the sand. Materials that would be harmful to health. The other issue that arises is the water quality after using the dredger. After picking up and digging in the water, it will have
a chocolate milk coloring where you cannot see through it. This is turn causes issue for the different species inside the habitat.
That’s why the state holds water resources in a public trust. Because they are for everyone, and they want to make sure it stays that way. While also doing needed work on the water bodies.
“These water resources are public and they're on the landscape for any person to use, whether you're a citizen of the state or not. But primarily for our citizens, this is the heritage of our state. So, these water resources, whether it's lakes or rivers or streams, are held in public trust. And the DNR is charged as that responsible party to make sure anybody who's looking to do construction or a disturbance in the water that they're doing so in a responsible manner, they're not creating a detriment, they're not damaging the resource because it isn't just a single person's resource,” said Von Holdt. “So our permits, when we are reviewing projects like a dredging project, there's a handful of public interests that we review for, and water quality is one of them. So what our permit review
process looks at are all of the impacts or anticipated impacts of a project. Water quality would be creating a turbid water environment, something where you're changing the nature of the clarity or the chemistry or the nutrient content, or maybe you're stirring up in a PCB system, if there is a buried contaminant that's in the sediment and now you're stirring it up and it becomes part of the water column, you're now exposing the aquatic environment, all the critters people who are recreating in the water body.”
When dredging becomes necessary, it comes down to a few different reasons. The first is that it goes hand and hand with shoreline stabilization. This is because homeowners dredge their shore to be able to have the depth to put their boats, docks, or to have an adequate depth to navigate to the deeper parts of the water you are on. With that, comes added protection for the shoreline depending on how much sediment is taken out.
Dredging projects are also dependent on the weather and varies from year to year for how projects get completed. In 2012, there were very significant drought conditions. With the drought
conditions being as strong as they were, there were lower than normal water levels. With water levels being so low, people were not able to get their boats or crafts out because the depth was too low. Dredgers would come then come out and make way for people to be able to use the water.
The opposite is true as well. If there is a lot of water coming by form of snow melt or excess rain, the need for dredging goes down dramatically. In 2019 into 2020 the water levels on most of the major and Great Lakes were much higher than a drought year. Because of this, very few jobs required a dredger. The depth was in a great place and there was no need for it.
Dredging is a great resource to make accessing and moving through waterways possible. Without it, many rivers, lakes, and streams would have a much different look than what they have now from. However, there are also environmental impacts that are associated with the practice, and with that, the Wisconsin DNR takes extra steps to make sure the water is safe, healthy, and accessible to the public. ■
Welcome to beautiful Balsam Lake, a village living in natural harmony. Established in 1905 the Village of Balsam Lake rests on the southwest shore of Balsam Lake in one of the most prime tourist locations of northwest Wisconsin. Whether you are looking to relax or take part in a wide variety of activities, both on and off shore, the Village of Balsam Lake is the place for you! The Village is nestled on the largest lake in the area, (2,054 acres), which is teeming with fish to satisfy the most avid of anglers. The unique shoreline stretches 65 miles and the lake is dotted with picturesque islands and bays. Fine Dining and casual eateries abound and over 50 businesses provide a vast array of services.
Map art: Karen Engelbretson May, 2022
2024 • No. 6 • August 9 - August 22,
Bystrom Ln
Total
Ingredients
• 2 medium zucchinis (about 1 pound 9 ounces total and/or each about 9 inches long)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-sharp shredded Cheddar (about 1 ounce)
• 1/4 cup grated Havarti cheese (about 1 ounce)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 4 strips bacon
Directions
1. Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat: For gas grills (with 3 or more burners), turn all the burners to medium-high heat; after about 15 minutes turn off the
middle burner for 3-burner grills or the 2 middle burners for grills with 4 or more burners and keep the other 2 burners at medium high. For charcoal grills, bank one chimney starter-full of lit and ashed-over charcoal briquettes to one side of the grill. Set up a drip pan on the other side to avoid flare-ups. (The grill should be around 400 degrees F. Be sure to consult the grill manufacturer’s guide for the best results.)
2. Slice the zucchinis down the middle, lengthwise like a hotdog, so that you have 4 long, equal pieces of zucchini. Use a teaspoon to remove the flesh of the zucchini, being sure to leave a 1/4-inch border and to not pierce the bottom of the zucchini. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the zucchini flesh and discard or save the remainder for another use. Place the chopped zucchini flesh into a
clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Place the zucchini flesh into a medium liquid measuring cup or bowl.
3. Flip the zucchini boats over so that the peel side is facing up and brush all four pieces with olive oil. Season the peel side with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, then flip over and season the flesh side with another 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of
pepper.
4. Add the Cheddar, Havarti, chives, cream, eggs, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the liquid measuring cup or bowl with the zucchini flesh. Whisk until well combined. Pour the mixture into the cavity of each zucchini boat.
5. Using both hands to lift the zucchini carefully, place the filled boat in the middle of the grill over indirect heat (where the burner is turned off), cover, and cook until the eggs have puffed up slightly and are just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Use grilling tongs to remove the zucchini to a cutting board. Carefully wrap each zucchini boat in 1 of the bacon strips. Return to the grill over indirect heat and continue grilling, covered, until the eggs are completely set and the bacon is warmed and just crispy, 18 to 20 minutes.
Even if you keep your boat in a wet slip or marina, you may have to, from time to time, trailer your boat for maintenance or to keep it out of harm’s way.
Moving your boat on land has a whole other set of rules and regulations.
Start by idling up to the launch ramp, Discover Boating says. Your driver should back the trailer slowly into the water, then park the tow vehicle and set the parking brake. The trailer should be as straight as possible and to a depth that will allow the boat to float over the rear two-thirds of the trailer.
Idle the boat over the bunks of the trailer and align the bow peak with the trailer bow stop. You may need to trim your outboard motor or otherwise drive up so the prop doesn’t hit bottom. When the boat bumps the bow stop or gets close, have a helper clip the winch strap to the bow eye and use the winch to pull the boat snug to the winch post.
4C
Secure the safety chain.
If the boat ends up crooked on the trailer, back down the ramp a little to allow the boat to float and center itself. Then, tilt the motor or drive up and have the vehicle driver pull the boat and trailer slowly up the ramp. Pull your rig out of the way of ramp traffic to pack up gear and clean your boat. Before you pull onto the road, check your tire pressure and the trailer lights. Check the trailer coupler on the hitch.
Your boat and trailer add length and weight to your vehicle. Stopping distances and turns will be much different than when driving with your vehicle alone. Give plenty of time and room for you to maneuver in traffic safely.
Windy days can complicate trailering. Large vehicles develop high pressure in front of them and low pressure behind as they move along.
When you’re being passed, your rig may be pushed to the right by the high and then
sucked behind by the low. Be ready for the sudden shifts and steer a little left and then right
during the passing process. If the wind picks up, pull over until it calms down. ■
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for oiling the grill grates
• 4 large ears corn, husks and silks removed
• 2 Fresno chiles
• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1 pound frozen potato gnocchi
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat a grill for cooking at medium heat and lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the corn and chiles, turning every few minutes, until the corn is tender and browned in spots and the chiles are nicely charred,
about 8 minutes for the corn and about 4 minutes for the chiles. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
When they are cool enough to handle, stem and deseed the chiles (keep some of the seeds if you prefer a spicier dish). Finely chop the chiles and transfer to a medium bowl. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Using the back of the knife, scrape along the cobs to release the starchy, milky liquid and any remaining kernels. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half the kernels to the same bowl as the chiles and set aside; keep the remaining half of the kernels and the corn “milk” separate. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, a pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric and coriander and cook until the garlic is tender and the spices are lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the reserved corn kernels and corn “milk” and cook until warmed through. Stir in the broth, half-and-half and
1/2 teaspoon of salt, bring the mixture to a simmer and then remove from the heat.
Use an immersion blender to puree the corn mixture into a very smooth and creamy sauce. Alternatively, transfer to a blender and blend on high speed until very smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep the corn sauce warm in the saucepan over low heat.
When the water boils, salt it and cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. Drain well. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place half the gnocchi in the skillet and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the gnocchi and continue to cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
Just before serving, stir the basil, parsley, vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the reserved corn and chile mixture until combined. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Spoon the corn sauce into 4 shallow dinner bowls and place the crispy gnocchi on top. Garnish with the corn and chile salad.
Etiquette isn’t just about place settings and saying please. There’s etiquette on the water, too, just like there is on the road.
These are unspoken rules that people are expected to follow, but aren’t in any manual. Your boating class may cover
some of these, but in case it doesn’t, keep reading.
On the water, the stand-on vessel has right of way and the give-way vessel should move to accommodate it. If a vessel approaches from the right, it is
the stand-on vessel. If a vessel is having difficulty steering, it is the stand-on vessel.
When two boats are passing head on, both vessels turn to starboard and pass portto-port. Sailboats have right of way over powerboats. If the sailboat is running with
• Structural problems
• Foundation
• Basement
• or just need to Modernize
an engine, it’s considered a sailboat even if the sails are not up. Human-powered vessels such as canoes or kayaks, have right of way over any other vessel, including sailboats.
If you’re being passed by another vehicle going the same way, you must maintain your
course and speed. Should that put anyone in harm’s way, slow down and give way to the other vessel. Your primary job as a captain is to keep everyone on the water safe.
When entering an unfamiliar anchorage, notice how the other boats are tied and do what they do, using the same amount of line and distance between vessels. If you do anything differently, such as use two anchors when everyone else has one, you could move in a way that could cause a collision. Respect your anchored neighbors. Keep your music down and don’t run a generator while others are sleeping. Go slow through the anchorage and watch your wake. Some harbors have a
speed limit; be careful to observe it at all times.
In general, you should offer help to other boaters. If you’re on the ocean, you’re legally obligated to render aid to distressed vessels so long as it’s safe to do so. Use VHF channel 16 for hailing and distress calls only; take long-winded chats with other boaters to other channels. Save mayday calls for real emergencies — the kind where there’s an immediate danger to life, property or the environment. ■
