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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > The hydrosphere > Oceanography (seas)
European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty
of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that
the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early
settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and
excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these
new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the
fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa
Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and
cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's
diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in
1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350
years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires
new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and
underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's
unique ecosystem.
The year is 1973 and changes are afoot in Great Yarmouth and
Brokencliff-on-Sea as the New Year comes in with bang! Return to a
simpler time when family holidays at the seaside were still fun and
electronic devices had never been heard of. The only sound that was
heard was the gentle lapping of the waves, the gulls circling
above, and the trot of the horse's hooves along the promenade and
music from the funfairs.
Not far from Seattle skyscrapers live 150-year-old clams, more than
250 species of fish, and underwater kelp forests as complex as any
terrestrial ecosystem. For millennia, vibrant Coast Salish
communities have lived beside these waters dense with nutrient-rich
foods, with cultures intertwined through exchanges across the
waterways. Transformed by settlement and resource extraction, Puget
Sound and its future health now depend on a better understanding of
the region's ecological complexities. Focusing on the area south of
Port Townsend and between the Cascade and Olympic mountains,
Williams uncovers human and natural histories in, on, and around
the Sound. In conversations with archaeologists, biologists, and
tribal authorities, Williams traces how generations of humans have
interacted with such species as geoducks, salmon, orcas, rockfish,
and herring. He sheds light on how warfare shaped development and
how people have moved across this maritime highway, in canoes, the
mosquito fleet, and today's ferry system. The book also takes an
unflinching look at how the Sound's ecosystems have suffered from
human behavior, including pollution, habitat destruction, and the
effects of climate change. Witty, graceful, and deeply informed,
Homewaters weaves history and science into a fascinating and
hopeful narrative, one that will introduce newcomers to the
astonishing life that inhabits the Sound and offers longtime
residents new insight into and appreciation of the waters they call
home. A Michael J. Repass Book
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