Getting closer

Well it has been almost three weeks since the last update. I lamented then about the weather and honestly nothing has changed. We have received some rain and the place has greened up, so it is starting to Look like Spring but we had snow flurries again today so it certainly doesn't Feel like it!!
In the last post I showed the spoils from the marsh project dumped on two being spread. One of our members and landowners flew in on a Cape Air flight and grabbed this picture. I circled the two main areas we worked in. You can clearly see the trenches and fish pools dug in the marshes.

Aerial of West Chop showing our marshes

We graded out the spoils again and spread the fill over the top. It was too wet to drive the loader on and even our bobcat was rutting the fill and not able to do a great job of it. I gave it a couple more days to dry out and was able to get it smooth but it was still like walking on a waterbed and the water was trying to poke thru in a few spots.

Marsh spoils on corner of 2 fairway

spoils with a line to show rough plan for grass and pollinator habitat

Tomorrow we turn on the irrigation system. A very frightening day since we had so much frost in the ground this winter. The last time we had that much frost it took a week since we found 13 pieces of galvanized pipe that had leaks. We no longer use any galvanized pipe from the original system but if it is attached to the original 1936 main it is technically live. Last Fall we lost power to a bunch of the satellites. We knew we had to replace the leg from 9 to 8 (1500 feet) but I was hoping to find a single break in the leg from 8 to 7 and repair just that. No such luck. Similar to the other piece it was riddled with so many breaks it needed to be replaced. So another 1100 feet of trench to dig and clean up. Part of the problem with this type of work is hitting things inadvertently such as the three "abandoned" galvanized lines I hit in the first run. With the main line being 6 feet deep repairs are not fun. I am praying for a miracle and these lines are no longer connected to the main. To say we need a new irrigation system is the understatement of the century considering we are still using parts of the original installed early in the last century.

Wire and trench issues

The tree cleanup from the storms continues slow and steady. These are the ones on the lawn which I showed leaning in the last post. Pictures do not do this justice. Even the video of the partial pile accumulating does not give you the full breadth of the damage all over the property.

Two large pines on clubhouse lawn

At least we have some golfers enjoying the property. I caught these two on 8 while it was flurrying last week.