Back in August I reported on an encounter with my local otters who have been making themselves at home on our boat, Elansa. (www.dailykos.com/...)
These bold critters had been lounging on it (not so bad) and using it as a latrine (ewww). I caught them in the act last summer actually tearing at the canvas that encloses the boat’s cabin. After chasing them away, I asked commenters in that Daily Bucket if anyone had any suggestions about discouraging otters from boats. A couple of people mentioned soap as a deterrent odor, and a brand called Irish Spring in particular. I decided to give it a try, being really sick of cleaning up otter poop every time we want to go out in the boat. Here’s the story so far.
The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Rain, sun, wind...insects, birds, flowers...meteorites, rocks...seasonal changes...all are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us
|
The word was that the scent of Irish Spring is so intensely strong otters will avoid the area. It sure smelled strong to me, even through the box. I put a bar into a plastic box, punched holes in it, and tied it to the ladder on the swim step where the otters climb into the boat. The aroma wafts out readily; I can smell it many feet away.
One afternoon in September I was bicycling by the bay and caught sight of the characteristic splash of fishing otter near the boat. While I stood there, separated by 100 yards of water, the otter climbed up onto the swim step and then onto the stern deck without even a pause. Right over the soap box.
Otter 1, Soap 0
I watched helplessly as it poked at my canvas repair job. Whenever we go out to the boat we find the snaps all undone and the zipper unzipped in that corner but the cloth mostly untorn and the twist fasteners secure. They have not YET figured out how to turn the fasteners.
This otter sniffed around, sauntered along the side deck up to the bow, rolled around up there, returned to the stern and climbed back down the ladder, completely ignoring the soap.
Perhaps inside the box the scent was too subtle? not manly enough? Round two, I drilled a hole in another bar, strung a line through it and carried it out to the boat wrapped in two layers of plastic. It’s really pungent stuff.
After attaching it to a canvas fastener and rigging a loose cover against the rain (I didn’t want to send soap washing into the bay) we let a few days go by and checked the boat again. Maybe it’s a coincidence but that time we found more gooey stinky piles of otter crap on the deck than ever before. And right next to the soap. They had really made a statement.
Otters 2, Soap 0
We cleaned the deck once more, using a powered hose sprayer we can rig up off the battery, pumping seawater.
I dismantled the loose bar of soap. These otters are not deterred by the smell, and if anything, may be offended by it. They continue to use the boat. I can’t figure out why they like both hanging out there AND using it as a latrine. Here they are resting and grooming on a pleasant sunny day last month. It’s funny, they could clearly see me over on beach watching them, but they know I can’t chase them off if I’m not in my kayak. In their own good time they returned to the water.
You see the tall white antenna on the starboard side of the boat in the pictures above? Well, when we went out a few days ago the antenna had been knocked over. There’s a latch that can be released if we’re going under a low bridge, and somehow the otters found it. They also mangled the windshield wiper. Took Mr O quite a while to repair that. We assume the first half hour of any boat excursion is cleaning up after the otters. Grrrrr. If the poop piles aren’t too bad we use a bucket.
Rivers otters are cute to watch, masterful aquatic animals and curious. It’s a hassle they find our boat a toy, but they are out there far more than our few fortnightly hours. It’s like they consider it THEIR boat, and we are the staff cleaning it up for them. Hmmmm.
Anyone have any other suggestions in discouraging otters?? Is that possible?
~
Drizzled and mizzled all day yesterday here in the islands of the Pacific Northwest. Overnight the wind picked up and it’s really blowing now. 30 knots steady out of the north. The forecast is for a modified Arctic outbreak in the Northwest. First hard freeze tonight the NWS says.
What’s happening in your natural world? All nature observations welcome in the comments.
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" is posted every Saturday at 5:00 pm Pacific Time and Wednesday at 3:30 on the Daily Kos front page. It's a great way to catch up on diaries you might have missed. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary. |