Puzzles

[Rogan]

Well done!! Mine certainly is an exfoliating rock - spheroidal weathering (onion-skin) involving basalt rock in a road cutting on the Sani Pass.

[Anthony Darby]

The God of the sea is a clue from me, but this will put you out of your misery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posidonia_oceanica

 Interesting fact from the link Anthony gives is that the ball of fibre is called an "egagropili" ... isn't that a wonderful word?


I found this statement from the wiki page puzzling.....

This species is found only in the Mediterranean Sea, occupying an area about 3% of the basin (corresponding to a surface area of about 38,000 km˛), representing a kind of key marine coastal ecosystem.

A sign of a nearby occurrence of Posidonia is the presence of masses of decomposing leaves on beaches. Such plant material has been used for composting, but this is currently prohibited by Italian laws that restrict the use of marine algae and plants for this purpose.

Does anyone know why the authorities have placed this ban on composting this material? 

Not heard of that one Maggi! Here is the Mallorcan take on it.

[Maggi Young]

Well done!! Mine certainly is an exfoliating rock - spheroidal weathering (onion-skin) involving basalt rock in a road cutting on the Sani Pass.

Fascinating to learn this.....I did like the Elephant's eye theory, though! 

[Lvandelft]

Does anyone know why the authorities have placed this ban on composting this material? 

Is there anyone who understand authorities?

[Maggi Young]

Does anyone know why the authorities have placed this ban on composting this material? 

Is there anyone who understand authorities?
   

Ah, well, you have perhaps got the whole answer there, Luit!

Reading the sign shown by Anthony, I wonder if the Italian rules are to protect the sands from excess erosion by the removal of the foliage? My initial thought was that it was a prohibition on the composting, but pwerhaps the target is the prevention of the removal of the materials?

[ranunculus]

Does anyone know why the authorities have placed this ban on composting this material? 

Is there anyone who understand authorities?

Being married to a Lancashire lass ... no!!     Ouch!

[Anthony Darby]

Does anyone know why the authorities have placed this ban on composting this material? 

Is there anyone who understand authorities?
   

Ah, well, you have perhaps got the whole answer there, Luit!

Reading the sign shown by Anthony, I wonder if the Italian rules are to protect the sands from excess erosion by the removal of the foliage? My initial thought was that it was a prohibition on the composting, but pwerhaps the target is the prevention of the removal of the materials?

Whilst we were in Mallorca, the winds brought in lots of sea grass (that in the picture is loose and washed up near the harbour) onto the tourist beaches. It was made into huge hay-stack sized piles.

[mark smyth]

I have one of those balls that was washed up on a Donegal beach

[Lesley Cox]

While having no idea at all why the Italian authorities might forbid the composting of the seagrass balls or foliage, it is interesting (and probably not connected) that a couple of months ago several dogs died or were sick and childeren were thought to be in danger, after walking and playing on a few Auckland beaches. I'm not sure if the exact cause has been established yet but it was generally thought by the medical and scientific community that the cause was probably toxic marine algae on the beach. Possibly in Italy something similar is feared?

[Maggi Young]

Possible, Lesley. I have  certainly heard of cases of toxic algae in Scottish lochs which have proved fatal to dogs and I think there may have been instances of a marine algae with similar toxicity.

[Anthony Darby]

Only this is not toxic, nor is it algae, according to the notice. I suppose it is to stop people harvesting the living plants, but I think the majority would become very vocal it it was left on the beach and started to rot!

[Lesley Cox]

Well done!! Mine certainly is an exfoliating rock - spheroidal weathering (onion-skin) involving basalt rock in a road cutting on the Sani Pass.

Exfoliating rock? Rock losing its leaves? Thought you might be losing your marbles Rogan.

[Maggi Young]

Well done!! Mine certainly is an exfoliating rock - spheroidal weathering (onion-skin) involving basalt rock in a road cutting on the Sani Pass.

Extraordinary.... never seen such a thing, so my thought was that it must be a petrified/fossilised bubbling hot mud pool 

[ranunculus]

My puzzle for a wet Sunday morning here in East Lancashire ...   

[David Nicholson]

Quill (as in pen)?