Let’s face it, the ocean is an unpredictable place to farm. Storms roll in and bad things can happen – farms sink, lines come detached, 5-line arrays flip, anchors drag, whole farms walk a half-mile away. These things have happened. 

One of the great things about farming the ocean is that there will always be a new problem to solve. As you get to know your gear and your site in your first year farming, it’s likely you’ll encounter several situations you could never have predicted. You’ll need to stay vigilant and agile. Do your best to prepare your farm for bad weather by making sure your arrays are properly installed and your connection points are strong. Then, be prompt and vigilant in responding to whatever damage bad weather leaves in its wake. 

If you know a storm is coming, you might want to make extra trips out to your farm to check that your gear is in good shape. Make sure you have a safe place to store your boat. After the weather calms down, head to your farm and thoroughly inspect your gear.

GreenWave Tip

Keep a few spare anchors installed on your farm that can double as a mooring where you tie up to prep and do stationary work. In the event that you lose a navigation buoy or an anchor line to one of your arrays, you’ll have a spare anchor already available and on-site.