foraging for seaweed to press
Andy likes to forage for seaweed every day, he finds the best times to forage are either just before low tide or just after a high tide.
Foraging for seaweed is best done when it’s raining because the seaweed remains fresh in the rain, which means the pickings are good regardless of whether the tide is rising or ebbing. If it’s raining he looks from two or three metres away from the tideline and works his way towards to tideline, if the sun is out he looks along the tideline.
To ensure the seaweed we use is sustainably foraged, Andy only ever gathers seaweed that has washed up or is about to wash up, this is called drift seaweed. A very small amount of seaweed can produce a large amount of pressings so he only needs to pick up a small amount.
Interestingly (at least to us!), 97% of marine algae is red (rhodophyta) and green algae (chlorophyta) is predominantly found in freshwater environments. The seasons determine which seaweeds to look out for because the colours of seaweed change throughout the year, just like the colours of the trees. In the winter the colours of the seaweed are predominantly dark brown and purple, they brighten in the spring to striking magentas and reds. The tips of the spring growth become bleached in the summer sun and the colours start to darken again in autumn.
We’re very lucky in Falmouth because the sheltered bay is fed by two rivers (the Fal estuary to the north and the Helford river to the west) which bring nutrients and a diverse array of marine life into the bay. In fact there is a type of maerl (calcified seaweed) which is unique to Falmouth.