Cruising from Aurora - June 3

After a day on the lake with classes from Waterloo Middle School, the Maxwell Academy & the Frontenac School, the crew grabbed a tasty dinner at the Fargo and headed back to the boat for an evening eco-cruise with 20 residents of Aurora and the surrounding area.

We shared thoughts on the health of the lake and continued our study of seasonal events on the lake by conducting basic sampling to follow up on the day's student findings. One thing that seems a little unusual this year is the continuing domination of cold-water organisms far into the spring. During 2007 & 2008, the cold water diatom asterionella (pictures in postings below) declined in late May as the water warmed, but this year it is persisting. Unusual, but not unheard of... We also caught our first glimpse of zebra mussel veligers today. These are the larval stage of one of our most significant Cayuga Lake invaders, and indicate the arrival of a new generation.

Special thanks go to our cruise collaborators- the United Ministry of Aurora and the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. Newly appointed Cayuga Lake Steward Hilary Lambert joined us to facilitate a discussion about community and individual opportunities to work on behalf of the Lake. We will need everyone's help to keep serving every community around the lake in the coming years!