NMC & ISEA

ISEA has had a long working relationship with Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. This has continued this week as NMC's Watershed Studies Class, lead by Prof. Colleen Masterson Bzdok sailed aboard the schoolship Inland Seas on Tuesday morning. The class trawled for fish, took samples of the bottom sediments, hauled a net for zooplankton, and used an Alpha Bottle to collect water samples for pH, D. O. and temperature determinations. They also measured the water transparency with a secchi disk (12 meters). We had very little wind to work with, but we did sail, and it was a beautiful day to be on the lake. A second Watershed Class will sail with us on Monday September 14th.

NMC's Water Studies Institute project finds the wreck of the Lauren Castle in Grand Traverse Bay. The tug Lauren Castle, which sank 5 November 1980 off Lee Point near Suttons Bay, lies in water more than 400 feet deep. For details go to http://www.km.kongsberg.com/ks/web/nokbg0238.nsf/AllWeb/F4F5D670781F6F4BC1257623004BD9FB?OpenDocument

And, finally, ISEA's Executive Director Tom Kelly will present a program today for NMC's new Freshwater Studies program entitled "An Ecological History of the Great Lakes."

Beach & Underwater Clean-Up Coming September 19

ISEA Beach Clean-Up on Mackinac Island, June 2008

ISEA holds two Beach Clean-Ups each season. The fall 2009 date is Saturday September 19. The fall Beach Clean-Up is part of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Clean-Up, in cooporation with the Great Lakes Alliance.

Beaches and waterways included are from Petoskey to Manistee. To participate please call the ISEA office at 231-271-3077. Let us know which beach you wish to clean. If that beach is already taken, we will help you select another nearby beach. We will also send you a Beach Data Card.

On the day of the Clean Up, you will need sturdy footware, gloves, a plastic pail (this works better than garbage bags), a clipboard and pencil for the Data Card, and a friend or two to help.

Over the last few years northern Michigan has seen a large die-off of diving ducks, loons, and other migratory birds. Click here http://www.schoolship.org/stewardship/?id=693 for more information about the die-offs and what to do if you find a dead bird on the beach.

This year, ISEA is partnering with the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve to also clean-up the nearshore areas surrounding the Inland Seas dock. This underwater clean-up will also take place Saturday, September 19.

Call the ISEA office at 231-271-3077 for more information on how to get involved.Thank you for helping keep Michigan clean by participating in our Beach & Underwater Clean-Up! We appreciate everything you do to help keep the Great Lakes clean and healthy!! For more information check out the ISEA website http://www.schoolship.org/stewardship/?id=80.

Divers Service Propeller, Underwater Camera

Our dive team of Greg Lashbrook and Kathy Johnson did some tweeking of our underwater camera (they installed it in December), lubricated the propeller, and installed a new zinc anode. The water temperature was 41.7 degrees F, so I did not volunteer to assist.

Greg and Kathy will be at the Inland Seas Education Center this evening to present some of their Great Lakes underwater videos. Copies of their productions will be available for purchase. The program begins at 7:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

Top photo: Greg with grease gun

Right photo: Kathy with rusty crayfish

Work on the schooner continues with the crew hanging blocks and reeving running rigging. It is sunny and warm, but blowing hard from the SW.

Our Education Director, Christine Diana, is leading a pre-season meeting of ISEA Lead Instructors this afternoon. These volunteers lead the Schoolship Program instructors aboard Inland Seas and Manitou.