Phragmites Seminar Tonight At ISEA

Tonight's Great Lakes Seminar is:

Phragmites Problems & Control in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed

The Inland Seas Education Association will present a seminar that focuses on the issues surrounding the invasion of Phragmites at 7:00pm on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay. The seminar, "Phragmites Problems and Control in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed," will be presented by Ellen Kohler, Policy Specialist at The Watershed Center-Grand Traverse Bay. This seminar is free and open to the public.Phragmites is one of the highest-threat invasive species in Michigan, and it is quickly establishing itself in this region. Phragmites grows up to 14 feet tall, forms extensive dense stands, and harms native habitat by crowding out native vegetation. It also limits water access, damages property values, blocks views, and is very expensive and difficult to control once well-established. The Watershed Center-Grand Traverse Bay is the lead organization for Phragmites detection and control in Grand Traverse County. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment received grants to begin Phragmites control efforts in the fall of 2009. However, Phragmites is very aggressive and it will take several years of surveying and additional control measures to contain it.Ellen Kohler is a Policy Specialist at The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay. The Watershed Center advocates for clean water in Grand Traverse Bay and acts to protect and preserve the Bay's watershed. They are the leader in protecting and preserving the Bay's watershed and achieving broad community commitment to clean water.

Mackinac Bridge, Safety Session at Volunteer Class this Wednesday

I drove up to Sault Ste. Marie today to talk with LSSU staff and administration about future collaboration in shipboard classes. We had a good session and I'll let you know as soon as we have something confirmed, hopefully in time for the 2010 summer session. Crossing the Mackinac Bridge was a windy affair, with trucks restricted to 20 mph. Almost no ice visible in the Straits. No ships either.

This Wednesday evening (6:30 pm) at the Volunteer Instructor Class I will review safety procedures aboard Inland Seas and the Instructor's role in ensuring a safe learning environment. If you have not attended any classes yet, this one is a great place to begin. Give us a call to register for the class, or just show up and you can register upon arrival. Hope to see you there. ---Capt. Tom Kelly

Tonight's Seminar: "Underwater Adventure into the Past"

Suttons Bay, January 13, 2010

The Inland Seas Education Association will present a seminar that focuses on the underwater mapping of a drowned river channel at 7:00pm on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay. The seminar, "The Norwood Project: Underwater Adventure into the Past," will be presented by Luke Clyburn, president of the Noble Odyssey Foundation. This seminar is free and open to the public.The Noble Odyssey Foundation (NOF) research team is a group of scientists from local universities and museums and divers that undertake submarine and coastal research projects under the direction of Captain Luke Clyburn, who also serves as the Director of the NOF. In 2004, John Zawiskie of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and Scripps Univeristy marine biologist Dr. Elliot Smith directed the underwater mapping of the geology of the sill at the mouth of Grand Traverse Bay. This led to the creation of the first geologic map of the bottom sediments and bedrock in that part of the lake basin and documentation of a drowned river channel cut through lake bottom clay at depths of up to 150 feet. This is a relict channel from the low stand period that formed when the current lake floor was a land area, sometime between 10,000 and 7,500 years ago.Luke Clyburn will show the DVD that chronicles the preparation for and the fieldwork during this expedition. Afterwards, he will discuss the implications of such work and how the Noble Odyssey strives to bring together young people, adults, and scientists interested in developing and supporting underwater research projects to enhance public understanding of Great Lakes science and history.

Happy New Year - Almost

Well this is it, the last day of 2010. I hope it was a good year for you. It was for ISEA. Here are two ways to end the year on an up note:
1. Click here to make a year-end donation to Inland Seas!
2. Check out the beautiful underwater photos of Grand Traverse Bay taken by freediver Chris Morley.

Happy New Year, and be careful driving tonight. Tom Kelly

Inland Seas Summer 2010 Sailing Schedule Announced

Today ISEA announced its 2010 summer public program schedule. After a busy spring with school classes, the schooner Inland Seas will commence with public programs in July.

The Family Ecology Sail is designed to make "scientists for a day" out of the entire family, from grandparents to youngsters. The Gull Island Birding Cruise returns to the schedule on June 14. Our Maritime History Under Sail program honors the life and work of ISEA Volunteer Instructor Claudia Goudschaal and will sail from Suttons Bay to Omena and return. The Explore Power Island trip takes us to the crown jewel of Grand Traverse Bay, and gets us ashore to hike and see the natural wonders of the island. Our most popular program is always Astronomy Under Sail. We have two Astronomy programs this year, on August 9th and 10th. And a special all-day program for community leaders is called Day on the Bay, and features presentations and demonstrations in the Education Center and an afternoon on the schooner.

ISEA also has programs for teachers. Call the office or contact our Education Director Christine Crissman for details.

The Sea Gypsy by Richard Hovey

Here is some poetry for mid-winter dreaming. Enjoy.

The Sea Gypsy, By Richard Hovey

I am fevered with the sunset,
I am fretful with the bay,
For the wander-thirst is on me
And my soul is in Cathay.

There's a schooner in the offing,
With her topsails shot with fire,
And my heart has gone aboard her
For the Islands of Desire.

I must forth again to-morrow!
With the sunset I must be
Hull down on the trail of rapture
In the wonder of the sea.

Asian Carp Update

Asian Carp Found Just Above Lockport Lock in the Des Plaines River, Dec. 3, 2009 Rotenone poisoning of 5.7 miles of the Des Plaines River and Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal turned up only one Asian carp, although DNA testing of water samples came up positive for Asian carp in the Calument Sag Canal near the confluence with the Des Plaines River and below the Obrien Lock. See maps of the DNA sampling area. A description and photos of the carp barrier and maps of the pre and post construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal are at http://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/projects/fish_barrier/index.html

Additional information, including maps, can be found on the Great Lakes United web site.

I'll keep you posted as new information is avaiable. --Tom K.