Peter
Member
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July 7Th 2012
With Howie Hoyt in charge of the surface tenders we had 5 divers harvesting Milfoil in Crescent Lake last Saturday. Two divers were once again in the bay by the Dam where I think we can say the area has been cleared of milfoil. Typically future sweeps of the area will reveal new growth from small fragments of roots left in the bottom there but for now it is far more productive to go to areas where patches of Milfoil exist. So for next Saturday, July 14Th, at 11:00 AM, we will be diving in Crescent once again along the railroad tracks and center area off of the Mast Landing Docks. We will also be checking up on the western side of Crescent, opposite the first red marker heading south, where a large infestation of Milfoil once existed.
We are finding reduced levels of milfoil in areas that have been chemically treated in the past as well as having been aggresively hand pulled. It’s possible that Crescent could be in pretty good shape in a couple of weeks unless a large patch is found which is always possible. Surprizes are a big part of this work.
The next area of concentration that we are considering a best plan of attack for is in Brewster Heath. That area presents some real challenges for the divers but it will be addressed. Hope to see you on the 14Th in Crescent for our next dive. Get there by 10:45 because we like to be in the water at 11:00
Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Saturday June 30Th served as a great start to the Milfoil Eradication Season. To accompany our divers we had five divers from Aqualogics who joined our divers along with their DASH Boat as volunteers. Aqualogics is a professional company serving the needs around our lakes to keep our shoreline clean and uninhibited from milfoil. We pulled or sucked a total of 100 gallons of milfoil which is a fair amount but nothing compared to the 8400 gallons, and still counting, harvested from Back Back Without some sort of biological cure we too could be infested as densely some day so we have to be vigilant or we will be there. Nothing to worry about as long as we stay on top of the current threat which we are managing well at this point.
A special thanks to John Jude of Aqualogics for all of their help and to Peter Goodwin for the nice posting on theLWA website. And of course a special thanks to Howie Hoyt, our gracious host for the post dive debrief.
Our committed group is working to meet the milfoil threat but as always in any organization we could always use help and new blood. Come join us on Saturday and see why we have such a good time……..and it’s good for the lake too.
Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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July 14Th was another Saturday of Milfoil weed pulling by the divers and tenders. John Ledyard continued his trek along the railroad tracks in Crescent and pronounced the area clear of Milfoil from Mast Landing to Smith River. Spencer Skinner patrolled the area from Smith River south along the shore of Crescent Lake to the first red marker and found virtually nothing. He changed course and headed to the center of the bay where Mast Landing is located to work on a previously reported substantial patch where he concentrated his efforts for the remained of his dive. Skip Oliver and I swam the shore directly across from the first red marker on the western side of Crescent where a massive infestation had existed until it was treated a couple of years ago. This was further follow up to what was a serious field of milfoil. We spent the entire dive session exploring where we new milfoil once existed. In total we collected a total of two gallons of milfoil. This is a minuscule amount compared to what was once there. We found a couple of plants here and a few there after some lengthy swimming between plants. Not exciting weed eradication until you think about it and remind yourself that this is the result that we all want. We now have to chase the occasional plant rather than clear hundreds of plants and that maintenance is what is required to keep the infestation in check. For the most part areas that were being overrun by Milfoil are now only beginning to regenerate and the Dive Team is there to kick it down again.
Next Saturday, after the LWA Membership Meeting, we will be diving once again at 11:00 AM off the docks at Mast Landing in the center where Spencer Skinner was working to clear a serious patch. Our activity continues and your divers and tenders remain enthusiastic and determined.
Please join us at the LWA meeting on Saturday at Henderson Hall where Saint Cecelia’s Church once was located. There is a lot more going on in your association than just weed control. Come find out what is affecting your water front. Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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July 21St, after the LWA Membership Meeting, the Dive Team was back in the water to continue the Milfoil maintenance in Crescent Lake. Some larger groupings of Milfoil plants were found 200 yards off the mast Landing docks and removed. We combed the entire area of the bay in front of Mast Landing and more work along the western shore needs to be done.
Monday we had a DASH Boat in the Heath to address the increasing Milfoil presence there. Spencer Skinner was in the water along with volunteer Skip Oliver while I was manning the DASH Boat along with an employee of Aqualogics….the company that owns the boat. We arrived around 8:30am and worked steadily until around 3:00 when one of the boats pump engines quit when the water intake clogged presumably due to over heating. This was very hard work not only for the divers working in adverse conditions but for the on boat personnel who shuffled about dealing with the operations of the craft. We will need to continue this work for another round of using DASH Boat. The DASH unit is the only way to pull weeds in the Heath because it sucks away the silt allowing the Divers a somewhat clear view for operating in the water. Otherwise within minutes the water color turns to chocolate milk with zero visibility.
On July 28Th we had planned on doing a clean up in Brewster Heath but at this time too much Milfoil remains and that dive is being postponed until after a second visit by the DASH Boat. So for this coming Saturday we will once again be diving in Crescent by the second red marker and along the Western shore just up from Mast Landing. All in all a very busy week for the Dive Team as we move ahead to stay ahead. Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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Last Saturday July 28Th we dove in Crescent Lake once again. Between the two red markers along the Eastern shore we found significant Milfoil growth? We will be diving there once again this coming Saturday August 3Rd at 11:00 AM. Today Tuesday , July 31St Aqualogics once again had their DASH Boat in Brewster Heath pulling about 200 Gallons of Milfoil. With the job in there nearly complete they will be back on Monday August 5Th to finish the job. There has been a lot of Milfoill eradication activity going on these past couple of weeks and our volunteer group has been firing on all cylinders. Come see us on Saturday morning in Crescent Lake. The more hands the merrier although we are already a pretty happy group. Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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Correction: Saturday’s dive is at 11AM on August 4Th and the Monday DASH pull in Brewster Heath is August 6th.
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Islander
Member
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Last Saturday, August 4Th, saw the Dive Team operating in two separate locations in Crescent Lake. Skip Oliver and I found more milfoil at the Mast Landing Docks. Some was rooted but most of it was long broken lengths lying on the bottom. We gathered up a lot of it but the bottom became too cloudy to continue so we moved on to meet up with the other Divers. Kevin Donovan, John Ledyard, and Vince Buonomano dove between the two red markers on the eastern side of the first leg in Crescent Lake.
Subsequently Kevin Donovan and I dove again on Thursday August 9Th at Mast Landing to continue the clean up there .
The schedule for this coming Saturday August 11Th is to dive at 11:30AM after the LWA Annual Meeting at Anderson Hall. This is a half hour later than the usual dive time delayed because of the meeting. We will once again be in Crescent Lake, meeting at Howie Hoyt’s to coordinate things there.
The DASH Unit was in Brewster Heath on August 6Th and more information about the progress there will follow?
Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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Saturday August 11Th proved to be another productive dive for the Dive Team. Starting a half hour later than usual because of the Annual LWA meeting earlier the Divers dove in two separate locations. Kevin Donovan and John Lydeard dove off the first red buoy in Crescent Lake closest to Smith River. Skip Oliver and I cleaned up the bottom at Mast Landing where more work still needs to be done. So for next weekend on Saturday August 18Th we will once again dive those same two locations. It will be our fourth and hopefully last visit this year to Mast Landing as we are near completion of clearings that site. Another group will once again be by the same first red buoy where a cluster was found last week.
The Brewster Heath requires one more DASH visit to be able to call that area under control but in there Milfoil could easily be hiding only to reemerge next year.
So, we keep picking away at it as necessary and the situation isn’t bad considering the areas we know about and are perusing . Come see us this Saturday at 11:00.
Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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Due to the inclement weather forecasted for this morning today’s dive has been cancelled. We will dive next weekend and a posting here will give details. Thanks, Tom Ouhrabka
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Islander
Member
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Not diving last Saturday brought with it many long forgotten pleasures. There were all the chores around the house and yes even the trip to town for shopping. What could be better?………DIVING! So that is what we are going to do this coming Saturday in Crescent Lake, meeting at 11:00AM in front of the Hoyt residence, where we will disburse into effective groups.
Mast Landing, where more work needs to be done, will be put off this week due to the possibility that an organism called a Nematote (spelling?) that eats Milfoil may be present. Testing is being done.
So for August 25 we will concentrate by the first red marker on the northeastern side of Crescent Lake. Hope to see you there.
Tom Ouhrabka
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 NomdePlume. Reason: Testing site's failure to display this post
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