Local volunteers help detect cyanobacteria in Lake Champlain

Local volunteers help detect cyanobacteria in Lake Champlain

Chea Waters Evans

You’ve got your goggles on, you’re slicked up with sunscreen, your water shoes are firmly in place, you’re about to jump in the lake—and there it is: foamy pea soup, right on the top of the water. Though you might be tempted to take the leap anyway, it’s best to take a step back. Cyanobacteria blooms aren’t just any normal lake growth, and they can make people and animals really sick. Here in Charlotte, working through the Lake Champlain Committee, volunteers are testing the water so you can jump in without fear.

There’s plenty going on in the outdoors, both good and not-so good

There’s plenty going on in the outdoors, both good and not-so good

Elizabeth Bassett

First some good news. The Island Line Bike Ferry is plying the Cut, 200 feet of open water between Mallet’s Bay and the open lake, allowing pedestrians and bicycles to travel from Colchester to the Champlain Islands. Years ago, trains rolled between Rutland and Montreal, crossing a swing bridge that opened to allow boat passage.