Sometimes

    Prev Next

    Sometimes you don't want to document (or even look at) what you see.

    The health of the Great Lakes isn't something we can afford to ignore.

    1. Diann* 74 months ago | reply

      You're right...it's sad.

    2. SolsticeSol 74 months ago | reply

      So true, we absolutely can't ignore it...

    3. farlane 74 months ago | reply

      I have real faith that we will wake up as a state (nation/world) and act to improve our environment. Webster's defines environment:
      1 : the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded
      2 a: the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival b : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community

      Somehow "environment" became a dirty word when what we're talking about is survival and life.

    4. jensenl 74 months ago | reply

      I remember seeing this stuff last June when I went to South Manitou. Does it hang around all summer or will it clear up in a bit?

      To me, the clear water is one of the most enticing things about that area, it would be a real shame if that were lost. I was just up in Tobermory, Ontario on Lake Huron and the water is still incredibly clear there, but also much colder.

    5. farlane 74 months ago | reply

      I have requests out to some folks to find out what it is, so I can't say for sure. It seems to be pushed around by wind and waves and with the zebra mussels filtering the water, there's clear water most places.

      This patch was about 150 yards long.

    6. jensenl 74 months ago | reply

      Ah, maybe this is something different than what I saw, which just looked like a bunch of brown-green algae along the shores. At the time an NPS ranger said it was temporary but was becoming more of a problem year to year due to phosphorus pollution and zebra mussels making the water clearer, and thus letting sunlight penetrate deeper into the water, allowing algae to grow in places it couldn't before.

      Wisconsin has some good info on it:
      dnr.wi.gov/org/water/greatlakes/cladophora/

    7. farlane 74 months ago | reply

      It probably is cladophora. This page has a photo of cladophora that looks similar.

    8. farlane 73 months ago | reply

      This photo appears on Key provision of Michigan Environmental Protection Act under fire on Absolute Michigan.

    keyboard shortcuts: ← previous photo → next photo L view in light box F favorite < scroll film strip left > scroll film strip right ? show all shortcuts