Tommy and crew on the new-to-us boat, The Jenny O, in Sebago Cove.
This year’s season is starting off right with a new-to-us harvester, (The Jenny O, pictured above), 12 returning crew divers (five of which have been with us since 2018 or earlier!) and 7 new members (two who arrived already dive-certified). You read that right, even though we use surface-supplied air with hookas and full face masks, new crew members attend dive training to become open-water scuba certified. It’s a whole new world breathing underwater and we want our crew to be confident and comfortable.
Here crew have rethreaded rebar through the plastic benthic barriers and are rolling it up to set aside for the next tarp laying day. We do this work when conditions are cold and rainy and no one wants to be in the water. Hey, it happens. 😉
With 19 crew this year, we are focusing on four areas: Long Lake and Brandy Pond, Songo River, Sebago Cove, and the Northwest River in Sebago. We have finished our first round surveys of trouble spots, are working on pulling benthic barriers from last year’s mitigation, rebuilding those barriers on dry-land to prepare them for this year’s tarp laying, and started suction harvesting where we’re able. We are starting a large project on Sebago Cove and may eventually have two boats there for part of the season, as well as gearing up for surveying local business shorefronts for town reports in Naples. Were so thankful for the member-funding to make this happen, the hard work of our crew members in the water on good days and bad days, and the exceptional work of our crew leaders who keep everything in mind and keep us moving forward. Please be aware of divers in the water when you see our boats and dive flags, and stop by and say hi!
Spencer Mckee keeping an eye out for milfoil fragments and spotting the divers in the water (don’t worry, he has a pfd in his boat!) 😉
