Inhaling airborne blue-green algae, found in Lake Winnipeg, lakes in southern and central Manitoba, and dozens of lakes in Quebec, is toxic and can cause potentially serious health effects according to a recent study. The green film, also known as cyanobacteria, can become airborne when swimmers splash around in the water, and inhaling or swallowing the algae is linked to problems ranging from vomiting and fever to liver or brain damage and, in extreme cases, death. (CBC.CA Jul20/07 | Jul29/07) [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Magellan MapSend BlueNav XL3 Charts for Meridian (Northwestern Alaska/Aleutians)
Magellan MapSend BlueNav XL3 Charts for Meridian (Northwestern alaska/Aleutians) Designed for use with the Meridian Gold, Platinum, and Marine Global Positioning Systems (GPS), the Magellan MapSend BlueNav XL3 Charts can enhance the enjoyment and safety of your journey through Northwestern alaska and the Aleutians. Ideal for mariners who are looking for charts covering a […]

Bass Tournament moves into Canadian Waters
The world’s best bass pros at the Chevy Open in Detroit will be allowed to fish in Canadian waters from July 12-15 to compete for $1.5 million in prizes - most will head for Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair. Last October, the U.S. had banned transport of live fish across borders to prevent the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS virus), but now will allow “catch and release” fishing in waters that cross state and international boundaries. Standard procedures for traveling anglers to prevent spreading this horrible disease include thorough cleaning of trailer and boat (including live wells) with a chlorine and water solution. About VHS virus: Wikipedia.org | Fisheries & Oceans Canada | NOAA Fact Sheet [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Canadian Dragon boat team win 23 Gold
Canadian Dragon Boat teams have returned from the 8th world Dragon Boat Racing Championship (IDBF) in Australia with 23 out of 38 gold medals, and topped the medal totals. Canadian teams won 5 of 7 gold in the Premier Open Championships against 8 other countries, 16 gold out of 19 in the Senior & Grand Dragons IDBF Championships against Australia, Germany and the United States. The Junior Dragon Boat team won 2 golds. They were impressed by the sportmanship shown - the German team waved Canadian flags and Australian children put maple leaf tattoos on their foreheads. Canada had top medal totals in the three categories. Also, The IDBF has awarded Honorary membership to Paul Henderson of Canada for outstanding service to Dragon Boat sport. [International Dragon Boat Federation | World Dragon Boat Racing Championship 2007] [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Great Lakes at Record Low Water Levels
In August, Lake Superior, the largest of the five Great Lakes, set a record for low water levels over the last century, and is heading for a record in September. Water flow out of the lake is also down 30% over averages. Lakes Michigan and Huron are at the level of Chart Datum, below their all-time average levels for this time of year. Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are below their all-time average levels for this time of year, but above Datum. The water level at Montreal Harbour is below average for this time of year and below Datum. (Kingston, Ontario levels are the lowest we’ve recorded in our log in 21 years - and still dropping.)The Georgian Bay Association is advancing its 2005 theory that excessive dredging near Sarnia and gravel mining many years ago have been the equivalent of pulling a drain plug, now causing loss of 10 billion litres a day, three times more than previously thought.The five Great Lakes form the world’s largest interconnected body of fresh water, containing one-fifth of all the fresh water on Earth. 99% of the lake waters are considered a legacy of the last ice age. Only about 1% is replenished each year through precipitation, which must offset evaporation and water flowing through the St. Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean.[ theGlobeAndMail.com | ToledoBlade.com | Water Level links ] [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Fish farm parasites wiping out Wild Salmon
Parasitic sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) found in salmon farms are rapidly killing off nearby wild salmon, according to researchers from the University of Alberta, Dalhousie University and the Salmon Coast Field Station in Echo Bay, B.C. Infection levels in wild juvenile salmon near the farms were 73 times higher than normal.The researchers predict that unless fish farms change their location or procedures, wild pink salmon numbers will drop 99% within eight years. The study will be published in today’s issue of the journal Science. [CBC News | University of Alberta | Science Daily] [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Canadian enters Transatlantic Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup
The Transatlantic Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup has a Canadian entry - VALKYRIE, a Swan 78 owned and skippered by Will Apold. On November 26, 18-metre yachts from seven nations Barbados, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Monaco and Norway - will race from Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain) to St. Maarten. Satellite tracking systems will monitor each yacht s progress - view it at www.yccs.it. [International Maxi Association] [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Another World Cup rowing gold for Canada
The Canadian men’s heavyweight eight (M8) won gold at a World Cup III rowing event in Lucerne, Switzerland, with a decisive victory over the world champion German team. Team members Brian Price, Andrew Byrnes, Kyle Hamilton, Adam Kreek, Dominic Seiterle, Malcolm Howard, Jake Wetzel, Ben Rutledge and Kevin Light had also won gold at Henley Royal Regatta in England. The lightweight women’s double team, Tracy Cameron (Shubenacadie, NS), and Lindsay Jennerich (Victoria BC), claimed silver, with other top-level placings. [thestar.com Jul15/07]At the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Canadians have excelled on the water. At the rowing regatta, Nathalie Maurer, Zoe Hoskins, Peggy Hyslop and Cristin McCarty of Canada won the gold medal in women’s Quadruple Sculls rowing. Hoskins and Maurer also won silver in women s pairs. The lightweight men’s four, Andrew Borden, John Haver, Adam Reynolds, and Paul Amesbury, also took gold. In canoe/kayak competitions, Canadians won 7 medals. Kayaker Jill D’Alessio won gold in the women’s K-1 500-metres. Kia Byers and Marie-Christine Schmidt won gold in the women’s K-2 500. Angus Mortimer won gold in K-1 1,000. Silver for men’s K-4 in 1,000 metres. Bronze for Benjamin Russell in men’s C-1 1,000 metres and women’s K-4 crew in the 500 metres. [canada.com Jul19/07 | 570news.com] [ boatinginCanada.com | boating in Canada News & Archives ]

Schools strive to stem violence
Baltimore Sun - For a new principal, picking the school’s uniform seemed like a simple decision: The students at Homeland Security Academy in West Baltimore would wear royal blue polos and khaki pants. Then fights started breaking out in the first days of the school

Kill two, get one free : Kenya s cry of hate
Times Online - A mob robbed the store of a prominent local Kikuyu businessman at Miritini, a cluster of houses and shops beside the Mombasa-to-Nairobi railway line 12 miles from Kenya s famous beach resorts. Yesterday, international peacemakers pushed Kibaki and Cooler temps, solitude await in Panhandle Chicago Sun-Times - We […]

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