It's The Economy, Or Is It?

Vergennes, VT
44 10.17 N 073 15.48 W

There seems to be many fewer boats on Champlain this year.  Especially the Canadians are here is much fewer numbers.    That was our impression, and chatting with aVermont Marine Patrol Trooper yesterday confirmed it.

I know that the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on the American economy, but it's ups and downs do not go in synchronism with the USA's.  Asking around, I hear that the Canadian economy is no worse than last years.  I don't know what the explanation is.

One negative factor, which I do not believe caused the boating low, is that the lake has a lot more algae than previous years.  The green algae is visible and it is found places where we've never seen it before.   Blue-green algae is not visible, but it causes problems if you swim in it.  I have an earache from too much swimming last weekend.  

The cause of the algae blooms is obvious.  Last year the lake got a tripple whammy of flooding.  First it was the record high spring floods.  Then Tropical Storm Irene, then Tropical Storm Lee.  Each flood washed nitrogen from residential and especially agricultural areas into the lake. Each creek and river leading to the lake deposited a miles long plume of brown flood water.