Young Sailors Strive for Cleaner Waterways

Written by Thomas G. Year 11

During the summer holidays, I was far from Eton, at Community Boating, Inc. – or “CBI” - on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts. I taught sailing there to individuals facing mobility and other medical challenges, as CBI’s mission is “sailing for all”.

But CBI is also committed to clean waterways and oceans for a healthier planet. So, for the past three years, young sailors here have been learning how to take water samples and analyse them as part of a Charles River cyanobacteria monitoring project. Dr. Gary Du Moulin teaches the techniques of microscopy, so they can prepare algae slides for examination under a microscope. Every morning young volunteers use those skills as they collect, test and record river water samples for ongoing water-quality analysis.

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green or toxic algae, are naturally occurring microorganisms found in freshwater, like rivers, lakes, and ponds. Excess phosphorus from stormwater runoff plus warm weather can cause cyanobacteria to transform into a toxic bloom, releasing dangerous cyanotoxins that are harmful to the surrounding ecosystem, threaten public health and can even be fatal to small children, pets, and those with respiratory conditions.

As climate change brings increased precipitation and extreme heat, cyanobacteria blooms are becoming more frequent and severe. The data collected by young people at CBI is shared with scientists and policymakers working on ways to keep excessive phosphorous and dangerous cyanobacteria blooms out of the Charles River… and all waterways.