Edition #41 - 16 May 2021 View this email in your browser

Victoria Day Long Weekend Arrives

Do you have your garden planted yet?

Mother Nature got it mixed up this spring. It is supposed to be April Showers and May Flowers but seems like somehow the order got switched this year. On the positive side we did need the rain and hopefully all the wet and cold has stopped folks from planting their tender veggies and flowers too soon.

As the long weekend approaches we can expect that garden centres will be busy and if the weather co-operates, a weekend of planting or enjoyment of the lake will be in order. This will be a welcome diversion from the social isolation we have been dealing with however as long as social distancing measures are in place with ask that you respect your neighbours and enjoy you weekend at the lake.

Be Safe, Stay Well
See you on the lake

Mississippi Lakes Association AGM

20 May 2021, 7PM

This meeting will again be held as a Zoom session, because of the continuing COVID epidemic and because last year's Zoom meeting was highly successful.

The Meeting Notice and supporting documents have been posted here.

This meeting is open to the public but advanced registration is required. If you are a MLA member but unable to participate in person, we ask that you consider submitting a proxy.

After the official business is completed, Sally McIntryre, General Manager of the MVCA will be providing an update on the Mississippi River Watershed Plan.

Marker Buoys Have been Deployed

Many thanks to our volunteers, Brian K Smith, Jim Tye, Rob Donald, and Jordan Fiorido with the support of Doreen Donald for the early deployment of MLA cautionary buoys.

Cautionary buoys mark known hazards however there is no guarantee that we have them all so watch your speed in areas of shallow water and never drive between two markers that are less than 100m/300ft apart. For indication of buoy location check out this chart.

Be safe, watch your speed.

We couldn’t do it without you

Over the past year, over 2,050 hours of time was donated to help the MLA achieve its goals.

That’s the equivalent of 255 workdays or over 50 workweeks of time.

Be it the work put in by the Board of Directors to manage the various programs or the committed individuals who help with buoy deployments, tracking invasive species, testing water quality, managing communication media, driving boats, flying drones, and a helping with host of other activities, we could not do it without you.

Thank you to all our volunteers.

MLA Dock Talk coming this summer!

Watch for the Mississippi Belle out on the lake. Call us over to your dock, wave from the shore or your boat! This is your chance to talk to our directors and volunteers.

Perhaps you need to renew your MLA membership or inquire about our many volunteering opportunities?

We will be handing out a water safety card, pamphlet and a nice gift too.

This community outreach will only proceed if and when Covid restrictions allow.

Watch our Facebook and Instagram for updates about our first MLA Dock Talk!

If you have any questions about this outreach event, please send your inquiry to comms@mlakes.org

Water Safety Initiative

For the month of May we have are focusing our water safety campaign on:

making sure you are ready for your first outing; and
boating with kids and pets.

For the latest hints check out our blog Ready, Set, Go Boating and Boating with Kids and Pets.

For additional background various authorities, including the OPP's presentation check out our Water Safety Initiative page.

If you have stories or concerns you wish to share you can contact us at boat_safety@mlakes.org.

Become a Water Ranger

Getting involved with citizen science projects are fun ways to get involved with your surroundings. It is also a perfect way to share the fun side of science with your children and/or grandchildren.

After you receive your kit and some simple instructions you will be able to monitor water quality in a specific area and upload this data on your phone or desktop app.

It only takes 10-15 minutes once a week to add to our knowledge of the quality of water in the lake.

Contact Doreen Donald if you are interested and check out this web site to see what it is all about.

Gypsy Moth

What should we expect in 2021?

Anyone who has had the time to patrol their property and look for gypsy moth egg masses will know that there are a lot of egg masses out there! The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry did some detailed sampling across the infected zone and have forecasted that, should all of these eggs hatch successfully and develop through all of their larval stages, we should expect “severe” defoliation. READ MORE

Turtles are on the Move

Be on the look out,turtles are already on the move across our area. As you drive around the lake give way to turtles who are moving to and from nesting sites. Remember all Ontario turtles are considered "at risk"
Check out this video to see how to move a turtle off the road.

Help Track Invasive Species

Do you want to plan something to do this summer that both helps your lake community and is compliant with any social distancing guidelines that might be in effect?

The MLA is looking for people to go out and survey specific areas of the lake, basically near your cottage or house. The task is to look for invasive aquatic species and collect samples. It is not difficult or time consuming and can be something fun for the family.

The date for this survey is July 24th (rain date July 25th). Don't worry, training will be held via Zoom on June 29th to give you the necessary tools. Contact Doreen Donald if you require additional information or wish to volunteer for this important job.

First-Time Boat Owner Checklist

For all you first-time boat owners out there, follow this simple checklist with tips on how to help ease into ownership.

Secure boat insurance.
Learn how to trailer your boat.
Learn how to launch and retrieve your boat.
Determine where you will store your boat.
Understand basic maintenance requirements.
Stock your boat with the proper equipment.
Follow a pre-departure checklist.
Master basic on-the-water operating skills.
Always practice safe and responsibly boating.
Enjoy your new boat!

12 Common Boating Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a dozen blooper-induced, boating fails and dilemmas you can avoid with just a little bit of knowledge and forethought.

Failing to check the marine weather forecast
Running aground
Forgetting to keep up with regular maintenance
Hitting the dock
Running out of gas
Forgetting to put in the drain plug
Overloading the boat
Getting lost
Putting out insufficient anchor line
Running the engine while dry
Improperly mooring the boat
Trailering with the engine down and/or the top up

Reproduced form Discover Boating If you want to get more info check out Boat Ownership guide

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Mississippi Lakes Association · PO Box 27 · Carleton Place, On K7C 3P3 · Canada