Lake Champlain Sea Grant and University of Vermont Extension will host a series of Summer on the Lake public boat trips this summer aboard the R/V Marcelle Melosira, the university’s research vessel.
This year, trips will run from both the Vermont and New York side of Lake Champlain. They will focus on one of two different themes, Lake Champlain Live or Stories of the Lake.
The cost is $35 per person for the Vermont trips and $45 for New York due to the additional costs of repositioning the vessel. To register, go to https://go.uvm.edu/boat-trip. A limited number of scholarships are available. Please contact seagrant@uvm.edu for details.
Early registration is encouraged as space is limited to 24 participants per trip. Children must be at least eight years old to participate, and anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Lake Champlain Live focuses on lake science, offering hands-on experience to explore how limnologists collect research data on inland waters. Participants will tow for and identify plankton, assess water samples for invasive species and monitor water clarity.
The Stories of the Lake trips features a cultural and historical look at Lake Champlain with stops, weather permitting, at landmarks including Red Rocks Park, Lone Rock Point, Rock Dunder (of cultural significance to the Abenakis) and the Horse Ferry shipwreck off Burlington’s North Beach. Participants will learn about the lake’s geology, naval history following European settlement and local native tribes and their relationship with the water.
Vermont-based trips will depart from the south side of the Rubenstein Lab/Echo Building at 3 College St., Burlington.
Trip dates are:
- July 11: 10 a.m.-noon, Lake Champlain Live
- July 11: 1-3 p.m., Lake Champlain Live
- July 31: 5-7 p.m., Stories of Lake Champlain
- August 14: 10 a.m.-noon, Stories of Lake Champlain
Two excursions will leave from the Plattsburgh City Marina, 2 Dock St. in Plattsburgh, New York. Free parking is available on site.
- July 9: 10 a.m.-noon, Lake Champlain Live
- July 9: 1-3 p.m., Lake Champlain Live
For all trips registered participants are asked to be at the boat at least 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time for a safety talk and to sign a liability waiver. Note that wearing closed-toe shoes is a safety requirement and therefore is not optional.
Questions? Contact Lake Champlain Sea Grant at seagrant@uvm.edu or (802) 777-9130. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, please contact Student Accessibility Services at access@uvm.edu or (802) 656-7753 at least two weeks in advance of the trip.