GLA Biologist Joe Blondia steers the Discovery Boat while Intern Sophie Schwartz collects samples during a plankton tow.
The tours are offered on various Fridays throughout the summer, both in the morning and during the afternoon. Each tour runs approximately two hours, although good questions and spontaneous finds often let the tours run longer.
As the GLA Watershed Science and Outreach Intern this summer, I had the great opportunity to help out with the Discovery Boat. I accompanied GLA Biologist (and my former high school science teacher!) Joe Blondia on every morning tour. In the beginning, I figured that eventually I would probably memorize the tour and be able to know exactly what was coming. However, I quickly found out how personal and unique each tour is. I learned something new every time I went out on the boat.
One of the skills I learned through the Discovery Boat was how to conduct a plankton tow, the process of deploying an ultra-fine net to condense plankton into small amounts of water to examine under the microscope. We collected the plankton in real time on the tour, and it was extremely interesting to see how the time of the season, location, and temperature all seemed to affect the amount of plankton we saw. Some days I pulled out a jar of deep green, fishy smelling water, and other days, all I could get was a clear sample with a slight green tinge.
We also collected samples of plant life to examine any tiny swimmers that might be on the leaves. Usually, Joe Blondia would toss a rake off the side of the boat or Laura Wiesen would snorkel off the side. Sometimes however, we all worked together to try and paddle a particularly interesting plant toward the boat. One of my favorite memories is of a young girl who saw that our attempts to retrieve a plant from the boat weren’t working. She took matters into her own hands and jumped off the boat to retrieve it. That’s a memory she won’t soon forget!
The Discovery Boat is an experience I would truly recommend to anyone who loves Glen Lake. We all know we love the lake, but why do we love it? What makes it so special? Come out for our 2027 season and find out!
About the GLA’s Internship Program
The GLA Watershed Science and Outreach Internship is a hands-on learning experience where interns engage directly in field research, environmental monitoring, community outreach, and communications. Our internship program began in 2017, and is made possible by generous annual donations from Jim and Susan Dutmers, Tom and Monica Dutmers, and Bill and Rita Witler, in honor of their mothers, Patricia Johnson Dutmers and Elva Witler. We are so grateful for their support.