As we welcome the new year, we are taking a moment to look back at a bountiful 2022, with a successful cruise season, meaningful community partnerships and continual educational programming inspiring the appreciation and stewardship of Cayuga Lake!
In these macro-invertebrate lessons, students sift through containers of freshly gathered stream water containing decomposing leaves, sticks, mud and … critters! As they do so, they identify the important aquatic insects, flies and worms which serve to indicate the health of the streams in which they’ll soon be releasing their trout.
Students viewing a plankton sample under the microscopes during our summer Floating Classroom cruise
We are grateful to all community members, students and visitors who have helped serve DCL’s mission to provide access and education to Cayuga Lake and its watershed. Below are highlights from our 2022 boat season and educational programming. Thanks again to all who contributed to make Discover Cayuga Lake a place of community and shared interest for our local ecosystem!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2022 BOAT SEASON:
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11,000 total guests on the boat this summer! – including Community Cruises, Public Cruises, Private Charters and Lake Lover Season Pass Holders
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38% of our bookings were from the 14850 area code, serving our mission of providing community members with access to the lake
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1,200 Floating Classroom students joined us over the course of 46 cruises. Area schools, colleges and homeschoolers participated in science experiments and observations concerning our Cayuga Lake watershed.
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We employed 8 Youth Crew Members, who gained work place skills and experience in the fields of boating, eco-tourism, environmental education, lake monitoring and citizen science.
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We had 4 young adults interns participate in the first ever Cayuga Lake Watershed Internship Program, focusing on projects related to eco-therapy and curriculum development for our Family Eco-Cruise. An additional 6 interns participated in the program while being hosted at mission-aligned partner organizations.
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Our Trout in the Classroom Program supported aquariums in 19 schools, serving 2,000 students in the education of watershed stewardship.
Guests lining up at the Allan H. Treman State Marina Park for a boat cruise aboard the MV Teal
We thank our numerous community partners, donors and sponsors who are invaluable in helping Discover Cayuga Lake provide education, appreciation and opportunities to experience Cayuga Lake and our local ecosystem.
Thank you also to members of the community as well as visitors for joining our Public and Community Cruises this past year! You have given us many great memories, as we’ve shared the wonders of sunsets, meteor showers, fall foliage, bird sightings and many more special experiences in 2022!
As we look ahead to the upcoming year, we are excited for the 2023 boat season and continue to work behind the scenes to research history and ecology of Cayuga Lake, develop cruise narration, advance our watershed-based curriculum for students of all ages and engage in fundraising activities. If you’re inspired by what we do, please contribute to our 2023 campaign! We look forward to seeing you on the boat next year and sharing many more great experiences together!