Hi Friends of Deer Lake!!

 

Another summer season come and gone at Deer Lake.  Not sure why but it seemed like July and August whizzed by and here we are only days away from another Thanksgiving. 

 

Interesting fact Canadian Thanksgiving has been traced back to 1578 when explorer Martin Frobisher’s third voyage brought him to Newfoundland while searching for the Northwest passage. The official date of Thanksgiving varied until 1957 when our federal government passed a law cementing one of our favourite times of year to enjoy the “fruits of our labour”.

While Canada and the United States share many holidays our celebration is two months apart from our southern neighbour. Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday in October and American Thanksgiving is held the fourth Thursday of November. Our October celebration has been credited to it getting colder the further north we live and therefore having an earlier harvest.

 

Friends of Deer Lake committee would like to give “thanks” to Professor Daniel Walters from Nipissing University. Dan and his team placed water testing equipment into the deep Deer Lake waters to monitor oxygen levels and the presence of Cynobacteria which us mere mortals calls Blue Green Algae.

 

Attached is the report Professor Walters presented at our Friends of Deer Lake Annual BBQ about the health of our beautiful water.  Based on this scientific information it would appear Deer lake is doing quite well but with a warning to watch our use of fertilizers, leaking septic beds and other phosphorous producing contaminants which WILL cause damage to the water and surroundings.

 

Please take the time to read, absorb and help maintain the good health of the place we call home.

 

Happy Thanksgiving Friends of Deer Lake

 

Dave McAllister

Chief Loon

905-609-1600