Midlakes Navigation and its boats are synonymous with Skaneateles Lake. For years people have said they mark the seasons by when they see the Judge Ben Wiles docked and taking passengers for cruises on the lake.
This summer Midlakes decided to add something new to the mix.
Megan Buff said the idea for what Midlakes is calling Science Sundays, has been brewing for a while now and this year seemed like the right time to bring it out.
“The idea has been on our minds for quite a while, but we never really had the time to dedicate to it and make it as amazing as we envisioned,” Buff said. “I’ve always had a passion for science, even as a kid, dragging my family to events like this whenever we were on vacation. So, when the opportunity came up to makes something like this of our own, I was beyond excited. The whole team is thrilled that we finally got things moving this year, and we’re looking forward to seeing it all come together by next year.”
The first Science Sunday was held July 21 and the next is planned for Aug. 25.
“The first event went really well, especially considering it was our first attempt,” Buff said. “We learned a lot about timing and how to improve the flow of the cruise, but overall, everyone seemed to have a great time and walked away having learned something new.”
The idea is to give young passengers an interactive and hand on experience that gives them insights into the lake and all it contains.
Buff is joined by two Skaneateles teachers for the cruises and the main deck is transformed into what has come to be called “The Lab.”
The Lab offers interactive station including the aquarium, microscopes, a geological station, water testing and buoyancy experiments.
“We have a tank filled with crayfish, snails, zebra mussels, and seagrass for the kids to explore,” Buff said of the aquarium station.
The microscopes feature prepared slides showcasing lake life such as a section of seagrass to observe plant cells, and a crayfish under the compound microscope.
The geological station features a table covered with a large map of the lake, surrounded by fossils from Staghorns Point, with magnifying glasses for closer inspection.
Each child performs their own water quality test, comparing results on a chart to measure pH, nitrates, and nitrites,” Buff said of the water testing station. “We tailor the explanation to the age group, with younger kids focusing on matching colors and older kids getting a deeper understanding of what these elements mean.”
While conducting the buoyancy experiment, participants are provided with a tub of water, tin foil, and pennies to build their own tinfoil boats and test how many pennies they can hold.
“This station is all about teaching the concept of buoyancy and applying it to make more successful boats,” Buff said.
The upper deck, for purposes of the science cruise becomes “The Observation Deck.”
“We have posters of local species, fish species coloring pages for the younger kids, and a scavenger hunt for the older ones,” Buff said. “We discuss how our lake was formed, why it’s special, and what we can all do to protect it. We wrap up each session with an interactive mural, which we plan to add to every time so we can create a collection from all the Science Sundays.”
Buff said these interactive stations and the cruise are geared toward ages four and up, but she said all are welcome.
The cruise itself focuses on the some of the most interesting aspects of the lake.
“We designed the route to focus on the North end of the lake,” Buff said. “We slowed down around the shipwreck to share some history and then looped around to show the water intake pipe. After that, we cruised along the east side of the lake, where we began the hands-on stations. About three miles down, we paused to do a Secchi disk test, giving the kids a chance to see how it’s done right in front of the boat launch. As we made our way back along the west side, we transitioned the group to the upper deck for observations.”
Like many who call Skaneateles home, Buff said the lake holds a special place for her family and this cruise is an opportunity to share that in a new way with other people.
“I grew up here with a dad who grew up here and was really passionate about teaching my brother and I about the lake,” Buff said. “Midlakes is run by a local family, so this place means a lot to us. There’s so much to learn about why this lake is so special, and we wanted to share that with the kids. It’s a wonderful place to grow up, to move to and to just visit, we wanted to kind of wrap that up into a nice little cruise where local and visiting kids could learn a lot about the lake, a little about science and have a lot of fun. From what we’ve heard so far, people have really enjoyed the experience. Parents and kids alike have been enthusiastic about how much they learned and how much fun they had.”
With the initial two cruises taking place this summer, Buff said she hopes to hold two cruises a month from June to August next summer.
For more information visit midlakesnavigation.com or call 315-685-8500.
