The EPA released it’s annual report card for the Charles River. The basin, where the race is held, is still stuck at a “B” grade. The general takeaway is that the Charles has improved tremendously over the years but progress of late has stalled. Worth a read.

There are some interesting parallels with respect to the Charles in this Washington Post story about the ongoing clean-up of the Seine in Paris. Both rivers suffered significantly due to industrialization, urbanization and its associated pollution. The water of both has historically been perceived negatively by the local population. But the Charles and the Seine are also benefiting from major clean-up efforts including the expanded treatment of wastewater. The plan is to host swimming events in the Seine for the 2024 Olympics after which public swimming venues may open. We’ll note one difference between the two rivers is that the Charles’ currently doesn’t host “dinghy-sized fish!”

A little over a year ago we noted a Globe story about a single bald eagle sighting. In today’s article the Esplanade Association is quoted as saying bald eagle sightings were occurring a couple times a week during March and April. Check out the story here. See this instagram post for a pic of a Charles’ eagle munching on what might be a large carp. Yum!

Seals, schools of herring, and now a bald eagle.  As the ecological rehabilitation of the river continues so does the list of wildlife either paying the Charles a visit or making it home. Full story at the Boston Globe.

Head on over to the Globe for a nice article on the effort to establish a permanent swimming spot on the Charles.  Cities around the world are turning back the clock on decades of pollution.  Rivers once full of “dirty water” are now being fully embraced by their local population.  Will Boston and Cambridge be next? Hat tip to our friends at the Charles River Conservancy who are leading the effort to establish the North Point Park swimming facility.  

It looks like the river swimming season has started early for some.  Workers at the Museum of Science have reported seeing at least one seal making its way into the Charles River from the harbor.  This makes two years in a row that seals have sneaked through the locks, possibly in pursuit of fish.  We look forward to more pinniped sightings in the future. Full story at the Boston Globe here.

A very impressive and somewhat “crowd-sourced” bathymetry chart of the Charles River is now available at MIT.  Using relatively inexpensive fish-finders the Charles River Association of Boaters (CRAB) and MIT Sea Grant have provided the first updated map of the Charles River’s depths since 2000 when the USGS conducted a survey. Hats off for a very clever idea executed in full!  Full Globe coverage available here.  

A Boston harbor seal has found his way into the Charles River and was spotted basking on the dock used by Union Boat Club (right around the corner from the swim dock).  The theory is he or she is following migratory fish through the locks.

Nice article in the Boston Globe about the abundance of wildlife that is returning to the Charles.  Looking forward to seeing a bald eagle try to haul away one of our giant carps one day.  It must be noted the river got a B+ this year instead of the prior A- but that has been largely attributed to weather variation.  The article is here. A brilliant Baltimore oriole zipped across the river to land in a shaded shallow to bathe. A mallard mother with several new chicks bobbed up and down the shoreline, dodging the many rowers. And patrolling the shoreline were black-crowned night herons, crouching and angling their heads…

This video has been out for a couple years but it deserves further dissemination.  It’s the Esplanade Association’s “Esplanade 2020” vision.  While we all love the Esplanade the reality is it could be so much more than the run-down strip of green it is today.  Spot the swimming platform in one of the illustrations.   Check out the Esplanade Association’s site for more info and to lend your support!