floating in the city

invasion of the green algae splurge

Thanks to the Babylon narrowboat crew for these pictures of the recent green algae invasion on the Lee River, London. Algae thrives on nutrients released by farmland fertilisers and sewerage systems. Meanwhile the Environment Agency says it is worried by the spread of algae that is threatening to choke wildlife along the south coast of England, and the Japanese have invented algae that 'sweats diesel' which sounds like a good idea, unless it escapes.

•  Because of so many foreclosed abandoned homes with stagnant swimming pools in Florida, USA, local health departments are now using a type of "Algae eater" fish from the Amazon called Pterygoplichthys to dump into the pools to eat up the algae. In California  local 'Mosquito Abatement Districts' have been using  'Mosquito Fish' to eat up mosquito larvae in stagnant swimming pools. Unfortunately these fish are also being used to control the mosquito in the wild, and are decimating native amphibians in rivers and streams where ever they are introduced.

high speed youtube canal trip round london

The speed limit on London's canals is 4 mph, and everyone knows the canals are slow. But now, even if it is raining outside, you can go on a high speed trip round the 'London Loop' in less than an hour on a souped up narrowboat, with no chance of a speeding ticket thanks to this video by PaulandtheBear. The trip includes the Regents Canal, some great views from the middle of the River Thames at top speed and back to point zero via the Grand Union. They even catch the 'floating in the city' mooring as they zoom past on the fastest narrowboat in London, yet somehow they manage to leave no wake at all. This video is a bit how a 'Waterways View' version of Google's 'Street View' might be. On the other hand at those speeds the 'London Loop' could become the waterways equilivent of CERN.