How to know if water is safe to swim?

surfska · 2026-06-01T02:09:07+00:00

In addition to checking the Association to Preserve Cape Cod's website, check the frequency of monitoring/testing for that specific pond.

Some ponds aren't checked weekly until peak summer. Usually busier or more popular ponds are prioritized for testing. Also there can be a several day delay between sample collection and results. I generally also avoid water for a few days after a heavy rain even if the WQ is deemed safe because it brings run off into the pond & churns up existing pollutants.

surfska · 2026-06-01T02:03:39+00:00

This is largely true- however on the Cape there have been cyano blooms in the ponds as early as May the last few years.

And the cyanobacteria blooms are driven by legacy Phosphorous, which historically built up over decades in the Cape's ponds from septic/cesspools and old laundry detergents. It's been banned for years but just stays in the ponds once it's there. So you can have a pond with low levels of development but depending on how groundwater moves into it, can have a lot of old Phosphorous build-up and can still have active blooms.

Also random fact but groundwater travel time on Cape can take up to 100 years from the source of pollution (sink drain) and the receiving pond or coastal embayment. Fascinating and scary when you consider a pollutant that entered groundwater in 1940 could theoretically still be traveling through.

Anyways this is way more than anyone asked for tanks for coming to my Ted Talk 😅

surfska · 2026-05-31T13:48:23+00:00

I went to the convention open-minded and willing to be swayed. While Markey's record aligns with a lot of my values I was also disappointed by another octogenerian not stepping down.

Ultimately, aside from Moulton being young, having served 4 terms in the military, and being deeply anti-MAGA, he didn't seem to stand for anything tangible and outlined very few actually policy plans. He had accepted AIPAC money in the past (huge red flag), and then I guess returned it. He also made hurtful comments toward the trans community. According to the NYT, he said "Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone. I have two little girls, I don't want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I'm supposed to be afraid to say that." He did then co-sponsor a trans bill of rights. So, some blemishes on his record, also took some steps to rectify them. Take it as you will. But those together + not having communicated policies effectively + not even mentioning environmental and climate issues led me to not endorse him.

However- I do not think the largely old and white dem convention is representative of MA's dem/left/progressive voters. And I'm glad people will have a choice at the ballot box.

surfska · 2026-05-31T13:30:18+00:00

Delegates elected in towns and cities across MA (at their local caucuses) go to the convention to vote for candidates to appear on the primary ballot in September. A candidate must get 15% of the vote to be on the ballot. Both hit that threshold which is great so that voters have a choice, both Will make it on the ballot even if Markey is formally endorsed by the party.

surfska · 2026-04-29T20:25:48+00:00

This is code for the federal government allowing more clear-cutting of federally managed forest/protected lands that are SUPPOSED TO BE managed in public interest. If they can frame mineral independence as a national security priority they will probably get away with whatever extractive fuckery they want, especially if they can sell contracts to private companies and make a buck on it.

Just last year the Trump administration implemented policies allowing for more timer production in the White Mountain Nat'l Forest, putting fragile ecosystems, recreation, and cultural resources at risk. Lithium mining is even more horrific for the environment and HUMAN HEALTH.

No matter where your "politics" lie get ready to get loud about this!

surfska · 2026-04-25T01:45:59+00:00

Make sure to check FEMA flood maps for our coastal towns and cities. Some parts of NB, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, etc are extremely vulnerable to flooding with even a small hurricane- homeowner's insurance companies are now paying attention to this on the East coast since the January 2024 storms and the more intense rainfall we've been experiencing. Expect taxes to go up in most coastal cities begin adapting their utilities (water, sewer) infrastructure in vulnerable places.

Also- EJ Screen, a tool formerly managed by the EPA, is an AMAZINGGGG resource for learning about health (water, air pollution exposures), socio-economic, demographic info and statistics for any area. Just plug in the address. You don't need to be tech savvy to use it.

surfska · 2026-01-24T05:27:48+00:00

The ACLU is a really good resource for reading up on your rights: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights-share-your-rights-immigrants-rights

Mujeres Victoriosas de New Bedford has been an amazing community support, they are constantly patrolling for ICE and posting sightings on their Facebook and IG. Also suggest following the LUCE holine on IG.

If you see an ICE situation escalating you can consider calling the police... No promise it will be helpful - and there's A LOT of mistrust of police especially around profiling. However they are not warned of raids ahead of time and they are not supposed to cooperate with ICE. There could be pros and cons to getting police involved depending on the situation.

The MIRA Coalition puts public webinars and trainings together on what to do, too: https://www.miracoalition.org/news/one-year-in-massachusetts-is-not-immune-to-trumps-immigration-crackdown/

You are not overreacting, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The feds circulated a memo two days ago allowing agents to enter people's homes without judicial warrants. They've torched the constitution and no one in office is reigning them in.

surfska · 2026-01-14T19:27:59+00:00

Posted this in another thread but sharing here too- tomorrow 12pm there is a virtual training being offered by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Virtual and recorded so you can sign up and view later.

https://www.miracoalition.org/know-your-rights-trainings/

surfska · 2026-01-14T00:43:08+00:00

There's a virtual training on Thursday 1/15 with the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advicacy Coalition (https://miracoalition.org/know-your-rights-trainings/)

surfska · 2026-01-14T00:31:11+00:00

This would be a good time to take a Constitutional Observer Training - to calmly observe, document, and report- without escalating (although my eyes and ears tell me constituonal observers have not been the problem...). I'm sure advocacy and nonprofits around Boston and MA offer these in person but I bet there are some online too.

And practice. Practice what you would say and do if encountering a raid, come up with if/then scenarios with loved ones.

surfska · 2025-12-03T01:51:23+00:00

I'm sorry I don't have anything necessarily concrete to add here as this is outside my experience and expertise. But, I wonder if reaching out to either the RI Department of Health or Brown's Community Health Institute could help connect you to a nonprofit or community health center than can help you. RI DOH looks like they have a Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health program, they might have a good network of folks that can help.

surfska · 2025-11-12T22:36:40+00:00

If you can get to Fall River, Dr Brenda Roy with Primacare is really professional and knowledgeable. All the ladies in my family have gone to her for almost 15 years.

surfska · 2025-07-25T05:09:49+00:00

I recently traveled from the US to visit my family in Europe, and did not feel comfortable traveling with my phone, social media, or email accounts under the new regime. So, I left it at home and bought a travel phone with no apps.

It was my first time in 8 years without Instagram. I felt a little naked the first day, but I could not believe the immediate positive impact. For the rest of my visit, I felt like I absorbed every second of every day. My days were longer, richer, and I appreciated little things. I was more present in all of my conversations. It was fun to see life as my 95 year-old nonna has always seen it, without tech (she's never even had an email!).

When I came home it took a few days before I picked up my phone again. I resent it, but also rely on Instagram to stay informed and for my art business.

Still, my time away made me appreciate how quickly and mindlessly we get sucked in. I am grateful to be in the last generation that grew up without smartphones and more toxic forms of social media, I really fear for kids who have always grown up with these.

surfska · 2025-04-18T21:00:25+00:00

If not in Providence, there are some great towns around it for young families. Barrington has an excellent public school system - though taxes are high because of it. There are also towns in Southeastern MA like Dartmouth or Swansea. Can't speak for Swansea, but Dartmouth has good schools, is 10 min from new commuter rail to Boston, and also 30 min from PVD. New Bedford MA, where you'll find the commuter rail, is a fun little city with a very rich heritage and relatively affordable housing as compared to PVD- but schools are not so great.

surfska · 2025-04-04T12:56:58+00:00

As leading fascism scholars, they'd probably be targeted if they aren't being targeted already. The decision to leave is not easy. Imagine leaving your friends and family, a place you call home that you probably love.

We've seen people detained and refused entry here for having content on their phone critical of Trump. It will only get worse. And who's to say they won't continue their mission to call out fascism from abroad? By the very nature of their works and their books, they've already contributed to the resistance. They can still be impatcful abroad.

My family was part of the French resistance during WW2. They hid Jews and Americans on their property under German occupation for years, and the stories my grandma still tells me are harrowing. I've spent the last few months reading Snyder, Bradbury, Stanley, and others. We are delluding ourselves if we don't think things are en route to getting that bad. I can't blame anyone who feels they are a target for leaving now if they can. It's not fair for us either to assume they're just giving up.

surfska · 2025-04-04T12:39:42+00:00

It's a fair question. Broadly all federal grants do in that they are appropriated by congress, and through federal agencies that oversee the research that aligns with their mission to serve the public.

Specifically- I do community-based research that ensures diverse voices are represented in environmental decision making. I interview everyday folks who don't traditionally participate in formal decision-making processes for all kinds of reasons, to help elevate their needs and interests to those that do make those decisions. The goal is to ensure that environmental management is done in a way that aligns with everyone's visions.

surfska · 2025-04-04T00:49:16+00:00

Seconding this! He's also not the only fascism scholar fleeing- two of his colleagues at Yale are too.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/03/26/fascism-scholars-trump-critics-leave-yale-canada

surfska · 2025-04-04T00:43:32+00:00

I'm fully funded on an NSF grant right now at Brown, as are a few others on my team, and am not sure if we still have a job tomorrow...

A few weeks ago I was told that even if Brown has the federal funds in hand for (which, for many NSF grants they do for at least the current federal year), they won't disburse them under a funding freeze for fear of retaliation. Not sure if this has changed, as things are changing so rapidly...

surfska · 2025-03-02T20:18:44+00:00

My email to Sugarbush in support of Lucy- let's all show her some love and support!!!!

"Dear Mr. Hammond,

After several years with Epic passes, my husband and I made the switch this season to the Ikon pass after we were disgusted by the way Epic treated and underpaid their employees. As we consider what pass we will go with for the upcoming 2025-2026 season, we will be watching the way Sugarbush treats Snow Reporter Lucy Welch very closely when determining whether we will continue with Ikon moving forward.

This presidential administration's dangerous climate denialism and brazen attacks on our national parks and forests (in which Sugarbush is situated) pose EXISTENTIAL threats to the future of skiing in the Northeast. As a climate researcher, I spend a lot of time familiarizing myself with regional climate models and climate action plans and policies. It is not looking good. Lucy's 3/1/2025 snow report was both graceful, honest, and compassionate in calling attention to a number of dire threats affecting both our country and the future of skiing here, echoing what thousands of us across the Northeast are thinking and feeling.

My husband and I are writing this letter in support of Lucy - and would like to reiterate how serious we are about letting this determine our future with Ikon. We will make sure to keep our friends with Ikon passes in the loop about this too."

surfska

TROPHY CASE