Sailing Through the Green...

Staff retreats for many organizations means a posh beach resort, bonding exercises disguised as games, a motivational speaker and an imported expert or two, and lots of down time when people still work their Blackberries.

But the River Rats of the River Alliance will have none of those trappings. We went right into the thick of our work -- the thick, stinky, mottled and multi-hued cakes of algae that choke the Wisconsin River this time of year. (Enjoy the video, and be glad it's not scratch-and-sniff.) We sailed with our good friends, the Petenwell and Castle Rock Stewards, who have been heroic in their patience and persistence in reducing the pollution that causes the algae blooms.

The River Alliance team after a day of sailing...and avoiding
noxious algae blooms. (Photo Credit: Matt Krueger)

Thick, smelly algae swirls in the wake of our sailboat.
(Video Credit: Matt Krueger)