I was the first of the Save the Harbor staff to arrive at Piers Park Sailing Center this morning. I got there just as the first campers were showing up. After Mark arrived I soon found out that we had to work the whole day without a Senior Marine Educator. At first I was a little bit worried but I knew Mark was up to the challenge so I manned up and got ready. We started off the day with a rousing game of sharks and minnows. Just as we were about to start another game I noticed that the kids were itching to get down to the dock. I grabbed the stuff while Mark led the kids down onto the dock. Although most people would say catching a striped bass from the dock at Piers Park, I beg to differ. Hooking a crab is nearly impossible, for unlike fish, the hook does not actually hook through the crab. The angler must reel in his/her line at an easy, constant rate so the crab does not fall off the hook. We lost multiple crabs today for that very reason.
After putting that disappointment behind us, Mark and I scooted on over to the Courageous Sailing Center at Charlestown. Mark and I set sail on the Green Boat with Kathleen the instructor, Norah, and Naomi, who are both Step 3 sailors. While we explored the Boston Harbor we ran some scientific tests on the water. To start things off we checked the temperature of the water. Our thermometer read 15 degrees Celcius, which, with the help of some speedy calculating on my part, we found out is approximately 49 degrees Fahrenheit. I can tell you earnestly that I had no plans to jump in the water after that. Next we checked the pH level of the harbor water in several different spots. Using simple pH strips, we found that the pH level was between 7 and 8, making it slightly basic. Usually, ocean water is about 8, which fit with our data. After these exhausting scientific experiments we decided to relax a bit and enjoy the breeze.
-Alex
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