Profile: Black's Creek

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Black’s Creek location offers a unique and fun way to explore the harbor. The program is connected to the Quincy Recreation Department. Through the Quincy Recreation Department, children (ages 8-16) can learn about all kinds of sailing and boating in the scenic Merrymount Park. Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay’s program gives kids the option to explore before or after participating in sailing and boating. When the children arrive for the hour and a half long programs at 8:30 and 10:00, the smiles of anticipation say it all.

First, the group gathers in a field above the water to play a name game, and then a game of harbor themed renditions of tag. These include “crab tag” and “captain crab”. Between the two games, kids learn that crabs can regrow their claws (when they are tagged in crab tag they “lose a claw”), and they have a chance to pose as seaweed swaying in the ocean tide (when they are tagged in captain crab).

The games end abruptly with a loud “Yeaaaah!” when the kids are asked if they are ready to explore the beach. They then wade in the water searching for hermit crabs, mussels, and any other exciting finds. After getting their hands muddy from mussel digging, they strap on life vests and go out on the dock where their mussels are used for bait in their fishing lesson.

With an hour and a half of fun and learning under their belts, the kids leave with the same beaming smiles with which they arrived. Below are harbor explorers Noah and Lucy. Lucy held a crab for the first time and Noah pulled up a crab onto the dock with his fishing bait!

-Alyssa and Bridget