My First Safari with Save the Harbor

The weekend before I started my internship, everyone went on a safari, but of course I was a day late and a trip short. On the bright side I was promised an invite to all the upcoming safaris!
During their trip they saw Cormorants, let me guess you don’t know what that is? Well, a cormorant or in the Latin term Corvus Marinus aka marine crow or sea raven is a long necked bird with a reptilian appearance. Cormorants are everywhere but usually over looked or hard to find. During my time with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
I have already seen a few of them around the Harbor. I was sent on my own safari around the bay to find my own in fact! Cormorants eat fish and shellfish that is one reason why they are such a controversial bird, fisherman are never pleased with them. They are amazing swimmers and can dive up to 100 feet for fish. They can also stay underwater for more than a minute while diving.
Cormorants stay in huge groups when nesting and drop their poop on trees and rocks, killing the trees and staining the rocks. Many people don’t like cormorants because they are messy and they happen to take fish the fisherman work hard to catch. Chinese fisherman take advantage and use them to catch fish. Cormorants often stand out with both wings spread not to attract the female but to dry their wings because they lack the water proof coat most water birds already have.

One way they physically display their interest in a female is by using the "wing wave display" to attract her. “Males also perform elaborate courtship dances, including dances in the water where they present the female with nest material (Kirschbaum)”. They are pretty interesting birds who dance and stain rocks with their waste and manage to get fisherman upset. If you want to know more about the Cormorants here are some links.
Description of Cormorant
Fun Facts about Cormorants
Mating

Now go out and find a cormorant!

 Darah

Marine Mammal Safaris a Big Success!

On Saturday, April 18, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay ran three Marine Mammal Safaris on Boston Harbor.  The trips on Mass Bay Lines’ MV Freedom were fun-filled and popular—over 650 people joined us to tour the inner harbor and spot seals on a sunny day.

 The Safari aspect of all three trips was successful—we spotted seals all day long! Kids and families helped to point out seals, and Baywatcher Bruce Berman narrated from the bridge.

One of the many seals spotted swimming in Boston Harbor.

Groups joined in the fun from BCYF Gallivan Community Center in Dorchester, BCYF Blackstone Community Center in the South End, the Charlestown, South Boston, and Dorchester Boys and Girls Clubs, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Maverick Landing Tenants Association, Franklin Field/Franklin Hill Healthy Boston Coalition, and more.

Brendan, Marianna, Jahnea, Tina, Jahsiah, and Jaliyah from the Dorchester Boys & Girls Club

Mayala, Isabella, and Grace Barr of Chelsea

Karen Lee, John Xu, and Nancy Tsui of Quincy

The sunshine and spring-like temperatures ensured a good time for all.

Stay tuned for more opportunities for youth groups and families to get out on the Harbor for free, fun adventures and educational opportunities!

Save the Harbor's free youth environmental education and family programs are made possible with Leadership Grants from Bay State Cruise Company, Distrigas/GDF SUEZ, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Ludcke Foundation, and the Yawkey Foundation II.

Save the Harbor is grateful for Partnership Grants from Forrest Berkley & Marcie Tyre Berkley, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, The Chiofaro Company, The Fallon Company, Hampshire House Corporation – Cheers for Children, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., Massachusetts Bay Lines, Massachusetts Port Authority, National Grid Foundation, P&G Gillette, William E & Bertha E. Schrafft Charitable Trust, and the Clinton H. & Wilma T. Shattuck Charitable Trust.

Save the Harbor also appreciates funding support from

Arbella Insurance Group Charitable Foundation, Baystate Federal Savings Charitable Foundation, BCYF Curley Community Center, Blue Hills Bank Foundation, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, BOMA, Boston Bruins Foundation, Boston Center for Youth and Families, Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Carnival Foundation, Clippership Foundation, Circle Furniture, Community-Suffolk, Inc., Department of Conversation and Recreation, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation,Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, Matthew J. & Gilda F. Strazzula Foundation, Goulston & Storrs, HYM Investment Group Inc., Lovett Woodsum Family Foundation, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, National Park Service, Rowan Murphy & Andus Baker, P&G Gillette, Reebok Foundation, Santander Bank Foundation, South Boston Community Development Foundation, Thomas & Lucinda Foley, Red Sox Foundation, Lawrence J. & Anne Rubenstein Foundation, Senior Housing Property Trust, TD Charitable Foundation, YMCA of Greater Boston, and hundreds of individual donors.

We would also like to thank our Better Beaches Program funding partners for their support,  including the more than 500 participants in the 2014 Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash and:

Comcast Massachusetts

Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust

Harpoon Brewery

JetBlue Airways

Mass Bay Credit Union

National Grid

P&G Gillette

Russo Marine

UBER

For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, visit our website at www.savetheharbor.org, join savetheharbor on Facebook or follow @savetheharbor on Twitter

Darah B. Moreira

  Hey everyone, my name is Darah. I am 17 years old and I attend Cardinal Spellman High School as a junior. I am extremely excited to be working with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay as an intern for the week. Coming into this I had no idea what the program was about, but even after getting a quick look at the Programs and reading about Save the Harbor I am really excited for the rest of the week. If I am good at anything it would be having fun, and Save the Harbor has fun but also supplies Bostons residents with better, cleaner, beaches. All this beach talk leads me to another thing, summer! The summer program looks like a blast! I will definitely look into a job for this upcoming summer, and hopefully get a chance to expand my knowledge about the Harbor and its history.
  About me, I spend most of my time playing soccer whether its for my school or club team. I really enjoy summer and traveling. Especially being from Florida and being so used to summer all the time, I value a clean beach. In ways just like the families of the Harbor. I am so excited to finish off the week and learn more about the things I can do to make beaches around me cleaner!
                                                                                                                                        -Darah

Marine Mammal Safaris on April 18th

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay invites you to join us on a Marine Mammal Safari on Saturday April 18, 2015. These trips are FREE for schools, community groups, youth organizations, families, and friends of Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay. Join us as we search for harbor seals and porpoises, sing sea shanties and share stories of the sea on our annual Marine Mammal Safaris narrated by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Bay Watcher, Bruce Berman.

                               

These playful harbor seals have been hanging around the Fish Pier all winter!

We are excited to be offering THREE free cruises this year, on April 18th:

First Trip: boards at 9:00am, departs at 9:30, returns by 11:00am

Second Trip: boards at 11:15am, departs at 11:45, returns by 1:15pm

Third Trip: boards at 1:30pm, departs at 2:00, returns by 3:30pm

All three trips depart from and return to the Massachusetts Bay Lines dock at Rowes Wharf (behind the Boston Harbor Hotel).  Find directions at www.massbaylines.com/directions/ 

Reservations are required. The cruises are free but space is limited! To reserve your spot TODAY please contact Amy Gaylord at (617) 451-2860 x1008 or gaylord@savetheharbor.org  
Please specify how many people in your group and which cruise you would like to go on!

Please bring warm clothing, as it may be cool or windy on the water. If you have binoculars, they are helpful to see the seals and porpoises. Snacks and beverages may be purchased aboard the boat, but you are also welcome to bring your own brown bag lunch. 

These trips are designed for groups, families, and children over the age of 5 and under the supervision of a parent or guardian.

For more information please contact Amy Gaylord at Gaylord@savetheharbor.org or (617) 451-2860 x1008.

A very special thanks to all our Youth and Family Program Funders

and Massachusetts Bay Lines for their generous support of this event!

2015 Better Beaches Program Grants

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is now accepting proposals for Better Beaches Program Grants to support free events and activities on the Boston Harbor Region’s public beaches in 2015.

This year, at the recommendation of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, the Legislature appropriated funds to support free events and programs on the beach in Lynn, Nahant, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, Hull and in the Boston Harbor Islands. The Department of Conservation and Recreation has asked Save the Harbor/Save the Bay to invest these funds along with the proceeds from this year’s Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash as part of our Better Beaches Program.

 Download a copy of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission Report

As a result, we are delighted to announce that this year Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will distribute more than $190,000 to support free events and programs on the region’s public beaches in 2015!

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay launched the Better Beaches Program in 2008 to help friends groups in Boston’s waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket create and sustain free events and activities on our region’s public beaches. Each year, Save the Harbor hosts its annual Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash pledge fundraiser during which hundreds of participants show their support for their beach by “splashing” into the cold water to raise funds to support these free, family-friendly events. 

 Download a copy of our 2014 Better Beaches Program Report

Over the last seven years, thanks to the support of our funding partners and the success of the Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash, our Better Beaches Program has invested more than $205,000 in small grants to beaches friends groups in Lynn, Nahant, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.  Our partners, in turn, have leveraged our funds with additional cash and in-kind support for a total investment of $1,020,722 to fund 214 free events and programs.

Better Beaches Program Grants range from $500 - $10,000, with a typical grant of $3,500. In rare cases we may consider a larger grant. All these great events have one thing in common: They bring people together to strengthen their communities and enjoy our region's most stunning natural resources,  the 19 miles of public swimming beaches that connect us to each other and to Boston Harbor, Mass Bay and Broad Sound.

It is easy to apply for a grant – all you have to do is send us a brief letter outlining your request.

The DEADLINE is end of day on MONDAY, MAY 4, 2015. 
Please email your request to info@savetheharbor.org

Please be sure to include the following information in your request:

1. The name of your organization (include website and Facebook page) 
2. The beach (or beaches) where you propose to hold your event(s) or program(s) 
   
3. Contact information for the event(s) or program(s) leader  
4. The title, description and tentative date(s) of your proposed event(s) or program(s) 
5. The total estimated cost of your event(s) or program(s), including in-kind support. 
6. The amount of money you are requesting 
7. Other partners and funders that support your event(s) or program(s) 
8. Plans to promote your event(s) or program(s)
9. Be sure to tell us what excites you about your proposed event(s) or program(s)
10. Feel free to include other materials that support your request. 

In May, the Better Beaches Grants Committee will review the proposals. We may have additional questions for you, so please be sure to include up to date contact information for the event or program leader. We expect to notify recipients of our decisions by the end of May.

We will present the checks at our annual BETTER BEACHES AWARD RECEPTION on Saturday, June 6, 2015 on Boston’s Fish Pier at 10:30 am, which all grant recipients are expected to attend. If you receive a grant, you will also be required to complete a closeout report after your event, and send us copies of event materials, photographs and news clips. 

In the past we have supported events that are as diverse as the beachfront communities and waterfront neighborhoods that host them. They include concert series, kite festivals, sand-sculpting competitions, campfires, art festivals, neighborhood beach parties, and family reading and movie nights on the beach.

We look forward to hearing from you about your ideas for 2015.

All the best,

Patty Foley & Bruce Berman

Patricia Foley and Bruce Berman

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay

P.S. Please feel free to distribute this Request for Proposals widely, and to contact Bruce Berman by email at bruce@bostonharbor.com or on his cell at 617-293-6243 with any questions about the Better Beaches Program or your request.