Spectacle in the Fall

To start off the fall, we picked up right where we left off; Spectacle Island! Many people showed up on the windy Saturday morning to come out for a tour of the island. Between all of the hot chocolate and warm apple cider people were drinking, you could tell they were prepared for the weather. As soon as we docked the boat, everyone went their separate ways to explore, but we were still able to show everyone a great time on the island. The picture below shows an idea of how many people came to enjoy our free fall cruise. 

Our great story teller, Norah Dooley always has a story that will put you on the edge of your seat. From scary ghost stories to swashbuckling pirate stories to old folktales- her stories will always put a smile on your face and leave you asking for another one. She came out to the island with us and not only did she tell stories but she also helped us to tell our own stories to all of the visitors. We had a lot of fun learning the game Two Truths and a Lie, each person says three facts about themselves or about what they did this summer. Two of them are true and one of them is a lie, then everyone has to guess which fact was a lie. The tourists seemed to really enjoy it and it was a fun way to get to know everyone.

Overall, as always, it was a great day at Spectacle Island and there were many smiles to prove it. Until next time, Preston. 

Saturday at Spectacle

Last Saturday at Spectacle Island was one to remember! It was only my second time there and I finally hiked to the top! I met a lot of great people and heard some great stories about ghosts and pirates from Norah Dooley!

When we first got to the island we played two truths and a lie with Norah Dooley. I told people that over the summer I caught a flounder, a skate, and a striped bass. Almost everybody guessed that I had never caught a skate! When I told them I had caught one but had never caught a striped bass they were surprised! Going around the circle listening to everyone else's two truths and a lie was a lot of fun and really interesting. I can't wait to play this game again! 

-Sam

First Time to Spectacle Island on the Last Cruise of the Year

First Time to Spectacle Island on the Last Cruise of the Year!

Keith Goplerud of Allston &
Eddie Calderon of Boston

On Saturday Oct 24^th, a team from Save the Harbor/Save the Bay was accompanied by 254 excited brave souls from the greater Boston area for a free day trip to Spectacle Island. The day began with a chilly 30 minute cruise over to Spectacle Island, followed by a group picture when we got off the boat and then everyone went exploring on the island. People went and found spots for picnics, hiking and flying their kites, while others went on a search for the jet blue marbles that were hidden around the island.  Others stayed back near the boat to listen to Mary the Pirate tell scary stories about the island’s past.

Mary the Pirate sharing stories with the group

This was my first time on the island and I did not know what to expect.  I had a great time exploring the trails and enjoying the views of the harbor. My favorite part of the day was hearing the history of the island from Mary the Pirate’s stories. I found the stories of the past uses of the island to be different and interesting. Starting back in the 19^th century the island had various uses as farming and housing for families, the home of a quarantine hospital, a glue factory made from horses, and a landfill site before turning into the magically green space it is today. It was only until after the Big Dig construction projects, that the city took all the unused dirt and clay from the project to cover up the landfill and unwanted history to rebuild this amazing space.

I had a great time meeting new people and enjoying the island, despite the cold. I hope everyone who came along for the free day also enjoyed it and I welcome you to come along on the next free cruise by Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay.

Until the next post,

Brittany Angelo

Newest Policy Intern - Brittany Angelo

Good Afternoon Blog Readers,

My name is Brittany Angelo and I am the newest member of the Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay team. I have come onboard as an Environmental Policy Intern for the upcoming months. I graduated from Plymouth State University in Plymouth New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy and immediately took a job with the Utah Division of Wildlife working on the Utah Arizona line at Lake Powell (the house boating capital in the country). I enjoyed that position but determined that I enjoy time in the city much more so I returned to New England.

Originally from the greater Boston area, I visited some friends along the west coast and then made my road trip back to the east coast to start my internship here. Although I went from a hot, hot summer to a very cold fall, I am making the adjustment to the weather as well as the new internship!

In the past I have had multiple jobs in the field but my last internship with EST Associates, a privately owned environmental firm. I worked alongside DCR and MWRA to take the daily and weekly beach water samples that Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay uses for its Beach Water Quality Report Cards. I am excited to continue my work with the Boston Beaches and go from sampling work to policy work trying to make the Boston Harbor and Bay a cleaner place.

This is my second week and I am getting adjusted to many projects such as reviewing Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay history, reading up on the Beach Water Quality Report Cards, took a ride on the free fall cruise to discover Spectacle Island and listen to Mary the Pirate’s stories, attended a Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC) Meeting, and helping to spread the word about the upcoming public hearing in Lynn about their beaches and what is and isn’t working.

I am very excited to keep getting involved in the many projects and learn more about how a nonprofit organization works here at Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay.

-Brittany Angelo

October at Spectacle Island

Last Saturday was a memorable day! We got to go on a free fall cruise to Spectacle Island. Although it was windy and cold, it didn't stop people from exploring the amazing island. Roughly 250 people showed up to spend the day with us. It was really fun and I got to re-unite with the staff from the summer program. We got to tell stories to the visitors with the help of Norah Dooley and we played a game called "Two Truths and a Lie" where you tell two things you did this summer, two things are true and one is a lie and people have to guess which one is the lie! When we got off the boat, everybody went on to do their own thing from picnicking on the grass to hiking to the top of the island. We followed Norah Dooley to the top of the island where she told stories about ghosts on Boston Harbor. Everyone was really interested in what she had to say and it was really cool to learn about ghost stories that take place right in Boston. Overall everybody had an amazing time and I'm really glad I got to be part of it again.

Norah Dooley telling ghost stories

Till Next Time,
Abdullahi

Join Save the Harbor for a Free Fall Cruise to Discover the Treasures of Spectacle Island on Saturday, Oct. 24th

Please join us on Saturday, October 24th for our final free fall cruise of 2015 to Spectacle Island.

We will begin boarding the Provincetown II at Bay State Cruise Company’s dock at the World Trade Center in South Boston at 9:30 AM for a 10:00 AM departure. We will return by 2:30 PM.

Reservations are required. Though there is plenty of room on the boat, space is still limited, so please RSVP to Amy Gaylord via email or phone to reserve your space: Gaylord@savetheharbor.org or 617-451-2860 x1008! Please give us an accurate headcount so that we can accommodate as many guests as possible.

The Bay State Cruise Company dock is easily accessed via the MBTA’s Silver Line. Parking is available in various lots and garages in the area. For MBTA and driving directions, visit http://baystatecruisecompany.com/directions.php

The snack bar on Spectacle Island will be closed for the season, but the snack bar aboard the Provincetown II will be serving snacks and drinks. You are also welcome and encouraged to bring a picnic lunch, but please remember that the Boston Harbor Islands have a “carry-on, carry-off” policy. Please bring a bag for your trash, and remember to dress in warm layers, as the weather is often a bit cooler and breezier on the water and the islands!

Mass Humanities scholar and storyteller Norah Dooley will join us as Mary Read the Pirate. She will share her stories of Boston Harbor's past and encourage you to share your stories as well.

Thanks to our partners at the National Park Service, who are celebrating their 100th Anniversary, for helping to make this free fall cruise possible and for encouraging all of us to find our park and share our stories.

Learn more at http://findyourpark.com/find

Thanks to our partners at the Department of Conservation and Recreation and Bay State Cruise Company. Thanks as well to all our youth and beach program funders for their support.

Hope to see you on Boston Harbor on the 24th!

P.S. Find a blue marble on Spectacle Island - or any beach from Nahant to Nantasket - and you could win a pair of round trip flights on JetBlue to any domestic destination they serve from Boston’s Logan Airport as part of the 2015 “Simply Marble-ous” Treasure Hunt! Take a picture of yourself with a marble and email it to info@savetheharbor.org with your name, neighborhood, and contact information to enter the contest.

 You can also buy a Virtual Marble online today for just $10 for your chance to win. The winner will be chosen on October 31st.

To find out more about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the work we do to restore and protect Boston Harbor, the Boston Harbor Islands and the region’s public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket, visit our website.

To find out more about our free beach and island programs read our blog Sea, Sand & Sky and follow savetheharbor on Facebook and Twitter.

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

Save the Harbor is grateful for Partnership Grants from Forrest Berkley & Marcie Tyre Berkley, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston Properties – Atlantic Wharf, The Chiofaro Company, The Clowes Fund, Marion L. Decrow Memorial Foundation, Alice Willard Dorr Foundation, Eastern Salt Company Inc., The Fallon Company, Hampshire House Corporation – Cheers for Children, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., Mass Humanities, Massachusetts Bay Lines, Massachusetts Port Authority, National Grid Foundation, P&G Gillette, William E & Bertha E. Schrafft Charitable Trust and Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

Save the Harbor also appreciates funding support from 3A Marine Service, Arbella Insurance Group Charitable Foundation, Andus Baker & Rowan Murphy Family Fund, Bay State Federal Savings Charitable Foundation, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, BOMA Boston, Boston Bruins Foundation, Boston Global Investors, Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Andrew J. Calamare, Camp Harbor View Foundation, Carnival Foundation, Circle Furniture, The Daily Catch Seaport, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, Thomas & Lucinda Foley, Legal Sea Foods, Ms. Wallace M. Leonard Foundation, Mass Bay Credit Union, HYM Investment Group Inc., Sherry & Alan Leventhal Family Foundation, Lovett-Woodsum Foundation, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, National Park Service, Nicholson Foundation, Randy Peeler & Kate Kellogg, Reebok Foundation, Rockland Trust – Peoples Federal Foundation, Skanska, South Boston Community Development Foundation, Spectra Energy, Lawrence J. & Anne Rubenstein Foundation, Senior Housing Property Trust, South Boston Community Development Foundation, Storm Duds, Matthew J. & Gilda F. Strazzula Foundation, TD Bank Charitable Foundation, UDR, and Kyle & Sara Warwick.

Special thanks to the hundreds of individual donors and to our partners at the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, the Boston Centers for Youth and Families and the YMCA of Greater Boston for their support.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Cleans Up Dorchester's Beaches!

On Friday, October 2, two teams from Vertex Pharmaceuticals in South Boston joined Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation for a blustery day of corporate citizenship on two area beaches. The stormy weather didn’t affect productivity as the energetic "Vertexians" removed truckloads of debris, weeds and overgrowth and cleared pathways, sidewalks and playgrounds along Tenean Beach and Malibu/Savin Hill Beach in Dorchester.

Vertexians on Tenean Beach

The morning crew of 40 Vertex volunteers removed a total of eight tons of trash and vegetation from Tenean Beach and the surrounding playground, parking lot, and access road—making such an impact that residents have already made phone calls to praise the crews’ results.

(Left to right) Tracy Koval and Marielle Gonzalez

Tracy Koval of Beacon Hill and Marielle Gonzalez of South Boston helped to clear brush from the fence lining the access road to Tenean Beach. Marielle noted, "I love the beach-- I went to the beach so much more this summer after learning about the great water quality!"

Mike Partridge

Mike Patridge of Concord found his marble on Tenean Beach during the morning's activities. Growing up in Newton, his father would often take him birding in Squantum, which connected him to Boston Harbor from a young age.

Afternoon crew at Malibu Beach

The afternoon crew of 25 braved the wind, rain and rising tide at Malibu Beach and removed nine tons of debris and vegetation from the boardwalk, concrete path, and along the opposite side of Morrissey Boulevard used most often by boaters.

(Left to right) Paul Dubois, Steve Migausky, and Paige Goodwin

Paul Dubois of Wakefield, Steve Migausky of the South End, and Paige Goodwin of the Fenway area are lawyers at Vertex. They spent the afternoon clearing large amounts of debris and trash from the boat ramp area across Morrissey Boulevard from Malibu Beach.

(Left to right) Charlie Lagasse, Sue Woods, and Amy Gaylord

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay staffers Charlie Lagasse of Newburyport, Sue Woods of South Boston, and Amy Gaylord of Dorchester were on hand to help volunteers from Vertex pharmaceuticals remove 17 tons of trash and debris from Dorchester's beaches as part of the Vertex Day of Service.


Save the Harbor Vice President Susan Woods was impressed but not surprised by what the teams from Vertex accomplished.
“The volunteers from Vertex really care about the environment and our community and it shows,” said Save the Harbor Vice President Susan Woods, who coordinated the service project for Save the Harbor. We have already gotten calls from residents telling us how great the beaches look and how much they appreciate all our hard work.”
Thank you to Vertex Pharmaceuticals and all of the individual volunteers who participated in the service day! Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the Department of Conservation and Recreation appreciate the hard work put in to improve the local community.

No Sun but Plenty of Fun at Spectacle Island

      Last Saturday, I did something I've never done before and that was visit a harbor island outside of the summer. Although I was working, I still had never gone to Spectacle Island in the fall. It was nice to take a break from school and link up with some friends and take about 360 people out to the island.

      I went around to many tables asking if people had ever been to an island with us and many said yes. It was  nice to know that we left a good impression on them about the harbor, enough for them to want to take the trip with us again. A family I hung out with for most of the trip was the Cox family. She came out with her brother and 4 nephews. She was from Waltham and the rest of her family was from Roxbury. She had came a longer way to show her family a nice time in the islands. She had came with us before but she had visited George's Island and this would be her first time on Spectacle. They were very intrigued by treasure beach as they lasted almost half on hour searching for sea glass. Then they went to the top of the hill and took many pictures of the view. 

I enjoyed going to the top of the hill again since I hadn't been up there all summer and wanted to remember the feeling.

Thank you, 

Ivaniel Diaz

Fall Cruise

Hey,

This past weekend I was given the opportunity to go on one of the fall cruises. I met brothers from the Big Brother Big Sister organization. The big brother was very familiar with Spectacle Island whereas his little brother was not.

On the boat Daynaja and I being to talk to them and ask about their year so far. The younger brother was very quiet and seemed quite kind. We spoke about the view from the top of Spectacle and it turned out that D had never been to the top. So as soon as we got off of the boat we all began our hike up to the top. While walking I learned that they had been many places together and that they were trying their best to bond. At the top we parted ways and D and I began to take an array of pictures to commemorate her hike to the top. All in all it was great to be back on the boat and island even though it was freezing outside.

-Jayda

My View

I had a great time on Spectacle Island. The views were beautiful and mind blowing. That was my first time on Spectacle Island and I enjoyed it very much. I was happy to see some of the staff that I worked with during the summer.  To see all the families smiling and having a great time just made that day even more special. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to be back with the Save the Harbor Save the Bay.  I also had a great time meeting new people.

-D 

Fall season at Spectacle Island

This past weekend, I had to the opportunity to come back to Save the Harbor and go on Spectacle Island for the first time in the fall season. I really enjoyed it and got to re-unite with some of the Save the Harbor staff ( Kelly, Amy, D, Jayda and Ivan). The weather was beautiful, although it was a little bit chilly but it didn't stop us exploring the beautiful  island. I got to meet some new people and we went on hiking, and for the first time, I got to see the top of the peak of the island. After the hiking, we got to eat some of Bruce's Blue fish Pate, which was good. It was a really fun and I was glad to be part of it.

overlook from the top of the island

360 Participants Enjoy Free Cruise to Spectacle Island

On Saturday, September 26^th, 360 people visited Spectacle Island aboard Bay State Cruise Company’s Provincetown II for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s first free fall cruise of the 2015 season. 

 Sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's provided perfect weather for hiking the trails and hunting for artifacts on Treasure Beach.

Mass Humanities Scholar and award-winning storyteller Norah Dooley shared stories of Boston Harbor's history as Mary Read the Pirate, and helped island visitors search for treasure.  She will join us again in October for our second free fall cruise of the season on October 24.

Save the Harbor high school staffers Daynaja Depina of Dorchester, Jayda Chandool of Mattapan, and Abdullahi Abdi of Roxbury welcomed cruise participants and enjoyed the view from the top of the North Drumlin.

The Santos family from Lawrence, and the De Los Santos family from Ashland, enjoyed a picnic lunch on Spectacle Island.

Some lucky treasure hunters found JetBlue marbles and entered the “Simply Marble-ous” Treasure Hunt for a chance to win a pair of round-trip JetBlue flights to any domestic destination they serve from Boston’s Logan Airport! Keep an eye out on Boston’s beaches for a blue marble of your own—we will accept entries until October 31^st—just send us an email at info@savetheharbor.org with a photo of yourself with your marble, your name, neighborhood, and your contact information!

Nataly Wickham and Kristin Fahning, opera singers and students at the New England Conservatory, enjoyed taking advantage of a free opportunity to see Boston from a new perspective.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will host one more free fall cruise to Spectacle Island this year on October 24^th to celebrate the end of another great season on Boston Harbor.

If you would like to join Save the Harbor/Save the Bay on the 24^th, please RSVP to Gaylord@savetheharbor.org.

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

Save the Harbor is grateful for Partnership Grants from Forrest Berkley & Marcie Tyre Berkley, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, The Chiofaro Company, The Clowes Fund, Marion L. Decrow Memorial Foundation, Alice Willard Dorr Foundation, The Fallon Company, Hampshire House Corporation – Cheers for Children, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., Mass Humanities, Massachusetts Bay Lines, Massachusetts Environmental Trust, Massachusetts Port Authority, National Grid Foundation, P&G Gillette, William E & Bertha E. Schrafft Charitable Trust, and Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

Save the Harbor also appreciates funding support from 3A Marine Service, Arbella Insurance Group Charitable Foundation, Andus Baker & Rowan Murphy Family Fund, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, BOMA, Boston Bruins Foundation, Boston Global Investors, Boston Properties – Atlantic Wharf, Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Andrew J. Calamare, Carnival Foundation, Circle Furniture, The Daily Catch Seaport, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Ms. Wallace M. Leonard Foundation, Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, Thomas & Lucinda Foley, HYM Investment Group Inc., Lovett-Woodsum Foundation, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, National Park Service, Nicholson Foundation, P&G Gillette, Reebok Foundation, Rockland Trust – Peoples Federal Foundation, Skanska, South Boston Community Development Foundation, Spectra Energy, Matthew J. & Gilda F. Strazzula Foundation, Lawrence J. & Anne Rubenstein Foundation, Senior Housing Property Trust, South Boston Community Development Foundation, TD Bank Charitable Foundation, Kyle & Sara Warwick, and the hundreds of individual donors who help make these programs possible.

 Save the Harbor would also like to thank our partners at the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, the Boston Centers for Youth and Families and the YMCA of Greater Boston for their support.