Thoughtful Activity

The view of Carson Beach from my station, featuring the infamous
giant beach ball

On Friday I was able to experience my first ever Beach Bash and Splash, and boy did it live up to the hype. I know that this event has been covered quite extensively by my fellow staff, so I'm going to attempt to put a unique perspective on this most magical of days.
It was exciting for me to be there, as I actually have never been to Carson Beach before! Living on the South Shore, there are many beaches that are much easier for me to get to, so I rarely travel northward to visit a beach, unless there's something big attracting me there. Of course, the Beach Bash and Splash was just the event to cause me to make the trek, but I was more than glad to do so. It was really cool to me to be able to know that right outside the city of Boston, is this beautiful beach that everyone can take advantage of. I've always found myself wondering about the balance of nature in urban areas, and while my favorite ecosystems, forests, may be in short supply, right here in the Boston Harbor is a wealth of marine life and activity literally a few feet off the road. 

Speaking of activity, this day was filled the chaotic activity that only hundreds of children can bring with them. Having never been to this event, I really couldn't grasp the scale that this whole thing was on, until I found myself caught in the middle of the splash. I wish I had found time to change into my bathing suit, but I still was able to get pretty soaked simply by the splashes of everyone running around me, including that pesky David Coffin. Honestly though, I was glad to be dripping wet, as I felt as if my first Beach Bash and Splash experience would not have been authentic otherwise! The children all were so happy to be here, and I was glad to be able to witness them as they fish printed, got their faces painted only to then immediately go swimming and come out with runny paint, attempted to fish off the shores of Carson Beach, played with a giant beach ball(and maybe ran over a couple of innocent families), and jammed out to the Moana soundtrack, among other things. 

How many staff does it take to fish print and face paint? With this many kids,
it's all hands on deck!

I found myself reflecting on an idea the Bruce likes to push, whenever he discusses the current state of these urban beaches. Essentially, the point is that, many years ago, nobody would go swimming, as the water was filled with sewage and chemicals, and was obviously not safe to swim in. Thanks to the efforts of all those involved in the harbor clean up, things have gotten so much better, as evidenced by the numbers of kids swimming at the beach that day. Bruce hopes that one day, these kids won't ever know about the previous sorry state of the beaches, unless they are doing a history report on it. As for myself, being introduced only recently, I've only ever known Carson Beach as a beautiful one, capable of creating and inspiring cherished memories for the kids, and the staff, that attended this Beach Bash and Splash.

Until next time, I'll be pondering the beaches!
-Zach