The First Beach Bash & Splash of the Summer- A Gorgeous Day at Carson Beach

On Friday, July 13, over 450 youth and their families joined us on Carson Beach in South Boston for our first Beach Bash & Splash of the summer! The South Boston Neighborhood House (SBNH), UMASS TAG, and Braintree After School Enrichment (BASE) brought youth from their respective communities to enjoy a refreshing and exciting day on the harbor.

SBNH, UMASS TAG, BASE, and other youth and their families that enjoyed the beach bash

The fun started off immediately, with everyone jumping straight into the harbor to either swim or fish. The kids wasted no time casting their reels to see what critters lived near shore -- and very quickly caught multiple green crabs. Our Youth Environmental Educators were on site to teach the kids all about the crabs they caught, including how to tell if the crab is female or male, where the crab hides her eggs, and what an invasive species is.

Who knew you could catch crabs with a rod?

Because fishing went so swimmingly, we were able to create one of SHSB's Boston Harbor Touch Tanks for kids to meet the animals that lived in their neighborhood beaches. For those who did not want to fish or swim, this was the perfect way to understand the Boston Harbor ecosystem and the many animals that comprise it.

A cameo by the ever popular Green Crab

The YMCA helped our youth enjoy the cool, clean harbor water even more by providing free swimming lessons. These lessons will continue to be a part of Save the Harbor events throughout the summer.

Swimming lessons from the experts themselves

Piers Park Sailing Center also brought kayaks, which was another favorite activity on the beach.

Eagerly waiting in line to go kayaking

But beaches aren't only about the water-- there's a playground full of sand to enjoy! Our Educators helped youth and their families fly kites and play sports. Kids flew a giant octopus and whale in the sky, played a little baseball, and even got to kick around a nine foot tall beach ball.

"When octopuses fly," they said. If only they knew.

A SHSB Beach Bash & Splash wouldn't be complete without a classic plunge into Carson Beach's waters. After a inspiring rendition of "Haul Away Joe" lead by pirate (and Vice President of Operations), Chris Mancini, the kids dove into water to celebrate the summer and one of the cleanest urban beaches in the country.

The Beach Bash & Splash is part of our Better Beaches Program- a series of free programs on the region's public beaches hosted by and with waterfront community organizations. The event is one of many ways we can share the harbor for everyone to enjoy this summer. Join in on the fun during our two other Beach Bash & Splashes this summer on July 27 and August 10! Click here for a complete list of other FREE, upcoming events and follow our social, @savetheharbor, for updates on our most exciting summer yet.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay would like to thank our partners at Bay State Cruise Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, The Boston Foundation, The Coca-Cola Foundation, and Distrigas/ENGIE for their Leadership Grants which make all our free programs possible.

Save the Harbor is grateful for Partnership Grants from Boston Properties - Atlantic Wharf, Eastern Salt Company, Inc., Fan Pier - The Fallon Company, John Hancock Financial Services, The HYM Investment Group, LLC, The Llewellyn Foundation, Massachusetts Bay Lines, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, Massachusetts Port Authority, National Grid Foundation, P&G Gillette, Lawrence J. and Anne Rubenstein Charitable Foundation, William E. & Bertha E. Schrafft Charitable Trust, Vertex, and The Yawkey Foundation.

Save the Harbor also appreciates Stewardship Grants from The Paul and Edith Babson Foundation, Forrest Berkley & Marcie Tyre Berkley, Blue Hills Bank Foundation, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Camp Harbor View Foundation, Circle Furniture, Comcast, Copeland Family Foundation, Inc., The Cricket Foundation, Cronin Group, LLC, The Daily Catch Seaport, Elizabeth Elser Doolittle Charitable Trust, Enbridge, Tom & Lucinda Foley, Foundation for Sustainability & Innovation, Liberty Bay Credit Union, Lovett-Woodsum Foundation, Maine Community Foundation, Mass Humanities, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Nicholson Foundation, RMR Real Estate Services, Clinton H. & Wilma T. Shattuck Charitable Trust, Skanska, South Boston, Community Development Foundation, Abbot & Dorothy H. Stevens Foundation, and Tishman Speyer.

Save the Harbor would also like to thank Program Funders 3A Marine Service, Andus Baker & Rowan Murphy Family Fund, The Bay State Federal Savings Charitable Foundation, Beacon Capital Partners, LLC, Boston Bruins Foundation, Andrew J. Calamare & Marianne Connolly, CannonDesign, Circle Furniture, Kevin & Dee Colcord, Dark Horse Capital Partners, Diversified Automotive, Eversource, Tom & Lucinda Foley, Fort Point Framers, Goulston & Storrs PC, Legal Sea Foods, Miss Wallace M. Leonard Foundation, George Lewis - Haven Trust, Liberty Bay Credit Union, Mass Bay Credit Union, Massachusetts Marine Educational Trust, National Park Service, Randy Peeler & Kate Kellogg, SKW Partners, Inc., Abbot & Dorothy H. Stevens Foundation, Storm Duds, Matthew J. & Gilda F. Strazzula Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, UDR, Kyle & Sara Warwick, and Winthrop Parks and Recreation.”

“Special thanks to the hundreds of individual donors for their generosity. Thanks as well 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,” said Berman. “It means the world to all of us, and to all of those we serve.”