5 years Swimming with STH

By the Sea

Happy Summer! A warm welcome back to another summer on the Boston Harbor, only, this one's gonna look a little different than what we're used to. This has been a hectic year but that is not going to stop us from enjoying our summer. Each month has brought a new change to the way we perceive "normal" life. As it turns out, life is not so "normal". Therefore, what I look forward to the most this summer is what it will bring given the circumstances. I know everything feels uncertain at the moment, with uncertainty comes doubts, concerns, and suspicion. Instead of worrying about what our future might look like, try to focus on what is going on right now. This is the perfect time to sit with your thoughts, unwind, and heal. Summer is all about enjoying the warm weather, hanging out with loved ones, and relaxing by the water. 

For my fifth summer on the harbor, I want to achieve these 5 things before the summer is over;

1. Swim in the Harbor
2. Find a Seastar
3. Catch a stripped bass
4. Create a sea glass mural
5. Build a bond with my crew

A little bit about me; I am a rising senior at Mass College of Liberal Arts where I study Chemistry and Psychology. I love all things science, when I was younger I aspired to become a marine biologist. Although I no longer want to be a marine biologist, STH is the closest I will get to experiencing it. Since my first summer with STH, I have learned more than I ever expected about my local community and the Boston Harbor. I have become more familiar with the beaches, Boston harbor islands, and our different sites around the city. I got comfortable with being uncomfortable, whether that meant picking up crabs or hooking a seaworm to go fishing, I tried it. I did things I never thought I could do which is the best thing about this job. STH has pushed and challenged me, thus shaping the person I have become today. Each summer I feel like I have improved myself and my skills. 

I sang Haul Away Joe in the playground at George's Island. I created some cool chalk art on the boardwalk outside of the Children's Museum. I've gone kayaking in the lagoon near the esplanade, paddle boarding at CHV, and kayaking in the Charles. I've made lots of friends of all ages through our programming. My favorite thing is when someone returns and remembers me, my heart warms at their excitement. To sum it up, I am ready for whatever summer 2020 is going to throw at me. Cheers to my favorite season! 

Swimming Off

-Kharliyah

Kharliyah & Bridget 2017

Seaweed Scarf - CHV 2019 

                  

 

First Day

Hello everybody,

My name is Aidan Haney, and I'm a new Junior Harbor Educator working with Save the Harbor Save the Bay Summer Youth Program. I've been to Boston beaches and been on the water many times before, so I'm looking forward to many great days ahead with the SHSB team!

I was born and raised in Holbrook, Massachusetts and I am going to school at Holbrook Middle High School. During some of my earliest years as a kid, I spent lots of my time learning and observing animals, mostly birds and aquatic life. I've always held a deeper interest in the denizens of the oceans, mostly due to their bizarre forms and varying organisms, and it makes me excited that I get to be even more up close with them than I ever have before.

My time spent at orientation was amazing. The first day of going to Spectacle Island was a blast. My first impression of Spectacle, during the summer about a year ago, wasn't too good, since I could only hike around accompanied by my brother, and my sister Patrice was working. But playing games and being able to make friends and interact with others around me made the day about as good as any summer day could get. Also, I never would've thought that Spectacle, when it was a trash dump, would burn for ten years straight, even through storms of rain and snow! I also found it a little funny that a whole dump truck once sunk into the rotting abyss (luckily the driver was retrieved safely).

I'm the one in the black sweater in the front row, holding a flounder.

The second day when we went fishing was also a great time. I was relieved the boat didn't smell like the unholiest amount of fish on Earth, and I took great enjoyment with the scenery, surfing out across Logan Airport watching planes go by, and the city of Boston disappear in the fog that day. Unfortunately, I didn't catch any fish, but it didn't stop me from marveling at what others caught, like flounders, skates, and one large black sea bass. I never knew that before the harbor was clean, the flounder had tumors and disease, which was identified by observing the normally white belly of the flounder. It was hysterical to have everyone sing along while Bridget taught us "Haul Away Joe" and the Fisherman song.

Watching a friend bait a hook

The third day of orientation had me settle in at the Children's Museum, where we got to play around Martin's Park, built in honor of Martin Richard, a victim of the Boston Marathon Bombing, where I was able to embrace my inner child and enjoy the big slide and mist area.

Anyways, that's all I've got to say this week. As I said before, I look forward to the following weeks with the  Save the Harbor Save the Bay crew.

Until next time,

Aidan