Just keep fishin

As the summer goes on, the weather tends to exponentially get hotter. However, before we enter the month of August, the returners get to tell the new comers about "the itis". The Boston sun can be scorching hot at times, draining the energy from Save the Harbor employees as we try to run sites. That weather worsening has repeatedly proven to fail in bringing us down, because Save the Harbor is full of workers bursting with energy all the time. During the second week, as my group and I began to fish on the ocean, the weather was straying away from what would be giving a lot of people the "itis". This sickness was nowhere to be found during this 60-70 degree week for work.

On Monday, we had our scheduled work meeting in which we spoke about many topics. We begin the week by reviewing our theme: Marine Life. This week we went fishing down at the Four Point Channel, but our trip ended early. The rain, and predicted thunderstorm was too unsafe to work in, and we were sent home early. However, this got us ready for Wednesday, where we got ready to go fishing with Charlie on the Belle. The Belle is a boat Save the Harbor has access to through the generosity of a great captain named Charlie. Every year we are on his boat multiple times, fishing out deep in the harbor, jamming out to NSYNC as we enjoy the ocean breeze on our way back to the city. We caught a lot of crabs, some on the rod and a lot through lobster traps. Albert did the classic lobster trap demonstration and instead of lobsters we saw the abundance of crabs. As we were out fishing Ty flexed with her first catch being a Skate. I caught a skate as well, but eventually Ty and Mikey both caught fish! Skates are cartilaginous fish that resembles that of a stingray. It's flat body and fins allow it to coarse over the ocean floor looking for prey like small plankton and fish. However, it protects itself with sharp rough skin all along its body, and a similar tail that can be used to strike a predator.

The best catch of the week was Ty catching a black sea bass. This dark fish is patterned with blotched light spots, but is mainly dark brown, almost black. This body is the same all throughout. A lot of people hunt this fish because of its prominent spot in the fish industry. This east coast fish eats similarly to that of a skate; small phytoplankton and other fish. This fish is primarily located along the east cost, trailing from the cape all the way down to the gulf of Mexico.

Charlie's boat gave me old summer vibes, the energy, the smiles, the joy. The trip proved the me that this summer can't be all that bad. If we can still go out and have a blast fishing with each other, listening to music on the Harbor water, there is not much more you can ask for.

See ya,
Qalid Hassan

The Crabs we caught 

Fishing With The Homies

How is week two already this exciting?!

Beware: If you have any type of heart condition you may not want to continue reading this because the amount of excitement you are about to endure is overwhelming. You’ve been warned.

This week started out like any other monday in July as we boarded the Provincetown II to go to Long Island in Boston Harbor. Once again it was a very hot day at CHV sitting on the pier but there was one thing that kept us on our toes. We caught 3 skate and one flounder which is a lot for one day. The thing about skate is that none of the kids want to touch it and the staff have to be careful because they have spikes on them. It is very important to get the hook out as soon as possible while making sure that the skate doesn’t swing its tail and hit you. Usually our senior harbor educator, Jules, does it voluntarily which is great because I don’t have to! We also caught a HUGE spider crab in the lobster trap that was DISGUSTING (I also let Jules deal with that). Like I said before, Monday was a normal day at CHV but the next day, Tuesday, is where all of the excitement starts.

We caught this guy in the Lobster trap

Brave Jules with the spider crab

Tuesday was the fishing trip for the fishing club which is a group of kids we fish with everyday after lunch. We got on the Belle with Captain Charlie, the best captain in the City of Boston by far. He took us out to various locations around Boston Harbor where we used some nasty sea worms to catch flounder. Once again we caught some skate but we caught some flounder and a mackerel as well! One of the boys was fascinated by the mackerel and he kept trying to touch it in the cooler. Every child caught at least one animal whether it was a flopping flounder or a crawling crab! At lunch we got a nice break where we listened to some old school music thanks to Captain Charlie. Although it was a hot day, the energy was through the roof because this was such a new and exciting experience for all of the kids on the trip.

Our amazing captain Charlie

He caught a Skate!

The Mackerel we caught

He was obsessed with his new pet

Another flounder!

Good catch!

A third flounder!

It may be little but it still counts as a catch!

Can you believe we caught this many flounder?

Wednesday and Thursday were interesting days because the schedule was all out order. First of all, the boat left the dock almost 30 minutes late on Wednesday which messed up the next few group sessions. We did not get a group in the morning which meant that we took a little staff adventure up to the abandoned fort on the island. As we wandered around the calcium covered halls of the fort we discussed new ways to engage the kids in ways other than fishing and crabbing. When it was time to get back to fishing there was a serious surprise in the crab traps. WE CAUGHT THREE LOBSTERS. Not one, not two but THREE lobsters. Unfortunately, they were too small to keep but it was awesome to be able to show the kids something different for a change. We put the rubber bands on their claws so that the kids could easily pick them up.

The abandoned fort on Long Island

We caught Lobster! They were too small to keep :(

Friday was by far the best day of the week not only because it was the end of the week but because I got to go to the Mini Beach Bash and Splash at Carson Beach in South Boston. To help set up for the hundreds of kids that would be showing up at 10 am, Briana and I were tasked with blowing up a giant beach ball. The first and hardest step was to find an outlet that worked and when we finally found one it took 40 minutes to fully blow up. We weren’t sure if it was going to fit out of the door because it was 12 feet tall! By the time we finished with that all of the kids had shown up and I went to the fishing group where we caught tons of crabs. Although we already had about 20 crabs in a bucket for the kids, each new crab was just as exciting as the one before. I would say that fishing was the busiest activity of the day because we had a steady flow of kids for the entire event. We got a delicious lunch of hot dogs, veggie sticks and baby carrots and the day flew by! This was only the second week of work at Save the Harbor and it was already so packed with excitement which means that the rest of the summer will be even better! 

Talk to you all next week!

-Maeve Fittz

A week full of Skates!

Hey everyone! Its that time of year again for the adventures of a SHSB summer. This first week at my site, Camp Harbor View, has been a very eventful week. Monday was a good day because it wasn’t too hot and it was different from our usual curriculum. On monday we introduced ourselves to all of the kids because they were being introduced to their staff as well. We gave the same speech about what we do at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay multiple times but we made it interesting by giving everyone a chance to talk and explain fish printing. For those readers who do not know what fish printing is I will explain. Fish printing is an activity that we do a lot at SHSB with flounder that we catch in Boston Harbor. We freeze the fish and then at SHSB events and camp sites we use a special paint to give the fish some color. Next, we use a special rice paper which we press on top of the paint and then you have a nice, colorful fish print.

The view on the pier at CHV!

The second day at CHV was a very difficult day to have energy to fish because it was the last day of the heat wave that hit Boston. We had begun our usual activities of fishing and pulling up the crab traps but the heat was almost making us melt. It is hard to stay out of the sun on the end of a pier but luckily there is a nice breeze to cool us down. We had a lot of crabs in the trap which was great for the kids because they were able to put their hands in the water (to cool down) and also learn how to tell the difference between a male and a female crab. The campers were extremely engaged in activities we had going on despite the heat. We didn’t catch anything on Tuesday with the rods but the kids were determined. What that helped me get through the scorching heat was knowing that the next day was the 4th of July!

After a nice break in the middle of the week it was time to get back to work at CHV. Thursday was a nice breezy day on the pier that we fish off of. At the very end of the day on Thursday something really exciting happened: one of the camp counselors caught a skate by the tail! The skate was unharmed and we got the hook out quickly so that we could get him back into the water to live with his big happy family. It is cool to catch a skate with kids who have never fished before because a lot of people, children and adults, have never seen one before. The skate is a part of the ray family but it is a cartilaginous fish with spikes so you have to be careful when you pick it up. One of the coolest facts about the skate is that it’s mouth is on the stomach of the animal and it often looks like it is smiling.

He's smiling!

This is one of the three skate's we caught this week

Friday was an interesting day at CHV because the weather was CRAZY! It was nice and breezy which was a nice change for once. Not long after we arrived on the island in the morning, the sky became really dark then all of a sudden it started to pour. We had to run really far to get out of the rain but the view of Boston was pretty cool.

During the storm- You can't even see Boston!

After the storm passed we found Boston again

While we were inside, since it was Friday, we had a BBQ which consisted of burgers, hot dogs, mashed potatoes and more. As you can see this was a very eventful week at Camp Harbor View and it was only the first week! I’m sure that the rest of the summer will be just as exciting, if not more exciting than this past week but don’t worry I will keep you all posted on my adventures!
-Maeve

Are You Smarter Than A 9-Year Old?

The start of the summer couldn't have gone better! Even with weather challenges we had an amazing first week! There was one highlight of this week that I'll never forget. Wednesday and Thursday I had the chance to go on All Access where I met some pretty fun kids. Wednesday was hot but I still had a great time playing catch with the kids. Thursday was the day that will always stand out to me. I was walking around the ferry talking to groups when I saw these three kids sitting alone. I walked over there and starting talking to them. One of the kids was so excited to tell me about the history he knew about Pearl Harbor. You see, my new friend Franv (or Frank with a "V" as he told me) had just traveled to Hawaii, where he went to the Pearl Harbor memorial. As a total history nerd I was interested to see what Franv had to say, and to be completely honest, I wasn't expecting it to be so accurate. He explained to me, in detail, the terrible events of that day.

Franv and I sitting on the top- deck of the Provincetown II

After a while Franv and I had taught each other a lot. When I told him some information about Pearl Harbor he didn't know he was fascinated. As our conversation drew to an end he insisted on telling me what he brought for lunch. He pulled out some delicious looking chicken parm with a bread stick. I joked and told him to save me some for the trip home. While I didn't see him on the island I saw him on the way back. He was sitting at a table with his face covered in pasta sauce and a goofy grin on his face. He claimed he looked for me so he could share the leftovers,  I simply laughed and got him some napkins. He told me about his plans for the weekend and all his friends at home. I'll never forget the time a 9-year old had more knowledge than I could have imagined.

Happy Learning!
Sam

Off to a Great Start

We kicked off our first week of the Boston Harbor Explorers program at the Children's Museum. This is my 2nd year at the site, and I'm looking forward to all the experiences, seeing new faces, and creatures we will catch off the pier of the Fort Point Channel.

My team at the Boston Children's Museum is LHE, Candido, JPAs, Marco, Sumtoo, and Edward. I'm really excited about what we can accomplish at this site.

As the week comes to a close, we've caught green crabs, spider crabs, cunners, moon jellyfish, and tunicates. Candido, our Lead Harbor Explorer, and I are currently dedicated to catching one of the mysterious striped bass that roam the waters of the Fort Point Channel each day around 2 PM. With the help of Sam, a Senior Harbor Educator & fisherman extraordinaire, we will catch one soon enough.

Candido, Lead Harbor Explorer, showing the crowd a spider crab

We've experimented with many types of bait such as herring, quahogs, and bread. We still have some tricks up our sleeves and plenty of summer to catch a striper!

See you on the pier,

Iris Ayala

Ready for Another Summer

Hello All,

Iris Ayala, one of your fellow Senior Harbor Explorers, here ready for another amazing summer with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.

It's hard to believe I've been with the organization for a year, and in that time, I've gained valuable experiences both as a Senior Harbor Educator and as the Senior Staff Assistant. It was a transition from fishing, crabbing, and lobstering in the summer in the sweltering sunshine to sitting in a more convention office environment, but I was able to discover firsthand all the hard work that Save the Harbor does behind the scenes and able to contribute to their successes.

I am more than ready to sport that blue polo, cut up bait, and work with young and diverse minds on the docks of the cleanest public beaches in the country.

Today, the Senior Harbor Explorers and the Lead Harbor Explorers will meet the Junior Program Assistants. One of my favorite parts of the summer is to work with the high school students. In college, I studied English and Secondary Education in hope of teaching high school English, and I plan on applying to BPS in the next few weeks. Each Junior Program Assistant brings a valuable and integral asset to the Summer Youth Program, and it's always fun getting to know the teenagers and working with them to teach other about the Boston Harbor, but for them to learn a couple of things along the way.

Coming to a dock near you,

Iris Ayala

The Intro To The Intro

Hi, my name is Jazeel Mendes and this is my first year with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, I am really happy to be part of the of this team. I am currently working at Piers Park in East Boston and McDonough Sailing Center in South Boston. I am 16 years old and I am Cape Verdean. I am currently attending Madison Park High School and my vocational class is Carpentry.

The Nicest Crab In The Sea

I decided to work for Save the Harbor because I though it would be a really great experience to work with kids and learn with the  kids. I really like the ocean and I just want to learn everything there is to know about the sea so I can help the kids.

Hoping For a Great Summer : Jazeel Mendes

Intro!

    Hello everyone! I'm Juelle Benjamin, I am a senior and attend school at Another Course to College in Brighton, MA. I am a returning staff from last summer. This will be my second summer working at Save The Harbor/Bay. I had so much fun at All Access the previous summer and met so many great people with crazy, fun personalities! My goal this summer is to learn more history about the beaches in the Greater Boston as well as learn new things to walk away with something positive and fun. I'm looking forward to having an awesome summer with working new staff, meeting

awesome children and making a difference in their lives.

A Courageous Day

Hello all! Kiki here again.

Monday was a fun filled day at Courageous Sailing. We taught kids how to fish, showed them the proper way to hold a crab, let them hold sea stars, and taught them how they can tell what the gender of a crab is. At first I was nervous because it was the first day, but after I got into the swing of things, it was great! The kids were so eager to learn. A lot of them had never gone fishing before so I thought it was pretty cool to be the one to give them that experience! 

Just cruising. Look at that view!

The kids had some interesting questions, and it felt pretty cool to know almost all of the answers. Then, one of them asked me, "Are we going to catch a shark?" They're so cute with their crazy ideas. Of course we didn't catch any sharks. We really didn't catch any fish at all, to be honest, but there's always another day. Everyday holds a new adventure for us. We did catch crabs and sea stars, and that seemed to suffice! It's difficult having to start all over with getting to know new kids everyday, but the pros outweigh the cons. It's still fun to see new faces. The challenge is exciting.

Manny and the kids waiting around for fish.

Sarah Bailey is very focused on hooking that fishing rod.

My Senior Marine Educator, Sarah Bailey, was SO fun to work with. She knows almost everything there is to know about sea creatures and practically all things "ocean". Part of the reason I was able to answer the kids' questions is because of HER. I had relatively the same questions during orientation as the kids did at Courageous. The best thing about this job is that if someone asks a question that you don't know the answer to, most likely someone else from STH/STB knows the answer. I guess it's true what they say. You really do learn something new everyday. 

                     
 - Kiauna Peete ("Kiki")

Exploring The World On the Other Side

 Hello My Name Is Ana Munoz,

I Graduated from Brighton High School and I will be continuing my education with my first
year of College. I will Be attending Bunker Hill Community College then transfer over either to Boston College or Boston University either way I will be successful. What helped me enjoy my time at Save the harbor / save the bay so far as a new member of the staff is that it teaches me how to interact with not only kids but as well as my team that I work with.
Life is about going beyond your expectations and to enjoy every step of the way. I not only believe this organization is great but I believe everyone works as hard as they can to make an impact on everyone and that is what I feel that I can bring to this job. Leadership and commitment are what I follow on my every day step. I can't wait to see what else it brings.
I want to exceed and develop more of an experience with this organization because they work on dedication and team work. Working with kids has really opened my eyes to a better and brighter day. Life is always about living it and every step of the way and staying humble with in your self. Working here has really impacted me and finding out who I really am as a person.
I am excited for this summer, and I will take my experience with me everywhere i go :)

These are an amazing Kids , They are not just learning from me but there teaching me something new each and everyday. Experiencing something new with them is always a great and joyful time  it reminds me how great life is especially with great  kids like these

Now this would explain my title a little more I never really experienced fishing. It was a great experience with my team and the kids and it made me so excited to catch my first crab and lobster. I cant wait to see what else is in store for me.


---- Ana Munoz