Nothing but Good times

This past Saturday I volunteered at the Harbor Illumination event at Hull's Lifesaving Museum! I rarely travel out of Boston and to go to Rhode Island for fish printing and some fresh Del's lemonade, it was awesome! With cool breezes occasionally coming by the temperature was just right! In the middle of the field where we were set up, there were a small band of kids chasing bubbles and dancing to the festive jams. In the midst of the event, I couldn't help but dance along myself to the goofy guys running a show for the kids.

Throughout the next couple of days, we were finally seeing a shift in gears in the number of fish caught weekly! We were averaging two to three fish a day during the first half of the week! We had yet to catch anything besides a squid on our hooks so far, however the crab traps have shown us time after time why they are one of the kid's favorite activities. We had two flounders about four to five inches in length, just about the perfect sized for the kids to hold in their hands briefly and another species of fish which we (at Pier's Park) have yet to identify.

-Raymond Chai

Printing Fish at Hull's Harbor Illumination

Hello again fellow adventurers!

This past weekend myself and a few other summer staffers traveled to Hull to take part in the Hull Harbor Illumination event. Driving through the bustling streets of Hull and past Nantucket Beach, it felt more like Miami Beach than the south shore town I was used to. Once at the event we were greeted by the sights and sounds of a true festival. The smell of BBQ filled the air, children were laughing and playing with giant bubble wands, friends and family were laughing and just taking in the scene.

When we got to our table, we laid out the paints and brushes for the kids to see for themselves. While creating interesting designs is fun, perhaps my favorite part of fish printing is watching the look of shock come over the kids and parents when we explain that the fish is indeed a real flounder! After a few moments of touching and looking at the fish, some skeptics remain, but intrigue usually turns to excitement that even ugly looking flounder can be used to create beautiful pieces of artwork. There were some great designs created by the young kids we saw, and aside from the paint getting all over our hands, it was an amazing event to be a part of. Sadly we couldn't stay for the lighting of the flares around the Harbor, I'm glad we were able to send some of the kids home with their very own fish prints. I know there is much more fun to come in the last few weeks of the summer, and I can't wait!

Until next time, keep on exploring!
-Luke C

Harbor Illumination

 At the Harbor Illumination fest, I enjoyed a chill Saturday fish printing. The weather wasn't too hot and it was a good day to spend time with my coworkers and kids. The people there were friendly and kind to show us their own stations. There was tie dye shirts, bubbles, hula hoops, singing and dancing, and even an animal stand. They showed us cute little turtles that walked slow and fast and although we couldn't touch it was interesting to learn about the different types.

 The fest had a welcoming atmosphere with generous people surrounding us. The music was lit and there was all types of good smelling food around that made my mouth water. We had many kids who were excited to fish print. They got real creative with their paintings by adding polka dots or stripes or painting the fins a different color from the body. They were fantastic and I hope they kept their nice prints to hang up on their wall. It can remind them of a good time they had at the festival just as it reminds me.

All Summer 16

Kharliyah Ortiz

Harbor Illumination and Revere Beach Sand Sculpting

This past weekend I took part in my first two beach events for the summer. The beach event are additional events, usually on the weekends, that we help out in. I was very lucky for the first one. When I would normally travel to get to my site each day, my first beach event came to me in the town where I live, Hull. The event is called the Harbor Illumination, and what it is is one side off the town's Bayside shore is lit up with flares every ten feet or so. The outcome of this is one huge landscape of glowing red dots both near and far relative to you. I had been to this event in previous years, on my own as a spectator. But this was the first year that they were having events take place before the light up. Which is where Save the Harbor came in and did fish printing with kids.

The flares lined up

The second beach event I did the following day was the Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Competition. I was under the assumption originally that we were going to help run the event, but I was pleased to find out that we would actually be participating in an amateur league of scultpters. Save the Harbor was divided into two teams of six at the event. The group I was assigned with originally had the idea of creating a fish tank out of sand. Creating a three dimensional bubble to then create fish designs on. The idea was interesting, but it was poorly executed, resulting in a big mound with unidentifiable carvings. When we had decided we had done the best with what we could do with this idea, I started a sculpture of my own. Slowly I created the rough outline of what would be an alligator. And slowly as people started to see my effort and join in, there was a whole team working on this entry. When the finished product came out, people liked it more  then the tank, so we used this our entry instead. This netted Save the Harbor the first place spot in the competition!

Working on the alligator

-Ian P.

Illustrious Harbor Illuminations

Hello again fellow explorers!

This past weekend I had the opportunity to work with some of my fellow Save the Harbor staff members at Hull's Harbor Illuminations ceremony. The late afternoon festivities included live music, free food, arts & crafts, and our Save the Harbor crew supplying fish painting and coloring. Although a dead skate can be disconcerting to some, once it is covered in multi-colored paint, just about everyone was interested in creating their very own fish print. With designs as simple as a single color, to superman and minion designs, I had my hands literally full of paint. At the end of the night we had over twenty different fish prints, and I had enough paint on me to create a print of my own! Thanks to our expert photographer, the picture below found its way to Save the Harbor's Facebook page, where my expert fish printing skills are on display for anyone who visits it!

Look Mom, I'm famous!

Around 8:00, the festivities came to an end, and everyone made their way to the edge of the Harbor, where hundreds of flares lined the shores waiting patiently to illuminate the water in a glorious red ring. After a signal flare was released from a fire boat in the center of the Harbor, the flares were lit in synchrony. The result was a magnificent display of lighting, as the entire harbor was illuminated from end to end. The pictures can't even do justice to how large-scale this ceremony was. Hundreds of people looked in awe at the beauty unfolding in front of them. 

Ring of Fire!

Harbor Illuminations a beautiful sight to see. The whole community coming together to produce such a spectacle was amazing. I was lucky to be a small part of what happened this past weekend, and hopefully I get to return next summer to see it all over again.

Until next time, keep on exploring!
-Luke