Camp Harbor View Session Two

This past week was a bit different a Camp Harbor View. Last Friday saw the end of session one on the island. This meant that all the kids we have come to know within the past month would be leaving and we would be getting new ones in their place. The first two days of this new session seemed to last longer than usual. We had a lot of review for fishing safety as well as spending time talking to the kids to get to know them. I really liked the kids from last session, and the ones we have now seem like they're going to be a good replacement.

A cookout with all the kids

As long as they were, the first two days of session two were also very interesting. We got to Camp Harbor View just like any other. The first thing well also do when we get to the dock is to get the bait ready and pull up the lobster trap and crab trap. They bait was cut up as normal, and the lobster trap was surprisingly empty. But the real particular thing was when we pulled the crab trap. Inside the trap was, as usual, crabs, but also a baby flounder and a toad fish. Both were surprises to us as we had only seen adult flounders before and never a toad fish. I hope this is a good sign for the rest of the session.

A baby flounder

-Ian P.

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.

The Trash Tree

The staff at Camp Harbor View really gives their all to try to make it a good time for the kids there, and this week is no exception. Thursday and Friday this week saw any kids involved the Knowledge Is Power, or KIP, section of the camp sent on an Amazing Race. This race would require groups of kids to work together as they figured out puzzles, or did activities. Upon completing one puzzle or activity, they would be given a clue that would lead them to another location of the camp for a new one. Save the Harbor was involved with this race. We were located on what they call 'Shell Beach' on the island. When groups came to us, we would ask them to scan the beach. Each time requiring them to collect three different objects. The objects varied from things like oyster shells, clam shells, plastic bits, sea glass and more. We would often have instances where multiple groups would show up at one time because certain kids would run in front of their other group members.

Incomplete Trash Tree

On Friday we showed up earlier to our location for the race then we needed to be. Groups wouldn't be showing up for another 25 minutes or so by the time we were ready for them. In this time, I did what we were asking the kids to do myself, I searched the beach. When I first started, I saw normal beach stuff, shells, sand, trash, etc. But I was stopped when I saw the tree. It was a small pine tree, about four feet tall. It was completely dead and turned brown, with one side of it decaying or gone. I had the idea to ease my boredom waiting for the kids by standing it upright like a Christmas Tree. I decorated it with garbage that had washed up on the shore like ornaments. I also used bricks that were there like presents for underneath it. I myself was not impressed with the final outcome, but it was cool to be able to create something out of what would have just laid there otherwise.

-Ian P.

Tuesday at Camp Harbor View

This week so far was very unique for those of us at Camp Harbor View. Tuesday started as any other. Everything on the boat ride to the island was the same until we were informed that we were not going to be fishing in the morning today like we normally would. Instead, we would be taking kids on a hike through the woods to show them the lighthouse and abandoned fort on the island. Everything was set to go, and we were just waiting for the kids to show up when we got some interesting news. One of the staff members at the camp informed us that on the opposite end of the pier, the pier that we were supposed to be meeting kids on, was a sleeping raccoon. He also warned us that the very tired and angry animal would be running down our direction soon and to keep an eye out for it. Just as kids were arriving to the site, we saw the staff member chasing the raccoon down the pier with a broom. We had to make a quick scurry to try to get all the kids out of the way, but it all ended up alright.

The Long Island Lighthouse

At first the kids were annoyed in having to hike up a steep hill to get to the fort. They found it annoying to try to get somewhere they didn't see as fun. Once they got to the top, their attitudes completely changed. They soon discovered the vastness of the fort, with three different levels to explore. Kids had a lot of fun popping around corners and scaring each other. They were also taught the history of the fort and its relevance in the Cold War. By the end if the trip, the same kids who didn't want to go on the hike didn't want to leave.



The top and middle layers to the Fort

-Ian P.

Week One, Blog One

The All-Access crew was stationed at Spectacle this week, and these past two days on the island were fun ones I thought. For the most part, I was at the docks of Spectacle helping with the fishing lessons that were set up there. Perhaps 'fishing' isn't the best way to descibe it, as we didn't actually catch any fish. We did, however, catch a ton of crabs. Along with the net that we had used to catch them, it was good to be able to see kids reel in there own crabs on the rods. They would let the bait sink to the bottom so that the crabs would be able to get it easier. By the end of the second day there, we had caught 32 crabs, varieties ranging from Green Crabs to Spiders, and one lobster.

Showing proper fishing techniques

In the small amount of time that I wasn't on the docks casting and crabbing, I went to the area where the fish printing was being done. I had looked at finished prints before, but had never seen the process of printing them. For such a simple process of basically applying ink to a fish, and pressing it to a piece of paper, they come out looking very good.

Inking a fish

This being my first summer at SH/SB, I did not know what I was expecting when the week started. But after talking and interacting with the kids these past couple of days, I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer.

- Ian P.

Orientation

Hello everyone, my name is Ian Pederson and this is my first summer with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. I live in the Town of Hull, and am a rising junior at Hull High. Living along Nantasket Beach my whole life has made me knowledgeable about life in and on the ocean, and I feel I can put that to use this summer.

A birdnest in the fort walls of George's Island

Wednesday and Thursday of this past week is when I had orientation for the summer. Wednesday starting off with a gloomy morning, filled with dark skies, rain and paperwork. But as the clouds cleared up, it turned into a pretty good afternoon. We went through the layout of George's Island, exploring its dark tunnels and hallways, as well as being given a small crash course in how to properly fish on the island. Thursday was just as interesting. Team 'get-to-know-you' games were first. Partaking in ones such as 'Where the Wind Blows' and 'Ride that Pony'. Then a visit from storyteller Norah Dooley for the rest of the morning. She explained to us what makes a good story, and showed us this through her pirate Mary Read impersonation. The day was then wrapped with a trip to the Childrens's Museum where we talked about what days there would be like.

Norah Dooley as Mary Read

I am looking forward to my summer with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.