Water Quality Testing with Girls Inc.

On the morning of August 9, 2017, I ventured out into Lynn to help out a Girls Inc. group with water quality. I was asked to come as a guest scientist and was able to share some knowledge I've gained over the years and in my time at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. The students from Girls Inc. were a part of the Beach Sisters group and had been going to different areas on the Lynn coast to sample water. Most of the girls were very excited to get out into the field and do some water quality testing!

Our first stop was off a small pier in Lynn. Here various stations were set up and after some water was collected and the girls paired up and cycled through the tests with each pair testing for nitrate, phosphate, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and salinity. A variety of instruments were used such as a refractometer and hydrometer to test salinity, thermometers, a pH probe, secchi tube for turbidity and various chemical test kits to measure other parameters. I was very impressed with everyone as they knew exactly what they were doing with all the instruments available on site. A plankton tow was also used to collect plankton from the surface water to be viewed under the small microscopes we had on site.

Setting up testing stations

Checking salinity with a refractometer

Checking turbidity with the secchi tube

Using a Van Dorn water sampler

At this site, we were able to use a Van Dorn water sampler. The purpose of this instrument is to collect water from below the surface. This provided the girls the opportunity to compare the differences between the surface sample and the one taken below. Although the current was pretty strong when we got there and were not able to sample at the bottom of the water column, the girls understood the purpose of the device and they were able to investigate the differences between the water samples taken at different depths.

Van Dorn water samplers take water sample from below the surface!

Once we finished up at the pier, we were off to our next stop which ended up being a marshy area in Lynn. We ventured up a small path and found the marsh. Here, the girls were able to note the various plants such as marsh lavender. Similar to the first site, stations were set up and then those who were brave to march on the marshy mud went out to collect water. There was a marsh panne where water was also collected. We set up a trap with some pretzels in the panne and were able to catch a couple of small mummichogs. The girls noticed the water was saltier in the panne than it was in the marsh, which was expected, but it demonstrated again how easily water quality can change even when the samples are taken a short distance from each other.

Setting up water quality testing

Brave volunteers collecting our first water sample

Walking back to dry land

Collecting water from the marsh panne

Checking the trap

One of many mummichogs!

A larger mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Overall I had a blast with the Girls Inc. group. It was great to see young high schoolers get excited about science and I was very happy to teach them some facts about water quality and marine biology. I am hoping these types of projects help lead some of these girls into the STEM field because with their natural curiosity, I know they'll go far!

-Diana

Lynn, Swampscott, and Nahant Public Hearing

Metropolitan Beaches Commission Co-Chairs Senator Thomas M. McGee of Lynn and Rep. RoseLee Vincent of Revere invite you to share your thoughts on the state of our public beaches in Lynn, Swampscott, and Nahant at a public hearing on Tuesday evening, May 30 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Lynn Museum/LynnArts on 590 Washington St. Lynn, MA 01901. Parking is available at the museum parking lot, on the street in front, or at the MBTA parking lot across the street.  

King's Beach

The hearing will include:

• Updates from Save the Harbor/EEA’s Beach Science Advisory Committee on planned improvements to water quality on King’s Beach. 
• Updates from DCR on plans to remove algae this summer. 
• Updates from the Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach on summer program expansion.
• Updates from the Commission on the FY2018 DCR Budget for the Metropolitan Beaches. 

Following the updates, the Commission Co-Chairs, representatives of DCR and EEA, and members of the Commission including Rep. Brendan Crighton and Robert Tucker of Lynn and Town Manager Jeff Chelgren and Mounzer Aylouche of Nahant, all look forward to hearing from you.

Please direct questions and RSVPs to Maddie Clair at clair@savetheharbor.org or call 617-451-2860 ext. 1007

For more information on the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, please visit www.savetheharbor.org/MBC.

Kids Event and Concert at Lynn/Nahant Beach

On Saturday, July 27th Senior Marine Educator, Tom Rebula, and I attended the Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Kids Event and Concert. We set-up a touch tank in the marine animals section, and we were joined by the Nahant Marine Center. They had several touch tanks available including Green, Spider, and Jonah Crabs, Starfish, Mussels, Quahogs, and a Blue Lobster. Equipped with our wild caught North Atlantic lobster brothers, Larry and Harry, Tom and I introduced them to the families that crowded our tables.

We showed the kids and their parents the lobster's dominant crusher claw, its antennae, how to identify whether it is a male or female, where the animal lives, and what it eats. Some of the kids even touched the tail of the lobster and were splashed as Larry tried to swim underneath the seaweed and back into the cold salt water.

Many of the children who visited the Marine Animals tent had their faces painted as Batman, Wolverine, Hello Kitty, and with rainbows. There also was a balloon booth, a snack booth with cotton candy and popcorn, and a kids concert to conclude the activities. 

This was my first time visiting Lynn/Nahant Beach and Red Rock Park. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and I really appreciated how clean the beaches were. I hope to swim in the waters of that beach soon!

Stay Sandy,

Iris Ayala

Treasure Hunters Have Plenty to Be Thankful For

Five treasure hunters from Greater Boston had something special to celebrate this Thanksgiving, as Save the Harbor / Save the Bay announced the winners of their "Simply Marble-ous" Treasure Hunt, sponsored by JetBlue Airways.

Bridget of South Boston shows off her marble!

More than 1,000 people took part in the treasure hunt, including participants from Chelsea, Dorchester, East Boston, Hull, Lawrence, Lynn, Melrose, Milton, Nahant, Peabody, Quincy, Reading, Revere, Somerville, South Boston, Stoughton and Winthrop.

The five lucky winners were chosen from the more than 100 beachcombers who found a cobalt blue marble on one of the Boston Harbor region's public beaches. Each received 40,000 TrueBlue points that can be redeemed for flights to any of the 45 nonstop destinations JetBlue serves from Boston’s Logan International Airport. 

This year's winners were Bridget McGrath of South Boston, Susan Hardiman of Dorchester, Michelle and Caitlin Cooper of Dorchester, Helen Anderson of South Boston, and Michael Long of Savin Hill, who 

found his marble on Malibu Beach.

Susan and Vanya of Dorchester share their marble!

Caitlin proudly displays her discovery!

Helen shows off her marble on the beach

The "Simply Marble-ous" Treasure Hunt began in June when 100 JetBlue crewmembers and volunteers from Save the Harbor hit the beach in South Boston for an early season cleanup.  Working in teams, they helped the Department of Conservation and Recreation remove trash, weeds, stray sand and debris from Carson Beach.

Michael with his totally marble-ous find!

After the cleanup, each of the participants “released” a single blue marble in the sand at the water’s edge. To spread the fun around the region, Save the Harbor also "released" 100 additional marbles
on the region’s public beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull. The one-inch tempered blue glass marbles were both beautiful and environmentally friendly. They are made of recycled glass, which was made from sand.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Save the Harbor and with the community in Greater Boston, home to our 2,000 crewmembers, who mirror the company’s philanthropic efforts with their own volunteer work locally,” said JetBlue’s Regional Marketing Manager Ronda Ivy McLeod. “A beach cleanup and treasure hunt is right in line with our fun value and our commitment to the city that chooses JetBlue more than any other airline out of Logan.”

More than 100 JetBlue employees gather with Save the Harbor staff before starting the beach cleanup and kicking off the "Simply Marble-ous" contest in June!

"We really want to thank JetBlue Airways for giving something special back to our community," said Save the Harbor's spokesman Bruce Berman. "They are great partners, and we really treasure their support."

We hope you will take a minute to watch this short video
about this year's "Simply Marble-ous" Treasure Hunt.

Congratulations to all of our winners and many thanks to all of our participants,
and a special thanks to our friends and partners at JetBlue Airways!

Save the Harbor / Save the Bay Awards Over $25,000 in Better Beaches Grants

Save the Harbor Save the Harbor / Save the Bay awarded more than $25,000 in grants to 12 groups to support 30 free public events in nine beachfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket at an awards breakfast at our office on the Boston Fish Pier on Saturday, June 23^rd.

Recipients of this year's Better Beaches grants with representatives
from Save the Harbor / Save the Bay, Harpoon Brewery and JetBlue Airways

This year’s “Better Beaches” events include sand sculpting competitions, beachfront concerts, environmental education programs, family fun nights, reading programs, and beach programs.

“The region’s 19 miles of sandy public beaches have the power to connect a million people with the Harbor we have worked so hard to restore and protect,” said Patricia A. Foley, President of Save the Harbor / Save the Bay. “We are proud to support our partners in the city's waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities as they work to bring the regions kids and families to their beaches and the harbor.”

In addition to the grant, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay also gave each group 22 one-inch diameter blue marbles to scatter on their respective beaches. Anyone who finds one of these marbles between now and the end of the summer will be entered into a drawing to win one of five prizes of 40,000 TrueBlue points from JetBlue Airways. Click here for more information about this "Marble-ous" summer treasure hunt.

Save the Harbor's "Better Beaches" program was launched in 2008 in partnership with The Boston Foundation, whose early support helped make it a success. In the past four years, local community partners in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull have leveraged $116,500 in small grants from Save the Harbor with $403,500 in cash and in-kind donations from local government and small businesses for a total of $520,000 to support 130 free beach events and activities for everyone to enjoy.

Funds to support this year's grants came from the 2nd annual Harpoon Helps Cupid Splash and the more than 500 “Splashers” who plunged into the chilly ocean water to support their beach. Additional financial support comes from Save the Harbor's "Better Beaches Program" funding partners at Harpoon Brewery, JetBlue Airways, National Grid, Comcast Massachusetts, the Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust, Russo Marine and Legal Sea Foods, as well as our in-kind supporters at the BCYF Curley Community Center and the Department of Conservation & Recreation.

About Save the Harbor / Save the Bay

Founded in 1986, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay is the region’s leading voice for clean water and the restoration and protection of Boston Harbor, the waterfront, our region's public beaches, the Boston 

Harbor Islands and the marine environment.

To find out more about Save the Harbor / Save the Bay’s Better Beaches Programs, visit our website at http://www.savetheharbor.org.

2012 Better Beaches Grant Recipients

Community	Group	Event	Amount
Lynn & Nahant	Friends of Lynn & Nahant Beach	2012 Red Rock Summer Concert Series	$2,500
	Friends of Heritage Park	World Folk Festival	$500
Revere	Revere Beach Partnership	National Sand Sculpting Festival	$5,000
Winthrop	Friends of Winthrop Beach	Family activities on the beach	$1,000
	Friends of Belle Isle Marsh	Educational activities on the beach	$1,000
East Boston	East Boston YMCA	Summer Food Service Program and Campfires	$3,500
South Boston	South Boston Neighborhood House	Family Fun Night on the Beach	$2,500
	City Point Neighborhood Association	Beat the Summer Sizzle at Pleasure Bay	$1,000
	BCYF Curley Community Center	Summer Youth Programs	$3,500
Dorchester	Friends of Savin Hill Shores	Beach Festival Family Movie Night	$2,000
Quincy	Friends of Wollaston Beach	Kids Fest	$1,000
	Quincy Beaches and Coastal Commission	Pumpkin Fest	$1,000
Hull	Friends of Paragon Carousel	Museum Projects and Reading Program	$1,000
	Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce	Endless Summer Waterfront Festival	$1,000