Slip n' Slide The Rain Away

Today, as expected, ended up being a particularly stormy day. While the weather kept many of the kids at Blacks Creek from coming out in the morning hours, the campers at Camp Harbor View were out in full force and ready to take on what the day had to offer.

It started out similar to most, with the weather holding off nicely, so we started our fishing club period on the pier. After only a short while however, a large thunderstorm could be heard in the distance. We immediately sent the kids to the great hall for safety, while the rest of the camp battened down for the coming downpour.  I regrettably found myself caught in the early minutes of the storm and, after being soaked clean through, had to seek shelter in the camp's boathouse along with the staff from Courageous Sailing.

After the worst had passed, the campers were released from the great hall to continue their regularly scheduled activities. Regrettably this period was also cut short by another storm band that rolled through the area.

As the thunder from this second onslaught faded into the distance and rain still fell, the camp re-released the campers. Instead of returning to their scheduled periods, much of the camp, without hesitation and as if planned in advanced, set up an impromptu slip and slide using the cover from the pool. It was awesome to see so many of the kids embrace what the day had given them, despite its relative unpleasantness.

Getting some distance on the lawn.

Fortunately the day ended with sun, as I am sure that the campers, as well as myself, thoroughly enjoyed the chance to dry off. The improvement in the weather also afforded my coworkers and I time to get a good start on the belated sign for shell beach.

Basking in the golden glory of the sun (and that of our almost completed sign)

Heres to not letting the weather get you down.

- Cheers, Tom Rebula

Stormy Summer Day at Spectacle Island

     This week has been so long, but it has also been very interesting! Yesterday, we went out with around 230 kids, mostly from Dorchester. Although the plan was to go to George's Island and visit the dark tunnel with the "Lady in Black," we had to go to Spectacle Island due to unforeseen problems. Everyone who went out with us brought along their bathing suit and quickly got into the water as soon as they stepped off the boat. Since the Leahy Center had lifeguards, some people went over to the end of the dock to jump off! The Save the Harbor youth staff, including myself, rushed down and began to jump off with them. I had so much fun out there in the water and I can't wait to do that again this summer! The Leahy kids were very entertaining to be around and we were so glad to have them come out with us. On our way back to the World Trade Center, we heard rumbling and quick flashes of lightning. Most were afraid to brave the storm on the top deck, but some of the youth staff as well as some counselors from St. Marks Parish stayed out and we joked around in the blasting wind, looking at the storm. 

I had a lot of fun at Spectacle Island this week and I'm so excited to come back again this week!

Thi Tran

A Huge Transformation

       Boston was supposed to have this huge storm on Wednesday July 18, 2012. A bunch of Save the Harbor / Save the Bay staff were coming from Spectacle Island. We were leaving the island and all of a sudden it got very dark. We all watched everything happen from lightning to the water color changing. It was exciting to see the water turn from green to turquoise green-ish blue. We saw the clouds forming over the northwest part of Boston. As we were sailing on the harbor, the wind was blowing tremendously. The waves were beautiful, heavy, and loud. To see how the color of the clouds changed the color and energy of the water was just amazing. This experience hit me really hard because I had never been away from Boston on an open body of water enough to see something like this so it was definitely a sight to see.

 

By: Brianna Charles