"I shall call him Hermie"

This was a quote from a fellow harbor explorer at Blacks Creek during the first week of summer exploring. Like many other explorers, she had caught a hermit crab. This one was special though. This was the first hermit crab she had ever caught!

Down at Blacks Creek we were able to catch more than just hermit crabs. My fellow explorers and I were able to examine different types of seaweed, perfect the art in capturing a minoe and the expertize of scooping up a crab before it scrambles away in the water. Blacks Creek is a wonderful environment to really explore and discover many plants and animals that live in our marine environments. We don't need an aquarium or zoo to capture the wonder our world can provide.

I cannot wait to see what we may discover next!

-Sarah

Pulizia "cleanup"

Today was fun! At Piers Park as eight year old Olivia and I waited to pull up a crab trap we conversated. Olivia was teach me how to speak Italian. :) Even though she only knows how to say fruit in Italian it was lots of fun. While I repeated the pronounciation of the fruit she spotted a wrapper floating in the Harbor. She screamed at me "Kristina go get the net, QUICK!" I quickly got the arancione "orange" net and handed it over to her, and she patiently waited for the plastic potato chip bag to float closer to the dock before she was able to have a safe scoop. I let her know if everyone was as aware and concerned about trash in the Harbor, it would be even cleaner. I told her imagine if everyone was able to scoop and grab a piece of trash they seen floating in the Harbor, and she said "I guess we need more people like me. People who care about their environment". Overall, Olivia and I learned something new. I learned some Italian and she learned that we need more concerned and caring people to help keep the Harbor clean.

-Kristina :)

Six weeks of internship wasn't enough!

Hey there! My name is Kristina Acevedo and I recently graduated Fenway High school. A graduation requirement at Fenway is completing a six week internship. Luckily, I was placed at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay for those beneficial six weeks. For those six weeks I was able to bring personality and succeed in assignments that later resulted in a job offering in the summer. I had fun working in the office the last six weeks and had more to see of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay brings to communities that I accepted the offer. I was looking forward to working with the Summer Youth Program I had helped gather information and prepared during my internship. I was looking forward to starting, and now that I have I understand why the faculty at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay are so passionate and love what they do! I am greatful to have had the opportunity to internship here, and fortunate to be giving the chance to return for the summer.

-Kristina :)

Fishing in the Rain

This morning marked a drizzly finish to our first week of Fishing 101 at the Boston Children's Museum. Despite the weather, we were joined by a several determined young anglers eager to try their hands at fishing and crabbing.

We didn't catch any fish, but we did find plenty of green crabs and spider crabs. One group of kids were hoping to catch a lobster and became very good at pulling up the heavy lobster trap (with a little help from Carolyn). After a few tries, they were excited to see a green crab come up in the trap. This particular crab gave Conor a bit of a hard time when he tried to remove it from the trap, but he eventually managed to get it into the touch tank without any serious finger injuries. The kids loved showing their parents how to identify a green crab and how to tell if it was a male or female.

Along with the crabs, we managed to pull up some sea squirts from the bottom of the channel; the kids were so surprised to learn that they were actually living animals! Although crabs and sea squirts are a lot of fun, I'm hoping that next week we'll also be able to catch some fish.

-Paula

Another Man's Trash

Hello there! My name is Annie Adams and I’m a Lead Explorer here at Save the Bay/Save the Harbor. I am currently a student at Eckerd College, which is in St. Petersburg, Florida, and working on my Environmental Studies major and Coastal Management minor. This is my first summer in Boston and I am new to Save the Bay/Save the Harbor. Though I have traveled to Boston before, many of the sites are brand new to me, including the much talked about Spectacle Island.

Many of my fellow teammates here at Save the Bay/Save the Harbor have already been to Spectacle Island but all seemed excited to visit there again to enjoy more adventures. There

was no way of knowing what to expect at what could be found at Spectacle until I got there. Of course there is the famous amount of sea glass that can be found there but I was not informed of the incredible artifacts that spoke to a wonderful history of Boston that also existed along the coastline. Among the varying colors of sea glass, there were beautiful pieces of broken china with intricate designs and old bean pots. I managed to find a marble that was slightly distorted from being weathered down by the surf and sun. The group gathered together to discuss what interesting things we found on the beach. There were many pieces of broken pottery and a few marbles but the coolest treasure was the die. Though, one of the most meaningful findings was the bag full of garbage from our generation. While the trash of the early history of Boston is something we see as pretty cool, I doubt that the garbage of today can be seen the same way. To me this says a lot about our lifestyle and our use of resources. Their trash would have been able to be reused if it had not been broken, while our trash has already expired it’s one time use. This value of trash really spoke to me because it made me think about all the things that I throw away and where many of my favorite items come from. Hopefully, one day, our trash will be cool enough for the people of the future to appreciate.

-Annie Adams

About Me- Candido

My name is Candido Barros. I'm 16 years old. I go to Madison Park High.

I spend my time after school at home helping my mother with chores or play Basketball at the park with my friends. Iwant to go to College and become a Basketball player some day and also study Science.

I like working with kids to teach them new things. I have been in the United States for 6 years. I'm from Cape Verde Island. I grew up with my mom and my little brother.

Since I have been with Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay I have learned more about sea creatures. I'm so excited to spend the rest of my summer with Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay.

-Candido

The first spider crab

Hello there, it's Hugues again this has only been my first week at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay but I have learned many things and had made some great friends. This week I worked at Piers Park, Courageous Sailing and I also help out at Castle Island. A camper at Castle Island wanted to catch a crab, but didn't have a staff member to go with her so I volunteered to accompany her. First I taught her how to use a muscle as bate for the crab trap; then we lowered it in the water hoping to catch a crab. Unfortunately we weren't so lucky. The second time, she wanted to put it in the water herself. We waited patiently for a bite. A few minutes later we pulled it up and there was a "spider crab". She was scared at first but she got use to it and actually pick it up .We got the crab in a touch tank and everyone was so amazed."It was the biggest catch of the week". Well, this have been a great week for me I had alot of fun and looking foward for more great adventures.

Hughes

First week !!

The first week of work has been a blast. At the Boston Children's Museum, there was a group of kids that were so thrilled to be able to fish. One child wanted me to teach him how to cast the line into the water. I taught him the steps of casting, and on the first try, he did it perfectly. At the site, my coo-workers and I caught over eight crabs. There was a time when I was pulling the crab trap out of the water and I saw a huge spider crab hanging from the line. At first I thought that the spider crab was a stick that got caught on the line, but then it began to move. The crab went into the touch tank. The children could not believe what they were looking at. They claimed that they never seen anything so big. There was a little girl maybe at the age of three, she held the crab even though she was scared. She held it by herself and I was excited for her because she had faced her fear of the crab.

On Wednesday, at the Constitution Beach, there was a huge group of kids that came out to fish and do different activities with us. We all played a game where there were five groups of kids and they had to run to the end of the line and act out a animal that lives in the water. The marine educators and I had to stand at the end of the line to guess what the sea animal was.

After the game we all practiced how to cast the line. The group of kids I had were very enthusiastic and were ready to learn. They loved doing it so much that they did not want to stop. My group only had one fishing rod so they had to share and take turns casting. When it was time to go, there were three kids in my group that did not get the advantage to cast the line. I felt bad for them so I stayed down the beach and had them cast. From this experience I realized that I have to work hard because the children I see everyday work hard to learn.

LaToya

First Day at Constitution Beach

We've added a new site this year to the Boston Harbor Explorers program: Constitution Beach in East Boston! All together, with our trips out to Spectacle Island and Georges Island on All Access Boston Harbor, we have TEN youth program sites all around the Harbor this year! Looking back through the years to when we only had two or three sites, we're SO excited about the direction and growth of our youth programs and the talented, enthusiastic staff helping to further propel it forward. It's almost the end of week 1, and it's clear it's going to be a great summer.

Constitution Beach has been fascinating to me since I first visited last year. There's an ice rink right on the beach, planes taking off across the beach at Logan Airport, and, at the same time, so many East Bostonians and visitors enjoying the summer sun on the expansive beach or lounging in the shade at the adjoining park. I don't automatically think of beaches when I think of ice rinks and airports, but it's such a great space! And it's definitely a perfect spot for more Harbor Explorers to join the fun.

We explored the beach with a huge group from the nearby East Boston YMCA, breaking off into small groups and scouring the intertidal zone for interesting objects and scurrying creatures. My group was SO excited to talk about everything we found, to look things up in our field guide, play some marine environment games, and to talk about the habitat. They were also amazed by how many green crab shells were washing up on the sand, and wondering where all the crabs that were alive were hiding! With the help of some slightly scared swimmers, we found a big green crab crawling around in some deeper water and shared our new friend with the other groups when we reconvened to talk about what we all found. I was extremely pleased with how engaged and excited the East Boston YMCA crew was- it made for a fantastic afternoon of exploration. We wrapped up the day with some fishing off the rocky shore to the left of the sandy beach-- and with the promise of another great afternoon next Wednesday!

See you next week, East Boston!

Michelle

Hugues Introduction

Hello, my name is Hugues. I'm 17. I go to West Roxbury High School and I'm very excited to work for you guys this summer. This is my first working for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay but it is not my first time fishing with save the harbor. Two summers ago I fished with Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay at Camp Harbor View. I had a great experience with them and this summer I get to work with them. I'm interested in working with kids and being a leader. Also I'm very exited to catch my second fish and I hope to catch more fish as the summer goes on.

-Hugues M. B.

LaToya Glass

Hello everyone, my name is LaToya and I am returning back to work with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay for the second summer. I am a sophmore college student at American International College in Springfield. My major is currently undeclared, but I am taking Criminal Justice classes. Coming back to Save the Harbor has been a special privilege. I have the chance to have more experience with fishing and teaching others about the harbor. Everyday I work with children that are so excited to be able to take part in the program. When they leave to go home with a smile on their faces, I also go home happy because I have done my part. In doing so, it makes me continue to be the best worker there is. There is not one day that I do not go home without learning something new. Sometimes the children teach me things that I never knew before. It is important that I am not doing all the teaching, but that we will teach each other and learn from one another. This job has made me a better person in a way where I am more patient and love what I do. I may be drained by the end of the day, but it was all for a good cause.

LaToya

Will Clark Introduction

Hello everyone! My name is Will Clark and I'm from Boston,MA. This year I finished my freshmen year of college at St. John's University and I'm majoring in psychology. This is my third summer working for Save the Harbor and I'm really excited to be here. I really care about the community and kids being able to have access to the harbor. My job may not seem like much, but I stay focused on the bigger picture of what I'm doing everyday that I go to work. I'm looking forward to an awesome summer and can't wait to catch a fish!

-Will Clark

Exploring the Charles

This week we kicked of the new save the harbor save the bay site at Community Boating! After morning sailing classes we have been exploring the shores in the water of the Charles. Today we went for a beautiful sail in some Roads 19s, a keel boat, and then anchored to go fishing. Some ‘old’ sailors but new fisherman were excited to try their hands at the fishing rod. We have seen and hope to catch some giant Asian carp, an invasive species. As well as some eels! As soon as we get some traps. We also took a look at water samples from different depths.

You can see Cecilia holding up a sample from the bottom of the river, it is black from all the decaying matter. This summer is bound to be exciting and full of more sailing and fishing expeditions!

Paul

Octupuses, Sea Glass, and Waves, Oh My!

Hello harbor explorers!

The first two days on Spectacle Island for All Access Boston Harbor have been FANTASTIC! The crew (David, Thi, Deirdre, Josette, Aruna, Leon, Mark, Ahmed, and Manny) and I have been basking in the hot sun and enjoying ourselves by playing in the water.

We've also had the opportunity to teach many new campers about the Treasures of Spectacle Island. We combed the beach, looking for the most interesting pieces of sea glass and pottery. We then put all our pieces together, and played detectives: we hypothesized that some of our pieces were once bottles, plates, and tea cups! All of the campers were enthusiastic and uncovered some really intriguing pieces (all of which we left in the sand where we found it!)

The beginning of this summer is off to a great start; I can't wait to be back on the islands next
week!

~Carolyn

PS: We found an amazing sea glass masterpiece today, it may be by favorite summer 2011 picture so far!

First Week: Castles, Crabs, and Losing Traps

Hey all! I am so happy to say that I really enjoyed my first week! This week, I worked at the McDonough Sailing Center in South Boston at Castle Island, and what a gorgeous view the area offered me. The ability to see most of the Harbor Islands was a great advantage to teaching the kids about each island, and the beach front allowed the kids to fish and crab trap with plenty of space. I worked with an amazing group of people, and I formed great friendships within a few days. One of my favorite memories from this past week was one of the crab traps coming off of the rope and being stuck in the water. Although I was a little skeptical of their ability to be able to retrieve it, three campers were DETERMINED to fetch the trap from the depths of the ocean floor and to save the day. In reality, it was a struggle for them. However, they did not give up. They absolutely refused to come out and take a rest when we asked them to, and they each took turns trying to dive down and rescue the trap. Even when their mom came to pick them up, they did not stop attempting to get the trap. Eventually to got to the point where Conor had to jump in and get the trap, and although the girls were not the actual savers of the trap, they were truly proud of the effort they put into the job. Also, today a girl caught the biggest crab out of all the other crabs caught this week, and she was so excited to tell her mom when she came to pick her up. Although we had to throw it back into the water, she left the camp with a genuine smile. So far, my work experience payed off. I mean, it's not everyday kids will swim to the bottom of the ocean for you!

David

My first week!

Yesterday I was working at the McDonough Sailing Center. It was really hot out yesterday, I felt really dehydrated but that didn't stop me from having fun with the boys. I took some of the boys into the beach and they were looking from crabs and shrimps, we caught a lot of them too. After that we went back to center. The boys went in to the water again, but Jacob and Tim started wetting me with the holes so I start wetting them back but they were already wet, then we started to wet David and Vinh that was funny. I had a good time with them. Yesterday was a good day :)

-Diana Gomez

Return of the Kid

Hey guys, I'm Tim, and this is my second year at Save the Harbor / Save the Bay. Last year was so much fun, and I learned so much that I had to return to have another awesome time. I'm fifteen years old. I love the harbor and all it has to offer, and all I want to do this summer is help spread the love to the thousands of kids in the greater Boston area. As a returning staffer, I am confident about teaching just about everything that I learned last year, and look forward to spurring kids on to try something new. I would love to get to know all of the new staff as well as some of the kids at the programs. I've had a couple of days at the Children's Museum, a day at Community Boating, and another day for the first time at Constitution Beach. The Children's Museum is a lot of fun because you deal with a wide variety of kids of different ages. We have had some kids over thirteen and some under one year old. Although we have had no luck with fish anywhere, the kids are still ecstatic to see some of the many crabs we have pulled up from the bottom the harbor. The days have been hot, and it is a challenge to keep some kids focused on bagging a fish.

Bye now,

Tim

Let the Adventure Begin!!!!

Hi, my name is Manny. I'm 16. This is my first year with Save the Harbor, Save the Bay and also my first job. I go to Hyde Park High and am going into 11th grade. My favorite sport is soccer. I'm a joyful person. I like to have fun and explore. I especially like adventures.

I am really excited to work with Save the Harbor, Save the Bay and to get to know everyone here. One of the things I'm really excited about is to learn how to fish. I want to work with the kids and tell them what I learned and show them how to do it.

Manny

Introduction to Josette!

Hey everyone! My name is Josette, I'm 17 years old, and this is my first summer working for STH/STB. Words cant even begin to describe how excited I am about working with this program. The general intent and goals of the program, inspire me to have the same goals. Working with children, and being a proper guidance to them is probably my biggest goal this summer. So far I have learned about fishing, the harbor's history, and the importance of being an ideal role model. The individuals I work with are enthusiastic, motivated as well as motivators, and come to work with a positive attitude. Aside from achieving my goal, I look forward to learning more about the program, the harbor, and making friends with extraordinary people here.

PEACE AND LOVE,

Josette

My First Wave for Save the Harbor

Hey all! I'm David, and I am so excited to be apart of a great organization! This is my first year as youth staff with Save the Harbor, and I honestly do not know what to expect. I can not wait to meet new people, experience new things that I have never encountered before, and definitely push my comfort zone. I never really expected myself to be doing work around the water, since science was never really my strong point, however from the training sessions and from talking to people I realized that this organization goes far beyond just aquatic and scientific focus points. It is truly a job that calls for people who love working with people, which is what I am really ecstatic about. Speaking of which, one of my main goals throughout this summer is to meet new people and to find out their stories, of how and why they are involved in such an organization such as Save the Harbor. Already I have met people from not only different parts of Boston, but also from the Greater Boston area. Secondly, I love working with kids (the past two years I was a camp counselor) so it is awesome that Save the Harbor can combine meeting new people and teaching younger children together. By the end of the summer, besides having a great tan, I hope to have made some new friends, created some great memories, and contributed my part to saving Boston's harbor front.

David

Start of an exciting Summer!

My name is Grant Baker and I am a rising junior at Cambridge Rindge and Latin Highschool in Cambridge, MA. I'm 16 years of age and look forward to a great summer with the Save the Harbor, Save the Bay team. Last Wednesday, the start of orientation, I was a bit nervous because I didn't know any of the kids. However, all of the returning staffers were very nice, which made the STHSTB community seem more welcoming. My favorite part of the day was when we went out to Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor. We got to look at all of the junk and we figured out where some of the stuff came from. It was interesting that a beach so close to Boston had so many hidden treasures. My favorite item I found was a piece of a bowl and cup that looked as though they had come from the same set. This was interesting to me because it showed how they had stood the test of time. Hopefully, this summer will be full of hidden treasures and one that I remember forever.\

Grant

Sea Robin, No Batman

On the first day out, I was at the McDonough Sailing Center in South Boston. Due to the fact that I was the only one wearing shorts, I was appointed to go into the salty water to get mussels or any other marine animal that would be a delicious treat for the crabs. I waded through the water, waving the dipnet through the seaweed growing on the rocks, when I saw something wriggling and quickly brought the net up. I FINALLY CAUGHT MY FIRST FISH! I had no idea what it was, but luckily I was with Conor and he told me that it was most likely a Sea Robin.
This beautiful fish is also called a Gurnard and is a bottom-dweller, able to survive up to depths of 200 meters and grow up to 12 - 16 inches in length. The sea robin gets its name from its large pectoral fins, when swimming, looks similar to bird's wings. After scrutinizing the tiny baby fish and showing it to the Southie kids, I released it back into the bay.

Introduction - Leon

Hey guys!

My name is Leon McKoy, I'm 17 and I attend Fenway High School. This summer I have the opportunity to work for Save the Harbor, Save the Bay; which I think will be an excellent experience. This is my first job ever and I'm very glad to be working and to have become a part of this program. Not only will I gain working experience, I get to escape the stresses of the inner city by being on or close to the water all the time. The fresh smell of the sea with the sun beaming down on me, I can't ask for more. I have a feeling this is going to be a really great summer. I'm Leon, welcome to the ride!

Leon

Ahmed Hassan, Training

Hi everyone, my name is Ahmed M. Hassan. This will be my first summer working at STH/STB and I am really looking forward to it. I am an upcoming junior at Fenway Pilot High School. On my training days I got to meet the youth staffers I will be working with this summer and I got along with them quickly. We went out to Spectacle Island and we had to look for beach glass and share what we found. David sang a sea shanty to us which sailors used to put lines up. The shanty was called “haul away JOE!” There was an emphasis on the “Joe” because that’s when the sailors pulled. I learned a lot on those two days like how to fish and Connor teaching us how to use crab traps. I learned the basics of fishing and tried it but sadly didn’t catch a single fish. This summer at STH/STB I want to experience the difference between being a city kid and a person who is constantly at sea. I want to learn to love the waters and to catch fish. I want to interact with children and become a role model to them. I am really looking to forward to being with STH/STB this summer and working with the whole staff.

Ahmed

Start of Summer!

With the start of the youth programs only a few days away, the Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay crew has been working around the clock in preparation. Today I tagged along with the Senior Marine educators to get a glimpse firsthand of the work they’ll be doing this summer.

Our day started off at Blacks Creek in Quincy, Massachusetts where parents came to sign their children up for the Harbor Explorers program that we’ll be running this summer Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 to10 and 10-11:30, and Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-11 and 11-12:30. With this program, children ages 7+ will have the opportunity to crab, catch minnows, participate in scavenger hunts, and conduct water quality experiments along the harbor.

In order to stir interest among the kids waiting to sign up for rowing and sailing classes we brought along a few friends – including hermit crabs and green crabs! Program and Staff Assistant Michelle Palermino taught the watching kids a few facts about the crabs on display.

“Can you guess what the name of this crab is?” she asked one of the kids. “I’ll give you a hint – what color is it?” Green crabs are among the different types of marine animals you’ll find in Blacks Creek, but their name can be deceptive—sometimes green crabs will actually be orange.

“If it’s orange, you can tell if it’s a green crab by counting how many spikes it has next to its eyes. Green crabs have five spikes like G-R-E-E-N,” she taught a future harbor explorer.

Later in the day we drove out to Long Island (Massachusetts, not New York!) to check out Camp Harbor View and the pier we will be fishing off of this summer. This program is designed for older kids, mostly ages 11 to 14, to teach them how to catch lobsters and other fish.

All of the youth programs will start up on July 5^th – it looks like it’s going to be another exciting summer for the Save the Harbor staff and all of the new explorers!

Katie

Back for Another Summer

Hi! I'm Tom Regan and I am lucky enough to be back at Save the Harbor again this year. This will be my fifth year working with the youth program and I very excited for this summer. This year I have the added responsibility of being a Senior Marine Educator.

I now have the challenge of both running the various sites and being a mentor to the younger staff. As a seasoned veteran to our amazing youth program, I believe I can prosper in my new role. Luckily, we have an amazing staff again this year to help me along the way. Being a Senior Marine Educator also means you will be seeing a lot more posts from me throughout the summer, which I know is great news to all my loyal fans out there.

To all of you who do not know me yet, I can tell you a little about myself. I am a twenty year old junior at Clemson University in South Carolina where I study Biology. I have spent my whole life in the Boston area and am currently living in Quincy. I grew up on and around the water and am thrilled to have such an awesome job. Next week, our programs officially begin and I can't wait to get out on the beaches, docks, and piers throughout the harbor! Talk to you soon.

Yours truely,

Tom Regan

Ready, Set, FISH!

How do you get 35 high school and college students into an office meeting on a bright, summer afternoon? Ask Bruce Berman! Over the past two weeks, the Save the Harbor/Save the Bay office was full of energetic senior marine educators and returning summer staffers to help plan and ready our summer youth programs. Binders have been made, materials have been ordered, fishing poles have started overcrowding the youth room, and youth program directors Michelle Palermino and Brianne Studer can only be seen racing around the office and dashing around Boston inspecting new and former program sites.

Senior Marine Educators Brianne Studer, Michelle Palermino, Sarah Appleton, Paula Teichholtz, Sheuli Molla, Tommy Regan, and Lead Explorers Connor Newman, Carolyn Burkett, and Will Clark had to opportunity to attend the Blue is Back Reception at Castle Island in South Boston, seeing first-hand what clean beaches can do for youth programs in Boston.

Save the Harbor runs two free youth programs during the summer months focused on training the next generation of stewards with hands-on, experiential learning and reaches over 5,000 youth every summer. All Access Boston Harbor reaches out to over 125 youth programs and invites them to learn about the marine environment and maritime history on day trips to George’s Island and Spectacle Island. Boston Harbor Explorers is a daily hands-on environmental youth education programs in partnership with the area’s youth sailing centers.

Looking forward to an exciting summer, Connor has been in the office since the beginning of June, ordering everything from zip-ties to eel pots and carting lobster traps and fishing poles into the youth room at the office. Connor fondly remembers catching his first fish with the program at the Boston Children’s Museum two years ago and is looking forward to more firsts this summer.

Michelle is excited to expand the programs this year, including working with Community Boating to institute days on the Charles River, visiting the Boston Children’s Museum five days a week instead of three, and reinstating programming at Constitution Beach on Wednesday afternoons.

Lists have been made, T-shirts are on their way, order forms have been sent out, now all we need are the kids! See you July 5th!

Alana

Learning to Fish

This afternoon the entire youth programs staff headed out to Fort Point Channel by the Children’s museum armed with fishing rods and crab traps to do some equipment training.After a quick tutorial from Will, Conor, and Aruna on how to use the rods, cast lines, and tie hooks and weights, we all dove right in (not literally of course) to try it ourselves!

It was the first time fishing for many of us (myself included), but we all caught on pretty quickly after sorting out some initial tangles and equipment problems. Some of our new staff even felt confident enough to share their new skills with some interested young passersby!

Although we didn’t catch any fish today, we did pull up several green crabs in our crab traps and had a quick lesson in how to tell the difference between male and female crabs before packing up for the day.

Now that formal training is over, I’m looking forward to getting started working with the kids and having a great first few weeks at our sites!

-Paula

Thi Tran, Training

Hello everyone! :)

My name is Thi Tran and I am an upcoming senior at Boston Latin School. I am really excited to be back on the Save the Harbor/Save the Bay team as a Lead Explorer and as the Artist in Residence! For my third year here, I still learned more efficient ways to set up a fishing rod and even new ways to communicate with kids through the different scenarios, ranging from rainy, miserable days to rowdy, bored children at sites. This year I definitely want to step up my game and be that person people can turn to whenever they need support on anything – from knowled

ge of lobsters to casting a fishing line. I wanted to return to STH/STB because I want to learn more about the marine environment and watch the kid’s reaction when they do something they haven’t done before, which could be as simple as being on a boat!It was great to be reunited with the returning staffers, Conor, Will (formerly BJ), Carolyn, Timmy, Aruna, LaToya, Michelle, and of course, Cassie! Today, at the Children’s Museum, it felt really good being the more experienced staff member, teaching the new staff members about the crabs that we caught with the delicious hot dog strapped to the crap trap, and answering any questions directed towards the harbor and marine life

.
As the unofficial start of this summer, training was so much fun meeting the many new staffers! I can’t wait to see everyone on Tuesday!

Thi

June 29, 2011 My first Day of Work!

Today I got to meet the members of Save The Harbor/Save The Bay. We got to do a ice breaker to get to know the members. I had fun playing the ice breaker because I got over my shyness. Then we walked to the boat, we had to wait for a couple of minutes while we were waiting so we took pictures of one another finally the boat came. The boat took us to 1 of the 34 islands, Spectacle Island.

When we got there we got a little intro about the island and the history behind it too. Then David took us around the island and also told us a little more about the history of the island. We ended up on top of the island were we could see the city and also some of the island. What I learned that day was that there are 34 island but 2 out of those 34 island they became little towns. Before we left the island we got to walk on the beach and we had to find something interesting.

I had a good time but my feet were killing me a lot.

- Diana

Fresh Bait!

Greeting readers!

I am Karrisha Gillespie, and this is my first time working for Save the Harbor Save the Bay. I heard about this amazing opportunity through my school, which I have recently graduated from. I was excited about this job for three reasons:

1) I love travelling and sailing

2) The awesome people

3) All of the new experiences that are offered

Thanks for reading, and I'll blog you soon!

First Post!

This summer I am excited to join the Save the Harbor/Save the Bay team for the first time as a Leader in Training! I am a recent graduate of Boston Latin School and I will attend Harvard University this upcoming fall. Having grown up in Dorchester and having sailed on Boston Harbor for the past eight years, I look forward to learning about the Harbor's marine life and history and fostering the same excitement in all those I meet through the program this summer. My first introduction to the Harbor was so positive that it has remained an important part of my summer experience ever since. It is my hope that other young Bostonians and children in the surrounding beach communities will have similarly positive experiences through Save the Harbor/Save the Bay programs this summer and will enjoy and learn from future summers spent on the Harbor. In my first two days, I have already learned a great deal about the history of Spectacle Island, fishing, and crabbing. I set up a fishing rod for the first time, was taught the difference between male and female Green Crabs, and found pieces of glass and pottery dating back to early 20th century Boston on Spectacle Island.

These experiences have set my expectations high for the rest of the summer as I'm sure there will be many new learning experiences for both myself and the children involved in programs throughout the city.

-Deirdre

All About Me

Hi, My name is Liz Torres and I am a new staff member of Saving the Harbor/Saving the Bay. Irecently just graduated from Beacon Academy and in september I will be going to Kents Hill located in Maine. I found out about this job through my school and I am ready to start working. I am looking forward to working with the kids and learning more about the Boston harbor this summer! I know I will enjoy working with the people here, and I already have learned an abundance amount of information during my training. While I was at Spectacle Island I learned a lot about the history of the island, and about how the harbor used to bring in way too much trash. On the shore of Spectacle Island there is a spectrum of sand glass that looks very interesting. The things written on it shows alot about it's history and where it was made. On my second day of training the group went to the children's musuem and I was taught how to fish. I am looking forward to teaching other kids how to fish and to be looked up upon by the younger kids. I want the kids to have a great summer and to find a new appreciation for the Harbor and the marine life that lives in the Harbor. I expect to grow a lot this summer and to gain a lot of responsibilty while being able to maintain a balance with work and personal life. I can't wait for Tuesday!

Catch that...CRAB!

Welcome back!

Again, this is Karrisha Gillespie, and I'll share with you my experience of catching my first crab!

I have never caught a crab before, but was anticipating on it this summer. I always thought, well how are we going to catch crabs? Are we going to go on a boat, a

nd lower a huge net?

Well at Save the Harbor Save the Bay , all you need is a hot dog and a cage!

After waiting five minutes, I railed in my cage, which included a little surprise.

All in all, through nervousness I not only tried a new thing, but I learned how to tell the difference between a male and female crab!

--Karrisha

My first summer with Save the Harbor

Hi, I'm Scott and this will be my first summer with Save the Harbor! I have been on the water my whole life either boating or beaching. I am excited to have work doing two things I love, being on the water and working with kids. I already had a great time during training, finding a die that made it into the visitor's center on Spectacle Island and fishing in Fort Point Channel. I am trying to keep this pithy, but I will finish by saying that I am excited to start work at Blacks Creek and Camp Harborview tomorrow!

Vinh, Training Week/Introduction Post

What's up everyone?

I'm Vinh Tran, and this year is currently my first year at Save the Harbor / Save the Bay. I am 16 years old, and am going to be an upcoming junior at the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. Some of my hobbies include basketball and longboarding.The main reason why I wanted to work at Save the Harbor was because of my love for marine biology.

Humans were not designed to live in marine environments, and after a substantial period of time, humans still don't interact with marine environments too much. Save the Harbor/Save the Bay gives thousands of people in the Massachusetts area a chance to fully appreciate what the marine world has to offer. As a result, I found myself being interviewed and later offered a position on the summer staff.

During the first day of training, the whole group went to Spectacle Island, one of thirty-four beautiful islands composing the Boston Harbor Islands. The day included a hike up to one of the island's highest points and a walk along the beach looking for beach "artifacts". These artifacts varied from sea glass to bottles, and even a die made in Japan! One truly memorable part of my day was learning a "sea shanty", a song used by sailors to assist in keeping the tempo for the sailors' work. This particular sea shanty, named Haul Away Joe, was taught to the crew by David Coffin, one of the senior leaders in the program. This newly acquired knowledge will truly foreshadow all of the knowledge and fun to come throughout the summer.

Vinh

It's Summertime, Back to the Docks!

Hello everyone!

It's that time of the year again -- warm weather, lazy beach days, sunburns from spending the whole day at the beach, fishing, crabbing, and boating...it's summertime at good ole' Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.

My name is Carolyn Burkett, and this is my second summer with STH/STB. Last year I worked with David Coffin on All Access Boston Harbor, searching for sea glass and taking kids through the dark, twisting tunnels of Fort Warren. This year, I'm excited to be able to work with David some more as well as learning more about the other sites all around Boston.

One of my favorite parts of working at Save the Harbor is getting to spend the day with such wonderfully funny and well-behaved children from all over the city. These harbor explorers-in-training make every day worth it; spending a day exploring and learning with them makes me feel like a kid again, and makes me appreciate the wonders of the ocean even more.

Get ready for another busy summer!

~Carolyn

Spectacle Island Spectacular

Last week I was lucky enough to go on an adventure with the Save the Harbor Summer team to the lovely and mysterious Spectacle Island as part of Staff Training Week. This Boston Harbor Island is FAMOUS for its fantastic trash. If you are confused about exactly HOW trash can be fantastic, rest assured, skeptic, I'll explain.

Amidst the cobbled shore of Spectacle Island, treasures lie among sand and rocks, waiting to be discovered: sea glass and marbles and china (Oh My!). As the summer staffers scrutinized the sand, we found a wealth of funky objects with interesting stories.

Relics from the yesteryear presented themselves to our fingertips. Industrial materials from a 1930s New York manufacturing company, a porcelain -colored, six-faced die from Japan, and a fully- intact miniature glass bottle from 1920 emerged from the sand. These intriguing discoveries sparked questions and concerns about TRASH and TREASURE: Where did these items come from? Did our predecessors consider these amazing objects little more than rubbish? What happens to OUR trash? What TRACES will OUR GENERATION leave behind?

As a summer staffer took it upon himself

to clean up some plastic refuse littering the beach, we pondered these thoughts and learned from his example. We silently decided that we'd rather be remembered by marbles and sea glass than by plastic bags and styrofoam junk.

- Sheuli