Recruitement day:Camp Harbor view

When Connor and Paula first introduced Our "club" to camp Harbor view I felt really proud and excited. I felt excited because Connor brought an amazing prop; he brought a flounder and that grabbed the kids attentions quickly. As soon as I saw the kids smiling and interacting with our group I knew I would have great week at Camp Harbor view.

-Mekhi

We did it

Yesterday at Spectacle Island with All Access Boston Harbor we walked up to the top for kite flying. It took about 30 minutes for us to make the kites flying. As we were about to leave everyone's kite start to fly. The kids smiled and running screaming my kite is flying.

Candido

Red Sox 3rd Baseman Mike Lowell meets Save the Harbor!

On Friday, July 22nd, due to the heat we set up a touch tank in the Children's Museum as opposed to fishing and crabbing outside. There were many youth groups in the museum who came up to our touch tank and learned about lobsters. However, not all of the kids we taught were from youth groups, some were just from families who came to visit the museum. One of these families was Mike Lowell, the former Red Sox 3rd baseman, World Series Champ etc. As Sheuli taught his kids about lobsters, I stood behind her trying to figure out whether or not this was actually Mike Lowell. Despite being an avid Red Sox fan, I was very confused about whether or not this was Mike Lowell for many reasons. First, I knew that he had retired and no longer lived in Boston. Second, he looks a lot bigger in person than he does on the field. Yet, my notions were confirmed later in the day when I heard two ladies pondering why Mike Lowell had been at the Children's Museum. Later that night Jerry Remy announced that Mike Lowell was visiting his old teammates, which erased any doubt in my mind. Although the we were not aware of it at the time, we had taught Mike Lowell's kids and broadened their experience about the Harbor.

-Grant Baker

Kayaking at CBI!

Today at CBI, the Environmental Group got a special treat- a chance to kayak, look for mussels and put out eel traps!

Eel traps were deployed using hot dogs as bait since ,oddly enough, they seem to work best! However, our net search for freshwater mussels came up empty. We're going to try different strategies to find mussels this week.

Unexpectedly, instead of mussels, we ended up picking lots of plastic trash from the Charles River. We recycled what we could at CBI, then properly discarded the rest.

-Sheuli

Not the biggest but the tastiest!!!.

Hey everybody,
last week on Thursday I participated on the celebrity fishing tournament, which occurred at the Fan Pier dock .Captain Jason and his crew help us. Before embarking our little journey to fish ,we each went along with a captain. I got to go with David and also two of our staff members which were Mekhi and Timmy. Our first spot to fish was by long island ,we had set up the bate and was ready for a bite ,but unfortunately no one was home.So we decided to relocate to somewhere that had group of birds.Which did not brings us any luck.While we were struggling on finding fish, Diana and Kristina had gotten there first Bass. Diana's was 30 feet long and Kristina's was 35 feet long. That was pretty impressive. But then as it was time head back to the docks, I reeled in my rod and got my first Sea Bass which was very cool then Timmy and Mekhi got some skates .I learned that Skates looked like Sting Rays and they protected themselves with a bunch of pointy thorns. I wasn't the winner, but Bruce mentioned that my fish wasn't the biggest but the tastiest."oh by the way how was my fish Bruce" lol. So far so good. See you next time.

Hugues M.B.

"My best art with Tommy and Vinh."

Hey guys,
Two weeks ago I got an opportunity to go on an All Access Boston Harbor trip to Georges Island. When we got to the Island, we had lunch. Then the Save the Harbor Save the Bay staff split up to go to different areas of Georges with the kids . Me, Tommy and Vinh went to the beach side of the Island even though it was pretty hot. At first we did not have any of the Egleston YMCA or any of the Seekers of Knowledge kids with us, so we decided to make a Save the Harbor Save the Bay sign. The sign consisted a bottle of Axe spray, empty crab shells, woods, bricks, old rusty metal, and beach rocks.

It was pretty fun constructing it. The kids loved it ,they took a few pics with it. My favorite part of this experience was adding the smiley:) face to the "O". The kids also had fun messing up our hard work and President Patty sure loved it.

First Day of All Access

Last week, I got a chance to go on an All Access Boston Harbor trip to George’s Island. George’s Island is home to Fort Warren, a prison for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. The morning of the trip, the Save the Harbor / Save the Bay staff managed to catch two lobsters off the dock of the Bank of America Pavilion! While one of the lobsters was quite small, its partner sure made up for it! The second lobster was a behemoth, one of the largest I have ever seen. The staff promptly placed the two lobsters into the touch tank, while some of the Senior Marine Educators showed the children how to tell the difference between a male and female lobster.

Finally, it was time for the trip! When we got to George’s Island, one group of SH/SB staff led the children around Fort Warren, while another small group stayed on the beach to teach the kids about marine organisms. This group was composed of Hughes, Tommy, and I. Although a few kids dropped by in the beginning, the next few hours were quite uneventful. So the beach crew decided to showcase our Save the Harbor pride by creating a sign in the sand using various and unique objects found on the beach. The sign was made up of rocks, wood chips, a juice box, a can of deodorant, and a few empty crab shells. The children and the rest of the staff alike were awestruck by the expansive sign reading “SAVE THE HARBOR”. All in all, I’d say it was a pretty productive day.

Vinh

Eels

Walking into Mc Donough there were three kids sitting on the edge of sides stairs looking out into the water. As I am walking over I heard one of the boys scream "hurry get a Save the Harbor Save the Bay person." So I run over and in the water there is a long eel just sitting there. Tommy ran over to see what was all the comotion about and then he tried catching the eel with a fishing rod. I really liked that even though we failed to get the eel the kids were still able to remain interested with what we had to offer to them.

-Liz Torres

Mystery Mussels and the Zebra Scare!

Attached to some of the marine debris recovered by the Rozalia Project's ROV, were some tiny, funky looking mussels! As some appeared to be striped, we were afraid they might be zebra mussels, a nuisance invasive freshwater mussel species that has wreaked havoc in the many North American fresh water bodies.

The mussels found still cannot be identified, though their stripes do not seem to match the zebra mussel pattern.

We will be on the lookout for more mussels at Community Boating, and once these mussels are identified, we'll fill you in on the ID.

Cheers!

-Sheuli

First Fish!

At the Children Musem this little girl ask me to teach her how to fish. As the lure came out of the water she got so excited and ran to her mom yelling i got my first fish.She came back to me asking for the fish but i told her that it whas a fake fish and she start to cry.


Candido

Staying Cool in the Hot Summer Sun

The past couple weeks have been really exciting for our Harbor Explorers. We have had such a successful summer so far, I have the feeling its only going to get better from here. Last week, I was working at Piers Park and Courageous Sailing Center, two of my favorite sites. Despite the scorching heat, our group was able to stay cool and still enjoy the harbor. The temperatures reached over a hundred degrees! On days like that, it is very easy to get dehydrated. It's extremely important to drink lots of water, so I made sure the kids took plenty of water breaks. Showing their true toughness and dedication, our explorers managed to brave the heat and still catch some of their favorite critters (including a lobster!)

Although we have managed to catch lots of sea creatures, the hunt for a striped bass is still on at these sites. I am optimistic that our team will reel in a keeper soon because fishing in the Harbor has been slowly but steadily increasing. A potentially helpful tool for our hunt could be switching up the bait we use. In the past, sea worms have worked very well, so in the coming weeks I think I will use more. Mixing things up will be a nice little change for our young explorers as well. By using different bait, like switching from muscles to herring or lures to live bait, the kids can start to learn what catches the most fish. I will be sure to keep everyone posted as to which bait works best!

Till next time,

Tom Regan

Green Crabs and Spider Crabs!

All of last week I got the opportunity to attend the Children's Museum with Sheuli and then Community Boating after. Some days the Museum didnt have much kids and other days it did. On days where it was well populated, every child passing wanted to stop at our touch tank to view the Green Crabs and Spider crabs.

Some kids fished with us, even if nothing was caught, but more kids liked crab trapping better.

Later in week, the staff members and I took part in a race of who could catch the biggest fish - Save the Harbor's Fishing Tournament! Diana was one of the winners-- congratulations to her. The team I was on went far out of the Harbor and into the open ocean nearly, so we could fish.

The experience was all new for me, but I liked it more than I expected. After a long morning we were treated to lunch and ice cream. Can't wait to see what next week holds!

Josette

Sunshine, Beaches and the Weekend

The sun warmed our skin, reminding us that today was going to be a hot one. The beach would be filled with laughing children and splashing water in the enjoyment of a clean place to cool off on a hot summer day. This was not the only excitement on Wollaston Beach. Today was special; it was KidsFEST.

Slushies and waters were provided to those enjoying the event and crowds swarmed in as the DJ provided the dance party. If you have never seen a bouncy castle at a kids event, then you do not know the sight of pure pleasure on a child’s face. In Wollaston, this was not the only thing you
could see on children’s faces. The face painting station was frequented by those in attendance and kids were excited to share the many artistic masterpieces now present on arms and faces of their owners.

As I arrived on sight with my crew of blue shirted Save the Harbor/Save the Bay staffers, I was greeted by the friendly staff of the Friends of Wollaston Beach. We gathered water from down at the shore line and trekked back up the beach with it to provide Mr. Lobster with a safe place to enjoy the event. Little did we know we would be making this trek many a time on this hot summer day to make sure the water was cold enough for Mr. Lobster’s standards. Kids came
by with friends, siblings and family members to see what may be hiding in the mysterious touch tank. Some just said hello, others came back later and a few had to be pulled away by mom and dad because they wanted to stay with Mr. Lobster forever.

If you want to know a great way to enjoy a Saturday afternoon, just come down to KidsFEST on Wollaston Beach and you will be more than entertained.

-Sarah Appleton (Friends of Wollaston Beach- KidsFEST, July 23)

Nothing Beats a Cool Gadget!

One thing that will get me as excited as the kids I’m working with this summer is a cool toy. This isn’t any ordinary toy. It’s a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with a camera and grabbers. Like the kids at Courageous Sailing, I was trilled to see Rachel, the founder of the Rozalia Project, drive this little submarine with ease. I watched the ROV go up and down from the surface to the harbor’s floor to pick up and collect several pieces of trash. The trash included many aluminum cans and plastic bottles with the occasional object that we couldn’t tell what it was. We even came across a chair, though we weren’t able to retrieve it because the ROV wasn’t strong enough to bring it up.

While the Courageous sailors were out doing other things, I spent time getting to know Rachel and the program she had founded. The Rozalia Project, named in honor of Rachel’s grandmother, is based on a beautiful sailboat that is equipped with this ROV to pick up trash out of the harbor and along the east coast of the United States. The sailboat they use is called, American Promise, and was once used to set a world record. A young man sailed it around the world in the 80’s alone in about 150 days and beat the world record at the time by about 60 days. I’d say that’s pretty darn cool if you ask me! Now it’s used for something equally awesome and I hope to keep in touch with the project to see how they are doing.

-Annie Adams

Trashlisting @ Community Boating

Friday, we were delighted to see the Rozalia Project yet again at Community Boating! Using their fancy ROV (remote operated vehicle) Rachel @ Rozalia Project and a plethora of copilots from CBI's environmental group roved the seafloor looking for marine debris.

Among the fabulous trash finds were the following not-so-small objects:

1 Main Sail lost last year

1 glass HOOD milk bottle from the 1930s

1 aluminum foldable chair

In fact, Save the Harbor and CBI staff and sailors helped the Rozalia Project catalog their findings in this same fashion! We found plastic bags, bottles, cans, clothes and even shoes! Who would have thought such a mess existed just a few meters below the surface?

At the end of the day, the logged trash was used for Rozalia Project's Trash Bash, and everyonewas happy to wash their hands!

Another Week in Paradise

Hello harbor island explorers!

The past 2 weeks have been spent at the famous Spectacle Island, and it has been so so hot! Because of the heat, most of our visiting campers made the smart decision to stay in the water while we've been at Spectacle, either by walking along the shore looking for sea glass or by simply jumping right in to the waves to cool off -- including yours truly!

This past Thursday a group of campers from Paige Academy came out to the island with us, and about 10-12 of these young explorers went on a search for treasures with Mark, Candido, and myself. Paige Academy has visited Spectacle and Georges Island with us over the past years, and the kids are always enthusiastic and well-behaved. These young campers spent a good part of their day amassing a huge pile of sea glass and pottery, and even got to meet the Save the Harbor, Save the Bay President, Patty Foley!

I love working with the campers from Paige Academy, and all of our other campers, because they make me really appreciate my job. They are so excited to come to the islands, and are so happy to spend the day playing on the beach and flying kites that I am almost always in a good mood when I leave work. So a big thank you to Paige Academy, and all the other groups that come to the islands with Save the Harbor!


Until next time harbor goers,

~Carolyn

My summer so far with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay

These first few weeks have been more interesting and full of life than I expected. During the first two weeks, visiting Spectacle and George's Island have been the most memorable days. On Spectacle, we discovered sea glass with the group of kids, went swimming on the island's amazing beach and walked an eager group to the top of Spectacle so see the harbor/Boston view.

The stories about George's Island excited children before we even got on the Viking Starliner- which is the boat we take; they asked questions about the black tunnel, the Lady in Black, and of course the history of the civil war fort, Ft. Warren. I also visited the Harry Mcdonough Sailing Center where an almost 28-inch striper bass was captured by a young boy. So far, so good; I hope this energy continues to flow.

Josette

Nobody beats a good story

It was a pleasant evening on the shores of the Boston Harbor. The sand was soft and the smiling faces of the many children that ventured out to the South Boston Family Reading Night on Carson Beach made the evening seem like a dream. Yes, it was a weekday night but this is the time of year where school children get to cherish staying up late and taking a break on their educational tracks. Complimentary popcorn, hotdogs, and slushies made their way into the hands of happy guests but food was not the main attraction.

It started on the beach. Games both known and new games kids decided to invent with the sports supplies provided were strewn about the beach. Children played excitedly in the freedom of the evening. Coloring books were on hand and a very lively painting station was in action. The Save the Harbor/Save the Bay staff blended into the mist of the night with touch tank excitement. Our station was a big attraction as kids filed into line to get a glimpse. Those brave enough actually reached out to touch the tail and claim the fame of touching a real, live lobster!

You may be thinking that Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay staff may have stolen the show but we were no match as the announcements of the storybook teller came to the crowd. Kids gathered near the teller, glued to his every word, as he began like many before, “Once upon a time…”

You can’t beat a great story and a great story next to a clean beach near sunset is going to win every time. What a great way to spend a weekday night in the summertime.

-Sarah Appleton, (South Boston Family Reading Night- Carson Beach July 21)

Celebrity Fishing Tournament

On Thursday of last week, I had the chance to go fishing…with a former Boston Bruins player! I woke up bright and early and headed out to Fan Pier where the rest of the staff would rendezvous. Heading down to the pier, I was pleasantly surprised to see all of the senior staff, including Bruce, Patty, and Matt there on the pier. Everyone greeted one another, and then the staff was treated to breakfast, which included muffins and peaches and juice. After everybody had their fill, Bruce then took this opportunity to lay out the rules of the friendly tournament, and sort the junior staff into different boats. I was placed into a boat with Tom Regan and Kristina Acevedo. We greeted the captains and then climbed into the boat, fondly named “Miss Blue.”

Heading full speed out into the Harbor, our captains stopped to trawl niner lures, which are a set of nine lures, hence the name. Soon, one of the fishing rods started to tug, and Tom took command. He successfully hauled up a 27 inch striped bass, and after a few photos to commemorate the moment, the bass had to unfortunately be released as it did not exceed 28 inches. However, it was supposedly the first catch of the entire tournament. A while later, another of the rods started to tug, and Kristina reeled in a 35 inch striped bass! This behemoth without a doubt was going to win. Following this catch, I also caught a 24 inch striped bass, although it too had to be released as it was not big enough to be a keeper. This occurrence marked the first time I had ever caught a fish! As David Coffin always reminds the kids going on the All Access trips, “Do something you have never done before.” I am proud to say I have finally.

Vinh

Revere Sandcastle Competition

It was a gorgeous Sunday at Revere Beach. It was breezy, eighty five degrees and there was not a cloud in the sky. Inside the learning center tent, we were able to teach kids how to hold a lobster and were able to teach them a little about lobster anatomy. We were also able to educate a few concerned adults on the sustainable nature of the lobster fishery in the Northeast.

Unfortunately the lobsters, which were from the supermarket, did not enjoy the attention - or the heat. All in all, this event was a great success and a great way to spend a sunday afternoon!

-Scott Wortman

It's too hot to swim?

In case you haven't noticed, it is very hot in Boston these days. Very, very hot. So hot that walking from the T to your house is enough to make you consider never leaving your house (unless your house is 4 floors up in an apartment building with full sun and no AC). So hot that some of our partner organizations aren't actually allowed to leave their buildings so that the little ones stay cool, hydrated, and healthy.

Last night, two groups called to say that they would not be able to join us on our All Access Boston Harbor trip to Spectacle Island. I was afraid that we would have to cancel, and when Bruce asked, "Well, it's a small trip, do you want to cancel?," I responded quickly, saying, "I'd rather have 150 people enjoy a hot day on the island than not at all." This morning, I called the rest of the groups to remind them that there was swimming on the island, and to assure them that yes, despite the heat, if they were going, we were going.

While a smaller crew than our usual 250, over 140 youth and chaperones braved the heat to join us for a trip out. So thank you to the East End House, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Jordan and Charlestown, Roxbury Youth Initiative for making it happen. And thank you, in particular, to Hyde Park Community Center and to Winston Lloyd who reminded me that "A great day on the water is what this is all about!"

And also, to this boy, who may have the best hair ever, rocking an excellent Laminaria specimen.

All Hail The Fishing Chart

Yesterday, after much discussion, my comrade Tommy and I decided to head back to the office after our fishing trip and create a system that could effectively chart and record the fish reeled in by the Save The Harbor Save The Bay Youth Staff. Previous years had been mired by shoddy reporting and tall fisherman's tales. We sought to correct these shortcomings so that the end of the year.....there would be a champion angler. Thus we estabblished the following: An assist counts as one point. This entails the staffer either setting up arod and the child catched as fish within two casts, the staffer casts the line out and someone else reels in the fish, or someone else hooks the fish and that said staffer reels it in. Any small/common fish that is caught counts for two points. A stripe bass that is 22-30 inches counts as three points. And lastly, a striper or any other leviathan that is over 30 counts as four points. The chart where we record our data is currently posted on the wall near the office water bubbler. As of now, Kristina with her 35 inch stripe bass and Timmy with his skate and cunner are tied for first with 4 points a piece. I am in a four way tie for second with Tommy, Diana, and Vinh with 3 points each. Below us are several staffers with 2 points. Its anybody's race and all I can say is, "may the best angler win"........and I plan to.

Conor

The Rozalia Project Visits Charlestown

It was a fascinating week for the sailors, instructors, and Save the Harbor staffers at Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown this week. The Rozalia Project, a initiative to rid our harbors of waste-- one piece of submerged trash at a time-- has been docked at Courageous all week. And with an underwater robot, sonar equipment, and underwater cameras on board, there's a definite buzz of excitement around the historic sailboat and the work that it's been doing all over the East Coast!


Rachael Miller and James Lyne, founders of the project, and their summer intern Sloan have been showing Charlestown's sailors around their "mothership" and searching the harbor floor around Pier 4 for trash to pull up to the surface and dispose of properly. Maneuvering a robotic ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) with a camera through the water and along the ocean floor, Rachael and James have pull up hundreds of pieces of trash along the East Coast. The Courageous sailors have helped search for "dark spots" on the sonar, keeping their eyes peeled on the underwater camera equipment for the masses ahead to materialize into bottles, cans, and pipes through the water and sediment. Then, Rachael or James controls the ROV to grab the piece of trash with its claw and come up to the surface, where the other is waiting with a net to rid the waters of that piece of waste!

We don't often think about how long our trash sticks around after we are done using it. We put it out on a curb, or throw it in a bin, and then it's off to a landfill, out of sight and out of mind. But if we throw it into the Harbor, Courageous's sailors (thanks to Rachael, James, and Sloan!) now know exactly how long it will stick around and be a hazard for our region's marine life:

- An apple core: 2 months.
- A cigarette: 5 - 15 years.
- Plastic water bottle: 80 - 200 years.
- Beverage can: 300 - 500 years.
- Fishing line: 600 years.
- Glass bottles: 1,000,000 years.

And those are simply the timelines for materials to get broken down enough to not be choking hazards-- but the materials themselves never actually disappear. So there are tiny plastics and wastes being eaten by marine creatures, many of which are eaten by humans. So, yes, the plastic water bottles and metal soda cans we dispose of are even making their way into the human diet over time. Gross!

The Rozalia Project is doing great things not only to physically clean up harbors around the region, but to shift mindsets and educate young people about proper disposal of wastes around our world's water systems. I know, because of Rachael, James, and Sloan, there are dozens of sailors and Save the Harbor staffers who are now even more conscious of their interactions with the marine environment in Boston-- and I wish the Rozalia crew the best of luck as they move on to other ports and affect even greater change! Thank you!

To find out even more about the Rozalia Project, visit www.rozaliaproject.org!

Michelle

A Cunner for Conor

Last week I caught my first fish of the summer, a cunner or a bergall is a small fish that can frequently be found around the pylons in the Fort Point Channel. When we arrived at the Children's Museuem that morning, I was anxious to get on the board and catch my first fish that summer. I picked a spot that by the bridge on Congress Street and dropped my line down. Using a sinker with a small hook (the bait was sliced hot dogs), I bounced the hook off the sandy bottom around an old wooden pylon untill I felt a sharp tug. At once, I knew that I had caught a fish and pulled the rod up sharpley so that the hook would catch in its mouth. It was a small light brown fish that was fairly easy to pull in. Bergalls can grow up to a foot long but this little guy was closer to 8 inches. They are found all along the coast the coast from Maryland to the Bay of Islands in Canada. They are chiefly used by fishermen as bait fish but we let this one retrun to its habitat after letting a bunch of children on the boardwalk get a good look at it. They are not dangerous but they can prick your finger with their sharp dorsal fins, which they stick up when threatened. I hope to cath a few more of these guys and mad stripe bass!

Catch ya later,

Conor B. Newman

Stay Cool, Stay Smart, Stay Safe!

Okay, Boston. It's HOT out there. With heat index values reaching close to 110 today, and with 25 youth staffers out in the field, we're making sure to stay hydrated, shaded, and safe--- and we hope you are too!

Make sure you're drinking LOTS of water. Experts suggest 8 glasses of water on a normal, mild-weather day, so if you're outside today, you'll definitely need to exceed that. If you need to be outside, stay in the shade, find a breeze, wear sunscreen, and take frequent breaks.

We'll see you out on the Harbor on a cooler day!

Beating the Heat at Black's Creek

When I first got to Blacks Creek yesterday it was only nine in the morning, but it was already hot! Although the heat kept some of the Boston Harbor Explorers away, our small group of four took full advantage of the refreshing breeze and cool water.

The reduced numbers combined with the heat actually made for a nice change of pace, and the quiet waterfront was perfect for for sneaking up on minnows and hermit crabs. The kids took turns fishing from the beach and wading into the water in search of crabs while we chatted about dragonflies, sharks, and whether or not seaweed would make good fishing bait.

In the words of this young angler, "It's so peaceful, I want to stay here forever!"

Once we'd gotten enough sun, we retreated to the shade to end the day with a rousing game of sea-life twenty questions. While the energy and excitement of our usual larger groups at Blacks creek is tons of fun, it was also nice to enjoy a lazy summer day with a smaller crew.

-Paula

First Catch!

Today, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay hosted the event Celebrity Fishing. Boat captains took us excited staff aboard to compete in a fishing competition. The person who caught the largest fish would win two third base line Red Sox Tickets for Monday nights game. This was my first time out on a boat fishing, and at first I was scared. I had a fear of falling over and not being able to swim myself to safety.
My overall focus was to hold on as tight as I could to prevent myself from falling over board. I had ignored the competition itself and underestimated myself. I thought there was no point in trying to reel in a fish bigger than 28" because I had no muscles. The boat ride was relaxing and I sat down watched Tom and Vin reel in fish. Neither of the fish the boys caught were large enough to keep.
I sat still with my sunglasses on admiring the beautiful Boston Harbor and the hot muggy weather when my Captain John yelled out to me to come give reeling a fish a try. I stood up with no self condifence in myself and mumbled "Do you really think I can reel it in? Isn't it heavy? I can't do it". I was given no pity in my unfit figure and had not choice but to begin reeling in.
I reeled in slowly and was lucky enough the fish did not come off the hook. Once I seen the fish I was speechless, this was my first catch! I was proud to say the first fish I ever caught was 35" long! :)
All along I had the strength to reel in this fish as long as me and I would have never caught or won this competition if it was not for John, my captain, enforcing me to reel the rod. My first fish got me two tickets to Monday nights Red Sox game on the third base line! WOOO! I'm so excited!

Learning to fish, McDonough Sailing Center

A couple of weeks ago at The McDonough Sailing Center I met a new friend. His name was Tim. This was the first time Tim ever went fishing so he asked me to take him over to the rocks with Conor and basically teach him how to cast a rod, properly line, and catch mussels. Tim was very excited about fishing and was surprised when he caught a crab shortly after he casted his line. Tim, Conor, and I had a blast. The same day we caught a fish but unexpectedly it fell off the line as we were reeling it up, which was a big disappointment. We were all looking forward to catching our first fish here, but no worries, we have big expectations for the rest of the summer.
The same evening a boy named Dillon came down to the docks and asked us to teach him to set up a crab trap with him. Personally, I didn’t know how, so I asked my coworker David to help. This was one of the highlights of working because I learned how to set up a crab trap. When we dropped the crab trap, we baited it up with turkey and several mussels, and shortly after we caught a huge crab. This was an interesting week.

Castles in the Sand

This weekend, I went to the Revere Beach SandSculpting event for the very first time. Upon arrival my jaw dropped, for I didn’t expect to see so many awesome vendors and that the sculpting would be so amazing. In the learning center tent, I explained to several families about the lobsterswe had in our touch tanks. There were some kids who were eager to touch them while some were scarred to even be near one. Though it was nice to see some of the kids who were initially afraid, warm up to the fearful creature. One of my favorite moments at this event was admiring the beautiful sculptures. Many talented artists incorporated elements of the sea whichreminded me of why I love the oceans so much. My favorite sand sculptures were the one of the turtle and the giant castle. I liked the turtle because I personally like turtles, but it’s also a creature that depends so heavily on the beaches. Without healthy beaches, turtles wouldn’t be able to nest properly and the world would begin to lack in a precious creature that is so iconic to the oceans. The giant sand castle was just really cool and it had such amazing detail. It must have taken a very long time to build because it was so large and intricate. All in all I loved being at this event and I hope it had the same effect on everyone who attended as it did on me. I hope to return to Revere Beach to hang out with my friends and admire the beautiful place that is so accessible to everyone in Boston.

The End of a Great Week at Courageous!

Hey Everybody! Last Thursday, July 15th, the kids at the Courageous Saling Center were pulling up lobster traps. All week we had caught many crabs and Sea Stars in the traps, but, ironically, we had not trapped any lobsters. It was lunchtime and the kids were pulling up the second trap. When the trap came out of the water, there was a large lobster. We didn't have a scale but we approximated that it was one and three quarters or two pounds. The kids were very excited about the lobster. However, a lot of the kids were very hesitant when it came to touching the lobster. These were the kids who had already overcame their fear of picking up crabs, but for some reason the lobster scared them a lot more. The lobster was a female and we taught the kids how to tell the difference. The lobster excited the kids in a way that I hadn't seen all week. Once the instant excitement had worn off, a couple go-getters walked over to the next trap. They quickly pulled it up and there was an even bigger lobster. This new lobster got the kids even more excited, which made it one of my favorite days at Courageous.

-Grant Baker

Let me drop a little knowledge on you

Do you remember the last time someone told you, "Man, I really wish I had heard this when I was 17?" If you're 17, you probably hear it a lot. If you are a 17 year old Martin Luther King Scholar at Agganis Arena on a summer Friday morning, you've probably heard it at least 6 times this morning alone. No joke.

She said it. Right before talking about how she started her own business that started as a little company making jewelry with a small personal investment of $3,000. Now, she is in the process of making a million-dollar deal.
He said it. That is, before he told the story of how he went from being homeless to starting a small shoeshine business that now operates in many states with thousands of employees.

This past Friday, the MLK scholars were learning about personal finance, budgeting, and planning ahead. The group talked about how small decisions can make a noticeable impact over the course of one's life- like the thousands of dollars of lost income just from using a cash-checking facility instead of opening a bank account. They talked about how to distinguish between a want a need (and how very often wants seem to become needs). Mostly, they talked about how planning wisely allows you to take advantage of opportunities, as well as weather any unforeseen storms that come your way.

I said it too. I wish I had heard this when I was 17. I wish I had friends that heard this when they were 17. Sometimes, we need to learn things through experience. However, often a little bit of knowledge can save a lot of hardship and missed chances. I believe that is the admirable goal of the MLK Scholars program, and while I may not have heard it when I was 17, I'm glad I'm hearing it at 26, and glad I get to share it with our own youth.

Dancing (with Lobsters) in the Park

Tonight was a blast at Wollaston Beach's Dancing in the Park event.

Members of the community, tall and small, came out for a bit of dancing, some tasty Italian ices and, of course, to visit the Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay lobster.

After bogeying, grooving and jiving to the tunes provided by a great DJ, kids and parents wondered over to check out our touch tank and seashell display. Some of our visitors had never seen a live lobster before. They were amazed at the apparent strength of its claws and the length of its antennae. Also, the seashell identification game mystified some of the parents as well as our younger visitors. Some had never seen blue mussel, jackknife clam, and slipper shells.

Someone even wandered over to our table to ask me to identify a strange worm she found at the beach!

All and all, Dancing in the Park was an adorable time, and a good opportunity for members of the community to enjoy themselves, each other and the beautiful Wollaston Beach.

Hi!!! This is my second year at Save the Harbor as part of the MLK Scholars Program. Its amazing to see how many people come to network, meet new people and learn how to be successful in life.
I have to say I really enjoyed last Friday's program about the financial lesson. I appreciate the way MLK inspires me to want to be a successful person in life and to be a professional at anything I do. MLK teaches me to do the right thing with my money, to always keep a bank account so I can always have money. I am excited to be back and I'm definitely looking forward to my next Friday with MLK and the people from John Hancock.

Mark Rose