introduction first year at save the harbor

HEY EVERYONE I'M MANNY !

Hello everyone my name is Manuel Dejesus, but you can call me Manny. I am a sophomore in high school currently attending Fenway High. I am Hispanic if you couldn’t tell my hobbies are learning new things and being active.  This means giving to the community and working with children. My teacher in my school mentioned save the harbor save the bay to me and as soon as I heard that I was going to be working close to the water and learning about marine science and working with children right away I made a phone call to Michelle Palermino my current leader/boss to set up an job interview. Right away in a matter of weeks I got a call back! I was very excited to work for the program I was very happy. My current goals for this summer working for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is to learn more about marine science. My second goal was to inspire the minds and hearts of the children of this program to have fun and to learn more about the aquatic animals in the ocean and how to fish and many more activities while being in this program. My last goal and my main one is to just HAVE FUN!

The Name Is Anthony !!

Hey world my name is Anthony Diaz, im 19 years old, and I just graduated from Brighton High school. My plan is to go to Mass Bay community college for 2 years, then transfer to Umass Amherst and finish off over there.
My older brother Ramon Diaz talked me into joining the summer program at Blue Cross Blue Shield. The first meeting I went to I loved it and decided to stay and become a grown up.
My goals this summer are to inspire children to look up to me and for me to be a great role model for them, to meet new people such as co-workers, kids, etc. I'm really looking forward to working with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.
Well that's me. Have a great day!

                                  My only dedication this summer is to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay !

Feeling a little crabby?

The intrepid explorers at Black's Creek in Quincy have been off to a great start this summer!  So far the group has found an abundance of crabs, hermit crabs, periwinkles, and minnows, and the kids have had a great time learning about sea creatures, learning how to fish, and getting just a little bit messy.

Jack makes a new friend.

Caroline and Rachel get a little muddy.

Over at Camp Harbor View, Shell Beach has been a big hit.  Campers have begun to learn about all that the harbor has to offer, and that it's not just for fun and fishing (although it's great for those things, too).  The kids are learning just what it takes to make a living as a lobsterman, and just how much effort and hand work it takes.  While we haven't caught any lobsters yet, we've had an abundance of rock crab and spider crab.  Here's hoping to catch some of Larry the Lobster's cousins very soon.

Our marble hunt has also been a big hit with campers.  Whoever finds one of the many orange marbles we've scattered across Shell Beach will be entered into a lottery for the chance to win a lobster dinner for four!  The kids have searched high and low, and after only two days we've had several campers find some marbles.   

Shades is feeling good about his marble.

See you on the beach!

Andrew Bauld

Success at Piers Park!

There is no better way to spend the morning on a beautiful day than fishing at Piers Park. It was sunny, warm, and as happy as the Harbor Explorers were to be on the docks fishing and crabbing. As we brought out the equipment, Alexa came up to me and told me that she had never fished before. I told her that I would teach her as soon as we got down on the dock and that it would be easy to learn. Alexa was a great student and picked up fishing very quickly. She really knew how to cast a line out well! After a lot of patience and good practice, Alexa caught a crab! Not bad for a first day of fishing!

The type of crab that Alexa caught is called a Green Crab. Though not always green, it can be identified by the spikes along the side of it shell that begin next to the eyes, with only five spikes per side. Sam is holding one in his left hand for the camera below!

I'm so proud of everyone who went fishing today. It was fun to spend my morning at Piers Park and I hope to return at some point this summer for much more fun!

Annie

Exciting First Days at Save the Harbor

Hello all to whom I have yet to meet. I am a new junior assistant here at Save the Harbor. My name is Tom Kenary. I am from a small suburb right outside Boston and attend the Belmont Hill school. Both my older brothers have worked here in the past couple years and I can't wait to start. This past week, I had my first two training days to get a firm grip on the things I need to know in order to work here. On the first day, we traveled to Spectacle Island. It was actually the first time I had ever been there. We went treasure hunting and then took the ferry to George's island where we walked through the fort.

On my second and final day of training, we did an overall walk through of all the nitty gritty things that we had yet to cover. Once we finished with that, Bruce surprised us all by bringing in a steamed 8 pound lobster called "Larry" that he caught the day before. He was delicious. Then we traveled to the Children's museum where we did some ice breaking exercises. I did learn how to successfully cast a fishing rod. I am extremely excited for the summer and can not wait to work with the kids.

View of Tall Ships from the Provincetown II

If you were around the harbor this weekend then you know that the Navy is in town! To celebrate the bicentennial of the war of 1812 the harbor has been filled with naval vessels and Tall Ships. To get a better view this Saturday I joined Bruce, Patty and some of the Save the Harbor staff on the Provincetown II.

We cruised around the harbor learning some history about the ships and getting an up close look at these beautiful vessels. My favorite fact of the day was about a ship that left the harbor with thousands and thousands of gallons of water, rum, wine and whiskey, when it returned to the harbor months later all of the rum, wine and whiskey was gone but there was still plenty of water to spare. I guess we know where the sailors priorities lie.

I had never seen a Tall Ship outside of a movie and they were a very cool sight to see. Some of the tall ships in the harbor have traveled all the way here from South America. The ship in the forefront of the photo, docked right in front of our offices, is the Guayas from Ecuador. I highly recommend that you take the time to come down to the harbor during this celebration and enjoy your own ride on the Provincetown II.

If you're looking to combine your Navy Week fun and Fourth of July celebrations I suggest coming to watch the USS Constitution, Oldironsides, make her annual voyage out into the harbor where there will be a 21-cannon salute and the Blue Angels will fly over the harbor. It's something you don't want to miss!

Blair

Making Waves for the Second Summer!

Hello all, it's Vinh and this will be my second summer back at the amazing organization that is Save the Harbor/Save the Bay! I'm currently a rising senior at one of the three exam schools in the city of Boston, the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science (Quite a mouthful, I know). As a child I have had the amazing privilege to live literally a three minute walk from Savin Hill Beach, where I would go for a swim or enjoy the aquatic life present. This passion for swimming and the marine environment influenced me to join my school's swim team and AP Environmental Science class.

My swimming teammates and I (smack dab in the middle of the picture), enjoy a moment at one of our swim meets.

I am very well aware that many kids that live throughout Boston have not had the opportunities that I have had to get out and enjoy the captivating experiences Boston Harbor has to offer. As an ambassador of STH/STB it is integral that I help such kids do so!

-Vinh, Junior Program Assistant

Carp Cookie Queens!

We are off to a great start this year on our first day at Community Boating Inc.! Everyone very enthusiastically gathered on the docks to go fishing on the Charles River. It was pretty slow at first with few bites, and no fish in our bucket. We started to get a little bit frustrated because we could see the fish swimming around the hooks but not seeming the least bit interested in having a taste of our lures. So I called on two young ladies who I have officially deemed as the Carp Cookie Queens to help me make some bait that has worked in the past.

We mixed about half a cup of flour with about a quarter of a cup of water to make a thick dough. We rolled the dough into dime size little balls and coated them in sugar. This is a carp cookie and it is placed on a hook to entice a fish to bite. To no surprise, this tactic worked! We caught three little sunfish and got a couple nibbles from carp. Hopefully by the end of the week we will catch plenty of more sunfish, and maybe reel in a huge carp!!!

Terrific Thi on her Fourth Summer back!!

Hey everyone! It's Thi and I'm back for my fourth summer here at Save The Harbor/Save The Bay! I recently graduated from Boston Latin School and will be attending the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the fall. As a returning Lead Explorer, I will be helping out the Senior Harbor Educators more and I can't wait to teach kids about Boston Harbor and make them love it like I do! For this summer, I have three main goal I want to reach. First, I want to catch a fish! It's my fourth year, and I have yet to catch a fish on a fishing line. But I will this summer! Secondly, I want to learn how to sail by myself since it looks like so much fun. And last, but not least, I want to make new friends and have as many kids as possible love the Harbor. 

The past three summers I have spent here at Save The Harbor has been amazing and I have high hopes for this summer! I'm going to reach all these goals to the best of my ability and I'll see you all in the Harbor soon, whether you're out on the All Access trips which I will be on for this first half of the summer, or just enjoying the many resources the Harbor can provide us all!

Thi Tran

Back for Summer #3!

Hello, fellow Harbor enthusiasts! 

My name is Michelle Palermino, and I'm back for another exciting summer on Boston Harbor with Save the Harbor / Save the Bay's youth summer programs. This is my third summer with the organization, and my second summer as Youth Program Coordinator. I've been at Save the Harbor year-round since I began here in Summer 2010, and, every year since, I've waited anxiously for each great new group of staffers to fill our office, our boats, our docks, and our sailing centers at the start of each summer. It's my favorite time of year-- and my favorite part of my job! And this year, I truly believe this is the best group of staffers we've ever had, and I can't wait to see all the great work they'll be doing for Boston Harbor for and our region's kids and teens!


The program has grown and evolved so much over the past year, and I'm very excited to be a part of its growth. First and foremost, thanks to an exciting new partnership with Bay State Cruises, we'll be running All Access Boston Harbor trips out to Spectacle Island and Georges Island FOUR days a week this summer, instead of the traditional three. The capacity of their beautiful boat, the Provincetown II, will allow us to bring hundreds more kids and teens out to the islands than we've ever been able to bring before. We've expanded our Harbor Explorers program out at Camp Harbor View to focus even more on Long Island's rich history. We'll be offering tours of the Fort Point Channel at the Boston Children's Museum. We brought groups from all over the city aboard the tall ships (read all about it below!). We're partnering with the East Boston YMCA to deliver programming to their older campers for the first time this year. It's going to be a fantastic summer. And, as I said, I believe we've chosen the best staff yet to see it all through-- especially our enthusiastic team of Senior Harbor Educators! 


Years ago, when the youth programs first started, they were primarily fishing programs. Boston Harbor's water was clean, and we wanted to start to teach Greater Boston's kids and teens how to use it. Fishing was the very first way that we chose to do that. From the early Fishing 101 lessons, our past coordinators expanded the program to include expansive marine science curriculum-- water testing, ecosystem exploration, and so many other fascinating lessons that are still active, engaging components of our program today. But our changes this year have incorporated even more Harbor history and have catapulted our program into an entirely new era-- an era that will bring Boston Harbor and its history even more alive for thousands of kids this summer. I'm so thrilled to be here to witness all these changes and I'm excited to be leading such a great team!


Thank you to all of our program sites for another summer of partnerships, and to my staff for all the hard work they'll put in over the next 7 weeks. Can't wait to share it all with you right here on the blog!


See you all out on the docks this summer...


Michelle

Tall Ship Adventure!

Hey everyone!

On July 2nd we explored a tall ship from Indonesia with the South Boston Boys and Girls Club. The kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy the excitement of being on the mighty ship.

Once they had toured the ship, the kids waved at the passing boats. They were especially excited if a boat honked back.

One surprise of the trip aboard was the reenactment of a cannon ball exchange from the war of 1812. The noise was startling at first, but once the kids were told that there were no actual cannon balls they enjoyed the show.

Myisha, age 7, said that she was having a great time exploring. When asked, she said that her favorite part of the tour was the massive steering wheel. 

In the end, the kids left with smiles and a new sense of life on the water!

-Alyssa and Bridget

Three islands, the Charles, and the ocean. Week 1 complete!

Never before have I experienced such a fun and exciting first week of training for a job -- until last week, that is! Last Friday concluded my first week with Save the Harbor, and I could not have asked for a better week.

View of downtown from Piers Park in East Boston

Our team started off the week by jumping on a ferry to head out to the Boston Harbor Islands -- Spectacle and Georges to be more specific. I had been to Spectacle a handful of times in the past, but was excited to return as the island is easily one of my favorite parts about Boston. Not only are the views incredible, but it also reminds me of where I was raised in the sense that it is quiet and serene, and the sounds of birds chirping and a breeze blowing through the grass flow through my ears. We spent our time there combing the beach for anything interesting, whether it be sea glass, marbles, marine life or artifacts. Luckily, our team discovered all four things, and as hard as it was to leave the sea glass gems where we found them, we understood that it was necessary. Our next stop was at Georges Island, where we explored the dark and spooky tunnels of Fort Warren while learning some great stories to tell the kids in the process! Despite the skies opening up as we ended our adventure, blue skies greeted us as we set foot back in the city.

View of the Charles River from the Esplanade; Home to Community Boating

The following days proved to be equally adventurous and exciting. Our team got to visit the majority of the sites we partner with including the Quincy Recreation Department at Blacks Creek, Camp Harbor View out on Long Island, Community Boating on the Esplanade down on the Charles River, Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown, Piers Park in East Boston and the Boston Children's Museum. In the process, I got to learn new things such as how to tell the difference between a male and female crab, the fact that the green crab can also appear orange and black in color, the different compartments of a lobster trap, and how to fillet a fish. Despite my initial hesitation when it came to slicing the pollock open, I gained confidence as I held the fish down, learning precisely where to slice it to end up with the perfect piece of fish!

Our team ended the week by practicing fishing off of Children's Wharf on the Fort Point Channel, and it brought me right back to my fishing days as a child. Growing up on a lake offered me the chance to interact with fish and water almost everyday, and it reminded me of how much fun I had as a kid just relaxing out on the dock, and fishing almost every chance I got when I wasn't in the water swimming. This was the perfect way to end our week of training, and our first week with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. Our first day at our sites is on July 9th, and I cannot wait to see what the day, and the summer as a whole brings!

-Ashley, Senior Harbor Educator

South Boston Boys and Girls Club boards the Dewaruci

 Today the South Boston Boys and Girls Club joined us on the Pier to visit the Dewaruci, a Tall Ship from Indonesia!

 

The group was excited to be out in the sunshine waiting out on the dock.

 

The Dewaruci took 6 months to sail to Boston from Indonesia.

 We had fun waving at all of the boats driving by checking out the Tall Ships from the water.

The kids were surprised to learn that 150 people live on board the Dewaruci!

We all enjoyed our hour on the Dewaruci but I think we'd prefer to take a plane to get between Boston and Indonesia instead of a 6 month boat trip.

-Blair

Ahoy! Tall Ships!

Hello! 

My name is Liz Allen from Norfolk, Nebraska interning here in the offices of Save the Harbor Save the Bay as an Event Planner. I am a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and am very excited to be surrounded by the beautiful beaches and harbor of Boston. The events that Save the Harbor are having this summer are going to be a blast and I am very excited to be a part of the brainwork behind them and to celebrate the harbor.

Me aboard the Provincetown II

Let me tell you a little about one the many first experiences I've had here in the harbor...

This past Saturday I boarded the Provincetown II to view the beautiful harbor and its visiting ships that are celebrating the 1812 war. Even though it was a hot sweltering day the breeze on the water was worth the trip to the harbor. As I boarded the ship I immediately found my prized seat on the top deck that sported lots of views from every direction. A few minutes later the Provincetown II sounded her horn and we were off to our adventure!

The U.S.S. Constitution & the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle

Our first destination was the Charlestown Ship Yard. Docked at the pier was the magnificent U.S.S. Constitution and the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle. Both of these ships were huge and a beautiful sight to see! I really liked the crisp white color of the 295 foot Eagle and the rich history that the Constitution. I am very honored to have seen these ships and I thank the courageous soliders who sail them across the seas to defend our country. 

Once we floated out of the Ship Yard, we found our way over to the Fish Pier where tall ships from around the world were docked. Again I found myself in astonishment of how big these ships actually were and their ornate detail. I also tried to imagine being in Boston in the 1800's and how different the harbor would be. There would be these beautiful ships anchored every where in the harbor and all the men would be wearing wigs.

Tall Ship from Columbia

By the end of the boat ride I had taken lots of pictures and had lots of stories about where these boats came from and what they did. I am very thrilled to say that I was able to see all these tall ships visting the city of Boston, because it is truly a once in a lifetime event. So, if you have not travled on over to the Boston harbor you better get moving, because there are many things to see and do that will have you beaming with pride for your country and harbor. 

It's Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy

Hello blog world!  I'm back for another summer of hard work (plus some fun in the sun) at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay!  We've been busy training last week and the 2012 summer youth programs are ready to start on July 9th!

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Carolyn Burkett and this is my third summer at STH/STB.  Originally from Swampscott on the North Shore, I just finished my sophomore year at Wake Forest University in North Carolina (go Deacs!) and this fall I'll be moving to PARIS, FRANCE for a semester!

For the past two summers I've primarily worked on All Access Boston Harbor with the infamous David Coffin; this year we have some exciting new changes to the program.  We're running 4, count 'em, 4 trips a week to Spectacle and Georges' Islands on a new boat, the Provincetown II.  And even though we'll miss Capt. Al and the old crew from past summers, the new boat will allow us to take even more children out to the amazing Harbor Islands!

After an intense week of training, we are awaiting the start of the 2012 summer youth programs with baited breath -- I can't wait to get out to Spectacle Island next week to find some more of this:

Happy Fourth of July harbor explorers -- get ready for another great summer starting July 9th!

-- Carolyn

Shell Beach, Coming to a camp near you!

Camp Harbor View, to be specific.  The Lobster Guys (aka Andrew and Will) have been hard at work getting Shell Beach ready for a great summer of fishin', grillin', and of course, lobsterin'!  We got things rolling with a presentation to staffers at CHV, helped out by our dear and delicious friend, Larry the 10 lb Lobster.

Larry the Lobster was a big hit

On Monday Shell Beach received a great surprise: a beautiful new dinghy from our friends at Boston Family Boat Building!  She should look great on the beach, and I can't wait to get her our on the water. 

On Tuesday, Will and I set a couple lobster traps in hopes of having something to show off next Monday.  We also combed the beaches for some good driftwood to begin building a new sign.  Some of the campers will also be helping us design a sign for Camp Harbor View to attach, and we should have it up and in the ground next week.  Hope everyone gets a chance to come visit us this summer on Shell Beach!

Gathering supplies...

...the pieces coming together.

Happy 4th of July!

-Andrew Bauld

Children's Guide to Boston Harbor: Crabbing

Hi again,

Today's post is about crabbing on the Boston Harbor! We will explain the basics of crabbing, and then we will tell you where the best places to crab are on the harbor. The types of crabbing we have tried recently can be broken down into two different methods. The first is the simpler of the two. This method is combing the beach for crabs. On certain beaches, crabs can be found by turning over rocks along the water. The crabs that are underneath small ocean rocks tend to be small and quick. It is important to be ready to catch the crab as soon as you lift up the rock. When handling the crab you can cup your hands around the crab or pick up the crab from behind. Picking up the crab from behind is a precautionary measure to avoid being pinched, but smaller crabs are much easier to handle and cannot pinch very hard. 

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay participants learning
more about crabs at Boston's Children's Museum

The species of crab generally found using this method of crabbing on the Boston Harbor are two invasive species. These are asian shore crabs and green crabs. Invasive species are not native to the area they inhabit. They can have damaging effects on that area's eco-system. Most of these species were introduced to Massachusetts on ocean-crossing ships. Below, both types of crabs are shown.

A child holding an asian shore crabs

 Asian shore crabs have three ridges near the front of their shells on either side.

Green crabs are easily recognizable by the five ridges along the front of their shells on either side. Do not be fooled by an orange green crab! This may be confusing, but it is possible for green crabs to be other colors besides green. 

One of the crab traps we hung
off of the fish pier. We caught
two green crabs!

The second way to go crabbing requires more gear. This method is catching crabs using crab traps. You will need a crab trap, a line, and bait. Crab traps and lines can be found at a local fishing store. For bait you can use fish or raw chicken. Crab trapping requires a permit only if you are catching edible crabs. Some edible crab species you might find in the harbor are rock crabs, jonah crabs, and blue crabs. The most common non-edible crabs you can find include the ones listed above along with spider crabs. In general, the crabs that you catch in these traps tend to be larger crabs.

To catch the crab you must seal the bait in the crab trap, close the trap, and tie a rope to it. You can then lower the trap off the dock until it is on the bottom of the water. You must leave the trap for a little while or overnight depending on the number of crabs you want to catch. When enough time has passed you can lift up the trap and see who you have found.
Crabbing is very accessible in the Boston Harbor. A lot of rocky beaches have crabs, and most docks can be used for crab traps. However, some locations are especially great for crabbing. These locals include a few of Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay's summer visiting sites. For beach combing and looking for crabs on the shore, both Spectacle Island and George's Island are great spots. You are likely to find endless amounts of Asian Shore crabs at either of these sites. For crab traps, Boston Children's Museum is a spot where you are almost guaranteed to catch plenty of crabs. The crab's you catch at the Children's Museum are likely to be green crabs and spider crabs.
Once again, if you recognize a crab as edible it is illegal to take it from the dock without a permit. For more information on crabbing permits click this link here. The non-edible crabs you catch can be used as fishing bait or can simply be tossed back into the water. Crabbing is a great way to enjoy what the harbor has to offer. Just make sure you are kind to your clawed friends!

-Bridget and Alyssa

Larry the Lobster at Camp Harbor View

On Thursday Andrew and Will - our "Lobster Guys" previewed our new "Beach Combers" program for the staff at  at Camp Harbor View on Long Island. 

 

 Larry the 10 Lb Lobster was a big hit!

Lobster is a valuable species in Massachusetts, worth more than $300 million in 2011. 

 

There was a lot of interest in what would happen to Larry
following his brief guest appearance at Camp Harbor View. 

To our delight, he made on final appearance at our staff meeting at the Bank of America Pavilion, where he was extremely well received - and received rave reviews!

While we will certainly miss Larry, parts of him will be with us forever!

,We are all  looking forward to spending more time with him and his crustacean cousins this summer at Camp Harbor View and elsewhere around Boston Harbor.

See you on Boston Harbor!

Your BayWatcher, Bruce Berman

One Amazing First Week at STH!

Notice the crazy rain storm in the background!

Hello again,

It's been a whirlwind of a week here at STH and I'm really not even sure where to begin! First of all, let me send a huge "thank you" to not only Bruce, Patty, and Michelle, but all of my fellow staffers for making training week absolutely amazing. It's a really great mix of people from all over, with such different backgrounds and experiences. I may be a Senior Harbor Educator, but it's still my first year here, so the Lead Explorers (shout out to Thi, Will, and Carolyn!) have been essential to helping me learn the ropes.

This week, we visited the sites that we will be working at for the summer. I can't lie, each and every one of them is special in its own way, and I'll be excited wherever I end up.

So it's really hard to pick out just one crazy, awesome thing that has happened this week, but I'll do my best... On Wednesday afternoon, Bruce took us all out on the fish pier for "Filleting 101." I'm a big supporter of the idea of being able to see the process at which our food comes to be. Too many people separate themselves from where their food originates and I think it's important for one to try his or her best to be educated on the matter. Anyway, let's get into those gritty details with a picture narration!

Step one: Bruce gets everyone's attention by sharpening his knife.

Step two: Everyone gets a chance to fillet a fish (pollock, to be specific).
This is Ashley taking on a fillet job.

Step three: My pollock pre-cooking.

Step four: Viola! Breaded pollock with rice and veggies. Yum.

Bruce also got an 8lb. lobster for all of us to see, take apart, and enjoy. It was insane! I've never seen a lobster so big in my entire life (I've been around for 24 years after all). I'm super enthusiastic about learning new things and like to get right up in the thick of them. I'm definitely not afraid to get messy and Bruce commented on that towards the end of this week. I'll take that as a compliment! :)

Training week is over, but I have a feeling I'll be learning a lot from not only my other staffers, but the kids we will all have the opportunity to work with this summer.

Here we go!

Mary