On a sunny summer morning at Piers Park Sailing Center in East Boston, a dozen kids are vying for the first glimpse at the bounty brought up from their crab trap. Meanwhile, another handful of young anglers are hunting for mussels and tunicates under the dock, while others are taking part in a contest to see who can catch - and identify - the biggest fish. Teaching young people to understand and value marine life is at the core of S ave the Harbor/Save the Bay's Boston Harbor Explorers, which uses a hands-on approach to engage young people with the marine environment. Participants spend the day working directly with Save the Harbor's Marine Educators, participating in hands on activities such as fishing, crabbing, bird watching and conducting water quality experiments.

We run this free program in partnership with the City's youth sailing centers at Piers Park in East Boston, at the Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown and Dorchester, at the Harry McDonough Sailing Center in South Boston, and at Blacks Creek in Quincy, at Camp Harbor View on Long Island, and on Children's Wharf in front of the Boston Children's Museum.

The program starts first thing in the morning at Piers Park, where Senior Marine Educators and Program Assistants from Save the Harbor lead with a harbor-themed game. Warmed up and ready to go, the kids and staffers put on their life jackets, grab their fishing gear, and start the day’s outdoor and educational activities. Participants learn about local marine science first-hand, including lessons on the local marine food chain and how to identify invasive species.

Boston Harbor Explorers at Piers Park is an innovative, shore-based summer program for kids aged 7 to 10, which runs five days a week all summer long. In 2009 our Boston Harbor Explorers program connected more than 3,200 young people to Boston Harbor and the marine environment. "There were waiting lists at many sites" said Save the Harbor's Director of Strategy, Communications and Program Bruce Berman. " It is a very popular program."

The outdoor classroom environment gives kids the chance to run, hunt and explore the wonders of the Harbor’s shoreline. They learn how to tie knots and bait fishing hooks, use a field guide to identify what they see, take a sneak peak at how a lobster trap works, and even spy on a crab trap with an underwater camera - activities designed to grab a Boston Harbor Explorer’s interest and curiosity.

 

"Environmental stewardship and hands-on learning are fundamental to Piers Park Sailing Center's mission, fostering an appreciation of our community's local resources and developing life skills for underserved youth.  Access and Impact are key elements to organizations such as Piers Park and Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay. It is a great partnership, and provides enriching opportunities in a unique learning environment," says Mat Rosa, Executive Director of the Piers Park Sailing Center.

Piers Park is uniquely equipped to serve children with physical and cognitive impairments with a variety of resources, including the only fully accessible dock in the Harbor. Of note is their adaptive sailing program, unique because it teaches individuals with disabilities how to sail, not just ride as passengers. The adaptive sailing program continually gains in popularity, boasting a remarkable increase in participation from both youth and adults. Piers Park builds much of its adaptive hardware, and its own Adaptive Sailing Coordinator, Maureen McKinnon-Tucker, won a Paralympic Gold Medal in sailing at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

“For many of the youth we serve, our programs are their only chance to learn firsthand what it means to live in a great city by the sea,” said Patty Foley, President of Save the Harbor. “First-rate environmental education and recreation programs like Boston Harbor Explorers are vital to enhancing the public’s access to the Harbor and bringing it alive for Boston area youths.”

To learn more about our Boston Harbor Explorers program at Piers Park and at the city's other great youth sailing centers, visit the our youth blog online at http://shsbkids.blogspot.com.

 

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Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is a non-profit public interest harbor advocacy organization. We are made up of thousands of citizens, as well as scientists, and civic, corporate, cultural and community leaders whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and the marine environment and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy.
To learn more about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, visit www.savetheharbor.org.