Arlington youth visit Boston Harbor Islands – News – The Arlington … – Wicked Local Arlington

So far this summer, 230 kids from Arlington have set sail on free Tall Ships Cruises and free day trips to the Boston Harbor Islands.

The trips are part of Save the Harbor/Save the Bays free All Access Boston Harbor program.

The program, which provides free access to the Boston Harbor Islands to more than 100 area youth and community groups, features environmental exploration, historical sea chanteys and art on the shore, as well as fishing, crabbing, swimming and storytelling by the sea.

Save the Harbors free Youth Environmental Education Programs are the cornerstone of our work to Share the Harbor with young people and their families and create a new generation of environmental stewards, said Chris Mancini, Save the Harbors vice president of operations and programs. This season we expect to serve 30,000 youth and teens ages 7-17 at eight program sites, on 28 free island excursions and at 20 free beach events from Nahant to Nantasket.

All Access trips begin at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion where the group learns the history of Boston Harbor and the harbor cleanup with an interactive presentation from Save the Harbors maritime historian David Coffin. Save the Harbors summer youth staff of teachers, college assistants and high school students then bring the kids aboard Bay State Cruise Companys Provincetown II to set sail to the Harbor Islands where each group enjoys a picnic lunch before exploring the island.

What a great way to spend a summer day, said Save the Harbors spokesman Bruce Berman. We believe that every child and family deserves the opportunity to enjoy these spectacular urban natural resources, and are doing our best to make it happen.

The Boston Harbor Islands serve as educational and recreational resources for youth development and community groups from around the region. On Spectacle Island, Save the Harbors educators teach kids to fish for flounder, skates and the occasional striped bass from the pier, and help them explore the shore looking for sea glass and historic artifacts from Spectacles Treasure Beach.

On Georges Island, youth and teens explore the maze of passageways at Fort Warren, a historical landmark used for coastal defense during the Civil War, where they may even catch a glimpse of the famous ghost of the Lady in Black. The docks on the island offer fishing spots while the parade ground is a great space for sports and games.

At Save the Harbor/Save the Bay we are particularly proud to serve as the BostonHarbor Connection for a generation of young people, said Save the Harbor/Save the Bay President, Patricia Foley. The best way we know to save the harbor is to share it with the regions kids and families.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bays free youth and beach programs have introduced more than 160,000 young people to Boston Harbor and the islands since they began in 2002.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is a nonprofit public-interest environmental advocacy organization for Boston Harbor, whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, the Boston Harbor Islands, the regions beaches and the marine environment and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy.

For more information: http://savetheharbor.org.