In August, 290 kids from six organizations in six communities — including 16 kids from Girl Scout troop #82362 in Millis — set sail to Spectacle Island as part of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s free All Access Boston Harbor program.

“These free trips to the Boston Harbor Islands are some of the best parts of the summer,” said Kristen Barry, Deputy Executive Director at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. “No matter what community they come from or what group they are a part of, they always come back to shore with new experiences and new perspectives.” 

The groups gathered in the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston’s Seaport where Save the Harbor’s Historian, David Coffin, told kids about the island’s history. Coffin spoke about how Spectacle Island was a dumping ground for Boston’s trash, burning continuously for more than a decade. Today the island is now the most popular destination in the Boston Harbor Islands National & State Park.

“This is one my favorite stories,” said Coffin to the gathered groups. “You can be a flaming pile of trash for ten years and you can still turn your life around.” 

This summer Save the Harbor’s youth and beach program staff of 40 will run three free cruises a week to the Boston Harbor Islands, as well as scores of free events and programs on Boston’s waterfront and on the region’s public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket. 

On most trips to Spectacle, the youth break into groups to explore the beach and hike to the top of the north drumlin for the spectacular views of the harbor. However, when the weather is hot and the tide is high they just can’t wait to hit the water. 

To beat the heat, some kids swam in the clean, cool water of Boston Harbor under the watchful supervision of four DCR’s lifeguards. Others caught crabs and fish from the pier or searched for the “Treasures of Spectacle Island” with Save the Harbors program staff, collecting shells and sea glass, which they shared with each other before returning them to the beach where they belong 

“Our free programs give kids and families who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these beautiful natural resources firsthand,” said Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Executive Director Chris Mancini. “We are proud to share our spectacular harbor, beaches and islands with them.” 

According to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Director of Development Patricia Salic, “The work Save the Harbor/Save the Bay does would not be possible without the support of our 2022 Youth Program sponsors, including Bay State Cruise Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, The Coca-Cola Company, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Eastern Salt Company, Inc., Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Harpoon Brewery, JetBlue, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, National Grid, Richard M. Saltonstall Charitable Foundation, Alexandria, The Boston Foundation, Boston Properties – Atlantic Wharf, Camp Harbor View Foundation, Cell Signaling Technology, City of Boston Department of Youth, Engagement & Employment, Comcast Foundation, Cronin Group, LLC, Exelon Generation, Goody Clancy, Hood Business Park, HYM Investment Group, Income Research and Management Charitable Fund, John Hancock Financial Services, Leader Bank Pavilion/Live Nation, Maine Community Foundation, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, National Development, National Grid Foundation.” 

You can find a full list of Save the Harbor’s 2022 Youth Program Funders at https://bit.ly/3L7RFq5 

To find out more about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the work they do to restore, protect and share Boston Harbor, the Harbor Islands and the region’s public beaches, visit their website at www.savetheharbor.org, their blog “Sea, Sand & Sky” at http://blog.savetheharbor.org or follow savetheharbor on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.