Lynn kids set sail into Boston Harbor

LYNN – Like native New Yorkers who have never visited the Statue of Liberty, many Lynn youth are unfamiliar with the Boston Harbor Islands. That’s no longer the case for 25 Lynn children who, as part of a Lynn Economic Opportunity (LEO) after-school program run from the Lutheran Church on Broadway, participated in a one-day field trip that got them out on the water and to the islands, which are designated as a national park.Singing sea shanties, hauling lobster pots and exploring the marine life in Boston Harbor were all part of the day’s activities for the Lynn youth, who took advantage of the Save the Harbor Save the Bay’s (SHSB) free summer access program.The four-hour tour was part of SHSB’s All Access Boston Harbor program, a summer activity that offers nearly 5,000 Boston-area youth from 68 community groups the opportunity to explore the harbor islands while learning first-hand about the marine environment and the harbor’s rich history.On July 12, the Lynn youths boarded the Virginia C II at the Bank of America Pavilion in South Boston and set sail for the Boston Harbor Islands, specifically George’s Island and Spectacle Island.”On George’s Island, the kids have the opportunity to explore an old Civil War fort with eerie tunnels, cannons, and a parade ground. Marine historian David Coffin leads the historic tour through Fort Warren, telling tales such as that of the legendary Lady in Black, a woman who is said to haunt the place,” said SHSB spokesman Leigh Cameron.Megan Rebidue, an after-school councilor at LEO’s Lutheran site, accompanied the group on the trip. “A bus took us to the harbor where we met with the tour operator. That’s when we heard the legend of the Lady in Black who still haunts the islands. The kids were all very excited about that,” she said.When the charter boat reached George’s Island, the children were led to the cave where the famous woman once hid. “That was a real highlight,” Rebidue said.Cameron said children who visit the islands can also investigate the shore through beach rack walks with Save the Harbor’s marine educators who engage them in scavenger hunts and help them identify different species of marine life and a variety of sea shells. “Together, they discover critters such as Asian shore crabs, green crabs and periwinkles,” she said.Save the Harbor prides itself on being able to introduce children from across the region to the harbor as a preeminent natural resource, Cameron said.”It was a wonderful time,” added Rebidue. “It’s amazing. We did all that and were back at the daycare by 4.”SHSB has been adding trips to Spectacle Island where children can engage in recreational activities such as swimming, kite flying, hiking and nature walks.”Kids from every neighborhood deserve an opportunity to experience Boston’s great harbor and our island park first hand,” said Save the Harbor President Patricia Foley. “We’re glad to be able to share these remarkable resources with young people who we hope will become the harbor stewards of the future.”Bank of America is a founding corporate partner of All Access, which enjoys financial support from the region’s foundations and corporations as well as from hundreds of individual donors. All Access was launched in 2000 and to date has brought more than 15,000 youth to the harbor islands.SHSB is a non-profit, public interest, environmental advocacy organization working to restore and protect Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay.