Boston Harbor
When you are bored making the usual visits to the Museum and concert halls, head for the breezy outdoors and drop an anchor at Boston Harbor.
Geographical Location:
Boston Harbor is located within the bay of Massachusetts. There are two channels connecting it: from the north it is Presidents Road and from the south it is Nantasket Road. The Charles River is the lone stream of water that surges into the Boston Harbor.
Historical Foundations:
During the 17th Century, John Winthrop led a group called the Massachusetts Bay Company. They set up their homes after cultivating the vast acres of land in the regions around Boston Harbor. Subsequently, the numerous Islands of Boston Harbor collectively developed into a port for the trading of English goods. One of the imported items was tea, for which the locals had to pay huge taxes. This angered them so much that in 1774 they flung hundreds of tea crates into the waters of the Boston Harbor. From this event, known as “The Boston Tea Party”, arose the founding layers for the later American Revolution.
Boston Harbor encompasses more than a score of Islands, one of which is the Castle Island which is famous for its Independence Fort. This fort was a mute participant during the 1812 War, when its ramparts withstood the siege of the British troops.
Advancing forward into the 1900s, the Harbor continued to be a mute guardian of Boston against its enemies. During the Second World War, submerged nets were cleverly utilized to trap torpedoes aimed at its shoreline.
Cleanliness Revolution:
As the city of Boston burgeoned into a booming trading hub, the drainage system was overloaded. The resulting stink badly affected the olfactory nerves of the locals and thus was born the Boston Main Drainage System. This system, built over a period of seven years in the 1870s, greatly helped to systematically control the area’s sewage. The entire smelly load of more than a dozen regions was channeled to the Moon Island.
However, even the more advanced regional Metropolitan Sewerage District system was flawed. It did not ‘purify’ the malodorous filth before being dunked into the Harbor’s waves. This increasingly polluted the waters and badly affected the health of the underwater residents. Consequently, plants were set up at the sites where the Harbor’s sewage was released. Though these were constructed to ‘treat’ the malodorous refuse, pollution levels reached grandiose proportions, as the treatment units were not entirely successful in providing total treatment.
The greatest stink was raised when a solicitor from Quincy inelegantly dirtied his sports footwear in a disgusting clod of man-made waste. He made a legal case against the city of Boston for violating the rules of the Clean Water Act of 1972. By winning the case, he did a huge favor to the city, as it immediately resulted in the establishment of a unique purification plant to provide secondary treatment for sewage. The successful plaintiff also set up an organization known as “Save the Harbor/Save the Bay”. Thanks to him, the more advanced plant at Deer Island was set up in 1998.
When you visit Boston Harbor today, smelly sea breezes will no longer assault your nasal senses. Take a stroll through www.bostonharborwalk.com and check out its myriad trails.
The Islands You can have a leisurely time at any of the Harbor’s 34 islands, which are rocky outcrops that metamorphose with changing sea currents. The islands are within the purview of the National Park Service.
Each island has its own distinctive form of greenery and wildlife. Bumpkin Island has wildflowers growing in abundance all along its trails, whereas Thompson Island has majestic oaks. Avian calls of herons and the sweet warbles of songbirds will delight you on many of the islands.
Some of the Islands have unique landmarks, such as the Little Brewster Island, which is famous for its lighthouse. If you are a history buff, you can visit Fort Warren on George’s Island. This was one of the major battle sites during the Civil War.
Leisurely Activities:
The calm waters at some island shores will beckon you to take a few laps, but ensure you first verify the safety ness of the blue ripples by looking out for the flag indicators. Lovell’s Island has a beach under the watchful eyes of supervisors. Also, watch out for crabs on Thompson Island!
If you’d rather fish than swim, you can cast your fishing rod at the shore’s edge on the westerly side of Deer Island- you may just be lucky to trap a sea bass!
If camping out is your idea of fun, haul along a backpack. At a nominal charge of $5, you can camp at any of the designated sites on Bumpkin, Lovell, and Grape Islands. You can make a reservation at 617-727-7676.
Wish to exercise those leg muscles Strap on your helmet and pedal along the bicycle trails of Deer Island.
The distinctively named Spectacle Island will be open to visitors this year. The adventurous-minded can trek up the 157-foot hill and take in the breath-taking view from its peak.
Special Facility:
If you would like to organize a corporate excursion or celebrate a birthday, do so in style in the presence of beautiful maple and birch trees at Thompson Island. For more information call 617-328-3900.
So, irrespective of the type of activity you wish to indulge in, board a craft and yell “Land Ahoy!” as you steam ahead to the beautiful Islands of Boston Harbor.
Red Alert:
• Camping is presently not permitted on Peddock’s Island due to new utilities being set up there, and it will be open for wanderers for restricted use only on June 24th. • Visitors cannot go to Gallops Island as its environment is polluted by asbestos waste from ancient military campaigns. • If you wish to spend the night under star-spangled skies, do carry water but no alcohol is permitted. • Leave your pets at home. • Enjoy a picnic beneath shady trees but refrain from littering the environs.
Ferrying Around If you are not having loads of greenbacks to own a boat, ferries from the city’s wharfs will take you to the island you wish to explore.
You can also reach an island via a connecting water shuttle from the pier of George’s Island.
You can explore anytime of the day, from nine in the morning till the sun gently disappears over the horizon. An Island Ranger will be glad to offer you guidance. Student groups can also make an educational trip on any weekday. For schedules contact 617-223-8666.
It is also advisable to check out if the weather is suitable for embarking on an adventurous tour of the Harbor Islands.
A Cruise of Another Kind
The battle-weary vehicles used in the Second World War have been innovatively transformed into duck-shaped touring transport vehicles to enable visitors to explore Boston via its tarmacs. Beginning at 2 locations, the Museum of Science and the Prudential Shopping Center, this ‘quacky’ trip terminates with a dunking at the Charles River.
Fees: Tiny Tots (0 to 2 yrs.) $5 Children (3 to 11yrs.) $17 Adults $26 Adults 62yrs.and above $23 Students $23
Other Articles
