Castle Island: Where am I?

A photo taken of a passing sailboat amid vibrant yellow wildflowers.
Photo taken by Charlotte Pierce

"Am I in the city, the park, at the airport, or the beach?"

Located in South Boston, Castle Island offers a miscellany of settings, thinning the line between commercial industry and nature. It is the perfect place to take a walk, fly a kite, have a picnic, lounge in the sun, or simply contemplate life. Smack dab in the center is a large pentagon-shaped structure, known as Fort Independence. Overhead, one will continuously see the arriving airplanes, beginning their descent on Logan Airport. They are so close that one can easily see, without squinting, where the aircraft originated from. 

If you're looking for a nautical adventure, look no further than the Harry McDonough Sailing Program on the adjacent pier. When hunger sets in, Sullivan's is a quick and great place to order a "lobstah" roll or some fish n' chips! If you feel like catching your own food, bring along your fishing poles and head to the Lt. John J. McCorkle, Boston Fire Dept. Memorial Fish Pier. The seagulls will join you as they catch crabs off the seaweed-covered rocks. 

A perfect place to spend time with your "main squeeze," this place can bring back nostalgia for some. If you classify yourself as a "beachcomber," why not scavenge the beach for something of value or interest? The next big photographer or lacking in creativity? Castle Island's varied landscape lets you experiment with different camera angles, perspectives, and lighting. 

If nothing I hinted at seemed to "float your boat," then at least come to 'people watch.' You might even come across two elderly women, matching in their white sweatshirts and blue pants, taking in the sights through their binoculars!!! 

Piling it on at Kitchen Little

"You need to add Kitchen Little to your list for places to eat in Mystic/Stonington," writes Jenny, a DayTripper contributor. "Excellent, excellent breakfast! Tiny, tiny place, but a nice outdoor seating area (you'll share a table with other diners outside) right on the water so kids can watch the boats going by. Outside, the ground is just rocks, so my 3 1/2 year old was infinitely entertained sitting under the table making rock piles while we waited for our delicious food! Coffee's pretty good, too."

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North Shore Secret Spots and Favorite Views

"One of my favorite spots is Salisbury Beach State Reservation (off Beach Road in Salisbury)," says a DayTripper on the Massachusetts Outdoors Facebook site. "I've spent a lot of quiet time in the off season sitting on the jetty by Ben Butlers Toothpick. The place is crowded in summer but is very quiet and peaceful in the fall and winter. Other favorites are Sandy Point State Reservation (at the end of the Parker River NWR on Plum Island) at sunrise or sunset. Trustees of Reservations: Old Town Hill (off Newman Road in Newbury) offers fabulous views of the mouth of the Merrimack River and Plum Island. There are so many great spots in Massachusetts, but those are a few of my favorite North Shore spots." For more secret spots and favorite places, see Massachusetts Outdoors on Facebook. Used with permission.

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Obama Proclaims Outdoors Month

GREAT OUTDOORS MONTH, 2009

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

The United States is blessed with unparalleled natural beauty. From remote forests to urban parks, these spaces have inspired visitors for generations. Today, these areas continue to raise the human spirit in those who experience them. During the month of June, I encourage Americans to pay tribute to and preserve the great outdoors.

Americans of all ages can find calm and enjoyment in our Nation's vast outdoors. Those desiring quiet or solitude can explore one of our many National Parks, which offer tranquil and pristine surroundings. Those seeking recreation can also explore public lands, or they can simply run, bicycle, or fish in areas close to their homes. Whether near or far, the outdoors offers unique experiences.

Exploring the great outdoors can also help improve one's health. These spaces provide countless venues for walking, hiking, running, swimming, and boating, among other activities. Americans can combine the enjoyment of being outside with the exercise we all need to stay healthy.

My Administration is working to connect America's youth with our treasured landscapes, which should be viewed as classrooms for environmental education and gateways to careers in natural resources. These efforts will include outreach to those who typically lack representation in, and exposure to, these fields. The Department of the Interior is launching a summer mentoring initiative as part of this effort. This program invites families and friends to teach children about the joys and wonders of the outdoors. My Administration is also increasing the number of youth involved in national service on public lands. Through AmeriCorps and other programs and partnerships, we can continue our Nation's proud tradition of service and respect for the environment.

Americans are fortunate to have so many beautiful natural wonders and open spaces. I encourage all in our Nation to enjoy these resources and to help protect them for future generations. Together, we can carry forward our Nation's proud tradition of admiration and preservation of the great outdoors.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Great Outdoors Month. I encourage all Americans to spend more time outside and to participate in the nationwide events marking this occasion.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House - Press Office - Presidential Proclamation Great Outdoors Month

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Schooner Sailing in Gloucester

When you visit Gloucester, consider a two-hour sail on the 65-foot schooner, the Thomas E. Lannon. Kay Ellis and family built the boat from scratch about 10 years ago. “We went out into the woods, cut the trees down, and went from there, but that’s another whole story,” says Kay. sail on the Lannon can be the highlight of a trip to Gloucester! Check for seasonal availability on the website or call 971-281-6634.

Sea Turtle Rescue on Cape Cod

One of the great things about living on Cape Cod is the tremendous number of opportunities to get involved with ongoing work to preserve the environment and to protect wildlife, reported reader Rick Silva on the Dispatches Gather group. Rick and friends volunteer at the Humane Society's Cape Wildlife Center, and are involved in saltmarsh monitoring through the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (also see the author's recent article on fish monitoring with the APCC). On Monday, Rick was among a large crowd of spectators who came to Dowses Beach in Osterville MA to watch a group of sea turtles get released into the wild.

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A few of the turtles seemed a bit confused at first, but then slowly headed down the beach...

Oceans of Fun in Woods Hole

Woods Hole makes a great day destination from Greater Boston. In the far part of Falmouth, there is the free Woods Hole Science Aquarium run by the National Fisheries Service (check hours) and a museum at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute focusing on underwater exploration and climate change.

Woods Hole and Falmouth also have some neat beaches that usually aren't overrun with tourists. Our favorite, especially for young children, is Woodneck Beach in Falmouth - part of it is a very calm marsh/sandpit area with tons of hermit crabs, and other creatures. .

There 's a fun bakery called Pie in the Sky in Woods Hole with outdoor tables, casual but nice, with great meal choices. Also Falmouth proper, near the center of town, has a brand new large playground with all kinds of cool ocean-related things; including a little
lighthouse you can climb up; it's very close to the library; by an elementary school.

We have family in Falmouth; so we go there quite often. It's about 1 3/4 hr. drive, with no traffic (we go down the 128 to Rt. 24 way). It's best to avoid rush hour, for a day trip, leaving VERY early in the a.m. is recommended.

Many thanks for this day trip tip from Jeanne Wells Hobbie, formerly of the Arlington Family Connection board, and director of Mystic River Musik.

Take a Nice Jaunt to Nahant!

We've had a lot of fun taking our kids to Long Beach, Nahant Because our 2-year-old can generally only handle a couple of hours at the beach, we found the parking prices on the North Shore a bit prohibitive. The great advantage of Nahant is that there's loads of parking (1300 spaces!), it only costs $3 per car during the day and !bonus! it's free after about 4.30pm. So it's perfectly suited to a quick visit. The parking is very close to the beach too. We're often parked only 30 yards from where we sit, which makes exits nice and speedy. The beach is a relatively short drive from Cambridge/Somerville (map) and is sandy and quite shallow and good for kids. As the name suggests, it is very long, so is much less crowded than Walden Pond or the closer North Shore beaches. Plus, there's a Dunkin Donuts at the entrance to the car park -- great for a parental iced coffee or bagel snack for the kids. - Thanks to Serena Hildenbrand, Somerville, for this beach tip!

Heading to the Harbor Islands

The Harbor Islands make a great day trip out of Boston Harbor Tours at Long Wharf. The boat ride itself is a blast, and George’s Island offers tours of Fort Warren, an old stone fort that's fun to explore, with lots of paths to walk on and open areas to run around (wear shoes and dodge the goose gifts).There are tons of fun kid-friendly things to do on many of the Harbor Islands and at Hull. Nantasket Beach on the Hull peninsula is a favorite, but be advised that the boat landing in Hull does not really get you very near the beach, though there are taxis.