Destination Day 3: Beaches

On Sunday, it was all about the Atlantic ocean!  The girls went to the beach at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester (site of the first settlement in Gloucester.)  All of a sudden, our New England summer has turned hot and muggy (humid) and the ocean is the place to be if possible.  Massachusetts is a small state, but look at how much coast we have!

 

 In the afternoon, the girls decorated linen sports bags with 'fish molds' and paint.  Not real fish -  flexible plastic images they covered with paint and printed onto the bags.

In the evening, some Girl Scout Alumnae joined the girls for a beach bbq.  

Girls with Alumna Caitlin Fitzmaurice (R.)

Author Edith Maxwell, who will be working with the girls this week, joined us for the barbecue, too!

Before the food, two of our recent Gold Awardees described their projects for the participants and alumnae.  Becca, who received her Gold this June, is a passionate reader, and wanted to ensure that younger readers in her community had a chance to meet others who shared her passion.  She ran a book club for middle schoolers at her public library which included a summer reading program, a monthly book club meeting during the school year, art exhibits and displays of books and reviews designed to 'hook' tweens into reading for fun!

Caitlin Fitzmaurice, who received her Gold Award in 2013 for her project to educate young people about the dangers to whales and other marine life posed by shipping, waste entanglement among other problems, described how her project led to her choosing marine science as her career. Part of her project with the Stellwagen Bank Conservancy led to a law mandating a change in shipping lanes to avoid whale feeding grounds. She's studying Marine Science at UMass now, and still working with the Stellwagen Bank effort.

These photos were taken on the beach owned by Endicott College.  I think they show what a beautiful setting the Whale, Tales and Trails destination participants are enjoying!