Under the Boarwalk

Although I was late to class today, I did get to pull up some of the things living under the docks near “The Barking Crab”. The rest of the information I got was from my teammates telling me about their expierence and showing me pictures.

1. Sea Lettuce- This I found under the dock of “The Barking Crab”. I think it is a piece of Sea Lettuce, but am not convinced because the piece was about 4 inches long and string-like with many small groves on the sides. It looks exactly like something I have seen in seaweed salad and tried to look that up but didn’t come up with anything.

2. Golden Star Tunicate- I found this on one of the Mussel’s. It was squishy in texture and covered about half of the Mussel, containing “star-like” blue shapes all around that look to be about a ¼ of a centimeter.

3. Smooth Skeleton Shrimp- These seemed to be everywhere! They were small, maybe also a ¼ of a centimeter, they looked transparent with a skeleton inside. They moved all over my hand and also, while attached to the mound of stuff I pulled up stood straight up and constantly curled their bodies back and forth.
4. Sea Lettuce and Blue Mussel

5. Rock Weed

6. Orange Sheath Tunicate- I wasn’t able to see this personally but from a photograph my group took I am convinced, after looking in the Audubon Society
Field Guide, that that’s what this “Orange Blob” is.

7. Mackerel- Saw this fish when the very nice man showed up his bait.

It seems as though there were similarities and differences between what the group saw last year and what we saw today. In the post, “The Mighty Mighty Starfish” by Marriam, they also saw Blue Mussels, Orangs Sheath Turnicate, Sea Lettuce and Skeleton Shrimp. Another group saw something called “smooth burrowing” on the Mussels, which I didn’t see today. Also, in a post by Murat Arsia, their group saw the Sheath Turnicate, but the one I saw was blue, and the one they saw, in a picture on his post was orange. I’m not sure as to why we saw different things than the other group. I speculate that the weather, the temperature, or storms may have brought different things to the docks that we saw this year.

All pictures are courtesy of Chris and Brenda, my group partners.

-Liza Zipursky

There's more to see in the ocean then just great white sharks

After today's class, I will never look at seaweed the same. Our first look at the harbor was mixed with  observations about man made things such as metal, wooden docks, boats, and the concrete on which we were standing on and above. Walking further along the harbor, we found that there as striped bass up to 28inches long swimming beside us waiting to sample the bread. Later, on my stomach leaning over a dock, I pulled seaweed from the side of the dock. It seemed as though there were small worm like things crawling on it. They were also on the dead mussels our team found. On the same dock, I had the pleasure of pulling out the "experiment" from under the dock. And quite the experiment it was. The rope that was tied to the dock was heavy with sea life. mussels, sea weed, orange "things", white blobs and the small worm like animals were all attached to the rope. And the white blob squirted some ocean at me!
     The dock that I observed today was different from the dock in the picture from a year ago in that it seemed like there was more green and more seaweed

Under the Sea  . . . or at least Under the Dock

Hello . . . again. Shaun here with another blog post, this time to talk about 11 new friends I made today in the intertidal zone. Then again, I think I got a little too much sun, so I very well may have imagined all of  these. Anyone else see a singing red crab? No? Um, me neither. 

Without further ado, here are my best guesses at the 11 flora and fauna that I met today along the docks. 

11 - Purple sea urchin (Aquarium) - I'm not really sure if this one counts or not, but what the hell, I'm throwing it in there. It was round and spiny and brightly colored and just gave the Atlantic Harbor Seal pen that little "je ne sais quoi." That's French for "it really spruced up the joint."

10 - Spongomorpha (Rowe's Wharf) - it's clumpy, slimy, green and looks not unlike sea snot. Frankly, it was so distracting that I somehow forgot to get a picture of it. Moving on . . .

9 - Sea Lettuce (Everywhere) - Pretty much looks exactly like it sounds. Honestly, if I was the first person to find sea lettuce and got to name it, that is probably the best thing I could have come up with as well. Nothing like a nice head of iceberg soaking in some brackish water, amiright?

8 - Club Tunicate (Barking Crab) - Almost missed this guy because he was covered in an as-yet-unnamed mucusy layer (mmmmm). We also almost misdiagnosed it as the orange footed cucumber until I randomly and without prior suggestion decided to take a look at the Blackboard site. I would also recommend cutting one open and seeing what looks like a giant pimento inside.

7 - Blue Mussels (Literally, everywhere) - Seriously, these were everywhere from the other side of Long Wharf to Rowe's and the Crab. I'm pretty sure I even saw some growing on a homeless gentleman who decided to sleep a little too close to the water. Needless to say, they were plentiful, some vacant, some with their owner's still intact. A good number of them were covered in the aforementioned mucusy discharge as well as the next two on this list

6 - Halichondria Panacea (Rowe's & Crab) - I'm still not sold on this one as it very well could be Boring Sponge as well. Unfortunately, I bought the book with illustrations rather than pictures. After a little more time looking at both on Google, I'm going with HP.

5 - Bowerbank's Halichondria (Rowe's & Crab) - We originally thought that this was the same organism as 6, but after some more inspection came to the conclusion that it was not. I would have called this one Macandcheese Halichondria, but Bowerbank probably deserves to have a namesake.

4 - Skeleton Shrimp (Everywhere) - Again, these things were everywhere. Little shrimp like bugs/organisms that were covering pretty much anything we pulled out of the water, including the rope line with our next friend below . . .

3 - Sea Squirt (Rowe's) - I'm not positive about this one as the pictures I got were not as up close and personal as the others, but this is my best guess for the little tube-like things that were on the rope line and squirting to defend their turf.

2 - Graceful Red Weed (Rowe's Wharf) - Honestly, isn't that just a pretty great name? It makes it sound a lot better than a pile of red weeds that we pulled out. On the plus side, not very greasy.

1 - Soft Sour Weed (Rowe's Wharf) - I would have called this sea grass as that is basically what it is, only a darker shade of green and much much thinner. 

Now, onto the comparison of the docks from this year to last year. There doesn't seem to be a lot that jumps out at me. There are clearly more barnacles in the picture from last year. I don't recall seeing many at all in the sections of dock that I inspected (yes, yes, I am not counting the posts we looked at in Rowe's). The colors are slightly different, but the reds and oranges are most likely the two types of Halichondria from above. I don't see a lot of green aside from what might be a touch of spongomorpha. No sea lettuce anyway which is fairly surprising. Rock weed and sea lettuce were pretty much everywhere we went today as well. I also don't see any skeleton shrimp, though I didn't pick them up in my shots unless they were extremely close up, so it's possible they are just not in range. I'm sure I am missing something(s) obvious as I am just starting to get the hang of the scientific observation thing, but I am looking forward to another round of WTF.

Stay cool, harbor enthusiasts,

-Shaun Bossio

Hello, my name is Venulda Veiga, I am from Cape Verde Islands, wich are ten islands surrounded by water. I am taking this class because I would like to gain some experience, so I can take it to my country.

Which ways does the water drains in Australia

According to http ://wiki.answers.com/Q/
The water direction draining from a sink, water drains in a downward direction depending on the shape and size of the plughole. It doesn´t always go the same way. The vortex directio is dependent on small local factors, and the slightest impulse  (motion, temperature) makes it unpredictably random.

Group experience:
I went to the bathroom with my group, I put my hands on the drainer and fill the sink with water, after I took my hands of the drainer and we saw the water going counter clockwise.


FIELD TRIP AT BOSTON HARBOR

 As part of our study program, on July 14  our class participated in a coastal field trip around the Boston Harbor, not only to became familiar with its history but to establish connection to nature.
At 01:15pm we gathered near Marriot Long Wharf hotel in a day with clear sky and the temperature around 82 degrees Fahrenheit. At the time we boarded the boat,  the tide was low at the harbor and several types of seaweeds could be seen. Since they were wet, it was an indication that the tide was rising (it changes every six hours and can vary from 9 to 11 feets ).
One of the curious marks of the Boston Harbor is the so called "finger peers" that can be seen from above like a hand in the water. They were built in 17th century to accommodate large ships which trade goods from all over the world thus making Boston one of the richest cities in country.
It was hard to have an idea of the shape of the harbor from where we were,  however from above it can be seen as a curved out shape wich offers great protection from the ocean incursions. In 17th century the Boston Harbor had an extension of 50 miles of natural protected shore line that reached beyond the Custom House.With time, man extended land into the sea thus changing the harbor shape. Many real state near the harbor built where there use to have sea.
As we started our trip we passed near Long Wood and we observerd several rocks covered with different types of seaweeds. Certain areas of Boston such as Charlestown, North End, South Shore an Seaport, wich is under construction, could also be seen. We also had the oportunity to view Castle Island, Long Island, Blue Hills, Deer Island, and Moos Island.
We were explained that twenty five years ago Boston harbor waters were very polluted and a major public investment of 5 billion dollars had to be undertaken to clean and prevent   its  pollution. Seaweege water an residues were dumped directly into the the water. Algaes flourished and consume most of the oxygen from the water thus suffocating other species wich stop growing in these water. By 1965 there were no marine species living in the harbor due to its pollution level.
It was observed by a reasercher that due to DDT dumped in to the harbor waters,  that singing birds feeding from the beaches near the harbor were having difficulty reproducing and no longer sang.
As consequence the Clean Water Act was passed to improve the air and water quality. Part of the project to meet the requirement of the Clean Water Act comprise building efficient sewage treatment plant; reducing industries activities near the harbor, building high smoke stacks and divert traffic underground.
We reached Quincy bay and then returned to Boston Harbor via Logan Airport. When we arrive it was 2:50pm and the tide was high.

I Never Knew That Bruce's Toilet Could Be So Interesting!

Yesterday, took a boat ride from Long Wharf in Boston to a dock in Quincy. It was about 85 degrees but if felt like 95, and was very humid! I observed that the sky was overcast. We started at the dock in Boston, at 1:20, and observed that it was low tide. I learned that how I could tell it was low tide was by observing the seaweed that was the closest to water. It looked like it was still wet, implying that it was recently under water. Also at the dock I observed rocks, oyster shells, and decaying wood. We went to the top deck of the boat when we boarded and left shortly after. The boat was going slowly in the beginning but sped up after about 10 minutes. During this time I noticed the “finger wharfs” jutting out, as I had seen on the map I looked at yesterday. These wharfs were full of boats and sometime people. The boat sped up after passing a green floating booey like tower. Shortly into the ride I was able to see east Boston, the mystic bridge, the north end, downtown Boston, and South Boston. This help me get my barring straight as the map of the harbor I lad looked at the previous day “came to life”. I also noticed as we passed the ICA. The boat ride became a little bumpy, and I learned that the bumps were from the wake of the other boats and not from the tide. I realized it was very clear and the water and air seemed to be free from pollution. As the boat continued on I saw Castle Island, named quite obviously because I saw a huge castle on it. Then we passed some of the bigger islands such as Blue Hills Island, Spectacle Islands, Long Island, Moon Island, and Deer Island and learned about why the Islands were named what they were. There were also small rocks jutting out of the water, in what used to be an Island, and learned that erosion and water would eventually put them under sea level. I noticed some of the Islands were very green, from trees and other plant life, and other Islands had beaches where people where basking in the sun. I the noticed all of my class mates participate in an exercise called “Bruce’s toilet”, by each person making a motion with their arms to represent the process a goldfish would go through as it travels from Bruce’s toilet all the way until clear water sprinkled out, and particles turned into seed pellets. As we approached Quincy some of the land I observed had beautiful big homes one them, one had a housing project, and others seemed to look very industrial. The Wharfs I observed in Quincy looked much more industrial, in contrast to the ones I observed a short distance away from Long Wharf. On the boat ride back from Quincy, I observed people taking use of what the harbor has to offer, some using the Islands, as well as motor boats and sail boats. I was so amazing to see all the people using the harbor, what used to be full of sewage, in a positive and enjoyable way!

-Liza Zipursky

What we learned from Prof Berman's toilet

Today was a beautiful day. It was probably about 80 something degrees and sunny. We met downtown in the Faneuil hall area.   Amidst the hundreds of shopping and dining tourists, the class gathered. The hustling and bustling downtown Boston is a tourist trap these days.  However, this is a fairly recent development.  This area historically was used for fish and fruit markets and was mostly occupied by big old warehouses.  In fact, the area we met is called Long Wharf.  Wharf is an acronym for Ware House At River Front W-H-A-R-F.  This term started in London on the Thames river, a huge shipping hub. Settled by the English we consequentially adopted this term and even though the Boston wharfs are located on harbor front.  Just an little interesting factoid I picked up while living and studying in London.        Anyways, this is important because the demolition of this decrepit area and the cleaning of the harbor coincide ultimately transforming this area into a tourist and child friendly area for millions to enjoy and spend billions of dollars.

Today we learned how this transformation happened.  Approaching the Boston Harbor clean-up issue from a macro standpoint we observed the big picture.  While Prof Berman made it abundantly clear that it really is the little stuff that counts (little things that live in the mud to be more specific) the big things are the ones that make the smaller changes possible.   We discussed glacial movement and destruction and learned that the islands in the Boston Harbor are a result of such natural phenomenon.  while some of the islands are quite large, the smaller ones risk the hazards of erosion and will surely be wiped out in a matter of a few decades. And interestingly enough the sand beaches we enjoy are totally artificial.  Without imported sand, these islands would just be mudflats.  While all of the islands initially were created by debris left behind by glaciers, some such as deer island were built up with garbage landfill.  This is one of the main contributing reasons for the filth of the harbor 25 years ago.

After establishing that the harbor was extremely dirty by examples of lack of shellfish and deterioration of ecosystems, Prof Berman told us how his crew and the government went about cleaning it up. Focusing solely on human waste we went through the purification process by making a human version of a toilet.  First we had: a toilet, pipes, sewer system connecting to other sewer systems eventually leading to Deer island where the waster would begin to be treated.  In the egg shaped digesters the biological purification begins.  By separating the solids and liquids they are left with material to make pellets used for fertilizer and water.  The water is then further purified and sent out to be disbursed in a network of underwater sprinklers miles out in the ocean.

So that's it for today....off to go meet the class at the Long Warf Marriott to go on another expedition.

Part I: The journey of the dead goldfish: From the toilet to the bay

It’s Saturday July the 14^th and some people are heading to a class. The first part of the class was a reminder to polish one’s observation skill and follow the scientific method in a study. I’m heading to Long Wharf where the class will meet with professor Bruce for our second field trip. Our first field trip was just to a ladies’ bathroom to study the direction water drains in Boston’s sinks. I’ve arrived at the long wharf and there are a lot of people enjoying this sunny day at the harbor.  Walking along the dock, shopping, eating, boarding on boats, and some are just sitting and watching. We are getting together with the professor and before boarding; he is drawing our attention to the level of the tide at the harbor. After a keen observation, the class agrees it is a low tide. It’s around 1: 15 and it’s hot probably 87 degrees.

We are on board and ready to sail. In class the professor mentioned something about the ten thousand year intersection of land and water. The art of the great glacier I would say. Billions of tons of ice landed on the earth and the process of blocking water, gathering rocks and sand led to the birth of new Islands. Cap Cod was on of the newborn Islands. I need to study more about the ice age and see if our Yemeni Islands went through the same process.

As the boat penetrating the bay water, Islands are showing on the sides. Professor Bruce gives a brief description about each and a name quiz. Spectacle is called so because it looks like spectacles. We are passing by the moon Island as well and this long bridge crossing the bay looks wonderful though Professor Bruce says it’s not that strong to safely across it. I guess I’ll be fine due to my light weight. 

The engine is disturbing me. I cannot catch up with every thing the professor say. Why isn’t there a silent engine yet? I still can hear professor Bruce talking about a game and assigning me as a dead goldfish! Well, regardless the word “dead”, the name sounds good.

The poor goldfish has to set a journey throughout the Bostonian sewage system and reaches her ultimate destination. The memorial of the goldfish will be close enough to the Deer Island. The story of the new sewage system began by the sue somebody from Quincy made against the government and everybody getting involved in the production of a lump of raw sewage he steeped on while jogging on the beach.

To be continued…. 

Hazy Hot and Humid on the Hahbah!

We started our journey on this hazy hot and humid day on the 1:30p ferry from the MBTA terminal at Boston's Long Wharf.  The temperature is a balmy 83 degrees with a light hazy overcast.  The tide is still falling as part of its six hour cycle.  The tide in Boston is a vertical tide because it is so built up the water does not move up and down the beach but it moves up and down the structures that compose Boston's water front.  One thing that really stood out to me was that it did not smell like we were on the water front.  I do remember in the past being in this area and there being a foul smell lingering in the air, but today the air seems fresh and lighter than it did on that day.

Boston Harbor is a protected harbor that was carved by glaciers and its islands are drumlins, or deposited rock and soil from the glacier as it retreated.  The citizens of Boston did not have to use its natural protection very often except against the British a few times, but mostly from pirates.  Its natural shape aids in making protecting the harbor easier that if it were wide open.

As we are leaving the harbor it is a little choppy; however, these wave are not natural waves, but man made from the activity within the inner harbor and close to shore.  Boston is unique in that it does not have a lot of industrial waste because nothing is really made in Boston.   The waste that was and is removed from the harbor is human waste.  250 million gallons of waste was being dumped into the harbor, but now with the help of the sanitation plant located on Deer Island because of the work of Prof Burman and his team we are able to take this waste and convert it into 250 million gallons of fresh water back into the marine ecology system without harming the habitats of the creatures living here.  The solid waste that remains from this process is shipped over to quincy and turned into fertilizer pellets that are used to fertilize golf courses and other areas.

Twenty five years ago this harbor was a mess.  In fact it was considered dead because of how polluted it was.  In the 1950's people began to nice that something was wrong and began to become interested in the environment and people's effect on it.  The federal government initiated the Clean Air and Water Acts.  The Big Dig was a clean air act and all though the air quality is better in the city of Boston it has not solved the problem, but just moved it higher into the air and away from us.  Looking around the harbor you see that the work of Berman's team is clear. There are people on the harbor islands enjoying the space and for instance on Nut Island there used to be a sewer plant that has now been closed and the homes that were once run down are now multi-million dollar establishments.  The water actually looks clean and the air is fresh.  To think that this body of water was dead 25 years ago is fairly hard to believe, but we are lucky to live in such a beautiful area and to have access to such a wonderful natural resource.

Here are some pictures from the trip:

A fun day trip around the harbor islands

Yesterday, July 14 2012, our class went for a trip around the Boston harbor islands. We met in front of Marriott Long Wharf hotel, it was 1:10pm and the temperature was 82 degrees. Before we got on board we stopped to do some observations down the harbor. We noticed that it was a low tide and some blackish brown seaweed around stones was observed. The teacher explained that by being wet, it was a hint that the tide was rising. 

We quickly boarded, and we stayed in up top, the ride was really refreshing. The boat went pretty fast, creating wakes for little sailboats along the way.

After the boat departure we had a nice view of the Charles Town, South Boston and North End. As we navigated further we passed near Long Wood and had the possibility to sight some of the Boston Harbor Islands, namely Castle Island, Long Island, Blue Heels, Deer Island, Moon Island. We also we passed by Dorchester bay and Quincy bay.

During the trip professor Berman explained the history of Boston Harbor. We learned that 25 years ago the harbor waters were very polluted as most of Boston wastes ended up into the harbor.

The public attention was raised to this issue when a scientist published that birds living near the harbor were disappearing and stop singing. The government passed the Clean Water Act which forced the authorities to undertake projects to clean the water and the air near Boston Harbor, by installing sewage treatment plant, raising smoke stacks and constructing tunnels for massive traffic to avoid polluting the air.

Today the Harbor’s water is one of the cleanest water in the country. I also learned how they process the waste water, so we can have cleaner Harbor water.

When we arrived from our trip it was 2:50pm, I noticed that the tide started to go up. 

Good Ol' Boston Harbor

Yesterday afternoon, our class embarked on a boat trip through Boston Harbor that was pleasantly relaxing with the mix of the shining sun and cool breezes we encountered while out in the bluish-green water; and at the same time, our excursion to say the least, was very informative - we learned the history of how the islands were formed, the steps in which the water released becomes clean, and overall, we were informed of the surrounding areas as we progressed through the Harbor. This was my first ever experience on a boat and I thoroughly enjoyed it and all the knowledge I gained from it. 

We departed Long Wharf at 1:31pm and I was immediately stricken by how beautiful the scenery was. Tall buildings in the distance were glimmering from the sun's rays and everything appeared so peaceful - sort of like how postcards appear. Suddenly, Professor Berman had begun to drop knowledge about the areas were passing by. Personally, I think it is a great fact to know that coastal Massachusetts had been carved the way it is now, by glaciers. In a since, I think it worked wonders because everything we experienced on the Harbor yesterday was amazing.

Another important and interesting fact was the purpose of the egg-shape tanks. I would have never in a million years guessed those tanks were filled with our human waste. Of course it sounds gross saying it and imagining it, but there is about a 10-12 step process in which our waste goes through to produce clean water. It still kind of boggles my mind that all of our "craps" can turn into clean water - sick fact. 

Everything about our boat trip was great to me. Learning that just 25 years ago, Boston Harbor now was a sewer. It amazes me how scenic it is now with: the Blue Hills in the distance, Castle Island right off the water; and in the water: Spectacle, Long, Snake, Thompson, and Deer Island. It's just a beautiful trip I think everyone in Boston should experience. There lies so much history it is kind of scary. Nonetheless, it makes you appreciate the Harbor for what it has gone through and what it is now.

Beautiful Day in Boston Harbor

What was supposed to be a crappy day weather wise, turned out to be, a Beautiful Day at the Harbor. In this blog I will discuss a few things of our first boat ride around the Boston Harbor. Trend, Public Housing Development, Homeless Shelter, and How Clean it is. (Not necessarily in the order)

To some, the weather was nastily hot and humid. I personally didn't have a problem with it besides the fact that while waiting to get on the boat, I and a few others, made it a point to share we were sweating like a whore in church. I kept saying that once we got on the boat it will be different and that it was.

As you know I have been in Boston for 29 years, and I have to say the Harbor has not had such a great reputation on how "clean" it is. I was greatly impressed to see just how clean it now is. We have to thank Professor Berman and his team, that cared enough to do what is necessary to make this happen. The Boston Harbor has come a long way from its 1965 pollution.

The Trend of People like the Ocean and is one I am guilty of taking part in. Being from the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico myself, it is something that is within me. I find such peace being by the water, in the water, that it is indescribable. Which brings me to the topic of, Public Housing and the Homeless Shelter of why would someone not want to live by the Ocean? Of course since before the clean up it was a dump, why not put the less fortunate there. That didn't set well with me. It left a bad taste in my mouth of why this would happen. Now that it is clean and beautiful, they have to think of something to get rid of the less fortunate and make money from it. Perhaps this is a personal for me because of how much I care about people, but if the less fortunate were "good enough" to be there when it was a dump, then let them be good enough to enjoy the beauty and the benefits of it. That is just my opinion. When it comes to the Shelter, I don't agree they should travel to such great lengths to get to sleep for the night, but I am glad they have some place to go. Homeless Shelters is something we are lacking as a whole in the State of Boston, and I am happy for the services being offered and programs to the homeless at Long Island.

It is because of people who care about their surroundings that we have been able to enjoy such a beautiful day. Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are things we should be conscious of every minute we take a breath. 

I took some pictures to show how beautiful the boat ride through the harbor is and I would like to share them with you. 

Meeting with the Real Harbor

Hi everybody. This is Erdogan again.

Until today I have never seen the Boston Harbor in daytime. Last winter I used to visit the harbor at nights nearly once a week and sit the bench near the big flagpole enjoying my coffee and cigarette. It was usually quiet because not many people prefer a cold bench instead of a warm chair. However today the harbor was like a different place for me. The weather was hot, cloudy and muggy when we met in front of the Long Warf Hotel at 13:10. We learned that the shore continent of Boston was smaller before today’s buildings and facilities were built on the filled ocean. One may think that it was not a bad idea, after observing the tourists enjoying their lunch time in the most popular places of the city in this area, as we saw today.

Before boarding to the ferry, we observed the sea level and saw that the tide was low at 13:20. After boarding to the ferry the weather turned to sunny and it was nearly 90F. A couple also joined us as we grouped at the upper deck. During the journey to the Quincy we learned about Castle, Spectacle, Thompson, Deer, and Moon Islands and also saw the Hangman’s Rock which probably will not to be there in the future. Then we saw people swimming and enjoying the beach while going on to learn about how a big sewer became a place to swim. At this moment I remembered the beaches of Istanbul which are usually far more crowded than the ones I saw today. Considering the fact that the total population of Massachusetts was approximately 6.5 million in 2010 [1] while Istanbul had already a population over 10 million in 2000 [2], and the number of manufacturing plants which I did not see any today, I realized that Istanbul and Bosporus need more and more work than the great achievements that provided the beauty of today’s Boston Harbor.    

As our journey continued the number of visitors in our group increased after we stop at Quincy and Logan. I observed that there were very different people including a Harley Davidson guy, the lady with totally grey hair, families, children all of whom more or less interested in the discussion about the harbor and the islands. I think it showed us the harbor and islands has become a common concern of the public in Boston.

Our round trip was ended at 14:55 when I saw the sea level was lower than it was at 13:20. I think it was the day I saw the real Boston Harbor.  

[1] http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/

[2] http://www.ibb.gov.tr/sites/ks/en-US/0-Exploring-The-City/Location/Pages/PopulationandDemographicStructure.aspx

good night everybody,
mehmet again,

Today, before the class I saw prof. Berman and he asked me about the direction of the water in sink. I sad, it depends. He said, yes it is true but youtube is not a trustful source since I have posted a youtube link in my previous post. I suggest youtube managers to integrate a youtube.edu or youtube.gov domain.

Afternoon, we met in front of the marriot hotel next to the aquarium at 1.10 pm and we take boat at 1.30. Harbor is a very busy place like Bosphorus, like professor said, people love the ocean and sea.The weather was hot enough but fortunately it was windy on the boat. We listened to the professor about the real story and history of the harbor. The evolution of the harbor from sewer was amazing.

Moreover, the islands looks great also the prices of the houses on it. I thought it was a success that there is not any industrial pollution in the harbor until I learn there is no industrial activity at all. Lastly, the travel of the goldfish was fascinating.

From Toilets to Pellets

My day on the water at Boston Harbor started at 1:21pm.  The temperature was a warm 83°F at the Long Warf Harbor.  The tide was definitely low as it was about 3-5 inches above the bottom of five ridges that lined the right side of the harbor.   I initially thought that the tide was rising as the water lapped upward, but my observations upon our return proved me incorrect (see pictures below).

 Tide at 1:21pm

Tide at 2:50pm

After getting on the water, I was surprised by how quickly we reached the islands.  I initially thought the islands were spread out even as I looked at the map, but we seemed to fly by them before I could really take them in!  Within ten minutes we were to Castle Island, and then passing by Spectacle Island and Thompson Island.  Professor Berman pointed out the egg-shaped digesters on Deer Island, and began to set the tone for the day.  It’s a good thing I already didn’t like orange juice, or I’d be abstaining from the juice for a while. 

At fifteen minutes into the trip, we were going under the Long Island Bridge and passing Long Island and Moon Island.  I was surprised to find out the information about shipping our homeless there each night- what an odd practice! I understand the reasoning behind it, but still…

 Just past the Long Island Bridge

At 1:46pm, we’d passed into the Quincy Bay.  Professor Berman pointed out Hangman’s Rock, and I was surprised by the realization that I can actually see in our own time an island that is going to disappear.  It reminded me of the reverse of the formation of Hawaii.  By 1:54pm, we were going into the river in Quincy, and starting to learn about Rachel Carson, DDT, a biologically dead harbor, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Big Dig.

 Beautiful day to sail

Four minutes later we were in the Wessagusett area.   The fact that million dollar homes have the view of public housing leaves me amused and amazed by the quick turnaround of the Boston Harbor clean up.

Public Housing View

At 2:03pm, we arrived in Quincy, and the temperature had risen to 86°F.  We saw the pellet plant, and the tale of the ‘Trail of Sewage’ started.  Having taken a tour of a sewage plant in the Midwest, it was interesting to learn the similarities and differences (we use the swimming pools of waste too, but don’t ship our waste to an island; also, we don’t dump the clean water into the ocean).  By 2:10pm we left Quincy, and headed to Logan Airport.  Along the way we learned not to drink the harbor water, more about the Big Dig and Rachel Carson, and the overwhelming positive economic benefits of cleaning up the harbor (in addition to the obvious positive environmental aspects!)

 Docked at Quincy

On our way to the Logan Airport we went past our old dump site (now the beautiful beaches of Spectacle Island) and then arrived at the Logan drop off.   Continuing on our journey, we arrived back at the harbor at 2:50pm.  It was a beautiful day on the water, and I’m looking forward to seeing more tomorrow!

Spectacle Island Beaches

-Danielle

boat trip

Hi all,
Alper again,
Today before our boat trip, we talked about the tides and we tried to guess whether the sea level is rising or falling. First guess was that it was rising because sea level was very low and we anticipated that it will rise. We learned that tidal period is 6 hours and probably the time was a turning point where the water stops falling and reaching the low tide.

We started our boat trip at 13:30, the weather was hot, however, we were under a shade and it was windy along the boat tour. We saw the islands placed from Boston harbor to Quincy and we have learned some details about those islands. Especially the way of Professor to explain sewage treatment plant was interesting. and i also found interesting how they completed the facility without being affected by governmental changes and some other future effects. Firstly, they completed the things that would be more difficult and expensive to change later. We also saw people swimming, sailing and enjoying the ocean and it is really a wonderful evolution from a sewer to such a clean and healthy water. It seems the project worth every penny spent on it. 


On the way back to Boston, we stopped by the Logan Airport and then we reached Boston approximately at 15:30 and we had a general idea about the harbor.     

The Direction Water Drains: Mythology vs. Science

Here we go on the journey of learning and seeking justification for why things happen the way they do in our life. The mind seems to be designed to question what, why, and how whose answers whether based on blind faith or scientific facts usually bring some kind of relief to the disturbed mind.

I’m Arwa from Yemen. I am here in Boston on a scholarship: a one-year non-degree Humphrey fellowship program. My Humphrey year is coming to its end by the end of this month and this class might be the last one to take at BU. Although I like questioning anything around me, I never thought of how the water drains and whether it swirls the same way all over the world’s toilets and sinks or it goes the other way around.

Based on the observation the class team made, we agreed it drains clockwise. I’ve always thought it must be so. It feels natural to follow the routine and most of the spinning images my mind has been recorded tell it is a clockwise motion.

Yet, when searching about how water drains in Australia’s toilets and sinks, different answers and views have been displayed on my computer’s screen. The Coriolis effect doesn’t seem to be a good explanation for controlling the direction of the swirl. Moreover, the online search about whether it drains clockwise or counter-clockwise in Australia doesn’t seem to get consistent answers.

I believe in God, but I also believe in the physics laws. One of the most interesting laws I studied when I was at the primary stage in school is the one that states, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I was impressed by Newton's observation skills. Through keen observation, scientists like him could understand the way how some laws of nature work. This understanding gives human beings the advantage to use those laws for their own benefit. 


Back to the water draining issue. Well, I tried to observe the drain process again in my place. I thought of the kitchen sink since its tap can be tilted. This will give me the opportunity to see if the posture of the tap would make any difference regarding the way the water drains. The first attempt got me confused as it neither went clockwise nor counter-clockwise. It just went straight into the hole! I guess this happened because the way I stuffed the hole with a sponge or perhaps the way I pulled it off. The other attempt showed the clockwise motion, though. This made me think about the video I watch of a man showing people how the water drains differently according to the location he applies the experiment at. There must be a trick or at least a scientific explanation for that. Anyway, I am getting more confused when I glanced at some blogs of my classmates and found that they say their observation recorded a counter-clockwise motion. There must be something wrong either with them or with me.  My Ego tended to believe they're the wrong ones. 

Good Evening Class,

What a great day and a fantastic approach to learn about the Boston Harbor, good Public Policy, science, history and beyond. Mr Berman you tried to escape from the Policy debate by inviting us to your Public Policy class which I am sure is worth taking, today I experienced citizen-driven-activist Public Policy. Plato wrote in the 5th century B.C that if you ignore politics, you would end up ruled by your inferiors, true then and absolutely true now.
This morning I learned that Coastal Massachusetts was carved out by retreating glaciers(nothing lasts). One of my favorite beaches in Mass is Nantasket, I learned in class that the shape of Winthrop and Hull is similar to that of Cape Ann and P Town, a wonder of mother nature.
 I was very happy to leave the class as I knew that the real learning experience was to begin at Long Wharf. We left for the boat trip at 13:30, Professor Berman did not waste any time as he began talking about the tides, the nature, geography and history of the harbor. The beautiful day and great temperature made the experience on the boat very pleasant.

I was introduced to the different important islands and learned the historic reasons for their names. Now I know about the deers, the Indians who John Winthrop annihilated and special fridge on the island. Today only the name is left of the tribe, the Massachusetts. How cool is that, now I can brag to me friends about this and spectacle, long islands. The information about the MWRA treatment facility was so informative. The fact that it serves over 40 communities is amazing, the fact that the harbor was dead biologically 20 years ago and now is among the cleanest in the world is quiet an achievement. Every Bostonian should proud, indeed Iam a proud resident of this great city.

Boston is not only the city of knowledge, it is also the city on a shiny, clean, beautiful and serene ocean.

See you all tomorrow,

Amine Mohamed.

Science and History

High tide: 1:20pm
Time: 1:15
Temperature: 89 degrees
I hope everyone enjoyed a local science history lesson as much I did this afternoon.  It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at the Marriott Longwarf; families and tourist had flocked the North End to enjoy the weekend warmth.  The temperature was a balmy eighty nine degrees and the morning clouds were rapidly dispersing as we stepped aboard the T ferry and headed out for Quincy Bay.  With a long horn followed by three quick blows the captain threw the boat into reverse and we were on our way.  There were many boats on the water, from yachts to dingies, sailboats to ferries, whether you were on the water for work or pleasure it seemed impossible not enjoy. 
     It was much more enjoyable now than for those many years ago when it was equivalent to boating in a septic tank.  In fact, just over fifty years ago Boston Harbor was dead as there was no oxygen in the water causing for nearly all life to die off.  The local towns and the city of Boston were responsible for the 250 million gallons of toxic water that was pumped into the harbor each day.  We continue to pump that same amount of water into the ocean, however today that water is clean and it pumped nine miles off shore causing no damage to any wild life.  The cause for this is a little place called Deer Island which is home to Bostons Sewage plant.  Its a five billion dollar long term investment that will certainly pay off. 
     From the boat, it seemed no two islands were the same.  Some looked to be giant grassy knolls (previously a dump), while others were no more than the length of a football field and shrinking with time.  Some had sandy beaches (the sand had been pumped in off shore) and others had rocky shores. 
       I learned so much from this short ride out through the harbor, however besides the history facts the two main things I took away were: first, how much I am going to enjoy this class and the knowledge I will gain, and secondly it's time to start saving up for a boat. 
Hope you all have a good night and we will see you bright and early.
-Clark

The tides have turned, or have they?

Prof. Berman told us that he wasn't going to get into public policy (that is a different class) but we got to experience firsthand the effects of good public policy.  Boston Harbor is now clean and people are enjoying it.  We saw people on the shore gazing over the water, people on cruise boats heading out for the day, sailboats whose captains presumably do not have to fear death if their boat capsizes, buildings under construction which are contributing to a vibrant waterfront economy, and the residents along the shore who now enjoy higher property values and cleaner beaches.

Our boat ride on the T's Harbor Express began under cloudy skies, and the air muggy and in the mid-80s.  By the time, we reached Quincy, the sun had come out and it felt warmer.  The tide began low -- we could see that the water had fallen leaving seaweed behind.  Prof. Berman claimed that low tide was minutes later, at 1:20pm, and that the tide would have risen by the time we returned.  But photos I took of the area near the Harbor Express dock show that the sea was at a lower level than when we had started.  I looked up the tide chart for today and low tide was at 2:24pm.  Either Prof. Berman was right when he claimed he was not a trusted source or I do not know how to read a tide chart, in which case I will never hear the end of it.

Tide before we left, at 1:23pm

Tide after we returned, at 2:55pm

Deer, Moons, and the interesting points behind their formations and usage

Hello All,

The class today was one like no other I have every had. It was nice to be out of the classroom and experiencing a different type of learning. Not only was I able to intake a large amount of interesting and useful information, but I was also able to observe and experience the harbor for myself. It had been a long time since I had been in a boat around the harbor, and it looked much different then I remember it. It was interesting hearing an expert's point of view on the different locations in the harbor, and the usage of each island within it. 

Embarking on our journey during low tide was a special treat, with a nice outside temperature in the high 80s, and some humidity, we were able to relax and enjoy the views. We were able to see a number of rock formations that would have normally been covered by the tide, and would only be visible to boaters by their careful preplanned routes (As seen in the chart displayed in the blackboard course documents, where I was able to locate what I think was one of the rock formations we were able to see today). As a class we were able to see that the tide was on its way down because of the color spectrum on the walls, and the still wet seaweed on the walls. Tides have a 6 hour cycle, and if the tide was on its way back up, then the seaweed would have been dry above. It is interesting that because of all the man made wharfs and piers in Boston creating a vertical tide that ranges from 9-11 feet and how different that is from the wide spread horizontal tides that are seen on a normal swimming beach. 

One of the most interesting parts of the harbor that I learned much more about was Deer Island. I did not realize the massive size and capacity of the treatment plant. I did a little extended research on Deer Island from the Boston Harborwalk website, and learned that it services 43 communities throughout the MetroBoston area. This is a large number of people, and a large amount of waste. The design of this plant is so efficient and complex, that it is used as a model for other cities around the country to help clean up waterways and provide a benefit out of normal human waste. The large barrels that works as digesters that are 10 story towers of waste are an engineering masterpiece, allowing for the treatment of water and solid waste to create a benefit to the economy and to the population. I did not realize that the treatment plant shipped the solid waste to Quincy in order to create pellet fertilizer to be used for planting (As Professor Berman put it, our homestyle orange juice is fertilized with our own shit).

"As one of the largest electricity users in the Northeast, Deer Island has embarked upon an ambitious goal of generating 30% renewable energy by 2020" (www.bostonharborwalk.com). This is a monumental goal that further impresses me by the power and productivity of this project. The wind turbines that we were able to observe when passing the island were used to return energy to the plant. It also uses alternative lighting and its own methane gas for alternative heating. The self sufficiency of the whole project makes it one of the many marvels of the world, and definitely created a lasting impression on me after our trip today. Professor Berman's toilet game also helped reinforce the process of moving the "goldfish" from the basin of your toilet to the treatment plant. 

In the picture to the left we can see that different pieces of Deer Island from the digesters on the right, to the turbine fans (hardly visable) on the left side. This was a picture I took for my own observation on our trip to the harbor today.

I have learned a lot about the uses of the harbor in current day, as well as in the past, many of the points I did not know before. I am looking forward to our further adventures into the Harbor, and for what other interesting information will come my way. I appreciate Professor Berman's high level of interest and expertise in the subject. 

Until tomorrow, enjoy your evening everyone.

Trevor O'Leary