Adventure #1: Spectacle Island, Massachusetts

Adventure #1: Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor

Book: The Snail and the Whale

My family of four is different in many ways – but we all share a passion for travel and books. Whether the book leads us to the adventure or the adventure leads us to the book, each is enhanced by the other and we are inspired to LIVE OUR BOOKS!  

Summer is truly the best time for adventures because there is extra adventure time to be had. One of our first little adventures of the summer was to this cute little island in the Boston Harbor, Spectacle Island.  I’ve lived in Boston for almost ten years and I’m ashamed to say that this was my first time on an island in the Boston Harbor. Spectacle Island is part of a group of islands in the harbor that comprises the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.  When I was a teen, I was sorta obsessed with visiting National Parks, so the fact that one has been in my backyard for years and went unvisited is crazy! 

Ok, so this day trip happened and it was amazing – better than I had hoped!  It’s a short ferry ride (about 30 minutes) from Long Wharf to Spectacle Island.  The boys were thrilled just by the boat ride - nothing beats a breeze through your hair on a hot summer day. 

Once you’re there, it’s pretty bare bones – no gift shops or nuttiness, which is quite nice, actually. The island has quite a varied history.  At different points it was home to a quarantine hospital and then basically was a giant trash heap – yep, tons of junk is buried here.  But the boys didn't care - in fact, Max stood here as if to claim this island as his very own and stated that he wanted to live here.  

Yep.  I love that Swiss Family Robinson fantasy, too.  It's all fun and games until someone gets malaria and a doc is no where to be found. 

Once I told my brain to stop thinking about the trash, I could focus on the pretty grass and flowers blowing in the breeze (don’t go there brain…hypodermic needles underground…) ok, I finally let it go!  Then it would come back again and I would attempt the whole Buddhist art of letting the “trash cloud” float through my head…trust me, it's a lot harder than you would think. Or at least for me it is!

The boys were thrilled to be on an island.  A real deal island.  We were with a gang of friends and a lovely guide, Ashley, from the aquarium, who helped us find little sea creatures hiding in the tidal pools. 

The sea creature discovery was going fine and dandy until Hank fell in love.  With an adorable little snail.  He noticed that the snail would move his (or her) antennae when he spoke to it.  Hank was smitten.  He wanted to bring his snail friend home forever. When I explained that the snail would definitely not survive in our small fresh water tank (and might miss his island friends!) Hank agreed that keeping him here was the best and kindest plan. So Hank created a safe spot for the snail, a little fortress shaped out of rocks, and nestled the snail into a wet, sandy spot there.  If you look closely, you can see the little guy (or gal). Cute. 

I told Hank that we would come back and visit his little snail friend and Hank blew a kiss goodbye. Bye, little sweet snail friend.  BFFs!  

Our day trip island adventure was pretty magical.  I wanted a book to keep the magic going and I found this little number…"The Snail and the Whale", by Julia Donaldson.

I'm a sucker for interspecies friendships and cute animals.  This book has them both.  I love the message of the snail leaving his safe harbor and exploring the world with his friend.  The snail saves his buddy in the end - the tiny snail saving the huge whale.  I love reinforcing the message to kids that even though you're a little wee kid, you can still do a lot.  You go for it!

And the author wrote another favorite of ours, “The Gruffalo”.  Super clever and cute story.

Our next adventure - Southern California!

Enjoy exploring and reading!

xoxo

Mary