The WaterFront Center: Bay Day!

A Day on the Bay

The summer season is getting off to a great start, and there is no better way to kick it off than with the Waterfront Center’s annual Bay Day celebration! People looking for a day of sun, surf, and sand came from all over to experience the many opportunities provided at Bay Day, including sails on the Christeen, kayaking, the famed Anything That Floats Race, and the various sea creatures that came out to play at the Touch Tank. Families, local high school students, and anyone with a passion for the bay was there to take advantage of the beautiful day, and perhaps even compete in the Anything That Floats Race. Another major event of the day was the High School Sailing regatta that took place throughout the day. Though the wind was light, the sailors had a great day of racing and the competition was tight!

Left: Edward and Zack sailing fast! Right: A slow start for A Division.

My first stop on my Bay Day adventure was a sail on the Christeen, where I had the chance to talk to many families who were happy to be spending a day on the beach. It was a girls’ day out for Rina and her daughter Rhianne, who was nervous for her first boat ride but all smiles by the end of it! Perhaps the most enthusiastic, however, were three siblings - Meghan, Molly, and Brendan - who were there with their parents for a day of family fun, and busted out some stylish shades for the sunny ride!

Left: Brendan and his two sisters Molly (L) and Meghan ( R ) with their parents Right: Meghan, age 7, showing off her stylish shades

Left: Gabriela keeps on the lookout for other boats! Right: Rina and her daughter Rhianne ( R ), who was enjoying her first boat ride.

Then, it was off to the Touch Tank to pay a visit to the horseshoe crabs, sea stars, and moon jellyfish. Kids of all ages stopped by the tent to visit the animals, and even got the chance to hold them. Kenan and Devon, two brothers from Queens, NY, loved learning about the critters and were not at all hesitant to touch them!

Kenan and Devon visiting the Touch Tank

Horseshoe crabs are one of the most interesting creatures to be found at the Touch Tank: though they look unfriendly, they are completely harmless and fun to hold!

The day ended with a bang at the Anything That Floats race, which brought the best and most innovative local sea-vessel design and put it to the test. Entries included a floating house-boat, a cardboard re-creation of Jaws, a bamboo canoe, and a craft made entirely out of Roc ‘N’ Bocs! The races were both fiercely competitive and wildly amusing, and the race was a perfect way to end the day.