From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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As we celebrate a Thanksgiving unlike any in most of our lifetimes, we can take a break from 2020 and go back in time to 1974. That year, Rochester’s First Congregational Church had a special pre-Thanksgiving service. The service, a pageant portraying the first Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag neighbors, was planned by the church’s minister, Rev. Edward White. Sadly, Rev. White passed away on November 17 before the service. However, the church continued with the program.

            Many members of the congregation, both young and old, dressed either as Pilgrims or Wampanoags. Children from the Church School presented canned and dry goods to be given out to needy families. The man at the altar who spoke on that day and eulogized Rev. White was Chief Setting Sun. In full tribal costume, he talked about Rev. White, a modest man, but one who could relate to people and their problems. His death had Chief Setting Sun giving himself a new mission to correct the image that many had of all Native Americans. The rest of the pastor’s worship service was carried out by the Board of Deacons for about 350 congregants.

            As we all know, 46 years have changed many of our views of the first Thanksgiving but reading about this romanticized version of the actual history. Even with the sadness of White’s death, we get a brief respite from all the worries and disappointments of our 2020 holiday.

By Connie Eshbach

MCAS an Unwelcome Guest in ORR’s Curriculum

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            As the November 19 joint meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee and Massachusetts School Superintendency Union #55 proved, an agreement is hard to come by where it concerns the reopening of district schools, namely whether the students should be back on campuses on a full-time basis. But what administration and committee members seem to agree on is that this is not an appropriate year for Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) testing.

            Superintendent Mike Nelson announced that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is planning for the continuation of the MCAS, resulting in ORR having begun preparation for exams later in the winter. His relay of the information was not met with enthusiasm.

            “Frankly, I would say I feel the test will be useless.  You won’t be able to compare it year over year … and that’s the main purpose of an MCAS,” said ORR School Committee member Heather Burke. “At the high school, it’s for a graduation requirement, but also it’s to compare how the school is doing versus previous years in meeting educational goals. But with all the special circumstances this year, it’s always going to have an asterisk. You’re not really going to be able to compare.”

            Together with Dr. Colin Everett, the Old Rochester Professional Educators Association president, and with the collaboration of Rochester School Committee member Tina Rood, Burke drafted a letter to send to state government representatives. Everett got approval from his union to co-sign with Burke and Rood on the letter, and Burke requested “that the committee also vote for us to send this letter.”

            ORR School Committee member Margaret McSweeny offered her full support in the pushback against MCAS testing.

            “I understand that, some of the students, it was MCAS that they were supposed to take last year, and that would be something that I’d be willing to discuss a bit more. But as far as gauging some of their abilities this year and the gaps that they’ve had, I agree that it’s just not going to be a decent way to gauge the learning,” she said, adding that she welcomes the viewpoint of the district’s principals.

            “In years outside of a pandemic, we love an MCAS. We get so excited to test our kids,” said ORR High School Principal Mike Devoll. “There are some positives for sure in a normal year, sure, but if we’re held to a graduation standard, we can’t leave anybody behind (including juniors and sophomores)…. We play by the rules. But I have read the letter … and I feel comfortable that it represents the high school’s stance.”

            ORR Junior High Principal Silas Coellner sees MCAS as taking too big a bite out of the curriculum designed to help students with limited interaction due to the hybrid learning model.

            “One of the things I keyed on, especially with the social-emotional piece both with staff and students and with the kids’ face-to-face time being so reduced, it’s just precious,” he said. “And MCAS is also a time-consuming endeavor. I definitely agree with the letter, and I think it captures the thoughts of my staff as well.”

            ORR School Committee Chairman Cary Humphrey said, “It’s important that we’re all on the same page with this.”

            Both the ORR and union sides were on the same page, voting in favor of sending the letter.

            Meanwhile, a lack of confidence in the administration’s transparency concerning a plan for reopening schools on a full-time basis manifested in the comments from the public and union-side Chairman Shannon Finning.

            Finning thanked the administration at the start of the meeting for its October 30 delivery of the addendum posting details on a potential plan for a full, in-person return to school. After, Finning stated for the record her intention to ask for immediate knowledge on “how students, families, and how other constituents will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the plan as promised on the first page of the document.”

            During the open comment segment of the meeting, Stephanie Clark would later say, “I’m troubled that we’re being stonewalled at every turn,” referencing “the lack of transparency and communication by the administration and in each town. We’re still not getting complete answers.”

            Clark asked why the respective school committees didn’t have the addendum before October 30. “Why does ORR not follow [DESE]?” Clark asserted that Plymouth and Bridgewater use 3 feet as a safe-distancing standard (as opposed to ORR’s 6-foot standard), suggesting that, based on ORR’s own feasibility study, 4½ feet would suffice.

            Finning asked if Nelson or committee members would like to respond to Clark. Nelson said that he delivered on the feasibility report what was requested and received “no feedback that I was out of compliance in any measure.

            “I did hear the feedback from school committee members and parents. The addendum included things we learned since the start of school,” Nelson continued, adding that ORR has taken the close-contact definition as it currently stands.

            Clark reiterated her concerns, saying that as the data has changed, it has not been possible to initiate meetings to discuss how the new information might affect how the schools should plan. While efforts by Nichole Daniel and Carly Lavin to engage Clark had limited success, Nelson said he was willing to attend any meeting to further communication.

            Led by Jim Muse, several committee members voiced their support for Nelson’s work on the reopening.

            Committee member Frances Kearns said, “We would be remiss if we don’t accept that COVID-19 affects communities of color at a greater rate,” adding that science takes time to understand such factors and that the Center for Disease Control has revised its guidance. Kearns said it’s important to keep an open mind and be aware of the data.

            Humphrey told the committee that he has a high school daughter he believes needs to be back in school full time, but he accepts that cannot be the case at this time. He discussed the concerns of Tri-Town parents who want their children back in school and teachers and staff who fear the conditions they work under right now, much less with students back full time.

            “As school-committee members, we’re caught directly in the middle. We’re not all going to agree. None of us signed up for a COVID school committee,” said Humphrey. “I don’t know if I speak for everybody, but I do believe Mike’s done a good job with this. My time on the Region School Committee, the times I’ve worked with Mr. Nelson since this started, I have to give him high grades, I really do. None of us want our kids to be out of school.”

            Nelson said he feels the same way about his children and that it remains the district’s desire to bring them back full time when it is considered safe to do so.

            “We all interpret information differently,” said committee member Joe Pires. “We were going to the full extent of what was allowed. At the end of the day, I believe we have to side with safety.”

            In his report, Nelson noted that, of the 21 positive cases of COVID-19 among students or staff this academic year, the cases have been isolated in nature with seven at Sippican Elementary School, three at Center School, none at Rochester Memorial, four at Old Hammondtown, two at ORR Junior High, and five at the high school.

            Among elementary school students in Mattapoisett, 408 are in the hybrid learning model, and 30 are fully remote. At Rochester, 420 are hybrid and 30 fully remote; in Marion, 331 are hybrid and 62 fully remote. At the junior high, 357 are hybrid and 57 fully remote; at the high school, 643 are hybrid and 74 fully remote.

            Nelson reported to the committee on his two-year goals that he considers flexible and fluid.

            Noting the new Central Office team, Nelson’s new role, and the coronavirus pandemic, Muse said he appreciated “all the hard work that’s gone on, especially the superintendent and everyone in his office.”

            Kearns thanked Nelson for his ongoing commitment to making ORR an anti-racist school.

            Asked about student-outcome benchmarks, Nelson said he has discussed the subject with his coach and Whitman-Hanson Superintendent Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner and envisions the inclusion of student benchmarks going forward. Committee member Sharon Hartley said student progress is in the goals. The region and union sides voted unanimously to approve Nelson’s goals as presented.

            A discussion about how the academic year will be affected by snow days led committee member Margaret McSweeny to suggest faculty input before making any decision. The committee did vote to authorize Nelson to designate snow days as hybrid ‘out’ days, so students do not lose ground due to weather.

            Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber gave his report and discussed his meeting with Tri-Town officials hosted by the Marion Capital Improvement Planning Committee.

            Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Jannell Pearson-Campbell lost her father the week before the meeting and was not able to attend. Nelson expressed sympathy on behalf of the district, saying, “It was clear the day we met her in her interview how important her family is to her, and we’re here to support her,” he said.

            The next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for March 11.

Joint Meeting of the ORR School Committee andSuperintendency Union #55

By Mick Colageo

The Bike That Won a Popularity Contest

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            Once upon a time, there was a vapid cookie-cutter gym, the kind I hate, featuring long rows of matching equipment. Within the far-flung line of bikes was a barely noticeable exception among its cohorts. This subtle outlier was the same make and model as its neighboring teammates, but something was a little off. It wasn’t broken or damaged; it was fully operational, but for some reason it had a different feel. It was conspicuously easier to use than its fellow bikes down the line. Level 3 on this bike was an easier workout than Level 3 on the other bikes, and so on and so forth.

            Just like a highly addictive drug, one workout on this bike, and you were hooked. People would wait in line for this one bike, and, on occasion, there would be some pushing and shoving for the privilege of riding it. Some would even wait for this bike to open up when there were other bikes available to use. The workout may not have been the best, but it really boosted your self-esteem as you deluded yourself into thinking you were working at Level 7.

            This begs the question: If Level 5 on the credible bike is too tough, why not drop down a level? And if Level 5 on the scam bike is too easy, why not go up a level? The old adage perception is reality does not apply to exercise. Perceived exertion is less valuable than actual exertion, and erroneous machine-displayed exertion is total crap.

            And so why do we do it? Why do we cheat, and why do we choose to believe things that we know are not true?

            I’m no stranger to foolish and irrational behavior. I, like so many other simpleminded unpunctual types, tried setting my clock ahead of the actual time. This, of course, never works. It just invites a little extra math into your life, and there’s nothing like having to figure out the real time when you’re running late. I eventually came to my senses and once again used timepieces in a proper manner. I was late, but rational.

            We seem to be fixated on numbers in many areas of our lives. Everybody is looking for specific guidelines, round numbers, black and white details, and courses of action. The Ten Commandments are a tough act to follow, and they set a tricky precedent. Had Moses presented the people with the ten loose suggestions, we’d probably be a little bit less reliant on precise quantitative specifications. “I need to lose ten pounds,” not nine or eleven; ten is the magic number for ideal beauty and optimal fitness.

            The caloric-expenditure display on exercise equipment is the scourge of the modern-day fitness center. Even the illustrious Peloton had a minor scandal on its hands a few years ago when the brand’s riders noticed that they began unexpectedly burning fewer calories during a typical workout. One day out of nowhere, the monitor’s readout shaved a pretty good chunk of calories from the usual tally for many people. Technically speaking, they burned the same number of calories as always during comparable rides, but the backlit electronic display showed otherwise.

            Despair was afoot, and much discouragement was validated as throngs of spin devotees commiserated on the group page, wondering how similar work bouts could result in such a devaluation of calories burned, just like that. Apparently, Peloton’s regulatory commission had updated the way the company calculated calories burned by newly taking into account age, weight, height, gender, and heart rate, and for lots of people, their new measurements were less generous. Many of the up-in-arms sweaty loyalists never got the memo.

            To Peloton’s credit, the company presumably corrected a miscalculation. Most companies would probably over-inflate caloric expenditure to appease their customers rather than go in the other direction and risk alienating their users with the harsh truth.

            At worst, those calorie gauges are deceptive chicanery, and at best, they’re approximations based on averages. They could come from research lab calorimetry or from less reliable data points. The bottom line is that these numbers are nothing to live or die by. Elite-level athletes are tested under very exacting conditions, and these measurables are very important to assess status and/or capacity. But recreational exercise enthusiasts don’t usually have the same benefit of reliable metrics, so the numbers are more to establish general baselines.

            You don’t need a high-precision scale as long as you can tell if you’re losing or gaining weight. If you have a good workout, don’t let some abstract stats convince you otherwise.

            Numbers can be useful to track progress and regulate a workout’s parameters, but don’t be a slave to the numbers, especially those that aren’t necessarily reliable. We tend to chase numbers; sometimes they’re sensible goals, and other times they’re arbitrary values pulled out of thin air with no rhyme or reason. Obsessive-compulsive number watching has a way of having us lose sight of the initial purpose of the task at hand. Being overly concerned with numbers promotes cheating, as we so often see in the person not going low enough in the squat, arching the back during a heavy bench attempt, or swinging arms during dumbbell curls.

            I once met with a prospective client who prided himself on doing his age in pushups on his birthday each year. If you counted the ones done properly, he would be only seven years old. My coach used to always tell me, “I’d rather see you miss a lift, doing it the right way than make it without proper technique.” That doesn’t apply to Olympic trials, but it’s spot-on for everyday training and general fitness. It’s better to walk four quality miles than to limp your way to five.

            There’s nothing wrong with setting the goal of 10,000 steps a day; just realize that your body doesn’t know the difference between that and 9,999. These suggested benchmarks are often put out there in the spirit of general guidelines and ranges that presume an element of percent error, not to be carved in stone.

            Let’s be honest with others and especially ourselves when noting our exercise accomplishments. My old lifting buddy Polonius put it best: “To thine own self be true.”

            Certified strength and conditioning coach Norman Meltzer, the owner/operator of MW Strength and Conditioning in New Bedford, was known during his competitive weight-lifting career as “the Muscleless Wonder” for his lean, mean physique lacking in the traditional bulk associated with strength training. Meltzer’s experience and knowledge have helped pro, college, and high school athletes and teams, and even regular people improve their strength and performance.

Schvitz’n with Norm

By Norm Meltzer

Cranberries! with the MNHM

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The Marion Natural History Museum invites you to Cranberries! with bog owner Dawn Gates-Allen of the Cape Cod Cranberry Association on December 9 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

            Join Zoom Meeting:

us02web.zoom.us/j/81645890924?pwd=ZURTeExOOWlaNmVUdlBEWXFBYjlkdz09

Meeting ID: 816 4589 0924

Passcode: 269805

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,81645890924#,,,,,,0#,,269805# US (Chicago)

+19292056099,,81645890924#,,,,,,0#,,269805# US (New York)

            Join us for a virtual tour around a cranberry bog with bog owner Dawn Gates-Allen. We will drive along with Dawn on her tractor as we get a tour of her cranberry bogs. While driving, Dawn will be answering our questions about cranberries and what it’s like to live on a working bog.

            Dawn will show us how to tell a healthy berry from an unhealthy one, which animals might live nearby the bogs, and what types of equipment are used to harvest these delicious little berries.

            We hope you will join us for this program on Zoom.

Togetherness Inspires Confidence for Tri-Town Stakeholders

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            A meeting of the Marion’s Capital Improvement Planning Committee became a breakthrough event, as representatives from Mattapoisett, Rochester, and the Old Rochester Regional School District participated in a report meant to open new doors between Tri-Town officials.

            The rubber met the road as Howie Barber, ORR’s assistant superintendent of finance and operations, discussed ORR’s and Sippican Elementary School’s Fiscal Year 2022 capital requests and shared financial information pertaining not only to the district in general but specifically to Sippican School.

            Along with Marion CIPC members, Finance Committee Member John Menzel, and Town Administrator Jay McGrail, sitting in on the November 19 Zoom meeting were Dave Arancio from the Rochester Finance Committee, Mattapoisett CPC Chairman Chuck McCullough and member Ellen Driscoll, ORR School Committee member Heather Burke of Marion, ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson, ORR Facilities Director Gene Jones, and Jill Henesey, ORR’s director of food services.

            “This gathering is great. This is what we’ve needed for some time,” said McCullough. “The view from Mattapoisett has been, if you’re not serious about it, we can’t take it seriously.”

            As Chairman Paul Naiman explained at the joint meeting, the Marion CIPC was formed to identify capital projects for the coming fiscal year, prioritize them, and act as an advisory group to the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen. The CIPC also formats its recommendations according to a 10-year program. Naiman said the CIPC ranks capital projects based on an objective format.

            “We really try to take our subjectivity out of the effort,” said Naiman, inviting dialogue and sharing of information and practices with representatives from Mattapoisett and Rochester and the ORR School District.

            Arancio, who chairs Rochester’s Zoning Board of Appeals, was pleased to hear another town’s capital projects being discussed openly. “I’m in safety and risk management, so I deal with [COVID-19] every day. But I’m trying to be positive that someday this will be behind us, and all of [these projects] will be in front of us again. We’re looking at a fire station (in Rochester), [and] Old Colony has needs,” said Arancio.

            Naiman said Marion residents like to see a plan with contingencies should things change. “We know it’s coming; we may not know when it’s coming, so we create a placeholder,” he said.

            “It only works if all three towns move forward together, so we have to think about how we maintain ORR a little more holistically,” said Burke. She stressed that although town meeting warrants seldom include ORR-related articles, “It has to be understood these are capital costs, not part of the school budget. Teachers’ salaries don’t go down because there’s a new track.”

            The repair/upgrade to the high school track was one of several highlighted capital projects discussed by Barber and Jones. Barber is a new member of ORR’s Central Office, while Jones has institutional knowledge dating back decades.

            Other ORR-related capital projects affecting FY22 include a track rehab project with a full resurfacing totaling $360,000. Jones says Lanes 1 and 2 of the track are one year away from becoming a safety hazard, which he says would require an immediate shutdown of the facility. To be done in stages from 2022 to 2025 are asphalt repairs for the parking lot at the cost of $20,000.

            Sippican Elementary School is facing several capital needs for FY22.

            New food-service coolers would cost $16,000; since the school is currently renting coolers, it would save $200 per month by buying a replacement that would last 10-19 years.

            The entire community uses Sippican’s playground, and among the upgrades being sought are wheelchair accessibilities that would put the facility in code and a synthetic surface requiring $36,000 appropriation for 10-20 years of life. Jones told the meeting that he made a similar upgrade at Old Hammondtown School and recommended towns look into such upgrades for their playgrounds.

            Jones said there are no known grant opportunities to fund the playground upgrade. Nelson added that ORR applied for a matching grant for a similar need but was not selected. “We do chase every dollar available, including competitive and matching grants,” said Nelson.

            Sippican needs to replace the remaining old floor that is over 20 years old and starting to curl at the edges, and Jones sees an eight-year plan to replace it in stages. “It’s like painting a bridge. We started at one end,” he said.

            The school’s window seals are failing, affecting the HVAC system. Jones said the windows are functional, but the nitrogen seal has failed, giving them a case of cloudy glass. “I’d rather fix them now, and then we don’t have to replace the window,” he said. “Resealing all the windows will save money on heating and air conditioning.”

            Sippican’s food-service equipment is estimated to be 21-22 years old, and the age of some equipment acquired from another school is unknown and needs replacement. Some of the ovens are starting to fail now, and there has been no new furniture bought into the school since 2001. The school’s four tennis courts are also in need of rehab.

            Barber said ORR has tried to maintain a value of around $40,000 to $50,000 to provide some consistency in the annual assessment to each of the Tri-Towns.

            Ten-year plans were also outlined for ORR and Sippican.

            Naiman said he was happy to be a conduit and hopes the three towns “can continue with this kind of collaboration.” McCullough suggested meetings every few or couple of months. Nelson stated his goal to improve communications and committed “to meet as regularly as needed.”

            McGrail called the gathering “fantastic” and “ideal,” and Marion Selectman John Waterman, also a member of the CIPC, said it’s also good that Marion officials now know some of their Tri-Town counterparts. “Beyond this meeting, we can reach out and discuss things, be on the same page.”

            The next meeting of the Marion CIPC is scheduled for Wednesday, December 9.

Marion Capital Improvement Planning Committee

By Mick Colageo

Bill Elfers

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Bill Elfers died peacefully at home on November 28, 2020, after a long struggle with ALS. Bill lived an incredibly full and productive life and left the world a better place for having lived in it. His thoughtful approach to life’s challenges, his incredible loyalty to family and friends, his ability to rally those around him to achieve great things, and his appreciation and devotion to the arts and education were but some of the characteristics that made him exceptional.

            Bill was born at Richardson House in Boston on April 9, 1949, to Ann Rice Elfers and William Elfers. He had an idyllic childhood, first in a 4th-floor walk-up apartment on lower Beacon Street, and later, in Wellesley Hills, to which he would return to live with his wife Deborah and their daughters. Bill attended the Fessenden School ’63, The Hotchkiss School ’67, Princeton University ’71 and The Harvard Business School ’74.

            While at Princeton, Bill was very active with the school’s newspaper, the Daily Princetonian, and became the paper’s business manager in 1970. His love of newspapers was to be rekindled years later, when he created Community Newspaper Company for Fidelity Capital. After graduating from Princeton, he attended Heidelberg University (Germany), as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time he famously showed up, unannounced, in the small town of Daverden, to look for his German relatives, and in doing so renewed a wonderful and lasting family connection that had been lost over many years. Bill was the type of person to follow through with great determination to realize an idea, whether it be traveling all the way to a small village in northern Germany, or doing deals all over Massachusetts to acquire village newspapers to form a successful media company. For those along for the ride, it could sometimes be exhausting, but it was always exhilarating.

            In the summer of 1973, Bill worked at Fidelity Investments as a security analyst with Peter Lynch, and after graduating from Harvard, he worked in New York as an investment officer at Brown Brothers Harriman, advising European clients on U.S. equity investments. In 1979 Bill returned to Boston (and Fidelity) as a partner at Fidelity Ventures, where he remained until 1989. In 1989 he became a managing director of Fidelity Capital, where he founded several companies and made many successful venture deals. In 1990 he created and built Community Newspaper Company and served as its CEO until its sale in 2001. In 2002, he founded Tower Capital Partners, and served until 2020 as its managing partner, overseeing investments in private equity companies and hedge funds. He was President of the Elfers Foundation for many years.

            Bill devoted long hours of time and energy to his community, committed to making the world a better place. He served as Trustee and a member of the Investment Committees of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, both of these for more than 20 years. In the 1980s, he co-founded, with friends, the Museum of Fine Arts Council, and helped introduce a new generation to support the institution. Their parties were legendary. Bill was also a Trustee and Vice Chair of the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he worked diligently to grow the hospital’s charitable foundation, inspiring among many other wonderful things the creation of a cardiovascular center, named to honor his father. He served on the Investment Committee of the Hotchkiss School, and was the school’s Treasurer for many years. While his daughters attended the Winsor School, he served as Trustee and Treasurer of their school, and guided the institution through an ambitious capital campaign, which culminated in the building of a much needed academic and athletic complex. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions of time and talent, Bill was named Trustee Emeritus at the Hotchkiss School, the Fessenden School, the MFA, and the BSO. He served for many years as Trustee of his beloved college newspaper, the Daily Princetonian.

            Family and friends were foremost in Bill’s life, and in addition to being devoted to his family, he was a loyal, generous and loving friend to many. A dear friend summed it up this way in a last letter to Bill: “The great mark of success in my mind is not what we may or may not accomplish for ourselves in life, but how we will be remembered for what we did for others during our time on earth. You have been an outstanding success, Bill. Well done.”

            Bill leaves behind his wife, Deborah Bennett Elfers, his daughters Katherine Adams Elfers and Amelia Rice Elfers, his sister Jane Elfers Muther, his brother-in-law Herbert Muther, and several nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Joanne Elfers, and his parents, Ann Rice Elfers and William Elfers.

            “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

            Due to current restrictions, a memorial service will be held at a later date. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Mass General Hospital Department of Neurology – Research under the direction of Dr. James Berry, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 Attn: Krista McCabe. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett.  For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Boating Safety Starts Before Boarding

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            With approximately 75 participants logged in for a recent boat-safety seminar, the Buzzards Bay Coalition could say it was a grand success. But success can only truly be measured by whether or not an objective was achieved, and for that, it comes down to individual responsibility.

            That point and many safety-related points were the main features of the Introduction to Basic Boat Safety with Coast Guard Auxiliary member Neil O’Brien, who wasted no time in what he emphasized was a very brief overview of basic boat safety, not a certificate course.

            O’Brien started with a story— a true story with an unfortunate ending. He recalled the tragic event of a July summer’s day in 2017 when a sailboat, severely overloaded with 12 people, nine of whom were children, swamped off Hog Island in Wareham, tossing all aboard into the choppy waters of Buzzards Bay.

            The boat was only 18 feet long and not designed to handle the changeable currents and late-afternoon chop, especially when overloaded and captained by an inexperienced pilot. O’Brien said that the current in Buzzards Bay changes four times a day and that experienced boaters know to expect rising choppy waves and strong current flow. On that day, fate was not kind.

            When all the passengers were tossed in the water, a mother and father realized their 8-year-old boy was trapped under the overturned boat. The child would not survive the ordeal, despite wearing a life vest.

            Moral of the story: Become a certified operator if you plan on boating.

            “Know before you go,” O’Brien stated, meaning study the weather forecasts and keep a checklist of the necessary equipment to ensure you have everything you need before setting out on the water. He said that “operator experience” is probably the single most crucial aspect of boating, along with situational awareness— know what’s around you at all times).

            While operating a vessel, “Don’t drink alcohol,” he stressed. O’Brien said that 80 percent of fatal boating accidents could be chalked up to an inexperienced pilot, often coupled with alcohol consumption.

            Federal law mandates that all children under the age of 13 must wear a personal floatage jacket. Still, the USCG suggests all passengers wear them, “in spite of the discomfort,” said O’Brien.

            From there, O’Brien moved on to aids to navigation, aka ATONs. He explained that channel markers are directives on which way to enter and leave a channel. For example, red markers shaped like nuns’ hats on the right side indicate “red-right-returning” and bear an even-numbered sequence. On the left side for heading out of a channel, “cans” with flat tops are green with an odd-numbered sequence. Mid-channel markers show white and red.

            The ship itself has vernacular relating to the front (bow), back (stern), right side (starboard), and left (port).

            Before delving into navigational rules, O’Brien said that any boat over 40 feet long is required to keep a complete set of NAVRULES onboard, which govern the actions of captains and pilots. He then moved on to rules of action, or which boat has the right-of-way.

            “You are at all times required to avoid a collision,” O’Brien began. There is a “Hierarchy of Maneuverability” to help ensure that is the case. The number one class of boat that must give way first— that is, move out of the way of an oncoming boat— are power-driven vessels. Because they are engine-propelled, it stands to reason that these vessels would be better equipped to maneuver out of the way versus a sailboat, for instance.

            A sailing vessel underway falls to second place in removing itself from harm’s way before creating a hazardous situation. Next would be any vessel engaged in fishing activities, followed by any vessels with restricted maneuverability, such as commercial craft or tugboats engaged in pulling or pushing activities. Last on the list seems obvious, but when it comes to safety, nothing should be left to chance; that is a vessel not under command, or no one is operating the craft.

            O’Brien said the rules associated with the Hierarchy of Maneuverability are essential in our part of the coastline due to the amount of commercial activity taking place in Buzzards Bay. With this in mind, he talked about the type of lights displayed by working vessels such as tugboats. If a tug is pulling something, it will have three white lights above the cabin; if pushing, it will show two white lights, and there will also be sidelights and stern lights.

            Moving on to what can be one of the most dangerous aspects of owning and or operating a boat, O’Brien talked about fueling a vessel. Before embarking on this most important topic, however, he shared another cautionary tale.

            O’Brien said he had witnessed a dockside gasoline explosion. He observed several noticeably intoxicated men on the fueling dock. The ignition of the gasoline fumes somehow happened, blowing the horribly injured boaters into the water, thus illustrating the importance of following all the fueling rules.

            The rules are: Close all doors and hatches before fueling and have all.

By Marilou Newell

Sippican Historical Society

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Marion (Old Rochester) is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and the Sippican Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of documentation on its historic buildings. In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. Over 100 were cataloged and photographed. SHS will feature one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture.

            The house at 34 Hermitage Road is situated where the Sippican Native Americans resided under the leadership of Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoag tribe. Nearby at Minister’s Rock was the first settlement in Marion (then called Sippican), established when 29 families of Pilgrims left Plymouth in 1678. This Cape Cod cottage dates from the mid-late 18th century and maybe that of Walter Turner, as shown on the 1855 Marion map. By the late 19th century, George Delano owned this house, and he named it the Hermitage. By 1903, it was owned by C.L. Delano. During the first visit of President and Mrs. Cleveland to Marion in 1887, George Delano offered the first family the use of his beach because of its privacy and splendid views of Sippican Harbor.

Former Aquaculture Site Bottoms Out

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            During the Marion Marine Resources Commission’s meeting held on November 23, Deputy Harbormaster and Shellfish Officer Adam Murphy came before the members to discuss his ongoing work relating to the cleanup of the site where Shea Doonan had operated with an aquaculture license since revoked. Reported mismanagement of the equipment on the site led the Town of Marion to begin cleanup of the area to restore the site for future applicants.

            Murphy told commission members that he had been working alongside Marion Harbormaster Isaac Perry to remove abandoned oyster collection bags and oyster cages that litter the site. Murphy assembled a team to detect the oyster cages and remove them from the water. The removal of these cages took Murphy and his team over 40 hours to complete.

            The work to clean the harbor of old shellfishing equipment involved the removal of over 200 oyster bags. The equipment had been rotting on the floor of the harbor, trapping oysters inside without any future for the product trapped inside.

            There has been increasing tension surrounding the project’s cleanup, as Murphy estimated that the total cost to complete the cleanup now stands at over $10,000 and is likely to increase as the work continues. Murphy and Perry had been willing to consider Doonan’s position as grant owner and minimize the cost he would have to bear from the project. Reporting a lack of cooperation on the project from Doonan, Murphy and Perry told the commission they no longer consider his position and instead are racing towards completion of the work.

            Murphy, the town’s shellfish officer, also noted that many of the faulty equipment problems were caused by the improper methods employed by Doonan when securing the equipment. Murphy explained that, while some of the equipment had been properly secured, it was clear that others were tied in such a way that explained the inability to effectively retrieve them from the bottom of the oyster farm.

            Ultimately, if the project’s cost is not resolved by Doonan, it will become an expense for the town. Marine Resources Commission Chairman Vincent Malkoski recommended that a letter be sent to the Board of Selectman to bill the cost of the cleanup project to Doonan. The commission voted to send the letter and await the final invoice for the project from Murphy.

            Perry moved to present a report on the recent oil spill training that took place on October 22. The training was sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection and featured participation from the local community.

            Perry explained that this kind of training is usually conducted every three years to continually promote the necessary procedures to combat these types of spills. The training scenarios involved use experiences from past oil spills that have affected the Town of Marion to inform the proper steps to take in future spills.

            Unfortunately, amid the coronavirus crisis, the training seminar could not take place with participation from the surrounding towns as usual. Perry explained that the lack of participation from other towns did allow for many more members from the local community to get involved in the oil spill training.

            Perry gave a final report to the commission related to the planned construction of a new Harbormaster building. Although there have been no official plans presented by an architect yet, there have already been concerns related to the project’s cost. Perry responded to these concerns by eliminating the planned public screening area and public restrooms. Instead, existing restrooms will be renovated to reduce projected costs.

            Perry advised that little discussion will occur on the project until he receives actual plans from an architect. Without the official plans, Perry fears that the project will be picked apart before anyone actually knows what is going to be done.

            The next Marion Marine Resource Commission meeting will be held on January 11.

Marion Marine Resources Commission

By Matthew Donato

BBC Nature in Our Neighborhood

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The Buzzards Bay Coalition is celebrating the 2020 holiday season with an online contest to highlight the beauty and abundance of our region’s lands, waters, and wildlife.

            Through the “Grateful, Thankful, and Glad Photo Contest,” residents are encouraged to share up to three photographs of a favorite place on Buzzards Bay or within its watershed area. The watershed encompasses 18 communities from Little Compton, RI to Woods Hole on the coast, as far north as Freetown, and as far east as parts of Carver and Plymouth.

            “In a year in which we’ve faced so many challenges, our outdoor spaces have been a constant source of peace, relaxation, and recreation,” said Mark Rasmussen, president of the Coalition. “It seems fitting to celebrate the incredible open spaces that Buzzards Bay communities have protected and preserved over the years. The contest is an opportunity to reflect on all that we have and recommit everyone to the need to continue to protect it.”

            Six winners will be selected at random for a gift of Buzzards Bay Coalition swag. Winners choose from cold weather beanies, baseball caps with a favorite Bay location stitched on the back, long-sleeve t-shirts, and water bottles, as well as one of our famous “Save the Bay” bumper stickers. Winners will be announced Wednesday, December 16.

            There is no cost to participate. To enter, individuals should “follow” the Coalition (@savebuzzardsbay) on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and share a photo of a favorite place in the Buzzards Bay region via social media by midnight on Saturday, December 12. The photo can be a landscape or waterscape, a closeup of some wonder or image of people at play on the Bay or in the watershed lands surrounding it. The entry should include where the photo was taken and why it’s a favorite place.

            Photos should be submitted either as a public post that includes a tag of the Coalition or as a social media story that is then sent as a screenshot via social media messaging to the Coalition. Participants are limited to three entries.