Not everyone thinks crabs are cute, but 10-year-old Delia Downes sure does. Downes was in good company as one of over 50 participants at an April 23 tidepooling event hosted by Boothbay Sea and Science Center (BSSC) and Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library (BHML).   

“I just got really interested, and I like cute animals,” she said about coming, proudly showing off a crab she found. She added that crabs are, indeed, cute. Downes and her grandfather, Dell, were spending a few days in Boothbay from Gorham and the event was great timing.   

“I love the ocean. And I also like tide pools, but I like the creatures and the ecosystems and the tide pools too,” she said. “I think that it's interesting how they depend on each other. And if one part of it disappears, then the entire thing just crashes.”  

Led by staff and volunteers, including local student-educators, families came to learn about tidepools and explore the various crustaceans, fish and other aquatic life in Linekin Bay. There were also book readings, a seaweed pressing station and knot-tying practice.  

BSSC Executive Director Pauline Dion hoped the event helped people understand the ocean, what lives there and the value of protecting the environment. Even an oyster decorating activity was a teaching moment.   

“Kids always say, ‘They're so beautiful.’ And we say, ‘Yeah, that's why you can take care of the ocean because they are beautiful and they provide food,'" Dion said. “We hope that when they leave here, they're taking back more than they came with and that they're sharing that at school with their friends.”  

BHML Program Director Bethany Schmidt said the library and the center have a long history of collaboration, but this was the first event the two have done exclusively. Schmidt said it's part of a push from the library to do more outreach programming and services this year.

“We know how important they are in this community. And we really wanted to partner with them to do something special, just the two of us,” Schmidt said. “This is the first time we've been here. And I think this is the first time we've really done an event this scale outside of the library.”  

Dion also said the event was, in part, a thank you. She said the Boothbay region has been very generous to BSSC and the center's new pier was made possible with local dollars. "For us, it's a way to say thank you. It's a way to say thank you to the community for supporting us.”  

For more environmental activities and learning, BHML is hosting its annual Earth Day Fest April 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Boothbay Harbor with over a dozen community partner organizations, including BSSC.