“Because the South Shore is so close, it has a robust connection to the islands,’’ said Powers. “The South Shore can look out and see them.’’
This season, more programs and activities will be offered on the islands than ever before, Powers said. (When Powers became president of the Alliance in 2004, there were eight island events offered; this year, there are more than 150.)
There’s plenty to do throughout the summer, from kayaking to kite-flying to youth yoga. The Berklee College of Music is putting on free concerts, and Jasper White’s Summer Shack will host clambakes and an Iron Chef competition.
For history buffs, there are tours of Boston Light (the oldest lighthouse station in the country), as well as special events to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
“We’re trying to provide something for everybody,’’ said Rebecca Smerling, director of community programs for the alliance.
“The push is really to engage different audiences, and drive different audiences to the islands,’’ said Smerling. The ultimate goal, she said, is to “enliven the park.’’
Collectively, the entire network of islands is a designated national park area, but individual islands are owned, managed, and staffed by different entities (which include the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the City of Boston, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and National Park Service).
While the islands are now officially known as a national park, the South Shore has long held close ties to them. Georges Island, for instance, was once owned by a Hingham man named Caleb Rice.
Quincy has also had an especially strong connection to Peddocks Island, according to Lieutenant Robert Gillan, who patrols the harbor on Police Department boats daily. Gillan remembers a time when residents of Peddocks Island - known to locals as “islanders’’ - would use rowboats to reach Quincy’s shores to attend school.
“There’s a big family connection,’’ said Gillan. “And there’s a lot of history out there.’’
