>> THE GRANITE QUARRIES OF QUINCY.
THIS HIGH QUALITY STONE WAS TREASURED.
NOW IT HAS NOTORIETY FOR CLIFF DIVING.
THEY HAVE CHANGED YET AGAIN, FILLED WITH BIG DIG DIRT AND TRANSFORMED INTO A TECHNICOLOR DREAM WORLD NOW A POPULAR PARK RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND
RESTORATIO -- THIS STILL APPEALS TO RISKTAKERS.
>> IT IS A HISTORICAL CLIMBING PLACE.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CLIMBING HERE FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS.
>> HE IS A REGULAR HERE, OFTEN COMING OUT TO CLIMB AFTER WORK.
>> THE CLIMBING HERE IS UNIQUE.
THE ROCK QUALITY IS REALLY GOOD.
THERE IS LAYER UPON LAYER OF SPRAY PAINT.
THAT MAKES FOR AN INTERESTING CLIMBING EXPERIENCE.
IT ADDS TO THE CHALLENGE.
>> IT IS THE REAL THING.
W█HEN YOU THINK ABOUT ROCKCLIMBING, YOU THINK ABOUT THESE PRISTINE WALLS.
>> ALONG WITH GRAFTI ARTISTS, CLIMBERS HERE HAVE LEARNED TO SHARE THIS NATURAL WONDER WITH INSTAGRAM OR’S, THE OCCASIONAL RAP VIDEO CREW, AND OTHER UNUSUAL URBAN CHALLENGES.
>> FOR ALL OF THE DANGER OF CLIMBING, THE CLOSEST CALL I EVER HAD HERE WAS ON WAS BEING HIT BY A GOLF ALL THAT SOMEONE WAS DRIVING.
OF AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS AND WHAT COMES TO MIND?
YELLOWSTONE, YOSEMITE, OR RIGHT HERE, ACADIA.
OFTEN OVERLOOKED, BOSTON’S VERY ARE NATURAL WONDER, THE BOSTON HARBOR ISLANDS.
>> THEY ARE A HIDDEN GEM.
I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY ARE STILL HIDDEN.
>> THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND CONSERVATION CO. MANAGES THE PARK.
>> THE ISLANDS ARE OVER UTILIZED -- UNDERUTILIZED AND UNDERAPPRECIATED.
PEOPLE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THEM OR THEY MAY HAVE THIS FOGGY RECOLLECTION OF TAKING A SCHOOL FIELD TRIP WHEN THEY WERE IN FIFTH OR SIXTH GRADE.
THE ISLANDS HAVE CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE THEN.
>> THERE IS LITTLE BREWSTER ISLAND, WHICH IS HOME TO BOSTON LIGHT.
THEN THERE ARE LONG STRETCHES OF SANDY BEACH AND CAMPING Y URTS.
YOU REALLY NEED TO MAKE ANOTHER TRIP OUT THERE.
AND EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY ARE NOW.
HOW THEY ARE EVOLVING.
>> WE DECIDED TO DO JUST THAT.
CALLING AN OLD FRIEND.
>> THAT IS MY HOUSE RIGHT THERE UNDER THE TREES.
>> HE COULD HAVE WRITTEN THE BOOK ON SOCIAL DISTANCING.
HE LIVES WITH HIS LIFE -- WIFE YEAR-ROUND ON THIS ISLAND IN THE HOUSE HE GREW UP IN.
IT IS LIVING OFF THE GRID.
AS A KID, THE HARBOR ISLANDS WHERE HIS BACKYARD.
HE AGREES TO TAKE US ON A LITTLE TOUR OF HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS WAS NAMED AFTER CREWMAN ACCUSED OF KILLING A CAPTAIN.
>> THEY BROUGHT HIM OUT OF THE SILENT AND HE SAID, IF I AM NOT GUILTY, THIS ISLAND WILL WASH AWAY.
IT IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.
SO THE RUMOR IS, HE WAS NOT GUILTY.
>> NEXT STOP, SPECTACLE ISLAND.
MILLION-DOLLAR VIEWS OF THE CITY.HE PLAYED HERE AS A KID WHE WAS A TOXIC DUMP.
>> IT WAS ALL CLIFFS OF TRASH.
WHEN THE WAVES WOULD HIT THE CLIFFS OF TRASH, ALL YOU WOULD HEAR HIS GLASS CRINKLING IN THE WAVES.
YOU WOULD FIND LITTLE COINS AND STUFF.
IT WAS KIND OF COOL.
>> WHEN HE WOULD MOTORHOME, HIS MOTHER WAS A LIT FAST BIT LESS ENTHUSIASTIC.
>> SMELLED.
>> HE NOT ONLY LIVES IN THE MIDDLE OF BOSTON HARBOR, HE MAKES HIS LIVING HERE AS WELL.
A TUGBOAT OPERATOR.
HE IS HAPPY TO SEE THIS.
MY PARENTS STARTED BACK IN THE 50’S AND IT WAS HANDED ON TO US AND WE ARE KEEPING IT GOING THIS IS OUR HERITAGE.
IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE PART OF THESE ISLANDS.
>> MIKE MCDEVITT IS A HARBOR ISLAND GUY THROUGH AND THROUGH.
IN FACT, HIS TUG COMPANY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN TRANSFORMING SPECTACLE ISLAND TO THE NATURAL WONDER IT IS TODAY THE SECRET INGREDIENT, BIG DIG DIRT, WHICH HIS BOATS HELPED
TRANSPORT TO SPECTACLE.
THE DIRT WAS USED TO CAP THE OLD DUMP AND RE-SHAPE THE ISLAND.
COMING UP, WHEN DINOSAURS