By John Lynds
The three youth only suffered minor injuries. However, the incident has shed some light on the generations’ old tradition
of jumping off the park’s pier during the hot summer months.
Residents living near LoPresti Park let out a collective sigh of relief Monday after Boston Firefighters and Boston EMTs rescued three Eastie youths that were playing off the pier that jets out into the Boston Harbor from the park.
For generations the old piers at LoPresti Park has been a place for neighborhood kids to swim and cool off during the summer months. However, the newly refurbished pier is not designed for swimmers and once youths jump off they quickly realize there is no way back up to the pier–neither a rope nor a ladder.
This has proven to be hazardous at times as youths sometimes quickly tire from swimming and then realize they have to swim a few dozen yards back to the shores of LoPresti Park.
Monday’s incident happened at low tide which made any chance of the three youths to safely climb back onto the pier nearly impossible. The trio quickly tired and called for help and a successful water rescue by first responders ensued.
“They acquired minor injuries but probably got a real shock,” said Maverick Landing Resident and head of the East Boston Harborkeepers group, Magdalena Ayed. “A huge shout out to Boston first responders. I realize that youths have been jumping off this pier for years, but we can’t stress enough the importance of knowing swimming safety in this type of shoreline that is not officially a swimming area and can be very rough and unsafe.”