Looking for something to do today? Here are The Salem News' Best Bets:
Take a whirlwind trip to Paris, thanks to traveling librarian Jeff Klapes. See the sights, tour the countryside and learn about the food, all from the comfort of the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library. Your virtual vacation starts at 6:30 p.m. at the library, 14 Union St., Hamilton. For more information visit www.hwlibrary.org.
Ever wonder about those dark patches of water that you see while swimming or sailing in Salem Sound? They're eelgrass meadows. Marine biologist Tay Evans, who has been studying the ecology of eelgrass in the sound for seven years, will talk about her work and what you can do to help protect this natural habitat in a lecture at Abbot Public Library, 235 Pleasant St., Marblehead. This free event, the next in Salem Sound Coastwatch's "Underwater in Salem Sound" series, starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call 978-741-7900, email info@salemsound.org or visit salemsound.org.
How much do you know about Salem privateering during the War of 1812? During the war, Salem sent out 43 cruisers to roam the Atlantic and monitor Massachusetts' and Maine's harbors, searching for smugglers. Mike Rutstein, owner and captain of the schooner Fame and author of the book "The Privateering Stroke," will delve into the lives of these privateers in a lecture at the Salem Athenaeum, 337 Essex St., tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15/general, $10/Athenaeum members, free/students with ID and can be purchased at www.salemathenaeum.net or by calling 978-744-2540.
