National Harbormaster Appreciation Day | Thank your harbormaster!

Celebrate Your Harbormaster on 10/8/2024.
IDEAS FOR HOW TO CELEBRATE

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Coastal communities around the country celebrate their Harbormasters on Thursday, Oct. 8th!

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Harbormasters are the stewards of our harbors – the center of our coastal communities. They manage the overall ecosystem, including moorings and docks, harbor uses and harbor users, and interactions between local, state and federal government. Of all of our public stewards (police, EMT, fire etc.) these men and women receive the least recognition.

Harbormaster Appreciation Day* -- a day to honor our U.S. Harbormasters and the great work they do -- occurs annually on October 8th.

* National Harbormaster Appreciation Day is registered with the National Day Archive.

WHAT DO HARBORMASTERS DO?

MEET OUR HARBORMASTERS

Bill Draughon – Aventura, FL

I have been the Marina Director for 37 years. I have always been working on boats or in the marina my whole career. We have a beautiful 80 acre residential […]

Eric Donch -- Harbormaster, Stonington, CT

Eric Donch – Stonington, CT

See Weather Forecasts, Marine Weather, Radar, and Harbor Information for Stonington, CT Submitted by Melanie Degler

Steve Hope, harbormaster in New Harbor, ME

Steve Hope – New Harbor, ME

“Steve Hope has been serving our community for years, and I personally think his experience and knowledge of the area and being on the water, combined with the history and […]

Kate McConville – New Shoreham, RI

I was hired as Block Island’s first female Harbormaster in 2020. The Great Salt Pond is a super popular destination along the New England coast. We have 90 transient rental […]

Southport, CT Harbormaster Brian LeClerc. Photo by K. Taylor

Bryan LeClerc – Southport, CT

In our small harbor of mostly pleasure boats our Harbor Master, Brian LeClerc, is responsible for a lot of things including: safety drills and safety training; harbor and shoreline inspection; debris […]

Katie Traub – Wilmette, IL

I am the Harbor Master at the Wilmette Harbor Club located in the Chicago land area. I have been a dinghy driver for 10 years and I have been the […]

Wayne Johnson – Milwaukee, WI

I’ve been the harbormaster since 2010. The Port of Milwaukee is a department of the city of Milwaukee municipality. Currently have 40 years in city employment. Port Milwaukee is a […]

Aerial view of Norwalk Harbor in Connecticut. Submitted by B. Lavallo

Bruce Lovallo – Norwalk, CT

I started as Norwalk’s Deputy Harbormaster 2018, and was appointed Harbormaster in 2021. My responsibilities include overseeing moorings and various projects impacting the harbor. I retired after 24yr career in […]

Steve Adkins – Madison, CT

Over 60 years and counting on Madison Beach, gave me my love of the water and all things that float or swim in it. We don’t have much of a […]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pleasure_Pier_in_Galveston,_Texas.jpg

Jacob O’Kelley – Galveston, TX

I am the Senior Harbormaster for the Galveston Wharves (Port of Galveston – Port Authority). I have been in the Operations Department/Harbormaster’s role since June of 2018. Prior to this […]

Capt. Jeff Dziedzic – Groton, CT

Capt Jeff Dziedzic has been the Groton harbormaster since his Governor appointment in 2003. The waters in his area consist of a large mooring field in Pine Island Bay, the […]

Mick Dunning - Harbormaster, Sandwich, MA

Mick Dunning – Sandwich, MA

I have been at the Marina for five years. As a graduate from Mass Maritime I sailed as a Merchant Mariner before I came here. I love the location of […]