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

Robert Ganem – Somerset, MA

Robert “Buster” Ganem has been working tirelessly for the boating community in Somerset, MA since 1991. Ensuring safety and fun on the local waters. He is also an Hero, in […]

Scott Story and Rosemary Lesch - Harbormasters in Rockport, MA

Scott Story & Rosemary Lesch – Rockport, MA

Scott Story and Rosemary Lesch have been Co-Harbormasters for the town of Rockport for over 30 years. They each came to the job as EMT’s, Maritime Licensed Captains and with […]

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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 […]

Paul Blank – Newport Harbor, CA

I have been part of the Newport Harbor community since I completed City of Newport Beach Recreation Department sailing lessons as a child. That early introduction to sailing has led […]

Katherine Pickering, Harbormaster in Belfast, ME

Katherine Pickering – Belfast, ME

I’ve always felt fortunate to work on Belfast Harbor. I started in 1989 at a local boatyard before being appointed as Harbor Master for the City of Belfast in 1993 […]

Edward Finlay – Shark River Municipal Marina, NJ

I have been the Harbor Master here at the Shark River Municipal Marina since 2012. Soon after I took over, Super Storm Sandy showed up and decimated my property. It […]

Craig Stanton – Redondo Beach, FL

Craig Stanton, the harbormaster at the Redondo Beach Marina, exemplifies everything a professional harbormaster should be. He is knowledgeable, helpful, courteous and just salty enough to give a reassuring air […]

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 […]

Thomas Phillips – Eliot, ME

I have been Deputy Harbormaster since 2014 for the Eliot shoreline and we have 184 moorings. I have known the Piscataqua River since 1975 and am an avid fisherman. Submitted […]

Beth Bellis, Harbormaster in Annapolis, MD

Beth Bellis – Annapolis, MD

I have been the Harbormaster in the City of Annapolis for three years. Prior to this, I spent 20 years working as a Natural Resources Police Officer for Maryland. I […]

Charlie Helms – Crescent City, CA

I’ve been the Harbor Master here in Crescent City for the past six and a half years. I started my maritime career as a deckhand on towboats on the Mississippi […]

Scott Grindy – San Francisco Marina & Small Craft Harbor, CA

I am originally from Seattle area coming to the Bay Area with about 4 years into San Francisco. Prior to SF, I was with the Port of Everett, WA. operating […]