National Harbormaster Appreciation Day | Thank your harbormaster!

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

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

Play Pause Unmute Mute

Scroll to Content

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

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 […]

Timothy Petrick – Crescent City, CA

I’ve been with Crescent City Harbor District for about 10 months now. I’ve been Harbormaster/CEO since February 2021. Before that I was Harbormaster of Richmond Yacht Club and at sea […]

Rick Brass – Washington, NC

I’ve been a sailor since my Grandfather and I built my first boat 56 years ago. After a career in engineering and marketing, I retired early to go cruising. I […]

William Cavill – Menominee, MI

I have been the Harbor Master at the Menominee Marina for the last nineteen years. During my last fifty six years on the water I have done Marine Law Enforcement […]

Jeffrey Cleary – Waterford, NY

I manage the Port of Waterford, New York for the Town of Waterford, New York. We are located 42-47′-14″ N/ 73-40′-45″ W. We stand in front of Lock E2, the […]

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 […]

Harbor of Escanaba, MI. Submitted by S. Sanville.

Shayne Sanville – Escanaba, MI

I have been the Harbor Master at the beautiful Escanaba Marina tucked away in Little Bay De Noc for four years now. Before becoming Harbor Master I managed the family […]

Kristin Forster -- Harbormaster in Port Austin, MI

Kristin Forster – Port Austin, MI

I have worked as the Harbormaster at Port Austin State harbor since June 2020. Before taking over as harbor master I worked as a summer worker at local state park. […]

Bridgeport, CT Harbormaster Boat. Submitted by R. Conrad.

Ryan Conrad – Bridgeport, CT

I started out as the Assistant Harbormaster in 2010 and was appointed Harbormaster in 2015. The city has 5 ports, 11 marinas and 150 municipal moorings. There are 3 ferries […]

Don Procko – Mystic, CT

I retired after 35 years as a public school “shop”teacher, a job I loved. After serving on the Harbor Management Commission, I became Harbor Master of Mystic (Stonington and Groton) […]

Vallejo Marina Team – Vallejo, CA

Thorne Bay Marina at Sunset. Submitted by J. Aaro

Jacob Aaro – Thorne Bay, AK

I just started as Harbormaster this year. I have 2 harbors to maintain with about 170 slips containing, commercial fish boats, pleasure boats, floatplanes and floathouses. Thorne Bay is extremely […]