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

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 […]

Scott Bearhope – River Dunes, NC

“You can rest assured your boat is in good hands at River Dunes. Marina is clean and maintained in pristine condition. Harbormaster Bearhope is attentive to details and responsive to […]

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 […]

Larry Powers – Winthrop, MA

Harbormaster for 4 years. Retired Fire Chief from Winthrop. Submitted by L. Powers

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 […]

https://www.usharbors.com/business/brewer-stratford-marina/

Ross Hatfield – Housatonic River Stratford, CT

I have been Harbormaster since 2004 before that Deputy since 1999. Our Deputy is Tom Fahy we patrol 10 miles of the River which runs 150 miles from its source […]

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 […]

Jeffrey Lowell, Harbormaster in Boothbay, Maine

Jeffrey Lowell – Boothbay Harbor, ME

Jeff is the most versatile and helpful Harbormaster we have encountered in thirty years of cruising from Florida to Maine. On our recent visit, [1] Jeff greeted us with a […]

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 […]

Oliver Curry – Southwest Harbor, ME

I started as Southwest Harbor Harbormaster on August 9th 2021. As a lifelong mariner, I’ve worked in most of the harbors around MDI as a deckhand, aquaculture crew, commercial fisherman, […]

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 […]

Kim Czapla – Hartford, CT

Hi! I’m the Harbor Master Program Administrator for the State of Connecticut, Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. We provide regulatory oversight, support and technical training to our Harbor Masters. […]