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

Travas Taylor – Lexington, MI

I’ve worked at Lexington State Harbor here in Michigan for three years now, and as harbormaster for two. I love the close-knit community where everyone is very friendly and willing […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

Samantha Parker - Harbormaster, Sandwich, MA

Samantha Parker – Sandwich, MA

I am still relatively new to this department but love the staff and slip holders that I have the pleasure of working with. Coming from being a cadet at Mass […]

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. […]

Paul Plummer - Harbormaster in Harpswell, ME

Paul Plummer – Harpswell, ME

The Town of Harpswell has 216 Miles of coastline, with approximately 2,400 moorings (the most in Maine). I’ve been with the Town of Harpswell since May of 2017. Before Harpswell, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Justine Seavey, Harbormaster Bass Harbor, ME

Justin Seavey – Bass Harbor, ME

I’ve been on the job here for over 4 years now. I enjoy working with all the fisherman, and meeting new people throughout the summer. I also enjoy helping out […]