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

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 […]

Captain Jim Suber, Dockmaster, Jacksonville, FL

Captain Jim Suber – Jacksonville, FL

I am the Waterways Coordinator/Dock Master for the City of Jacksonville. After 32 years in Law Enforcement (including Marine Enforcement) I retired, and was offered this position in September 2006. We […]

Dana B. Rice Sr. – Gouldsboro, ME

I’ve been Gouldsboro’s Harbormaster for more than 40 years. Gouldsboro has six harbors and several anchorage areas. We have approximately 175 moorings for mostly commercial boats, but also pleasure boats. […]

Mario W. Bandeira -- Harbormaster, Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mario W. Bandeira – Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

My name is Mario, I’m 62 years old, work with marina development and equipment’s (floating docks, boat hoist, forklift and others) here in Brazil for 22 years and as Senior […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Larry Powers – Winthrop, MA

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

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

Over 35 years of professional experience in the Management of Personnel, Capital Projects, Facilities Management, Capital and Operational Budgets, Public Works, Building & Engineering Design, Parks and Recreation, Building-Campus Operations, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Charlie Phippen - Harbormaster in Bar Harbor, ME

Charlie Phippen – Bar Harbor, ME

I’m a retired Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer and I have worked for the Town of Bar Harbor for twenty years as Harbormaster. I feel a Harbormaster is like a […]