Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Sea Sciences - The Aquatic Pick Up Truck for Marine Instrumentation

Sea Sciences, great local Maritime company, exhibited at the recent Maritime Summit in Gloucester, MA. They come from Arlington, MA and have developed a versatile towed vehicle called "The Acrobat" which is the most field usable tow body system available. It can be used in Pollution Monitoring, Marine Nutrient Analyses, Chemical Measurements, Plankton ID, Bottom Surveys using the latest acoustic and camera technologies, Water Sampling, and Dispersion Mapping during Dredging. The system has also been used for NASA Satellite Ground Truthing. 



Dirk Casagrande demonstates how the Acrobat works at
2nd Annual Maritime Summit at Cruiseport Gloucester

The company is owned by two brothers, Chris and Dirk Casagrande. They said this technology was used extensively during the Gulf Oil Spill to monitor pollution. Texas A&M University used it in very shallow waters with good success but it can also be used in depths up to 100 meters.



The Acrobat

The Acrobat system can be tailored ot a customers maritime needs and modifications can be made for controlling the software.  The Acrobat can maintain a constant depth and there can be manual override of the computer control. This type of system is used extensively in mapping ocean floors.

For more information contact:
Sea Sciences
40 Massachusetts Ave.
Arlington, MA 02474
888-781-3850
sales@seasciences.com
www.seasciences.com


Story and Photos by:

Melissa Abbott
Director Sales and Marketing
Seaport Grille
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Cruiseport Gloucester
978-852-0381 Cell
978-392-0198 Skype
MelissaAbbott@CruiseportGloucester.com
CruiseportGloucester.com



Norwegian Breakaway - Float Out - It´s the 5th biggest Cruiseship in the World





First Look of the new Norwegian Breakaway!
The Norwegian Breakaway is Ready for Float Out at Meyer Werft!
25th February 2013!
It´s the 5th biggest Cruiseship in the World and the biggest Ship built in Germany!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Ocean Genome Legacy can help Gloucester get local Seafood "Branded and Bar Coded" creating locally sourced awareness


Ever wish that when you bought wild seafood there was a label or it saying where it was caught or even if it had a specific brand name like Gloucester Haddock or Cape Ann Lobster. It is actually something we are going to see in the coming years. Wild Seafood branded by place or area it was caught. The idea is to have local Seafood Barcoded and in essence, branded,  with seal of approval like "Guaranteed Gloucester Seafood" is not something new and the idea is kicked around enough to have some legs.

During the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit in Gloucester, MA it was discussed a lot because one of the Exhibitors for the event, Ocean Genome Legacy" has the ability to organize a bar coding system for local Seafood as part of what they do. 

OGL (Ocean Genome Legacy) is a nonprofit agency in  Ipswich, MA which uses FDA approved methods and guidelines allowing for specific seafood label markets and genres. OGL SpeciesCheck is a state of the art scientific method for identifying animal species using mitochondrial DNA barcode analysis for seafood and restaurant industries,government, researchers, and consumers for identification of fish species.

Did you know that substituted and mislabeled seafood is a violation of Federal Law? But up to now, how could anyone tell the difference?

Creating a local Seafood brand would go a long way in boosting the awareness of buying locally from Gloucester.

For More Information on this company:
Ocean Genome Legacy
240 County Rd
Ipswich, MA 01938
978-380-7425
Www.oglf.org


photo and blogging by:
Melissa Abbott
Director Sales and Marketing
Seaport Grille
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Cruiseport Gloucester
978-852-0381 Cell
MelissaAbbott@CruiseportGloucester.com
CruiseportGloucester.com








Sailbot Regatta Scheduled June 2013 Gloucester, Ma

Video of Olin College "Sailbot" sailing in Boston Harbor

Ocean Alliance, Olin College, and The City of Gloucester, Ma are teaming up this June 9-13, 2013 to pull together the 7th International Robotic Sailing Competition in Gloucester Harbor. We got a peak at the technology during the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit at Cruiseport Gloucester on Feb. 7, 2013


Ocean Alliance "Sailbot" exhibited at
2nd Annual Maritime Summit Gloucester Ma Feb 7, 2013

Ocean Alliance, Olin College, and The City of Gloucester, Ma are teaming up this June 9-13, 2013 to pull together the 7th International Robotic Sailing Competition in Gloucester Harbor. We got a peak at the technology during the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit at Cruiseport Gloucester.

The Robotic "Sailbot" is breathing new life into the ancient art of sailing. This technology blends the tradition of sailing with cutting edge robotic technology. The idea is to try and imagine a world where robotic sailboats freed of petrochemicals and the labor intensity of classic sailboats, cruise the oceans using the power of the wind. Using engineering techniques such as path planning, obstacle avoidance, and optimized sail trim these "bots" are being put together my students and teams all over the world for this yearly competition. Last year the competition was in Ontario. Considering the history of sail and the birth of the classic Robinson schooner in Gloucester harbor, Gloucester seems like a fitting place for the upcoming regatta.

All those interested in Robotics, Autonomy, Sailing, or Naval Architecture will have a great time meeting and exchanging ideas. from students, novices, veteran programmers, sailors, and teams.

The plan is there may be over 100 robotic sailbots racing individually and in teams around Gloucester Harbor!

Autonomous watercraft technologies hold the potential to further advancements in national security and marine biology. Currently, the military and private sectors utilize a hybrid mix of manually operated and autonomous watercraft, but the production of fully unmanned oceanic vehicles, such as Sailbots, is now on the brink of reality. The ability to use self-guided robotic watercraft for coastal surveillance missions as well as water pollution sourcing, oil spill recovery and tsunami warning eliminates the human risk typically associated with these tasks. Furthermore, the monitoring of marine animals will be greatly enhanced by this technology, allowing for passive observation of behaviors such as migration routes and pairing sites.

For more information and application:
www.sailbot.org
Sailbot2013@gmail.com


Ocean Alliance Robotics Display including the "Sailbot" at
City of Gloucester's
2nd Annual Maritime Summit 2013

Photos and Story by:

Melissa Abbott
Director Sales and Marketing
Seaport Grille
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Cruiseport Gloucester
978-852-0381 Cell
MelissaAbbott@CruiseportGloucester.com
CruiseportGloucester.com






Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Web Click or Call - Real Time Buoy and Whale Listening Information available 24 hours a Day from NERACOOS

Recent talk By J. Ru Morrison, Ph.D
Executive Director of NERACOOS
at 2nd Annual Maritime
Summit Gloucester, MA


I had the recent pleasure of learning about NERACOOS (Northeastern Regional Asso. of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems) at the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit put on by the City of Gloucester at Cruiseport Gloucester. J. Ru Morrison their Executive Director gave a talk about their buoys which are critical to protecting lives and property of mariners and coastal residents alike.

They were established in 2008 as part of the U.S. integrated Ocean Observing System. NERACOOS is the regional arm of that organization serving the coastal waters of the Northeast. Where economically valuable industries such as fishing, shipping, and tourism who depend on ocean and weather data.

NERACOOS provides this vital data through a system of buoys and listening devices which improve the safety and stewardship of the Northeast Coast.

They have REAL-TIME buoy data on the Web. If you go to their website at www.neracoos.org you will see inactive maps showing wind speed, direction, and gust as well as wave height, air pressure, air temperature, water temperature, and right whale presence.  The right whale listening stations are monitored by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and real time smart buoys which listen for whale calls all day. This information is critical to ship captains so they will know where the whales are and how to avoid them thus saving whales http://www.listenforwhales.org .

 There is also the ability to "dial a buoy" by calling 888-701-8992 over a touch tone or cell phone. This could prove to be invaluable for fishermen and mariners. 



This NERACOOS Organization is really a partnership composed of 25 different universities, government agencies, businesses, and non profit organizations all working together to contribute to all the people who can benefit form Ocean Information.

 It is really amazing and so interesting to learn about what these NERACOOS buoys can do and to visit their website and actually be able to click on a buoy and get real time information. Maybe someday these buoys will have their own facebook page and twitter out updates! Thanks to the City of Gloucester's 2nd Annual Maritime Summit, I now know about them! 


Melissa Abbott
Director Sales and Marketing
Seaport Grille
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Cruiseport Gloucester
978-852-0381 Cell
978-392-0198 Skype
MelissaAbbott@CruiseportGloucester.com
CruiseportGloucester.com


Monday, February 18, 2013

New York Times Reports on Gloucester Fishing! If this is one reason to work on Cooking and Catching Underutilized Species of Fish Like Monkfish, Skate, Redfish, and Dog Fish, Don't see what is?

New York Times Reports on Gloucester Fishing! If this is one reason to work on Cooking and Catching Underutilized Species of Fish Like Monkfish, Skate, Redfish, and Dog Fish, I don't see what is? See Post of cooking underutilized fish: http://gloucestermarineterminal.blogspot.com/2013/02/grilled-monkfish-pan-fried-redfish.html
Selection of beautifully prepared
Underutilized Species Buffet.
Includes Redfish, Monkfish, Skate, and Dog Fish


February 15, 2013

As Fisheries Struggle, Debate Heats Up Over How to Help



GLOUCESTER, Mass. — B. G. Brown, a second-generation fisherman who chases cod and haddock from this port city, spent a recent morning rigging up his 31-foot commercial vessel to be manned alone. He had just lost his only crew member to the more lucrative lobster fishery, days after fishery regulators last month approved a 77 percent cut in the amount of cod that can be harvested from the Gulf of Maine waters here.
“It’s kind of tricky setting hooks by yourself,” said Mr. Brown. At 41, he is one of the younger members of the aging cadre that still plumbs these waters for groundfish, but he has reluctantly listed his boat for sale. “I don’t want to give up, and I really want to find a way to try and stay on the water, but I really just don’t see a way at the moment,” he said.
Mr. Brown is one of hundreds of fishermen caught in the net that has tightened around this industry and its seaside communities as the numbers of both fish and boats appear to be at historically low levels. Changes in the ecosystem, lingering effects of decades of overfishing and imperfect fishery management could all be to blame for the crisis, depending on whom you ask.
The situation looked so dire that the Commerce Department declared the Northeastern commercial groundfish fishery a disaster last fall, along with three salmon fisheries in Alaska and Mississippi’s blue crab and oyster fisheries.
That declaration paved the way for Congress to appropriate financial relief to those areas — a stop-and-start process that saw $150 million attached to, then stripped from, theHurricane Sandy relief bill. Recently, Representative John Tierney, a Democrat of Massachusetts, proposed legislation that would draw aid money from a tax on imported fish.
But the prospect of significant money coming into the community has ignited a debate here over who gets it, dividing the fishermen on the piers, who see it as a lifeline in a time of deep struggle, from city officials who agree, but would also like to spend some of it as a boost to a new shoreline economy.
On a cold winter day, Carolyn Kirk, the mayor of Gloucester, looked over a fallow stretch of the inner harbor where a white sign read “Under Idea Development.” This, she says, could be a research center or the home of an ocean technology company. She hopes businesses like that could help Gloucester maintain its economic identity as a port city, even as the fishing fleet shrinks.
Mayor Carolyn Kirk looks over a buffet of Skate Wings
 cooked with a Lemon Butter Caper Sauce at recent
2nd Annual Maritime Summit at Cruiseport Gloucester

“T-shirts, taffy, not interested,” said Ms. Kirk, alluding to coastal communities like Hampton, N.H., that have built boardwalk economies. “How do we take the working port and put it back to work in a different kind of way?”
To Ms. Kirk, a former management consultant who is running for a fourth two-year term, the disaster money is an opportunity to help the fishermen — but also to diversify the economy, which she thinks could position itself at the center of the marine science and technology sector. That, she hopes, could help the city rebuild its economy as have some Massachusetts mill cities, like Lowell and Worcester, that now host biotech companies and warehouse apartments.
“If we rely on the romance associated with the fishing industry, we will lose the port, we will lose the infrastructure, we will lose our heritage and authenticity,” Ms. Kirk said.
If Congress appropriates the full $150 million, Mayor Kirk thinks some of it should be used for direct aid to the fishing industry, “but then let’s also do some other things,” she said.
“Programs that might attract those other uses that allow you to maintain a smaller fleet, and maintain an infrastructure for that fleet, and sit side by side,” she explained. “My vision is, it’s more comprehensive than just taking care of one fisherman.”
Ms. Kirk is the first to admit that suggesting using any of the money for anything other than direct aid is controversial. “I made my vision and perspective known, and I had a line out the door of fishermen banging on my door, wanting to see me right away,” she said.
One of those fishermen was Paul Vitale. “She’s trying to get money to fix the city — that shouldn’t come out of my pocket,” Mr. Vitale said. “It shouldn’t go to anyone but the fishermen.”
Mr. Vitale and many other fishermen here say the aid offers them a way to hold on until the stocks rebound and the industry readjusts, and is intended to preserve this storied industry and individual livelihoods. A rebuilt infrastructure will not help, some say, if there is no fleet to use it.
Russell Sherman stood at the wheel of his boat, the Lady Jane, as light faded and his crew prepared to dock for the night. He made $19,800 fishing last year, he said, and at 64 is afraid he will go into foreclosure. “People are on the hook for money, and they’re not going to be able to pay it off,” said Mr. Sherman, who is a founding member of theNortheast Seafood Coalition, an industry group that supports fishermen and has pushed against deep cuts to the industry. “Desperate situation.”
“This is a harbor, it has a lot of potential, a lot of research potential and stuff, but that shouldn’t come out of our back. We’re going to try the best we can to get as many guys through this. I won’t get through it, but there will be younger fishermen who will,” Mr. Sherman said.
Mr. Brown hopes that aid might allow him to hold on. “I have huge bills on my permits that I had to buy just to stay in it. So whatever money I get from that, maybe it’ll cover those bills, but then the rest of my expenses, just living — and I’m not counting on it being much, usually there’s too many hands in the pie, you know,” he said.
Others hope the money can be used to reshape the industry itself. Chris Duffey, who runs the Cape Ann Seafood Exchange — a seafood auction through which local fish are bought and sold — has watched as commercially successful species like cod and haddock have dwindled. He says the money should be used strategically, to promote the sale of underused yet plentiful species like dogfish and skate, “instead of having Band-Aids to put on people who cry the loudest.”
“Let’s stop crying about the fish that’s gone and start talking about how we can sell the fish that’s here,” Mr. Duffey said.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Grilled Monkfish, Pan Fried Redfish, Skate Wings in a Lemon Butter Caper Sauce, and Deep Fried Dogfish at 2nd Annual City of Gloucester Maritime Summit Under Utilized Fish Tasting



Cape Ann Seafood Exchange's Nina Jarvis and Eric Morse prepares with Vinwood Caterers a fine selection of Under Utilized Species Dishes for 2nd Annual Gloucester, MA Maritime Summit - Grilled Monkfish, Pan Fried Redfish, Skate Wings in a Lemon Butter Caper Sauce, and Deep Fried Dogfish


Nina Jarvis from the Cape Ann Seafood Exchange brought and Eric Morse cooked 
with the help of Vinwood Caterers a selection of Under Utilized Species 
for the enjoyment of the 150 people who attended the City of Gloucester's
2nd Annual Maritime Summit 
Cruiseport Gloucester on Feb. 7, 2013.

All the Species showcased are at sustainable levels in their fishery
 and make good alternatives to our traditionally caught 
species such as cod, haddock, and pollack.

Deep Fried Dogfish
using a  Traditional Beer Batter
Please note: This Dogfish is MSC Certified and
Cape Ann Seafood Exchange in Gloucester, MA is the first fishery in
New England to have this sustainable certification.

Skate Wings 
were sauteed in a
Butter Lemon Caper Sauce
Grilled Monkfish
grilled with olive oil, parsley, salt,
pepper, and lemon sauce

 Pan Fried Redfish
very lightly pan fried 
with butter, salt, and pepper



Mayor Carolyn Kirk
Making her selection with a few ohhs and ahhs!

Nina Jarvis from the Cape Ann
Seafood Exchange serving
her delectable fish at
the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit

From front ot Back: Grilled Monkfish, Pan Fried Redfish,
Skate Wings in a Lemon Butter Caper Sauce,
and Deep Fried Dogfish

Under Utilized Fish are fish that only a small percentage of allowable catch are caught and sold.

One of the most delicious fish cooked by Nina was the Pan Fried Redfish. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute has some amazing facts about under ultilized species such as 
Redfish also known as ocean perch, are slow-growing, deep-water fish that yield small, flaky white fillets. To catch them, a rather large net is used

Apparently the fish can live for up to 60 years. These days there is not all that much demand (fishermen here only pulled in 22% of their federally allowable catch of redfish in 2010) but years ago it was considered a tasty fish and was eaten with gusto. These days Redfish are often used as lobster bait.

What does get processed for human consumption is mostly shipped to the Midwest where there is a slightly bigger market for redfish. It seems that the most recent popularity for the species was in the 1940s and '50s when the military fed a lot of it to the troops. I remember eating it as a child in Gloucester and it was considered as good as and as delicious as Flounder. It does seem amazing that this healthy, delicious, and abundant protein source accounts for only 22% of what can be caught and processed for this species.

Nina's Redfish was delicious and I remember a popular New England Redfish hash from years ago. I looked around on the internet and found an interesting Redfish Recipe from Maine:

Redfish with Green Grapes adapted from

Seafood Cookbook, Volume 1 by the Maine Fisherman's Wives Association 


  • 1 pound redfish fillets
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup of large seedless green grapes, cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup fish stock
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  1. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Add grapes, cut side down and saute them until the pick up a bit of color. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  2. Salt and pepper the fillets. Add the shallots in the same hot pan as you've cooked the grapes. Cook 1-2 minutes to soften them. Add the fish bone side down. Cook until the fish gets a bit golden (3-4 minutes). Flips the fish and add the wine and stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let the fillets sit in it until they are cooked through (3-4 minutes). Removed the fillet from the pan with a fish spatula and keep warm on a late. Sprinkle the grapes over the fish.
  3. Increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid to about 1 cup. Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 Tablespoon of cold butter. Add lemon juice to taste. Stir in parsley. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

The whole question of using and enjoying Sustainable Species is really a matter of education and changing needs and tastes. Nina Jarvis and the Cape Ann Seafood Exchange have really done a fantastic job getting Dogfish MCS certified and creating sustainable fishing alternatives for the port of Gloucester, MA

For More Information contact:
Melissa Abbott
Director Sales and Marketing
Seaport Grille
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Cruiseport Gloucester
978-852-0381 Cell
978-392-0198 Skype
MelissaAbbott@CruiseportGloucester.com
CruiseportGloucester.com

Diners at the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit
enjoying the underutilized Species Dishes!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Boston Harbor Cruises Research Boat "Mathew J. Hughs" tied up at The Gloucester Marine Terminal and giving tours for the City of Gloucester's 2nd Annual Maritime Summit February 7, 2013

Attendees at 2nd Annual Maritime Summit - Cruiseport Gloucester

February 7, 2013 saw Cruiseport Gloucester hosting the 2nd Annual Maritime Summit for the City of Gloucester, MA. 

Over 150 people participated and 9 exhibitors. One of the Exhibitors was able to tie up and tie in their research vessel to the Gloucester Marine Terminal Dock for tours. The Mathew J. Hughs, 108 ft long, the smaller of the two BHC research vessels owned by Rick Nolan, was brought to the conference by Captain Greg Jaegar for exhibition and tours, a Gloucester resident.



Mathew J Hughs
View of Seaport Grille and Cruiseport Gloucester from the
Deck of  the Mathew J. Hughs tied up at
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Gloucester, MA

The Mathew J. Hughs, can be used several ways, diving, construction, buoy tender, and vessel support for all types of off shore logitical projects including mapping and robotics.
There is some pretty impressive machinery including a Tugger Winch  and a Steel A Frame on the stern operated by remote control. 
There are four Caterpiller engines, 
2 generators, and long range fuel tanks 
holding up to 2500 gallons of fuel.
Wheelhouse

Greg Jaeger (right) proudly shows off 
the vessel to a potential customer 
during the Maritime Summit.

 Fully stocked Galley with all the latest appliances 
and loads of counter space. 
You could feed an army in there!


BHC Display in Exhibition Hall

All the Comforts of Home

Bow of Mathew J Hughs tied up at
Gloucester Marine Terminal Feb., 7, 2013



This is the Entertainment Theater!!

View of Back Deck and Steel A Frame

Companionway to Deck House

Electronics and Wheel in Wheel House

Looks Great!! What a Ride!

View of Gloucester Harbor thru Wheelhouse Windows


There are 4-5 staterooms similar to this!

This vessel travels 19 knots lightly loaded and 16 knots fully loaded. It has an aluminum hull, quad screw, diesel and propeller propulsion. A Utility/passenger vessel USCG Certified for 75 passengers and 3 crew. 

Thank-You Greg for bringing this wonderful research vessel to The Gloucester Marine Terminal Dock for the 2nd Annual Maritime Conference.
We would love to see you again!


For More information about visiting Gloucester Marine Terminal:

Melissa Abbott
Director Sales and Marketing
Seaport Grille
Gloucester Marine Terminal
Cruiseport Gloucester
978-852-0381 Cell
978-392-0198 Skype
MelissaAbbott@CruiseportGloucester.com
CruiseportGloucester.com

Ever wondered what happened to the Hannah Boden? She is Alive and Well in Cape Canaveral, Florida

The Hannah Boden of the Perfect Storm Fame
tied up in sunny Florida behind
Seafood Atlantic in Port Canaveral, Florida
http://seafoodatlantic.org
photo was taken by Bill Parker 
a Merritt Island Fishermen last week


Friday, February 8, 2013

2nd Annual Maritime Summit at Cruiseport Gloucester! Gloucester Daily Times Article and Photos by Melissa Abbott


A Great Turn Out for this Year's Maritime Summit at Cruiseport Gloucester on Feb 7, 2013
February 8, 2013

Diverse interests tap into marine summit

GLOUCESTER — Research and innovation groups, business people and scientists, fishermen and government leaders gathered at Cruiseport Gloucester for the city’s second Maritime Summit Thursday, with each group pitching an idea and service and hoping to reel in some customers.
Ocean Alliance Bots on
Display at Maritime Summit
The second gathering, 15 months after the first summit, drew 130 people to hear presentations about the environment and the future of maritime economy, view exhibits of top-of the line robotics and new age technology, listen to panels of professionals speak about diversified fisheries and aquaculture, and network of course.
“Good content brings good people,” said Rich Weissman, who was at the summit representing Endicott College. Weissman said he came on behalf of the school to help increase its visibility in the city where it recently started up a satellite campus.
Sea Sciences Equipment that collects
 samples of ocean water  and shoots video
A few exhibit tables over Chris Casagrande, a co-founder of Sea Sciences, Inc., stood by his company’s latest model — an apparatus that, when towed behind boats, allows users to navigate along the ocean floor or closer to the surface, collecting samples, shooting videos or testing the water in a given area.

The founders, whose machinery was used to examine the major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, came to the summit Thursday in search of some new customers.
“There’s always that hope,” Casagrande said. “The ones we pick normally are the ones our customers go to.”
While Casagrande said his group had not gotten any major bites at the summit, he did receive some offers of interest. Gloucester boat captains, for example, had offered deals for the company to borrow their vessels for testing. And, Casagrande spoke with a contractor who would make a good back up to their go-to company.
Another exhibit boasted robotic machines too, but with a much different purpose. The exhibit, hosted by Ocean Alliance and Olin College out of Needham, featured a table of robots, including one called the “snotbot” that, when perfected, will be used to collect snot samples from whales as the creatures surface and blow into the air.
The group had also hoped to capture some extra support for their “Sailbot” regatta, a race of boats electronically programmed and designed by college students. Gloucester and the Ocean Alliance, which is renovating and restoring the city’s historic paint factory, will host the big race in June.
“We are looking for sponsors,” said Olin professor Andrew Bennett. “We want to offer more to the student teams when they show up.”
Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk

Boston Harbor Cruises, the Boston-based boat tour company that expanded into the research and buoy repair field about five years ago, sent a research boat, equipped with satellite television and a galley kitchen along to the summit. 

Boats from this end of the company motor out and collect data buoys, measuring in at about 10 feet in diameter and 12 feet long, haul them aboard, and make adjustments, reset the buoys and change various components, according to Greg Jaegar, the director of Offshore Logistics through the Boston Harbor Cruises.
Wheel House of
 Boston Harbor Cruises Research Boat
tied up at Gloucester Marine Terminal
during 2nd Annual Maritime Summit

The Boston Harbor Cruises boat cast its lines onto the dock behind Cruiseport Thursday after having been in for some cleaning and basic work at Rose’s Marine next door. Jaegar said a day spent at the summit just made sense. Plus, the day acted as an opportunity to meet potential clients, like the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS), which has a buoy plopped right outside of Gloucester, constantly reading the weather and water conditions.
Mathew J. Hughs - Boston Harbor Cruises Research Boat visiting
Gloucester Marine Terminal for Maritime Summit
“We’re trying to get in with NERACOOS, that’s why we’re here,” Jaegar said.
NERACOOS — whose executive director, J. Ru Morrison, delivered the keynote address — was pretty sought after at the summit, with many commending Morrison’s lunchtime speech. Fishermen, tour boat services and pleasure boaters often examine the NERACOOS buoy’s stats before a morning of work.
Sheree Delorenzo giving a wonderful talk
 about her diversified harbor business
Cruiseport Gloucester and Gloucester Marine Terminal
which includes, Cruise Ships, Freight, Fishing Boats, Events, Mega Yachts,
and a Popular Restaurant Seaport Grille
A Gloucester lobsterman who said he uses NERACOOS’s site to check the water temperatures, weather and wave heights about 4 a.m. on each work day found the company’s outreach specialist at the summit and that specialist, Tom Shyka, showed him a new program that tracks water temperature in comparison to season averages and seasonal highs and lows.
“This is why coming up to a meeting like this is really valuable to us,” Shyka said. “It brings fishermen, boat drivers, politicians — all those people are supposed to be our customers. It saves us from having to go individually to each of those people.”
Marjorie Nesin can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3451, or at mnesin@gloucestertimes.com.