If you happen to cruise by Harbor Island, Mich. (NC-2), please stop by and say “hello,” to newly appointed Port Captains Bill and Sandi Matley. They’ll be happy to see you! Here’s a little bit from Bill about their boating experience: Sandi and I started cruising aboard our 25-foot Catalina sailboat in 1985. A work friend got us started when he invited us to spend a week cruising the North Channel. We drove to Little Current and visited the Baie Finn, Mary Ann Cove and the pool. That was all it took — we were hooked, and except for a summer I lost my mother, we have visited the waters of our Great Lakes every year. Please click here to read further.

Please welcome Walt Grabowski & Sharon Marshall as newly appointed Port Captains for Toledo, Ohio (E-21). Here's a brief biography:
     Sharon and I have sailed independently for 20 years, and together for the last 12 years. After sailing our Pearson 31 for 11 years we purchased Velissa, a Mariner 38 Pilot House in Whitby, Ontario last summer and sailed her to our home port of North Cape Yacht Club at Toledo Beach Marina. To read further, please click here.

At the 2015 GLCC Annual General Meeting in London, ON, Executive Director of Georgian Bay Forever, David Sweetnam spoke on invasive species in the Great Lakes. The key message is to be vigilant and to help prevent invasive species from establishing themselves in these waters. Once established, the costs to eradicate them are extremely high. Here are some examples of the costs of invasive zebra mussels: 
• Cost the power industry alone $3.1 billion in the 1993-1999 period
• Impact on industries, businesses, and communities over $5 billion
• Ontario Hydro reported zebra mussel impacts of $376,000 annually per generating station

Georgian Bay Forever is a charity dedicated to scientific research and public education on Georgian Bay's aquatic ecosystem.  To learn more about their efforts, please visit GeorgianBayForever.

The GLCC now has a Facebook page, but we'd like help in reaching more Great Lakes boaters. You can start helping by simply inviting your Facebook friends to like the GLCC Facebook site. It's as simple as 1, 2, 3! To start click HERE.

Please welcome Jay Bishop, newly appointed Port Captain for Dunkirk, New York (E-3). Here is a brief summary of Jay’s boating history. Jay has been boating on Lake Erie since 1991 when he moved from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. to the Dunkirk-Fredonia N.Y. Prior to that, he had learned to boat and waterski on the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh. One of the big attractions for his move to western N.Y. was the water and the boating recreational opportunities available on Lake Erie. Please click here for further reading.

Please welcome Dennis Kunc, newly appointed Port Captain for Chagrin River, Ohio (E-9). Here is a brief summary of Dennis' boating history.

​I have sailed and fished on Lake Erie for the better part of my life. My wife Rose and I enjoy sailing, cruising and being part of the boating community. When our children were three and five, we purchased our first family sailboat, a C&C 33. We spent many great years racing and cruising around the lake. Please click here to read further.

Please welcome Deputy Port Captains David and Susan Barnum for Isle Royale National Park (S-150). Here is a little about their prior ventures in boating.

David grew up in Duluth, Minn. His family had once owned several islands near Isle Royale, and there is one that bears his name located in Washington Harbor (S-163). He spent my summers at their cabin up at “the island” from an early age. His great-grandfather purchased Barnum Island in 1895, and enjoyed his summers there until he passed away in 1936. Please click here for further reading.

It is an honor for my wife Lauri and me to be appointed Port Captains of Ashtabula Harbor (E-6). My sailing experience began at the age of eight when my Dad bought his first boat, a 21-foot day sailor known as a Highlander. Later we sailed, cruised and raced on the Entson, a Tartan 34C. When Lauri and I met, she had never sailed before. Now she has two loves. Please click here to read more.

John and Holly Hall are the newly appointed Port Captains for Huron, Ohio (E-15). They live in Sagamore Hills, Ohio, south of Cleveland. John comes from a boating family. His father’s family took their 30-foot wooden powerboat from Rhode Island to the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. They anchored in New York harbor while visiting the fair. His Grandfather was a Commander in the Navy during WWII. Holly also has a love of water and has previously done boating on Lake Erie. Please click here to read more.

Angèle and Jim Passe are the newly appointed Deputy Port Captains for Port Superior/Pikes Bay (S-192.5) on the south shore of Lake Superior, across from the Apostle Islands. They live in Minneapolis, and started sailing together on Lake Calhoun, a small city lake in 1971.