Anticipation builds as launch date for Gulf of Maine Expedition nears

For Immediate Release

April 29, 2002, Bar Harbor, Maine -- Join the fun as the Gulf of Maine Expedition launches from Provincetown, MA on Cape Cod, Saturday, May 4. A Press Conference and Blessing of the Kayak Fleet will take place at 11 a.m. at the Center for Coastal Studies, close to the old Coast Guard pier. Al Johnson, Recreational Boating Safety Specialist with the US Coast Guard, will deliver the blessing. The team hopes to launch before noon.

Whether you are an armchair athlete or an active outdoors enthusiast, you are invited to attend and wish them bon voyage. A few intrepid local paddlers plan to go one step further and actually join them on the water during the first day.

This journey was organized to raise awareness and caring about the ecology and culture of the Gulf of Maine. Throughout the journey, many community visits are scheduled. The team hopes to hear your concerns regarding the health of the Gulf. They will be available personally at all community events for discussions. They are eager to share information and observations they have gathered along the way. They will also promote recreational safety, stewardship and Leave-No-Trace principles.

From a scientific perspective, the group will share results of air quality tests done using ozone sensitive patches, phytoplankton analysis using a field microscope and water quality tests using electronic probes. Their digital cameras and ultra-light laptop computer will help record the human scene. These records will capture a snapshot of the Gulf as it is today, and provide a unique perspective for monitoring in the future. This is an unprecedented effort.

Their website, www.gomexpedition.org, will be updated several times a week to provide an evolving virtual documentary with an active route map, images from the Gulf, observations, and journal entries.

The Gulf of Maine Expedition was made possible by the generous financial support of Maine Sea Grant, Maine Coastal Program, Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, and the New England Biolabs Foundation. Additional equipment and financial support has come from Necky Kayaks, Kokatat, U. Maine Cooperative Extension and many other businesses and individuals.

Natalie, Richard, Dan, Sue and Bob are in the final stages of preparation. They are trying to make sure that all of the gear will fit into their small boats! They can be reached at 207-288-4205, and Springuel@acadia.net.

Look for the Gulf of Maine Expedition at a port near you!

Gulf of Maine Expedition Calendar of Events

May 4th ~ Provincetown, Massachusetts. Gulf of Maine Expedition departs. Be part of the send off, paddle an hour with us, and wish us well.
May 18th ~ Boston, Massachusetts. Join us at our first "Gulf of Maine Day" and help us celebrate National Safe Boating Week with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron and the season's opening of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.
May 25th ~ Seacoast Science Center, Rye, New Hampshire. Join us at our second Gulf of Maine Day sponsored by the Seacoast Science Center.
May 26th ~ Shoals Marine Laboratory, Isle of Shoals, New Hampshire/Maine. We will be stopping for a day at the Marine Lab.
June 7th-9th ~ L.L. Bean Kayak Rendezvous, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine.
June 10th ~ Department of Marine Resources Lab, Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Join us for an evening presentation.
June 22nd ~ Casco Bay. Joint Rippleffect/Maine Audubon/Gulf of Maine Expedition kayak rendezvous. Contact Rippleffect at 207-791-7870 if you want to join in a day of paddling in beautiful Casco Bay. This is a benefit event, proceeds going to Rippleffect and the Gulf of Maine Expedition.
June 23rd ~ Portland, Maine. Join us at our third Gulf of Maine Day at Southern Maine Technical College.
June 25-27th ~ Northern Penobscot Bay. Warren Island campout/flotilla. Join us for fun on the water and a series of events about the Gulf of Maine on beautiful Warren Island or nearby Isleboro.
July 3rd ~ College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine. Join us at our fourth Gulf of Maine Day including events on the College's shorefront campus and an evening slide presentation, part of the Natural History Museum's lecture series.
July 20th ~ Eastport, Maine
July 23th ~ St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick. Presentations and paddling on the St. Croix River
July 31st ~ Saint John, New Brunswick. Take a visit to the downtown waterfront. See new directions for urban water-based recreation.
August 10th ~ Fundy National Park, Alma, New Brunswick. Look for us at a campfire presentation.
August 16th ~ Kentville/Wolfville, Nova Scotia. A visit to the spectacular North Mountain coast and its dynamic communities.
August 31st ~ Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. Join us in this historic town in the fertile and productive Annapolis Valley.
September 7th ~ Belliveau's Cove, Nova Scotia. This promises to be a unique stop on Nova Scotia's historic French Shore of St. Mary's Bay
September 14th ~ Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Visit the Gateway to Nova Scotia to celebrate our arrival at Dan & Sue's home base. Greet the team at the town wharf, attend their evening presentation, or paddle with them for a day.
September 28th ~ Clark's Harbour, Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Come to the big party celebrating the end of our Expedition at the town park and Heritage Center.