Highland Cove Centre for Canadian-American Cultural Communications Welcomes Gulf Of Maine Expedition — Mayoral Welcome, Fall Family Day and School Presentations September 14-16

For Immediate Release

Contact: Linda Marie Coakley, Director of Highland Cove Centre for Canadian-American Cultural Communications, (902) 742-1945, lmcoakley@klis.com, or the GOMEX Team directly at (207) 266-6912.

September 12, 2002, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia -- Highland Cove, a Centre for Canadian-American Cultural Communications based in The Milton Highlands of Yarmouth County, is pleased to announce the arrival of the Gulf Of Maine Expedition. On Saturday, September 14, join the festivities as the Team receives a Mayoral welcome after docking at Lobster Rock Wharf. Everyone is invited to continue the celebration on September 15 during Fall Family Day at Th'Yarc; enjoy a barbecue, clowns and a flea market before the Gulf Of Maine Expedition presentation at 3 PM, free and open to the public. This is an opportunity to learn more about the Team's mission and how their journey has unfolded in their months since May on the Gulf Of Maine. They will share data collected, observations made and anecdotes about hospitality they've encountered along the way. Then on Monday, September 16, the Gulf Of Maine Expedition will conduct the first two of their initial school presentations in Yarmouth at Meadowfields Elementary School at 10:30 AM, then at Maple Grove Education Center at 2:00 PM, with Rotary luncheon speakers at Noon.

Yarmouth has a busy commercial port, an active fishery and a wealth of tourist activities, making this an ideal location for the Gulf Of Maine Expedition mission and a visit by the Team. This also happens to be Dan and Sue's home port! All of the Gulf Of Maine Expedition's events are fortuitously scheduled in this, the International Year of Ecotourism. Team leader and Maine Sea Grant Extension Agent Natalie Springuel, Science and Technology Coordinator Richard MacDonald, Tom Teller and Canadian team members Dan Earle and Sue Hutchins will all be available to discuss their journey, findings and mission. Partners for the event include Highland Cove Centre for Canadian-American Cultural Communications, Th'Yarc, Meadowfields School and Maple Grove Education Center.

The Gulf Of Maine Expedition was organized to raise awareness and caring about the ecology and culture of the Gulf of Maine. The team hopes to hear your concerns regarding the health of the Gulf and will be available personally for discussions. Their records will capture a snapshot of the Gulf as it is today, and provide a unique perspective for monitoring in the future. They are eager to share information, observations and scientific results they have gathered along the way. Their website, www.gomexpedition.org, is 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, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and many other businesses and individuals.

This is the second to the last stop of the Gulf Of Maine Expedition before they complete their journey on Cape Sable Island. Come join the celebration at Highland Cove Centre for Canadian -American Cultural Communication in Yarmouth County!

For more information, please visit www.gomexpedition.org. If you would like a copy of the Gulf Of Maine Expedition Newsletter, which includes the Expedition itinerary, please email gomex@earthlink.net.