Gulf Of Maine Expedition Finally Rests at Clark’s Harbour, Cape Sable Island!

For Immediate Release

Contact: Pat Hudson, Southwest Paddling Association, (902) 637-2940, patricia.hudson@ns.sympatico.ca, or the Gulf Of Maine Expedition team directly on the water at (207) 266-6912.

September 25, 2002, Clark's Harbor, Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia -- On September 28th in the fishing and lobstering town of Clark’s Harbor, the Gulf Of Maine Expedition finally docks from its 5 month, 1,000mile long voyage along the Gulf Of Maine shoreline. Mayor Lee Stoddard and the Town Crier welcome the Team at Kennedy’s Wharf at 1PM, and the Queen of Hearts Dory Club and Coast Guard will escort the long-traveled kayak group to Clark’s Harbor Wharf to celebrate their final Gulf Of Maine Day. Interested water enthusiasts are welcome to join a non-motorized flotilla in the harbor (please contact Pat Hudson at Noon at the tourist bureau in Clark’s Harbor to paddle along). Kendrick d’Entremont of Seaclusion Kayaks will allow interested newcomers to test out kayaks at the event. A Gulf Of Maine Expedition admission-free evening presentation will teach attendees about the Gulf Of Maine and sea kayak safety and stewardship, and present the Team’s findings. To attend a buffet supper and join the Team at Rebecca’s at the Seaside Heritage Centre, please reserve tickets by Wednesday, September 25, $10 by contacting Pat Hudson, (902) 637-2940 or patricia.hudson@ns.sympatico.ca.

Though the 5-month Expedition along the shoreline of the Gulf Of Maine is complete, Team Leader Natalie Springuel says, “This is not the end, however. Stay tuned to our website and future newsletters as we take the lessons learned during the Expedition and develop a series of kayak-based environmental education programs for the summer of 2003.”

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 Southwest Paddling Association, Heritage Center, Coast Guard, Rebecca’s, and Seaclusion Kayaks.

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, U. Maine Cooperative Extension, and many other businesses and individuals.

Thank you for supporting the Gulf Of Maine Expedition; join in celebrating the final 2002 Gulf Of Maine Day at Clark’s Harbor!

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