two organizations have started a joint fundraisin g program to m eet this need . The C ape Ann Museum was fo unded in 1873 and houses the single largest co llection of paintings by G louces ter n ative Fitz H enry Lane plus an extensive marine artifacts collection devo ted to the area's fishing and m aritime heri tage. The Thacher Island Associatio n was form ed in 1980 and has raised over $1.9 million since 1998 fo r restoration wo rk. In addition to overseeing Thacher Island, the associatio n has recentl y ass umed stewardship of the Straitsm o uth Island lighthouse. (Anyon e interested in learning mo re abo ut his p roject o r in making a contributio n sho uld co ntact the Cape Ann Museum, Fresnel Lens Restoration C ommittee, 27 Pleasant St. , G loucester, MA 01 930 or the Thacher Island Association , Box 73 , Rockpo rt, MA 01966. ) . . . The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) is preparing a major new exhibit, Navigating Freedom: The Ular of 1812 on the Chesapeake, schedule to open on Saturday, 11 May, in St. Michaels, Maryland. Navigating Freedom explores the impact of the War of 18 12 o n the people of the C hesapeake Bay-black and white Americans, militiam en, Baltimore m erchants, and British sailo rs wh o fo und opportuni ty or misfortune amid the conflict. Their diaries, artifac ts, po rtraits, and articles reveal their personal stories and the ways the W ar of 18 12 on the C hesapeake challenged American ideas about freedom. CBMM partnered wi th Washington College's G IS lab to crea te several interactive components, including a 3D virtual flyover of th e Battle of St. Michaels, plus maps highligh ting the cultural landscap es of the area. The proj ect is accessible to those beyo nd the C BMM cam pus th ro ugh an interactive online exhibit, curriculum m aterials, teacher worksh o ps, and a series of public programs fo r all ages. This special exhibit runs th ro ugh 201 5 (www. cbmm .org) ... The Museum of Underwater Archaeology has launched a newly revamped website, offering easier access to the hundreds of pages of content written by underwater archaeologists from around the world. Explore "In The Field" pos ts, full m useum exhibits, cross-disciplinary proj50
ecrs, digital posters, project journals, educatio nal resources, and over 100 conferen ce papers, site reports, and bibliographies . (www.themua.org) Ocean Classroom Foundation, owners and operators of the sail training schooners Spirit of Massachusetts, Harvey Gamage, and Westward, are accepting applications now for their summer 2013 SEAfaring camps for teens: 14-20 July, Boston to Portland, ME; 22 July-4 August, RT from Portland to Nova Scotia and back; and 22 June-12 July, RT from Boston to Bermuda and back. Teens stand watch and participate in all aspect of the ships' operations, plus learn abo ut marine science and maritime cultu re, history, and traditions. Ocean Classroo m is a non-profit educational o rganizatio n com m itted to sending yo ung people to sea on voyages teaching the traditions, values, and adventures of m aritime life. Am o ng o ther at-sea program s for yo uth and adults, Ocean C lassroom Foundation runs a hi gh school semester at sea p rogram called Discovery High School, where students spend a fully accredited h igh school sem ester aboard ship, traveling between the Caribbean and New England . (For details on SEAfaring Camps and Discovery High School, contact OCF, POB 220, 24 1 US Rt 1, Dam ariscotta, ME 04543; Ph . 207-563-3266; www.oceanclassroo m .org) .•• The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in collaboration with NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Voyage to Discovery program, is conducting a national essay contest open to all middle and high school students in the United States. The Voyage to D iscovery program is a natio nal mari ne sanctuary educational initiative h ighligh ting African-American contribu tions to the co untry's m aritime heri tage while fosteri ng increased parti cipation in marine careers and ocean conservatio n . The purpose of the con tes t is to encourage studen ts to research and learn abo ut African -American contributio ns to th e m aritime history of the Un ited States. Applicants must submit an essay o n an African -American individual or gro up that m ade a significant contributio n to American m aritime history; deadline for submission is 15 April 201 3. The
essay (2 pages for middle school students and 3 pages for h igh schoolers-do ublespaced , typed) h as to be abo ut a person o r group of people not already profiled on the Natio nal Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) website or the Voyage to Discovery website. Cash prizes are $ 1,500 fo r the high school winner, $5 00 fo r the m iddle school win ning essayist. All details on criteria, eligibili ty, and submission instructio ns are posted o n the website. (VtoD, www.voyagetodiscovery. org/essay_ contest.htm; NABS, www. nabsdivers.o rg) . . . NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) has proposed an expansion of both the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The G ul f of the Farallon es NMS , designated in 198 1, and Cordell Bank NMS, designated in 1989, both contribute to ocean and coastal m anagement by engaging in p ublic o utreach an d education . Each prom otes ocean stewardship, conducts scientific and applied research ini tiatives, and develo ps and suppo rts programs benefiting the lo ng-term heal th of the region . The p roposed expansion wo uld pro tect the upwelling source wa ters of the sanctuaries, as well as na tio nally signifi cant seascapes, wildlife, and shipwrecks. In additio n, the expansion wo uld pro m ote ecoto urism and sustai nable fishing practices. The ONMS cond ucted a bo undary review and solicited p ublic comm ents th ro ugh 1 March . If it is determined that an expansion is beneficial, it will prepare a drafr enviro nmental impact statem ent (EIS) to assess expansion al ternatives. The G ulf of che Farallones NMS encom passes nearly 1,3 00 square m iles of ocean and coas tal 1wa ters beyond California's
(conztinued on page 52) SEA HI ~STORY 142, SPRING 201 3