I am pleased to introduce a new newsletter for CAMM members. This electronic newsletter is intended to provide CAMM updates and promote sharing of information among the membership. If you have announcements of interest to the CAMM membership, please submit them to our new CAMM administrator Candace Clifford at [email protected] for consideration for the next issue. 

The newsletter is also intended to be a forum for seeking advice on maritime museum challenges, job postings, and sharing resources. Please do consider forwarding this newsletter to colleagues in the field.

The Executive Board is working to make some positive changes to help our organization grow and better serve all maritime museums across the nation. This will include a new website, more networking opportunities, and also a new CAMM administrator.

It is a great honor to serve as President. I look forward to hearing from members throughout the year and wish you all a great summer season.

Sincerely,

Dave Pearson

CAMM President

• New CAMM member Ray Glick, Overfalls Foundation, described the restoration of the National Historic Landmark Lightship OVERFALLS (LV-118) which is now a museum in Lewes, Delaware - http://www.overfall.org
• The National Maritime Historical Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary.  Ron Oswald and Burchenal Green discussed the status of large vessel preservation around the country - http://www.seahistory.org/
• David Cockey with the Museum Small Craft Association described the latest digital technology used in documenting boats. David mentioned that the Boats: A Manual for Their Documentation is now available on their website - http://www.museumsmallcraft.org/
• Jim Moores, Moores Marine, gave an overview of presidential yachts and the recent restoration of the 8th presidential yacht Honey Fitz.
• Ed Petruskevich started out the the session Traveling Exhibits for Smaller Museums with a look at his extensive online museum for the German oceanliner Wilhelm Gustloff.  The ship was sunk by torpedoes in World War II resulting in over 9000 deaths - www.wilhelmgustloffmuseum.com
•  Art Beltrone described the origins of the Vietnam Graffiti Project which includes graffiti inscribed under bunks by Vietnam soldiers traveling on the General Nelson Walker.  The exhibit has been successfully hosted by the Los Angeles Maritime Museum and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum who report a great response--especially from Vietnam War veterans - www.vietnamgraffiti.com 
• Marifrances Trivelli, Los Angeles Maritime Museum & Greg Gorga, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, provided ideas on CAMM Traveling Exhibits. They plan to provide content for the CAMM website (see article below)
• Making Museum Archives Accessible, specifically ship plans, was the topic of discussion for a panel consisting of Paul Johnston, Smithsonian; Peter Lesher, Chesapeake Maritime Museum; Mindy Matheson, Mystic Seaport; and Mary Sellen, Mariners' Museum.
• Lauren Heesemann of NOAA's MONITOR National Marine Sanctuary in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, started out the session on Maritime Heritage Trails with a tour of the web-based trail of maritime resources in and around the sanctuary.  In addition to links to partners on the trail, the site offers videos and oral histories - http://monitor.noaa.gov/obxtrail/
• Bill Thiesen brought us up to date on U.S. Coast Guard activities. The National Coast Guard Museum, New London, Connecticut, plans to break ground in the spring of 2014. The U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office will be closed from October 2013 until January 2014 while they move their collections to a new facility.
• During the session on watercraft, Shannon Fitzgerald presented the Legacy of R/V Miller Freeman and Its Crew, a NOAA research vessel.  Nathaniel Howe and Diana Hennick brought us up to date on happenings in the Northwest.
• The session on Education Programming in Maritime Museums featured a variety of teaching methods.  Joe Youcha of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation described their "Building to Teach" program.  Over 800 students have been taught math skills in person and 4600 students online - www.buildingtoteach.com  The next Teaching with Small Boats Alliance (TWSBA) will be at Mystic Seaport, October 15-18, 2013
• Barry Wickre presented on the Community Sailing Program, one of many community events and attactions, developed by the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum in Manteo, North Carolina -  http://www.townofmanteo.com
• Diana Hennick provided a progress report on a new indoor / outdoor exhibit entitled Fish On!  The exhibit documents the history of recreational Fishing Boathouses and resorts on Puget Sound - http://www.cwb.org/content/fish-on
• Vic Fasolino finished off the program with a description of the North Carolina Boat Building Heritage Foundation's annual boat building challenge.  Participants are challenged to build a 12-foot Carolina Bateau rowing skiff in less than four hours - http://www.beaufortchallenge.com