Listening Session for Input on New Data Buoys in Thunder Bay
Shelby Brunner and Jennifer Boehme, of Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), joined Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) staff on October 17th for a community listening session, held [...]
Marine Debris Removal at Sanctuary Beaches Part of a National Database
"This research can be used to connect people from across the world." That was one of the remarks Haley Dalian from the NOAA Marine Debris Program shared [...]
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
HANNAH MACDONALD "The role of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in my life cannot be understated—it has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional development for [...]
HOLLINGS SCHOLAR BLOG from Charlie Azzarito
Week of June 3, 2024 Hello Alpena! I’m Charlie Azzarito, a rising senior at Florida State University (FSU) studying Anthropology. Throughout my time at FSU, I came [...]
Visitors from the IJC and Fellow National Marine Sanctuaries in May
It wasn't planned, but maybe we subconsciously knew TOURISM WEEK was approaching when we said yes to welcoming two conferences to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in [...]
MATE Great Lakes ROV Competition Results
The power of teamwork doesn’t just show up on the basketball court or the soccer field, it is a driving force on ROV (underwater robot) teams as [...]
CMU Shipwreck Central Class Road Trips to TBNMS!
"Being able to bring them here gives them a core place that they can come and engage others. This experience tends to draw them back to learn [...]
High School Team Deploys Autonomous Mini Boat for Research
For the first time since 2019, students from StockbridgeHigh School’s InvenTeam were back in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS), this time deploying their mini boat, Fautasi, from the [...]
ROV Competition Results
The results are in! Today in Alpena, 13 student teams competed in the MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition, hosted by NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This annual [...]
Sanctuary Wins Top Sustainable Tourism Award
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary was recognized for their exemplary contributions to sustainable tourism practices with a "Pure Award" at the Pure Michigan Governor's Conference in Tourism. [...]
Researchers Discover Historic Shipwreck in Lake Huron
Researchers from NOAA, the state of Michigan, and Ocean Exploration Trust have discovered an intact shipwreck resting hundreds of feet below the surface of Lake Huron. Located [...]
Freshwater Acidification Monitoring Project Engages Students
Beginning in spring of 2022, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) partnered with NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research and Laboratory (GLERL) to establish the basis of a [...]
Spencer William Cootware
Alpena, MI. Our community sadly lost an important member of the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary on July 25, 2022. With sadness, we announce the [...]
Festival of Sail
TALL SHIPS ARE COMING! And a REALLY BIG Rubber Duck Majestic Ships Set Sail for Alpena July 15-17, 2022 Tall Ships return [...]
‘Tis the Giving Season
Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Offers Incentives to “Explore Your Sanctuary, Virtually!” Alpena, Mich. – The Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (FTBNMS) is [...]
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Thunder Bay Honor Al Moe as Volunteer of the Year
ALPENA, MICH. – Each year NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) partners with the 14 sanctuaries across the country to recognize “extraordinary people who take time [...]
Michigan Humanities CARES Act Grant Helps Support Friends of Thunder Bay Staffing
ALPENA, Mich.-- The Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary extends gratitude to the Michigan Humanities Council, in affiliation with the National Endowment for the Humanities, for [...]
Lake Huron Forever Initiative Awards $50,000 to Support Great Lakes Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2020 Contact: Colby Chilcote, Marketing Director, Huron Pines, (989) 370-6857, colby@huronpines.org Lake Huron Forever Initiative Awards $50,000 to Support Great Lakes [...]
Thunder Bay Maritime Festival Events Cancelled
May 5, 2020 CONTACT: Katie Wolf T: 989-277-3543 E: kwolf@thunderbayfriends.org Thunder Bay Maritime Festival Events Cancelled for July 3rd and 4th Due to Community Health Concerns ALPENA, [...]
Screenings at the Sanctuary: Great Lakes Now program to have ongoing showings at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
by Great Lakes Now Visitors to the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center will be able to view new episodes of Great Lakes Now under a new partnership [...]
5th Annual Student Film Competition at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
The annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival Student Film Competition (TBIFF) challenged students in grades 8-12 to create a five-minute or less film on the theme: #GreatLakesAre. [...]
Thunder Bay International Film Festival Kicks off Sanctuary’s 20th Anniversary
ALPENA, MICH --The Thunder Bay International Film Festival kicks off the 20th anniversary year celebrating the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s (TBNMS) federal designation. TBNMS was officially [...]
Glass Artists Donate Art to Raise Support
Glass Artists Donate Art to Raise Support for Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Alpena, Mich. -- When 45th Parallel Glass Works and Gallery owners Peggy [...]
2019 MATE ROV Competition: The Results Are In!
First Place Ranger Class Underwater Research Robots (UR2) Alpena High School, Alpena, MI First Place Navigator Class RC ROV Rogers City Schools, Rogers City, MI [...]
2019 MATE ROV Great Lakes Regional Competition
MEDIA ADVISORY MATE ROV Great Lakes Regional Competition helps students learn importance and application of underwater technology May 10, 2019 — MATE Great Lakes Regional ROV Competition [...]
Tribute to U.S. Senator Hollings
Remembering a NOAA Champion for Protecting Coastal and Ocean Special Places Senator Ernest “Fritz” Hollings Played Lead Role in Establishing NOAA as Federal Agency As a [...]
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary to Offer Paid Internships in Partnership with Greening Youth Foundation and Office of Coast Survey
ALPENA, MICH—The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) is one of only two national marine sanctuaries selected to partner with the Greening Youth Foundation and NOAA’s Office [...]
Winners Announced for the 4th Annual Student Film Competition at the Thunder Bay International Film Festival
Film Festival Lead Sponsor and Chemical Bank branch manager Laura Werda and assistant manager Jodi Sucharski present the 1st Place Student Film Award to Akia Rutherford [...]
The Show Will Go On! Thunder Bay International Film Festival Tickets on Sale Now
For the seventh year, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is bringing the world of cinema to northeast Michigan! From January 23 through 27, residents and travelers to northeast [...]
Giving Tuesday – Your Chance to Give Back!
On Tuesday, November 27, you can be a part of a world day of giving by making an online donation. Donate Now The Friends of Thunder [...]
Congratulations to Winners of the 2018 Wooden Boat and Paddle Boat Raffle
ALPENA, Mich.—Winners from near and far gathered at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Downtown Alpena to receive their raffle winnings. Jodene Compton of Presque Isle, [...]
Lappan Agency is Platinum Sponsorship of Thunder Bay Maritime Festival
Tom Lappan, President and Co-owner of the Lappan Agency, Inc., presented the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) a check for $4,000 as Platinum Sponsor [...]
Annual Wooden Boat Raffles Kick Off This Weekend
Over the past several years the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) has strived to raise funds for the sanctuary’s youth education programs and community [...]
Cool Puzzles and More at the Sanctuary Store
Did you know that Americans enjoy jigsaw puzzles more than any other table game? Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to spend time with friends and family, [...]
View from the Bay
Dear Friends, Lights, Camera…Take Action! Last month we celebrated the 6th Annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival (TBIFF). Our team is grateful for all of our dedicated partners, generous sponsors, passionate [...]
‘Sanctuaries Are’ Student Film Competition Winners
Encouraging students to explore and connect with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the variety of ecosystems throughout northeast Michigan has resulted in a long-term partnership [...]
Call for Candidates to Serve on Sanctuary Advisory Council
Applications due by March 16, 2018 Are you interested in getting more involved in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary? Several seats are open on the Sanctuary [...]
Winter Layups Await for Spring
Historically, the Gales of November have long been known for ushering in long, cold winters throughout northern Michigan. When lake conditions became too hazardous for ships to [...]
Thank You for Making Sixth Annual Film Festival a Record Breaker!
Thanks to you -- our sponsors, ticket holders, aspiring student and professional filmmakers, and volunteers -- the Thunder Bay International Film Festival (TBIFF) sold out for three [...]
2018 Sanctuary Lecture & Cinema Series Kicks Off
Photo Above: The Bow Man, believed to represent a hunter, is the most well-known of the Sanilac Petroglyphs, rock carvings etched into a sandstone outcrop The Thunder [...]
Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council Grant
Area Youth Enable Hundreds of Students to Participate in Film Festival An example of how youth in northeast Michigan team up to offer fellow students extraordinary opportunities [...]
Penobscot 14 Raffle Winner
Winner of Locally Built, Handcrafted Wooden Classic Boat from Scottville, Michigan The Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary announced the winner of the Penobscot 14 handcrafted, [...]
Superintendent’s Statement
Two historic Great Lakes shipwrecks discovered in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary NOAA maritime archaeologists and partners have located and identified two previously undiscovered historic shipwrecks [...]
17th Annual Thunder Bay Maritime Festival
Join Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for a star-spangled celebration at the Thunder Bay Maritime Festival on the 4th of July in Alpena, Michigan. To commemorate America’s [...]
$200,000 from Besser Foundation
Alpena, Mich. – Thanks to support from the Besser Foundation, Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is expanding education and economic development opportunities in the Alpena [...]
Free Concert Coming to Alpena
Song of the Lakes “Paddle-to-the-Sea” Free Concert Coming to Alpena Alpena, Mich.—A special treat is coming to the Alpena area on Friday evening, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Oct. [...]