US Harbors Uses Crowdsourcing and Passionate Coastal Communities to Find Winners

Rockland, Maine – US Harbors, a free online resource for boaters and coastal communities, announced today voting begins on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 for the 3^rd annual “Best Harbor in the US” contest at www.usharbors.com/best-harbor/. Participation is free and open to everyone, including the over 8 million people who use US Harbors (usharbors.com) for their coastal and marine weather, tides charts and harbor-local boating and fishing information.

The purpose of the contest is to promote the strength and vitality of coastal communities. Past winning harbors have been those whose residents have strong communication networks and are passionate about where they live and work. These kinds of networks are vital in supporting the resilience of coastal communities as they face the impacts of climate change and other events.

Voting for this year’s Best Harbor contest is open from March 31 through May 31, 2021. Participation is limited to one vote per user. People can vote on any of the 1,400 harbors that US Harbors provides coastal weather and tides for; from Maine to Hawaii, Florida to Alaska, and the Great Lakes. The winning harbors will be announced on Friday, June 4, 2021, and the top four harbors will receive special plaques commemorating their win. Additionally, US Harbors throws a special event for the overall winner, including gifts for their community.

In past years, over 100,000 people from around the country have participated in the annual contest: they have voted online, shared photos and stories of their harbors and most importantly they have spread the word in their local communities to get others to join them. Previous Best Harbor winners have included Padanaram, Massachusetts (2019) and Depoe Bay, Oregon (2021).

For more information on US Harbors, please visit www.usharbors.com.

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About US Harbors:
US Harbors is a weather data and media company in Rockland, Maine that specializes in “tides, weather, & local knowledge™” for people who love the coast. The company has data on 1,400 harbors across 30 coastal states and the Great Lakes. The company’s primary website, https://usharbors.com, has been helping people make good decisions about their time on–and near—the water since 2009. The mission of the company is to promote the sustainability and resilience of coastal communities, both economically and environmentally. US Harbors started the “Best Harbor in the US” contest in 2019, using crowdsourcing to determine the harbor best loved by its community. The company also sponsors National Harbormaster Appreciation Day (celebrated every year around the country on Oct. 8th – www.harbormasterday.com). The demographic is primarily ages 25-65, 55% male | 45% female, with interests in boating, fishing, paddling, swimming, and other activities on or near the water. Other common qualities include: physically fit and active, outdoor lovers, travelers, do-it-yourselfers, who like food, cooking, and investing.