Captain Frank Arbusto, Jr.. Photo courtesy of Robert Hurry.SOLOMONS, Md. (April 11, 2017)—The Calvert Marine Museum recently welcomed Frank B. Arbusto, Jr. as the new Captain of Record for the museum's skipjack, Dee of St. Mary's.
Captain Arbusto, who worked as a Dee relief captain last year, brings 26 years of experience with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His career spans hydrographic surveying (nautical charts) to fisheries research and resource assessment. He has sailed small and large craft inland, coastal and offshore. One of his career highlights was a cooperative US/China research effort in support of El Nino research. Water samples were taken every 200 miles along the equator to a depth of two miles for six weeks, beginning south of Guanghou, China and ending in Sydney, Australia.
Serving as Executive Officer aboard the Miller Freeman, the largest fishery research ship in NOAA's fleet at that time, he surveyed all of Puget Sound after the explosion of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. The vessel then followed the volcanic plume south from the Columbia River in Oregon down the west coast until it dissipated just north of San Francisco, California.
Arbusto enjoyed his time with Potomac River Boat Company in Washington, DC where he captained the Matthew Hayes, the Miss Christin and the Cherry Blossom, an authentic paddle wheeler. Captain Arbusto graduated from the State University of NY Maritime College with a BS in Meteorology and Oceanography and a 3rd Mates Unlimited license. He earned his Master's Degree in Business from Central Michigan University.
"The museum is dedicated to the history, resources, and heritage of the bay and my role as Captain will be to provide young people that come aboard an authentic experience sailing the Chesapeake Bay on an historic skipjack. This is a great place and I'm thrilled to be here," said Captain Frank. And the museum is thrilled to have him.
The Dee of St. Mary's offers two-hour public sails departing at 2:30 p.m. from the Calvert Marine Museum on several Saturdays throughout the summer: May 27, June 24, July 29, August 26 and September 30. The fee is $15 for ages 8—12, 13 and older are $25. Children under eight are not permitted. Tickets can be purchased by emailing Melissa at mccormmj@co.cal.md.us. The Dee of St. Mary's is also available for private charters.