Join the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center for a day of ocean and Great Lakes Films.
NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary hosts the Thunder Bay International Film Festival in partnership with the International Ocean Film Festival, the premier global platform for ocean literacy and education through independent film.
This ticket is for Program #14 in Theater 2:
Unlocking the Secrets of Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Now (USA) 8 min
The #greatlakes are home to an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 #shipwrecks, many still waiting to be discovered. But with over 94,000 square miles of combined surface area and depths reaching more than 1,300 feet, locating these lost ships is no easy feat. So where do you even begin your search?
Menhaden: The Biggest Littlest Fish You've Never Seen, William McKeever (USA), 31 min
Menhaden are the most important fish in the sea even though most have never heard of them nor seen them on menus. Only twelve inches long, they are found along the East Coast and in the Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico. Marine predators such whales, striped bass, marine birds and many other species rely heavily on menhaden to get their omega-3 fatty acids. In summary, they are a keystone species, and it is crucial that their numbers are adequate to feed a host of marine predators.
Deep Look: How Does the Mussel Grow its Beard, Josh Cassidy (USA) 4 min
Dive into the microscopic world of California mussels as they ingeniously craft their byssal threads, or “beards,” to anchor themselves onto rocks and huddle together for dear life. With a delicate touch, their sensitive foot seemingly spins threads from thin air, cementing them to the substrata with a natural adhesive that rivals the strongest superglues.
The Forgotten Coast, Chris Burkhard (USA) 17 min
Celebrated photographer Chris Burkard has captured aerial images of Iceland’s glacial tributaries for many years. Seeking a more deeply immersive connection to this landscape, he sets out with two friends to explore it on fat bikes and pack rafts. The goal: link 300 miles of fragmented black sand coastline. The challenges: legion. Torrential river crossings, Freezing Atlantic waves and unforgiving Arctic weather.
With the Tide, Chelsea J. Jolly (USA) 25 min
Yakutat, with 400 residents, sits at the mouth of Yakutat Bay north of Glacier Bay, Alaska. Home to the Tlingit people for centuries, the region offers fishing, hunting, and wild natural beauty, but not much for teenagers – until one native resident returns from college and introduces them to the pleasures of joyful, spirit-strengthening surfing, right where they live. Whole families become involved, contributing boards, wetsuits, and a mix of Tlingit traditions.
Return of the Mangroves, Leo Thom (USA) 9 min
Embark on a riveting journey with the Mangrove Action Project team as they return to El Salvador’s enchanting Bay of Jiquilisco, a battleground in the fight to save Central America’s vast mangrove forests. Twelve years after the groundbreaking restoration efforts, the team returns to unveil the transformative power of their community-based ecological mangrove restoration approach and resilient communities that call it home.
Kahu Mano, David W McGuire (USA) 22 min
Kahu Mano are the shark guardians of the reef. Two free-diving young Hawaiian women search the local waters for the islands’ 40 shark species, all of them protected. The divers are assisted in caring for their environment by a concerned community, their elders, and their traditional gods.
Date & Time
Sun, Jan 26, 2025 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Venue Details
Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center THEATER 2
500 West Fletcher Street Alpena, Michigan 49707
Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Established in 2010 by local community leaders, the Friends of TBNMS is a nonprofit 501(c)3. Its founders envisioned the significant opportunity the sanctuary offered for protecting our Great Lakes and their rich maritime history, hands-on educational experiences for area students, and local economic development. Today, that vision has become a reality with the Friends of TBNMS sharing a close working relationship with the sanctuary staff, playing a critical role in funding the sanctuary’s education programs, community outreach efforts, unique museum experiences, and research.