The city of Baltimore has not had a dockmaster since 2019, and it hasn’t always been simple for boaters to know when and where they can tie up to a public dock along the harbor.
But Mike McGeady, the newly minted Baltimore Harbormaster, is looking to change all that with help from the Baltimore Department of Transportation. The city is reimagining the former dockmaster role to be more wholistic and modern. Operating under the transportation department and adding an online reservation system through the “Dockwa” app are two ways McGeady says he’ll accomplish that change. “There’s a lot of signage that says ‘No Docking’; We want to turn that on its head,” he tells us.
The city owns nearly 5,000 linear feet of dockage, including the Inner Harbor West Wall and Inner Harbor Finger Piers (some with pier power), both near the Rusty Scupper restaurant building on the west side of the harbor. The building includes modest-but-useful amenities like restrooms, coin laundry, and a boaters’ lounge, and is also home to the new Harbormaster’s office.
Boaters can also dock along portions of Inner Harbor Piers 3, 4, 5 and 6 (from the National Aquarium to music venue Pier Six Pavilion, where well-known acts perform). In Fells Point, visiting boats can also dock along Broadway Pier, the Thames Bulkhead, and Ann Street Pier, just steps from restaurants, shops, and live music. “We have really good, deep water,” McGeady points out, and space for vessels of all sizes.
McGeady describes the goal of his new position as “less tax collector, more ambassador”, with a mission of connecting boaters with the waterfront. He began outreach to the community during Fourth of July weekend, one of the busiest times of year in the Harbor. “Boats were everywhere,” he says.
McGeady may be uniquely qualified for the newly created Harbormaster role. His family owned a marine construction business in Curtis Bay. He has been a deckhand on the Pride of Baltimore II and served as deputy director of the program. He is past president of Sail Baltimore, and has run an engineering/construction business on waterfront projects like D.C.’s The Wharf and National Harbor. He has been immersed in the Baltimore maritime community and has the logistics skills to improve it.
McGeady explains that city partners like the Waterfront Partnership and the Baltimore Development Corporation work to improve the areas around the harbor, but there has been a gap since their responsibility ends at the waterline and doesn’t include issues like dockage, maritime infrastructure, and dredging.
He says the new dockage fees (which start at $1.25/foot) will generate funds for infrastructure and what he calls “deferred maintenance”. Boaters can reserve space by the hour, the day, or the month. There’s a special Dock and Dine rate and reservations are available for the dinghy and kayak dock, too. You can find the rate sheet here. For those who don’t reserve online ahead of time, there are plans to install a walkup kiosk payment system, similar to today’s city parking meters.
McGeady believes this is the perfect time to rejuvenate the Inner Harbor transient boater scene, with next year’s Sail250 event bringing tall ships, military vessels, and air show demonstrations to Baltimore. Charm City is looking forward to creating an experience similar to the 2014 Sailabration, which brought in 1 million visitors and $165 million in economic impact.
The Baltimore Department of Transportation (DOT) Director Veronica P. McBeth, MSL counts the Harbor among Baltimore’s modes of sustainable transportation… not just roads, bridges and bikes. “In a city of neighborhoods, the waters of the Inner Harbor serve as a place where we come together to recreate, celebrate, and experience the true charm of Baltimore,” she says.
The Harbormaster points out that the waterway has user-friendly water taxi options. The free, weekday Harbor Connector is used frequently by city commuters to Urban Renewal districts like Harbor East, home to T. Rowe Price, Exelon, and Morgan Stanley. These harbor commutes take cars off the road and reduce gridlock, he points out.
On the weekends, there’s the 50-year-old Baltimore Water Taxi service, revamped in 2016 with a fleet of new, aluminum vessels with a raised wheelhouse and round stern that were inspired by the Hoopers Island draketail. The distinctive dark-hulled water taxis use an online schedule system, making it easy for riders to plan a trip anywhere from Canton Waterfront Park to Fort McHenry.
Ultimately, McGeady wants boaters to know there’s a place for them at the Harbor and someone waiting to welcome them. “I want to choreograph the experience of a boater,” he says. He wants to address what many boaters may wonder: The weather’s good; I want to come to Baltimore… how do I get a berth?
McGeady is looking to grow the Harbormaster’s office in the years to come, but for now he is focused on getting his message out to boaters. “We have one chance to redefine this and do it right. With a high level of service and top-tier vibes, we’re working to reintroduce the thought into peoples’ minds.”
The Dockwa reservation system is officially up and running. You can download the Dockwa app and reach the Baltimore municipal slips here. To speak to McGeady, hail the Harbormaster on VHF 72, call the office at 410-396-3174 or email [email protected].
