WHO WE ARE
Friends of Bass River was formed by neighbors who share a lifelong love of Bass River: Bob Churchill, DeWitt Davenport and Mark Anschutz. Through education, awareness and involvement, these friends hope to inspire all who love the river to join them and become actively involved in its preservation.
mark anschutz, founding member
“Learning to swim at Windmill Beach in the mid 1950’s was my first encounter with the river. The water was clear. Holding my breath and opening my eyes in the salty water, I saw all manner of abundant bottom grass, sheltering a seemingly infinite array of sea life.” Some 60 years later, Mark still visits the shores of the river almost daily. Witnessing the many changes to the river reminds him that he is a trustee of this special treasure. Mark has committed himself to preserving the river for generations to come.
dewitt davenport, founding member
"Often times I wonder why my goal is to be on Bass River every day from early spring to late fall. Is it the tranquility, the gentle sounds, the magnificent wildlife habitat? Maybe it's the familiar faces, a wave from a neighbor, or just the quiet solitude. It doesn't matter if there is a spectacular sunrise or the last pink light from a fading sunset; one's soul is at peace on the river. I know I am safe on the river. The feeling is like no other."
bob Churchill, founding member & Board Chair
“To me, the river is a source of living, loving and energy that is second to none.” A fourth generation, self-professed “River Rat,” Bob heeds the call of the river nearly every day to energize his soul. As a young child, Bob never forgot his father’s words as he sailed his beetle Cat solo for the first time: “Don’t try to control the boat, guide it.” As a steward of Bass River, Bob is dedicated to guiding the health and well-being of this priceless resource.
ERINN McCarty - founding member & Vice Chair
Erinn McCarty, the newest member of the Friends of Bass River board, grew up on the North River in Marshfield Hills, and her family has spent summers on the north side of Dennis since the 1940s. Locals and long-time residents may know them by their 1967 Mackenzie Bass Boat that they kept by the High Bank Bridge on Bass River for 30 years.
She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College with a degree in Marine Geology, and as an undergraduate she studied oceanography and nautical science at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole. Immediately after college she made the decision to go out to sea full-time, working as a Marine Lab Specialist onboard the drilling vessel JOIDES Resolution. Serving as the onboard curator for 10 years, she was in charge of deep sea hard-rock and sediment core preservation and sampling.
Finally returning to land, Erinn settled on the Cape full time in 2000 and had a 17-year career in the wholesale gift industry. She retired from that work to allow her to spend more time with her husband, who has worked offshore for over 40 years.
She and her husband, Craig spend most of their free time on the water on the Cape and at their summer residence in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. They belong to and are active in a number of yacht clubs, and Erinn has served on the board of governors at the Bass River Yacht Club for 18 years, most recently as Past Commodore. Their family is complemented by their two golden retrievers, Tugger and Tashtego.
“As a lifelong resident of Yarmouth and Bass River, I learned to swim at Windmill Beach and continue to find the river central to each of my days. The beauty and fragility of our beloved Bass River has been with me from very early in my life. That passion has brought me to service as a member of the Town of Yarmouth Conservation Commission, acting as the Commission Chairman for the last 3+ years. I was also an original member of the Land Bank/Open Space committee.”
“As committed as I am about our environment, I am equally passionate about sailboat racing. I was the Operations Manager for the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race (around the world) and recently completed the DN Iceboat North American Championship. Given my experience, clean and healthy water, in “soft or hard form,” is something I think about every day—particularly the water that is adjacent to my home at the head of the Bass River.”
Elizabeth Gail Hayden - Board of directors
Gail first came to Cape Cod in 1963, when her family decided to leave the cold waters of Maine for the warmer waters of Cape Cod. A family friend suggested they try a place called Bass River. A realtor showed them a small cottage at the end of Trotting Park Road, by the beach in West Dennis. Gail grew up on Nantucket Sound half-way between Bass River and Swan River. The rivers and the Sound were her playground. Here she developed a passion for the ocean and its estuaries. The rhythms of the sea and winds which play along the Sound and its estuaries filled her with wonder and pleasure. When the years spun on, life took her to different addresses, but West Dennis remained her constant home. Today, her kitchen table overlooks Weir Creek behind West Dennis Beach.
Gail is grateful for the gift of living in this extraordinary place. She wants people of all ages to find pleasure and peace in the beauty of the Bass River Estuary. As a retired educator she is committed to educate the public about the treasure in their midst. She wants everyone to understand the fragility of this complex ecosystem. Through Friends of Bass River, Gail has been working with the dynamic FOBR Team to restore and preserve the longest estuary on Cape Cod.
Gail’s focus has been in developing curriculum with the Dennis Yarmouth School District to give local students an understanding the science at work in the estuary; to recognize the impact of nature and man upon the estuary; and how to problem solve solutions, beneficial to people and the environment. Her dream is to grow Friends of Bass River in order to provide field experiences for young people through all of their senses, not merely through a textbook.ience at work in the estuary; to recognize the impact of nature and man upon the estuary; and how to problem solve solutions, beneficial to people and the environment. Her dream is to grow Friends of Bass River in order to provide field experiences for young people through all of their senses, not merely through a textbook.
scott horsley - environmental consultant
Scott Horsley has joined Friends of Bass River as a part-time environmental consultant, bringing with him more than thirty years of professional experience in the field of water resources management.
In his new role with us, Scott’s first task will be to help us evaluate current environmental policy, management systems and communications, as well as helping us design and implement efficient systems and processes to mitigate current and future environmental damage to Bass River and its watershed.
Scott brings extensive skills to this role, as he holds degrees in Biology and Marine Policy and teaches graduate courses at Tufts University and Harvard Extension School. Additionally, Scott has worked as a consultant to federal, state, and local jurisdictions, and private industry throughout the United States, Central America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and China.
Scott also served as a consultant to the Cape Cod Commission in the development of the Cape Cod 208 Water Quality Plan Update, and he has served as an expert witness in federal and state courts in the areas of hydrology, wetlands science, water quality, and storm water management. He serves on numerous advisory boards to the EPA, the National Academy of Public Administration, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, National Water Well Association, National Groundwater Association, and Massachusetts Audubon Society.