Huntington’s longtime maritime chief to retire

Harry Acker, Huntington’s director of maritime services for the town for the past 36 years, will be stepping own at the end of the month.

Acker, 55, started working for the town in 1974, he said, as a part time bay constable, and moved up the ranks to become senior harbormaster and deputy director of maritime services before settling into his current position. He said he started working for the town when he wasn’t sure what else he wanted to do, but somehow, never left.

“There were certainly jobs that paid more at the time,” he said. “But I grew up on the water, this was the best job I could have ever had.”

Acker, who also teaches marine law enforcement for New York State, will officially step down on Dec. 28.