May 28 - Our Savior Luthern (Grand Rapids) and Clare Elementary

The weather gods smiled upon us today with light winds and warmer temperatures.

Aboard Manitou in Traverse City, the afternoon trawl contained 112 fish, with 66 goby and yellow perch of all sizes. Willow Hill Elementary sailed aboard Manitou.

High Winds and Cold Weather - May 27

The morning trip with Central Grade School from Traverse City was challenging, to say the least. The air temperature was 42 degrees (today's normal temp: 73!). Winds gusted to 27 knots (31 mph). We sailed with only the reefed mainsail and staysail. Everyone stayed on task, and we finished the science program with everyone still smiling. At least the sun was out.

Lower photo: Instructor Lily Prentice gets her Clare students ready for the afternoon trip. Fortunately the wind moderated in the afternoon.

May 23 - Fulton 5th Grade

From the top:
Deckhand Bob Hagerman handles the Ponar dredge.

Good sailing!
Thanks for sailing with us Fulton.

Schoolship with Interlochen Elementary and Baldwind MS (girls) - May 22

Today got off to a better start with slightly warmer temperatures and some sunshine later in the day. Captain Remy, with Scott Reitz and Bill Maul as Lead Instructors, lead the students through their hands-on science activities aboard Inland Seas. The surface water is still only 45 degrees, with the air only slightly warmer. Students measured the Secchi disk transparency at 12 meters today. Round goby dominated the trawl catch in the morning and afternoon, with a total of 42 caught in the two ten-minute trawls.

Aboard Manitou in Traverse City, Dr. Bill lead two classes from Green Elementary.

Schoolship Students Carry On Despite Cold and Rain

On what will likely be the coldest and wettest day of the spring, students from Reuther Middle School in Rochester, MI, braved the elements to successfully complete their science studies aboard Inland Seas. A similar scene took place aboard Manitou with students from Long Lake and Grayling Elementary schools. The air temperature was only 44 degrees, same as the water.

Oh, and here is our latest arrival in the ISEC Fish Tanks.....

Registration Open for 2008 Invasive Species Education Programs

ISEA is nationally known for its aquatic invasive species education programs. This summer we are again offering a 3-day Invasive Species Field Course for teachers, a 2-day Advanced Invasive Species course for teachers, and a 2-day Invasive Species Research course for High School students. Information on these courses and registration materials are available on our web site at http://www.schoolship.org/schoolship/?id=669 Tuition for these courses is paid by scholarship funds (no charge to participants). Partial funding provided by a grant from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

May 20th - Reuther MS and Baldwin MS

Cold winds blew across Suttons Bay today for students from Reuther Middle School and Baldwin Middle School. At least the sun came out in the afternoon. And the sailing was good with NW winds from 12 - 20 knots. We also saw two bald eagles flying across Suttons Bay in the afternoon!

Sorry, we had a problem with the camera in the morning, so only the Baldwin students are pictured.

Also sailing this week on Inland Seas will be two more classes from Ruether MS, Interlochen Elementary, another Baldwin HS class (the girls this time), Crerstwood MS, and Fulton Schools. Sailing on the schoolship Manitou will be Waterford Mott HS, Ruether MS (2 classes), Graying Elementary, Long Lake Elementary, Green Elementary (3 classes), and Fulton Schools.

May 19 - Waterford HS and Clare Elementary 4th Grade

Clear skys, fresh NW breeze and excellent students made for a great day aboard the schoolship Inland Seas. The afternoon trawl catch consisted of ninespine stickleback (3), mottled sculpin (2), round goby (16), native crayfish (4), and rusty crayfish (1). Two of the gobys went to our aquarium in the Education Center, to join the three new adult sea lamprey we received today from Nate Winkler of the Grand Traverse Band. The afternoon Secchi disk reading was 14 meters and the surface water temperature was 44.7 degrees F.

We also did a man-overboard drill this afternoon, recovering our sponge "Bob" in two minutes.

At the end of each trip the students shared in our Inland Seas 14th Birthday cake.

-TK

Launch Day - 14 Years Ago Today

In the late morning of May 18, 1994, at Treworgy Yachts in Palm Coast Florida, Toni Treworgy smashed a bottle of champagne over the bows of ISEA's new flagship. I opened a flask of Lake Michigan water and wetted her hull, saying "this is you home water, now take us there". With "God bless this ship and all who sail in her", the new schooner Inland Seas slid into the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway. Her builders, her crew, and all others gathered, gave three cheers.

In the photo above, taken just before launch, are ISEA crewmembers Tom Kelly, Remy Champt, Megan Trzaskoma, Scott Gienow, Bob Sprenger, and Dave Almeter.

Next came three weeks of "beat the clock boatbuilding" as the yard gang and boat crew worked like madmen to get the vessel finished and rigged in order to make our first paying job at the Toronto Tall Ship Festival. We got there a day early.

Our thanks to naval architech Charlie Wittholz (who passed away as the vessel was nearing completion), Parker Marean NA, who finished up the design work, and to Mark and Toni Treworgy and the crew at Treworgy Yachts for creating such a beautiful and capable ship.

"Happy Birthday Inland Seas"

- Tom Kelly

Central Grade School, Traverse City

Sixth graders from Central Grade School, Traverse City sailed aboard Inland Seas this morning. We had a few drops of rain, but mostly dry weather with a NW wind from 15 - 20 knots. Our trawl brought up a few goby and brook stickleback. We also caught a round goby in our PONAR dredge, in 65 feet of water! --TK

May 15 Aboard Inland Seas

This Week on the Schoolships

This week the following schools sailed on Inland Seas:
Romeo Montessori, Romeo; Northport Public; Traverse City Home School Group; Evart MS (2 programs); Lewiston; Smith Middle School, Dearborn; and Central Grade School, Traverse City.

Aboard Manitou we sailed with:
Glenn Loomis Elementary, Traverse City; Grayling Elementary; Lakeland Elementary (2 programs), Elk Rapids; Waterford Kettering; Gaylord St. Mary's; Lewiston School, Smith Middle School, Dearborn; and Central Grade School, Traverse City.

So far this spring the Secchi disk transparency (how far you can see underwater) has averaged 52 feet (16 meters) in Suttons Bay. Many readings are over 62 feet!

The primary fish catch has been yellow perch, round goby and rockbass. We have also picked up a few spottail shiner, white sucker, ninespine stickleback, and native crayfish.

The surface water temperature in Suttons Bay on 5-14-08 was 44 degrees F.

And here are some great ideas from our students to help protect the Great Lakes:
*Put a rain sensor on your lawn sprinkler system
*Switch to fluorescent light bulbs
*Use rechargeable batteries
*Add a water saver to your shower head

Here a some photos taken by Len Klein aboard Manitou on May 13 with students from Graying and Lakeland - Elk Rapids:

Schoolship aboard Manitou, May 9

Top: Measuring water transparency
Middle: Dr. Bill with students doing dissolved oxygen test.
Bottom: Looking for critters in the aquatic plant sample.

Sacred Heart Academy of Mt. Pleasant

Friday afternoon's sail with Sacred Heart Academy featured a good fish catch (perch, goby, spottail shiner, rockbass, crayfish), clear water (you could see the Secchi disk on the bottom at 65'), and a nice (but cool) sailing breeze.

Read the article about Aquatic Invaders in Sunday's Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008805110527

Creative Montessori on Suttons Bay, May 8th

A perfect afternoon to for young scientist - sailors to study the bay!

Leland Elementary Sails the Inland Seas

Join Ms. Lisuk's class aboard the Schoolship Inland Seas....