INLAND SEAS SCHOOLSHIP –Aboard MANITOU. SPRING 2008 SUMMARY
Once upon a Monday, May 5th, 2008 to be exact: The NORRIS NAVIGATORS made their way down the walkway to the double masted schooner “THE MANITOU”. Little did they know that ISEA had done away with Navigators this past year in keeping with the State of Michigan Education Departments new Science Standards. So now we had 30 Navigators on Board and had to get Mr. Harvey Norris- the Chief Navigator out on the ship this day to give us all a little history lesson.
It was the first Day of the INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2008 Schoolship held onboard The Tallship MANITOU - & it was the last sail for the Norris Navigators. Dr. Bill explained the operations of the otter trawl – it was clean, bright and brand new and it would never look this way ever again. After a brief lesson on how to launch the fish net, the crew and students launched the trawl over the side. It was always our hope that: Fishes, weed, crayfish, snails, and mussels would be retrieved. The BIG QUESTION was: Would there be all that green slime again this year? Sally taught the students the "Fish Call", "HERE FISHY FISHY", and it seemed to work on all kinds of fish, especially the perch and tiny rock bass. The round gobies seemed to be sitting on the bottom with their fused pectoral fin, HIDING someplace else until the last two weeks of Schoolship. Then over 60% of the catch was of that Alien species –
The Dreaded Round Goby.
Again, we Lead Scientists are most appreciative of the Manitou Crew launching the net this year, and any dings in the rail aren't due to the Lead Instructors retrieving the otter boards. But then again, any dings in the paint could be from the PONAR dredge - but we aren't telling.......Thank goodness for the new paint job on the rail during the spring season.
The Highlight of Spring Schoolship is always when we sing the old traditional song of Happy Birthday to Captain Dave. Three days in a row…This year Capt. Dave hit the road for Ohio so as to avoid his OWN birthday and celebrate his Dad’s.
It was Dr. Bill’s turn to get sick this year, but he nicely waited to get real sick until his days off. Jerry tried to slice and dice his finger in the hatch cover slide, and managed to keep blood off the deck, but the benthos towel was a real mess.
Because we were short on instructors during the first two weeks of Schoolship, many of the Leads became station instructors. There was a Friday morning, when 5 Leads boarded the vessel reporting for duty. Dr. Bill was in charge, and welcomed aboard, Jerry, Len, Pete & Sally. Central Grade School had over 100+ years of teaching experience that AM.
A special THANK YOU goes out to our two Captains. Captain Dave –our ISEA Seamanship Instructor came through on many occasions, we will try and not make you have so much fun next year, and you can just be “THE CAPTAIN”. To Captain Cheyenne, who sailed around with 12 layers of clothing on, (we could only see her eyes; the rest of her was covered with warm clothing): Welcome Back. May you have a terrific summer that will make you want to comeback again. Thank you both for a wonderful Spring Schoolship season 2008.
The MANITOU Crew was most appreciated and did a great Job this Spring. Kerry kept us well fed & the coffee always hot. Her giggle & laugh is contagious & made for a happy ship. Mate Greg kept us all smiling & provided a few serious laughs along the way. The students & instructors hung on every word of his safety talk, it was like a never ending story that was very entertaining and informative at the same time- we wondered what he would say next. Many compliments. Deck hands, Brendan, Glenn, Caleb, Joe, Tom, Mary & Dr. Bill kept the Manitou sailing under all kinds of precipitation and wind conditions just like the Post Office – through rain and sunshine and clouds (no snow, sleet or hail this year). Kathy and Mary kept the office humming and threw and caught the lines, signifying the begging and end of our daily Schoolship Adventures. THANK YOU CREW !
We - - The Lead Instructors of the Inland Seas Education Association who have the pleasure of sailing on the Magnificent Schooner Manitou, are most appreciative of the opportunity to work with the Manitou crew each spring. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to our program and for putting up with all of us. After this morning, we now give you back your schooner - without all of our science gear onboard and you won’t have to trip over it anymore or wake up each morning thinking about “having to launch the stinky slimy trawl net”.
HAPPY SAILING - EACH AND EVERY DAY – and HAVE A GREAT SUMMER SEASON!
CHRISTINE CHRISSMAN JERRY INMAN PETE MAGOUN SALLY SOMSEL DR. BILL
LEN KLEIN LINNEA RAJALA WAYNE SWALLOW KATHY TURNER FRED UTTING
THE INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Protecting the Great Lakes through Education
Evart MS sailing aboard Inland Seas. 
