Traverse City Water Festival Scheduled for December 12 - 14, 2008!

For details of the Water Festival go to http://www.thewaterfestival.org/2ndindex.php

Water Festival blog at http://tcwaterfest.wordpress.com/

Friendship Sloop Liberty Taken to Traverse City for Winter

Underway for Traverse City, October 24,2008

Don at the helm.

On a wet and chilly Friday afternoon, Don Gorski and Tom Kelly motored Liberty to her winter berth in Traverse City (Greilickville). The trip was uneventful except for the rain, which got heavier as the day progressed. On the weekend Don assembled the winter cover frame. We will put the cover on later this week, as soon as the weather improves.

Winter cover frame in place. Inland Seas is in the background.

ISEA'S New Development Director Featured in Traverse City Record Eagle

On Monday, October 22, 2008, the Traverse City Record Eagle published an article about ISEA's new Development Director, Steve Cruzen. Steve began work at ISEA on Sept. 22. He is working to improve public support of ISEA programs through major gifts and planned giving. He can be reached at (231) 271-3077 or at scruzen@schoolship.org.

Read the entire Record Eagle article at http://www.record-eagle.com/archivesearch/local_story_296094822.html

We are glad to have Steve as part of the Inland Seas team! -Capt. Tom Kelly

Environmental Stewards Adult Students Learn About Lakes and Streams

Christine Crissman, ISEA's Education Director, spent the day the MSU-Extension's Environmental Stewards class, teaching them about lakes and streams. The afternoon was spent at (and in) Suttons Bay Creek near the Waterwheel Park.

Inland Seas Wrapped Up for the Winter

Inland Seas is now at her winter berth at the Centre Pointe building in Traverse City (Greilickville), protected with a ventilated shrink-wrap cover. Electric mixers will keep the ice away from the hull. The crew is working on final winterizing of the engine and water systems. Tomorrow Capt. Remy leaves for Woods Hole to join the schooner Dennis Sullivan (with our mate Allen Wolfe already aboard) for the voyage to Florida.

October 17 - Inland Seas Sails to Winter Berth

Sunrise at the Education Center
Leaving Suttons Bay
Rigging fenders at our winter berth
The view from four floors up.
MHA's Mark Thompson with Arcturos and Mary J

Last Friday the crew (Tom Kelly, Remy Champt, Jan Hale, Bob Hagerman) motored Inland Seas to Traverse City for winter storage. After filling the fuel tanks and pumping out the holding tanks we berthed her alongside the wall at Centre Pointe. Thanks to Dave Mathia and Centre Pointe for the complementary winter dockage.



We were in good company there, with the MHA's Herreshoff H-28 ketch and the Mary J behind us and their newly aquired cutter Champion in front. Champion will be hauled out and Liberty will take her place on the wall for the winter. -Capt. Tom K.

(click on the photos for larger versions)

ISEA Education Director Featured in Great Lakes Newsletter

Christine Crissman, ISEA's Education Director, is the featured writer this week in the on-line newsletter Great Lakes Town Hall. Today's article is about the Schoolship Program, then Tuesday, the importance of getting children outside, Wednesday, the impact of invasive species, Thursday, the botulism outbreaks, and a wrap-up on Friday. To read Christine's thoughts on these topics go to:

http://www.greatlakestownhall.org/opinion/guest.php

Nice work, Christine! -Capt. Tom

Lay-Up Work Continues on Liberty & Inland Seas

Capt. Don Gorski, Pete Bently and Dick Babcock help to de-rig Liberty. Not shown (busy carrying sails into the building) is Pete Jones.

Capt. Remy Champt cleaning up the spars prior to refinishing.

Bob Hagerman working on the lazy board.

The crew's inter sanctum...the spar shed shop.

24 Hours at Inland Seas

In case you missed the photo exhibit "24 Hours at Inland Seas" this summer, the entire display is now being shown on the large video screen at the Inland Seas Education Center. These photographs were taken in a 24 hour period by Scott Thompkins' photography students this past June. Here are a couple examples from the exhibit:





Photographers: Top - Heather McKitrick, Middle- Zoe Allen-Wickler, Bottom- Clayton Queen

Lay-Up Work Continues Aboard Inland Seas

Spars ready for refinishing in the Hamm Outdoor Classroom

Jan, Remy and Bob with the winter cover frame.

In the past few days the crew has painted the deck with non-skid paint and touched up the cap rails, masts, and other areas. Today they put the winter cover frame in place.

Youth in Action in the ISEA Boat Shop

The ISEA Boat Shop is a busy place these days, with the crew working on refinishing projects for the schooner, and Boat Shop instructors Chuck Dickerson and Mike Cherry leading six students from Suttons Bay Middle and High Schools in construction of our 6th Abenaki canoe.

Top and Middle: Fitting cedar strips to the moulds and clamping with a custom jig. Bottom: View from above showing a completed canoe hanging from the shop overhead.

Fall Lay-Up in Progress

The fall lay-up process is well along as of Wednesday, October 8, 2008. The running rigging and sails have been removed, as well as all spars and blocks. The topmasts came down yesterday. The spars will be stored in the outdoor classroom for the winter. The rain today will limit activity on deck, but work will continue in the shop and outdoor classroom. The next big job is to repaint the decks. Capt. Remy is being assisted by Bob Haberman and Jan Hale with the lay-up tasks.

St. Ignace Tribal Students Sail on the Schoolship's Finale

Our final Schoolship sail of the 2008 season.

Tribal students from several St. Ignace area middle schools sailed aboard Inland Seas on September 30th, the Schoolship's last day of the 2008 season. We had stormy-looking skys, but only occasional rain and the occasional sunny period. The sailing was wonderful, the brisk NW wind (to 20 knots) giving us a fast reach up to Omena Bay and back. My thanks to Sue, Dee and Kurt for bringing these energentic learners to us.

And my thanks to all ISEA crew and volunteers who made the 2008 season such a success!