Summer Sailing Schedule Announced

Inland Seas Education Association - 2009 Public Program Schedule

Schooner Inland Seas

Sailing from Suttons Bay unless noted. Please arrive one half hour before listed sailing time

Family Science Sail (Three hours, for families, $40/person, $35/Child under 18) Become a “scientist for the day” as you help monitor the health of the lake by trawling for fish, collecting plankton, sampling the lake bottom and completing water quality tests. You will also get a chance to steer the ship and help hoist the anchor and the sails.

June 26: 2:00 pm
June 27: 9:00 am
July 1: 9:00 am, Charlevoix
July 2: 2:00 pm
July 3: 2:00 pm
July 17: 2:00 pm
July 23: 2:00 pm
July 24: 2:00 pm

July 25: 9:00 am
July 29: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
July 30: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
July 31: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 3: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 8: 9:00 am
August 10: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 11: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 12: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 13: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 14: 9:00 am & 2:00 pm
August 17: 2:00 pm, Traverse City
August 21: 2:00 pm
September 4: 2:00 pm
September 5: 9:00 am

Explore Power Island (All day, for families, $80/person, $75/Child under 18) A full-day of history, geology, and ecology aboard the schooner Inland Seas and on Power Island in Grand Traverse Bay. Dress for hiking.
July 21: 9:00 am – 5 pm, includes lunch. Traverse City–Elmwood Township Marina

Maritime History Under Sail (Adults, $55/person) Discover the rich maritime heritage of Suttons Bay, Omena, and Peshawbestown on a three-hour sail guided by the ship’s crew and a guest faculty of local historians. A light meal will be served while underway.
July 23: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, includes dinner. Suttons Bay

Astronomy Under Sail (Adults, $45/person) Join astronomer Dick Cookman as we will leave the dock in Suttons Bay before sunset and sail away from the shore lights for a clear view of the night sky. Our most popular adult program.
August 20: 9:00 pm – 11:15 pm
August 21: 9:00 pm – 11:15 pm

Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Shipwreck Exploration (All day, for families, $80/person, $75/Child under 18) A day-long underwater exploration: communicate with divers via live video and audio systems as they explore shipwrecks and other underwater features in Grand Traverse Bay.
August 18: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, includes lunch. Traverse City–Elmwood Township Marina

Geology of Grand Traverse Bay (Families, $80/person, $75/Child under 18) Learn about the geology that gives our Bay its unique character. From the glaciers to modern human impacts, we will see it above and below the water. Includes lunch and a hike on Power Island.
August 19: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, includes lunch. Traverse City–Elmwood Township Marina

Invasive Species Research for High School Students: Overnight programs for 10 students, offered 3 times. (H. S. Students, with teacher recommendation. $300. Scholarships may be available) Details at www.schoolship.org.
June 29 & 30 - Suttons Bay to Charlevoix

July 15 & 16 - Grand Traverse Bay

July 27 & 28 - Grand Traverse Bay

Invasive Species Field Course for Teachers: Three day intensive program that mixes teachers with working scientists. You will go back to your classroom with stories to tell, lessons to teach, and an unforgetable experience. Contact Chis Crissman, ISEA Education Director for application details.

July 20 - 22

We can custom design a sailing/learning program for your youth group, church, neighborhood, family reunion, or just a group of friends. Give us a call and we can discuss your interests.

Details on all ISEA programs at www.schoolship.org or call 231-271-3077

Volunteer Instructor Class Underway

Sarah Litch leading the Weather Station demonstration.

The annual Volunteer Instructor Training Class is underway at Glen Loomis School in Traverse City. The class meets each Tuesday at 6:30 - 8:30. Even if you missed the first two programs, you can still join in. Give Christine a call at the ISEA office to register. Next Tuesday's class will cover Water Chemistry. For the entire class schedule see http://www.schoolship.org/membership/?id=182

Snow on the Boat - Sunday January 18, 2009

Friday January 16, 2009 Notes - ISEA is on Facebook, Handy Billy Debut

View out my window this afternoon. Yea, sun!

This week the ship's officers attended the Great Lakes Captains Association's "Industry Days" and the annual meeting of the Great Lakes Association of Science Ships (GLASS) in Traverse City. On Thursday Janet Vail of the Grand Valley State University Annis Water Resources Institute and Tom Kelly presented a illustrated report on the status of education vessels on the Great Lakes to the GLASS meeting. Attendees were lucky enough to hear the first public performance of the new nautical singing group "Handy Billy", concisting of ISEA's own Christine Crissman and Allen Wolfe, DTE's underwater MD (minnow dipper) Gary Longton, and guitarist Andy Spence. Handy Billy in action.

Ed and Chuck at work on the drywall.

In the lower level of ISEC volunteers are putting up new dry wall in the Science Prep Room and a new fire door with window between the lower level and the Boat Shop. Thanks Chuck, Mike and Ed for all your good works.

And lastly, ISEA has joined the millions of others on Facebook. See you there.
-----Tom K.

Tonight's Volunteer Instructor Class is Cancelled

Hello volunteers!

I just wanted to remind everyone that the Volunteer Instructor Training Class is CANCELLED this evening, Tuesday January 13th due to weather (when the TC schools are closed we do not have class). We will continue next week with the scheduled class (sample collections and weather), and will make up the missed material at a later date (possibly during the review session on March 24). Any questions please call 231-271-3077. Hope to see everyone next week. Thanks and stay warm!

Best,
Christine

Christine Crissman
Education Director
231-271-3077

Shipboard Educators Meet at Inland Seas Education Center

Sixteen individuals representing nine different organizations participated in a Shipboard Education workshop today at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay. Represented were Inland Seas, Maritime Heritage Alliance, Annis Water Resources Institute of Grand Valley State University, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Highlander Sea, Sea Ports Great Lakes, Boy Scouts of America, Michigan Sea Grant Extension Great Lakes Education Program and Northwestern Michigan College Water Studies Institute. Vessels represented were Inland Seas, Liberty, W. G. Jackson, D. J. Angus, Highlander Sea, Madeline, Welcome, Champion, Prevailing Winds III, R/V Northwestern and GLEC chartered vessels.

A wide range of issues were discussed including transportation costs and other impediments to school participation, public and private support for shipboard education, public awareness, and evaluation of program effectiveness. Participants also made a commitment to continue to work together for the betterment of the Great Lakes and experiential shipboard education.

Dr. Janet Vail agreed to host next year's meeting in Muskegon.

Top Photo: Meeting attendees in the Boat Shop with Instructor Chuck Dickerson

Bottom Photo: Shipboard Educators Group

Using Advanced Technology to Understand Our Bay

Public Seminar on Aquatic Monitoring Technology in the Grand Traverse Bay Region

Suttons Bay, MI – The Inland Seas Education Association will present a seminar that focuses on aquatic monitoring technology at 7pm on Wednesday, January 14th, at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay. The program, “Aquatic Monitoring Technology in the Grand Traverse Bay Region” will be presented by Hans Van Sumeren.

In 2005, the University of Michigan’s Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory introduced the Grand Traverse Bay Observing System as part of a regional collaboration aimed at collecting and compiling real-time oceanographic and meteorological data. In 2007 and 2008, the National Park Service used an underwater Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) to determine the bottom conditions in Lake Michigan that seemed to harbor the botulism toxin responsible for thousands of bird deaths in 2007 alone. Van Sumeren will discuss technologies such as these that help monitor the health of Grand Traverse Bay and help researchers better understand conditions in Lake Michigan.

Hans Van Sumeren is the Director of the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at Northwestern Michigan College. He has worked across the Great Lakes, Alaska, and the US coastal oceans on a wide variety of programs involving coastal processes, environmental and habitat monitoring, shipwreck investigations, ship hydrodynamics, and remote sensing. Van Sumeren was previously at the University of Michigan’s Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories where he served at various research, education, outreach, and administrative positions from 1991 through July 2008. He holds a BSE and a MSE in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan and specialized in Marine Environmental Engineering.

The Inland Seas Education Association is a non-profit organization based in Suttons Bay, Michigan, dedicated to science education on the Great Lakes. Its shipboard and shore-side education programs are designed to inspire young people’s interest in science and to provide for the long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes. For further information contact the Inland Seas Education Association at (231) 271-3077 or on the web at www.schoolship.org.

!st Volunteer Class, Winter Boatshop Work

The first Volunteer Instructor Class was a great success with 50 people in attendance. If you missed the first class, you can still participate - just come Wednesday evening at 6:30 to Glen Loomis School and get started in your new career with Inland Seas.

Bob Hagerman refurbishing the Achillies inflateable rescue boat.

Work continues at the Education Center Boat Shop on a refit of the ship's inflateable rescue boat and the Boston Whaler utility boat. The Canoe Building Class had a break yesterday while the new garage door was installed. The new door has a row of windows which brings additional natural light into the shop. Instead of working in the shop, students watched a video of traditional boatbuilding in Alaska. -TK

Capt. Remy Champt beginning work on the new bow fender for the Boston Whaler.

2009 Volunteer Instructor Class Begins Tonight

ISEA begins its 21st season this evening with the first of 12 sessions of the 2009 Volunteer Training Class. Even if you cannot attend tonight, you can come next Tuesday and still get everything you need to help teach aboard ISEA's Schoolships. For the complete schedule and course outline go to http://www.schoolship.org/membership/?id=182

Hope to see you this evening at Glen Loomis School in Traverse City (note the 6:30 pm start time). --Tom Kelly

Liberty and Inland Seas this afternoon. Cleared some heavy snow and ice off the covers. The electric mixers are keeping the harbor ice free.