Crew Training and Rigging Continues

Loading the life raft (Inflatable Buoyant Apparatus or IBA), supervised by Capt. Champt.

Crew training today included marine radio usage, plumbing, electrical system, steering failure, medical kits, and medical standing orders. After the training session we loaded the life raft onto the vessel and secured it in its cradle. This afternoon the crew is bending on the staysail and making final preparations for underway drills tomorrow. -Tom K.

Life raft in place with hydrostatic release.

Monday, April 28, 2009

ISEA floating docks are repaired by Seeco Contracting - Thanks Bob, Adam and Jim.

We still have several seasonal slips for rent.

42 degree water is no problem for Adam and Jim.

Re-rigging continues on Inland Seas. We anchored the vessel in Suttons Bay so we could raise the sails into the wind and lash on the mast hoops. This went well until the wind got over 30 knots (34 kt. max) and we bagged it. Got all by two hoops done. Above photo shows Allen and Rebecca lashing the hoops to the mainsail.Mast hoop lashing.

-TK

Saturday Morning at Suttons Bay

Liberty and Inland Seas, 0630 hrs.

Dockside Crew Training

Len & Allen exercise one of the portable Whale pumps. Rebecca (standing in the forepeak) looks on.

This morning 11 crew participated in training on man-overboard, fire, abandon ship, flares, and de-watering. Next Tuesday we will do drills underway. --T. Kelly

Crew and Instructor Training Continues at ISEA

On April 21, 17 crew members and lead instructors took the CPR re-certification course from Dr. Sander Kushner and Janice Lemak, RN. Thanks to Sandy and Janice for providing this service to ISEA!

Following the CPR class, Lead Instructors met with Christine Crissman to prepare for the upcoming Schoolship season aboard Inland Seas and Manitou. -Tom K.

Liberty Returns to Suttons Bay

Don installing lifelines while underway.

ISEA's Friendship sloop Liberty returned to Suttons Bay late Friday afternoon. Tom Kelly and Don Gorski motored the classic replica north from Traverse City with a quartering breeze and gentle seas. Perfect sailing weather, but alas, we had no sails to set. Next step, rigging and sails. -Capt. Tom Coasties come by for a look.

Back home in Suttons Bay

Suttons Bay High School 11th Grade Students Clean up Marina

Friday afternoon 80 Suttons Bay 11th graders volunteered to clean up the Suttons Bay marina, area parks, and the Inland Seas Education Center waterfront. The winter's accumulation of debris was bagged and fallen tree branches stacked up for removal by Village crews. Thanks to these hard working students!

Rigging Work Contines on Inland Seas

Allen and Rebecca working on main topmast.

This week the crew set both topmasts, hung blocks and painted the deck bulwarks. We just purchased a new 600' spool of 5/8" dacron line to replace the 15-year-old quarterlifts and some halyards. Lots of splicing is involved in making up the quaterlifts and lazy jacks. Thanks to Remy, Allen, Bob and Rebecca.

Capt. Remy splicing the new quarter lifts.

Rebecca takes a turn at splicing.

Ice Finally Leaves Suttons Bay!

Lots of brash ice still in lower Suttons Bay on May 15th. It's all gone now.

As of Friday, April 17, only a few patches of ice remained in the Suttons Bay Marina. With the SW wind and temperature up to 70F on Friday afternoon, I'll declare the ice gone for the season (finally)! --Tom K.

Inland Seas Arrives at Suttons Bay - April 13, 2009

The first trip of the season was from our winter berth at the Centre Pointe dock in Traverse City to Suttons Bay. The crew and ship had a nice motor north under fair skys and calm seas. Really calm in some areas that were covered in skim ice. We left at 0928 and arrived in Suttons Bay at 1147. The water temperature was 33 degrees F most of the way. The delivery crew consisted of Tom Kelly, Remy Champt, Allen Wolfe, Bob Hagerman, Larry Garber, Fred Utting, and Rebecca Hancock. Work now begins on re-rigging.

Captain Remy Champt at the helm, dressed for the weather.

Fred Utting, Capt. Allen Wolfe and Larry Garber discuss world events.

Cutting through skim ice.

Rebecca Hancock checking the John Deere while underway.

Back at our home dock in Suttons Bay.

-T. M. Kelly

Repair Work Finished on Schooner Dock

Don Balcom finished work on the Schooner Dock today. We expect to bring Inland Seas north to Suttons Bay on Monday.

Inland Seas at Centre Pointe Dock Yesterday.

Inland Seas' Rescue Boat Gets A Makeover

ISEA's inflatable rescue boat got a thorough cleaning, painting and upgrading this winter. The boat was cleaned and polished, the "Inland Seas" name added to the sides, a floor board replaced, a bow pudding added, more reflective tape added, and the gas tank and air pump replaced. This work was done by Capt. Remy Champt, Allen Wolfe, Bob Hagerman, Tom Kastle and Tom Kelly. -TK

Extent of ice cover on Suttons Bay, April 6, 2009.

Repair Work Begins on Schooner Dock

April 2, 2009
Almost alongside. April 2, 2009

Repair work on the Village of Suttons Bay's Schooner Dock began last Thursday. Balcom Marine is the contractor. Don Balcom had a bit of trouble getting his floating plant alongside due to ice that was 8" - 10" thick. Kal Escavating delivered a piling to replace the one broken off by the ice last week. As of Monday, the ice in Suttons Bay is about 2/3 gone. Ice is still in place from the new condos to the head of the bay. Strong winds today are beginning to break it up.

Piling ready to be driven in place.

Moving Ice Damages Schooner Dock, Finger Piers

Looking north at Inland Seas' finger piers.
Looking NE at ISEA's destroyed finger pier ramp.


View under the Schooner Dock, with broken piling.

Ice Damage to Schooner Dock.

Strong winds from the south pushed ice against the Schooner Dock in Suttons Bay, snapping one piling and knocking out power to the underwater camera. Luckly the underwater camera is on another piling and was not damaged. Don Balcom, whose tug and barge have been moored near the dock all winter, will attempt repairs on Thursday. The dock is owned by the Village of Suttons Bay and used by ISEA's education schooner Inland Seas. Many of the S. B. Marina's finger piers on the Coal Dock were also damaged or moved out of position by the ice. ISEA's two finger piers also sustained damage.

-Tom K.