Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Beach Clean Up on Earth Day Saturday 4-24-10

Help ISEA Clean Up the Region's Beaches and Steam Banks


It's that time of the year, when the ice and snow has melted off the shorelines, and people start thinking about summer vacations along the beach. Unfortunately many will find the debris left behind from the previous season and from the winter’s winds and currents.

ISEA Beach Cleaners on Mackinac Island

The Inland Seas Education Association is looking for Beach Cleanup volunteers to remove trash from along the shoreline of Lake Michigan and inland waterways starting April 24 during Earth Week and going until May 10, 2010. For the past 20 years ISEA has organized spring Beach Cleanup events that cover shoreline areas of rivers, lakes, and streams in Manistee, Benzie, Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Antrim, Kalkaska, Wexford and Charlevoix counties. Bordering county residents and groups can also take part in the cleanup by picking up trash and debris along rivers, lakes and streams in their area, which are all part of the Great Lakes Watershed.

ISEA will be working with the City of Traverse City volunteers on Saturday, April 24th from 9:00 AM till noon and encourages the beach cleaners to meet in the Farmers Market Parking lot to get a data card and report which area shoreline park you will be cleaning.

Another group will meet at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay, at 9:00 AM on April 24th, to clean Suttons Bay Creek (Waterwheel Park) and the Village Marina area. Bring gloves and wear sturdy shoes. ISEA will provide the bags, data cards and clip boards.

“Volunteers in this event come from all walks of life including: businesses, schools, community groups, family and individuals,” states Sally Somsel, ISEA beach cleanup coordinator. “The volunteers all seem to have two things in common and that is their love for the Great Lakes and their commitment to help keep them clean.” Beach litter is more than unsightly, it’s dangerous. Shoreline debris can cause injury to humans and animals. Small children play with cigarette butts, fish are entangled in balloons, and birds trap their beaks in discarded food packaging. Ingested plastics can cause internal injury, intestinal blockage, and starvation. Thousands of animals, including fish, turtles, and birds die every year from ingestion or entanglement in beach debris.In 2009, ISEA's beach cleanup event held along the shores of the Grand Traverse area in Northwest Michigan was featured by the National Environmental Education Week.

The beach cleanup event held each spring brings together school children, fishermen, boaters, businesses, government employees, scuba divers, scout troops, and others who care about our beaches and waters. For complete instructions on how to help with the Beach Cleanup go to the ISEA website at http://www.schoolship.org/ and click on the “Beach CleanUp” button.

You may down load and print a beach cleanup data card at: www.schoolship.org/files/inlandseas/81.pdf. Or call the ISEA office at 271-3077 and report which beach area you would like to clean, and request a data card. Thank you for your support!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Global Marine Insurance Agency Launches New Sponsorship of ISEA

Onboard Inland Seas, April 12, 2010:

From left to right: Pam Stanley, Capt. Tom Kelly, Matt Anderson, Mike Smith, Jay Zelenock.
Just prior to leaving her winter berth at the Center Pointe building in Traverse City for her home port of Suttons Bay, our schooner hosted the leadership of the Global Marine Insurance Agency aboard for a ceremony to mark the beginning of a three-year partnership between Global Marine and ISEA. Aboard were Matt Anderson, Mike Smith and Pam Stanley from Global Marine, and Tom Kelly, Jay Zelenock, Remy Champt, Allen Wolfe and Jan Hale of ISEA. Matt Anderson presented Capt. Kelly with a check for $5,0000 to provide scholarships to Pathfinder and Willow Hill Schools in Traverse City and to cover other costs of operating the Schoolship Program. Thank you, and welcome aboard, Global Marine Insurance Agency!
On our way north from Traverse City to Suttons Bay, April 12, 2010. The winter cover frame is still on. We will take this off at our own dock in Suttons Bay. ---Capt. Tom Kelly

Pram Building Graduation Ceremony At ISEA Boat Shop

Jim and Donna Chapman are recognized for their work with the Northport Youth Sailing School. Our prams will become part of their program this summer, and the student boat builders will each receive a scholarship for a week of sailing instruction at NYSS. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northport-MI/Northport-Youth-Sailing-School/116961566389

Our 11 boatbuilders proudly display their Certificates of Achievement.
Everyone enjoyed the treats after the ceremony!

--Tom Kelly

Prams Get First Coat of Paint


This week our boat building students painted the inside of the prams.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Fit Out Begins

The crew took the winter cover off last Friday, and now it is snowing. Cause and effect?

We expect to bring the ship back to Suttons Bay on Monday, April 12. The engine, water system and navigation systems are ready to go. We'll be sailing soon (and painting). -Capt. Tom

Week 9 of Pram Building - April 2, 2010

Setting the Centerboard Trunk in Place
Fastening the Centerboard Trunk

Having Fun!