Liberty Hauled Out at Northport Bay Boatyard

Liberty was hauled out at Northport Bay Boat Yard this morning. Thanks to NBBY for their good work on our behalf.  The mast will be unstepped for slushing before winter sets in (coming soon!).  Thanks to Larry Good and Len Klein for getting Liberty to Northport. 

Liberty was donated to Inland Seas by ISEA member David Shelby.  We are planning a full season of Mini-Schoolship programs aboard Liberty in 2012 for groups up to six passengers.

Inland Seas On the Hard, Day 4 - October 26, 2011

Today the crew (Capt. Tom, Allen & Bob) purged the potable water system with compressed air and flushed the head intakes and drains with red pop (non-toxic antifreeze).  Yesterday Allen and Bob drained the muffler, FW pumps and filters.

We also finished sanding the topsides and began on the hull bottom.  Also working on bulwarks, which have some rust that takes a bit of time to grind away and treat with two primers.

We are hoping to paint early next week.    --Capt. Tom

Allen Wolfe - the well equipped schooner sander

Bob Hagerman works on preping the bottom

Almost ready for paint

Inland Seas On the Hard, Day 2

Today (Monday, 10-24-11) we set up scaffolding and ladders and began refinishing work on the schooner.  We got the port stopsides and rudder sanded, and some nasty rust removed and treated on the port bulwark.  We also removed the MaxProp propeller.  Workers today were Allen Wolfe, Bob Hagerman, Jan Hale and Tom K.  Weather was sunny, low 50's and windy.  Rain is forecast on Tuesday, so probably no outside work. 

Allen working on bulwark

Max Prop being disassembled

Max Prop apart



Port topsides sanded and ready for paint



Inland Seas Hauled Out at Northport Bay Boatyard

Friday, October 21, 2011.  The Schoolship Inland Seas was hauled out for the winter at Northport Bay Boatyard.  Next week we begin sanding and painting the hull.  The rudder will be removed to allow service to the propeller and installation of a new stern bearing.  Contact the ISEA office if you would like to help with maintenance on the ship this week.  Thanks to NBBY for a great job of hauling!
-Capt. Tom Kelly

On our way to NBBY with the winter house frame already in place.

High & dry for the first time in three years.

IS's Mate Allen Wolfe and Deckhand Bob Hagerman watch the action.

A good day, and the sun just came out.
Allen, Tom, Emily, Bob, Kathy

Zebra & quagga mussels on the rudder.

Emily removing the mussels to add to the Education Center's Touch Tank.

Very Cool Limnology in Antarctica

Searching for benthic life in an ancient Antarctic lake.  Read about it here.

Asian Carp Found in North Dakota

Silver Carp have been found in the James River in North Dakota.  Read about it here.



James River Watershed

Asian Carp From Illinois



Join ISEA at the Bioneers Conference This Weekend

The 10th Annual Bioneers Conference begins today in Traverse City.  ISEA will have an information table there.  Stop in and say hello.  Don't forget the Earthworks concert tonight, 8pm at the Dennos. 

Our local Great Lakes Bioneers Conference is organized in a partnership between the Neahtawanta Center and SEEDS. Bioneers come in all ages. The GLB Conference supports families through our family-friendly workshops, food, and spaces.

The Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing - Presentation Monday at Leelanau Govt. Center

Dr. Grenetta Thomassey, Program Director at Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council will speak at the
Leelanau County Government Center Community Meeting Room Monday, October 17th, From 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Fruit, cheese and beverages at 5:00 p.m.

Free and open to the public

RSVP appreciated, call (231)256-9812 or email Karen at: khall@co.leelanau.mi.us

Dr. Thomassey will discuss:

 Where the millions of gallons of water used in each fracking well comes from

 What chemicals are added to the water for the fracking process

 Where the wastewater from fracking goes

COAST GUARD AIR STATION TRAVERSE CITY OPEN HOUSE THIS SATURDAY

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – The United States Coast Guard Air Station in Traverse City is hosting an Open House on Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The Open House will highlight the Coast Guard’s mission, equipment and highly trained personnel serving the Great Lakes region as well as celebrate the remarkable achievements of 100 years of Naval Aviation. The Centennial of Naval Aviation will bring with it several aircraft rarely seen in Northern Michigan including the C-130 Long Range Patrol Aircraft, the HU-25 Falcon Patrol Airplane and the newest fixed-wing aircraft in the Coast Guard inventory, the HC-144 Ocean Sentry.

Rain or shine, meet the real-life heroes of the United States Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and first responders from the Grand Traverse Community. Get a close-up look at their rescue equipment and learn firsthand why they are known as the “Great Lakes Guardians.” Rescue demonstrations using the Air Station’s MH-65C Dolphin helicopter will showcase their unique capabilities at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Static displays will include:
MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter
C-130 Hercules Long Range Patrol Airplane
HC-144 Ocean Sentry Patrol Airplane
HU-25 Falcon Patrol Airplane
25’ Coast Guard rescue boat from Station Charlevoix
Coast Guard Auxiliary Airplanes
Cherry Capital Airport’s Striker 3000 Crash/Fire Rescue Truck
Civil Air Patrol Search Airplane
GT Sheriff Dive Team & rescue vessel
Red Cross First Response Vehicle
and more…

Pizza and drinks will be available for purchase with all proceeds benefiting Air Station Morale activities. This event is open to general public and completely handicapped accessible.

For more information on this event, please contact the Public Affairs Officer at Air Station Traverse City, LTJG Chris Breuer. During non-business hours, please contact the duty desk at 231-922-8212.

Early Morning at the Schoolship Dock

Down-rigging continues on Inland Seas.  Yesterday we removed the sails, PFD boxes, science gear, some running rigging and cleaned out the galley.  Today the topmasts will come down. 

Tuesday October 11, 2011

View from Aloft, 10-10-11

Former Schoolship Intern Emily Tyner to Present Seminar on Botulism

What’s Happening in the Lake? Food Web and Botulism Dynamics in Northern Lake Michigan

Suttons Bay, MI – Emily Tyner of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will present a public seminar on botulism in northern Lake Michigan. She will be focusing on recent changes in food web structure and dissolved oxygen dynamics. The program will be held on Monday October 10 at 7 pm at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay. This seminar is free and open to the public.

The Great Lakes ecosystem has been subject to massive changes in recent years. The invasive zebra and quagga mussels have greatly altered the food web and concentrated nutrients on the lake bottom while clearing the water column of phytoplankton. This has caused a decrease in populations of native invertebrates and fish. The arrival of the round goby has also created havoc on the lake bottom. The combination of invasive mussels and gobies has resulted in an increase of botulism deaths to native fish and water birds. Emily Tyner’s research at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is attempting to determine the complex relationships within the nearshore food web and to find ways to mitigate fish and bird deaths from botulism.

Emily Tyner, a native of Ann Arbor, began her career interest in the Great Lakes as a summer intern with the Inland Seas Education Association. She is now employed by the National Park Service and is working on her Masters Degree at the University of Wisconsin Great Lakes Water Institute in Milwaukee.

You can see a new video featuring Emily Tyner and her work (and the Schoolship!) by clicking here.

Round goby, quagga mussels and algae...a sometimes deadly combination that results in botulism deaths of water birds and native fishes.

Former Schoolship Students, Now Teachers, Bring Their Students To Inland Seas

Thirteen years ago Darryl Dimon and Katie Barbar sailed aboard the Schoolship Malabar as Kalkaska Middle School Students.  Yesterday they returned to the Schoolship with their own classes of 7th grade Kalkaska students.  "I just can't keep away from the Schoolship" said Dimon.  "It's so important for students to experience their classroom lessons in real life" added Barber.

Kalkaska Teachers and Schoolship Alumnae Katie Barber and Darryl Dimon

Hauling in the Trawl

Hauling up the Anchor

"This made my day" - Capt. Tom

Final Week of Schoolship 2011 - Safety Talk

Here Capt. Allen Wolfe is giving the pre-boarding Safety Briefing to students from Kalkaska Middle School.  It is a perfect October morning - light wind, warm and bright.  To see the entire Safety Briefing click here. 

Capt. Allen Wolfe - October 4, 2011