Friday April 27, 2012 - Wet Run for New Volunteer Instructors

We had a fine afternoon to begin teaching the teachers.  Pete Magoun at the Seamanship Station.

Inthe Pilot House

Harvey Norris leads the Stewardship Station

John Mater leading the Fish Station.  All round gobys today (as usual).

This Week on the Schoolship

Our newest volunteer at the helm of the Schoonermobile.

Lee Hepner does our annual Great Lakes Agreement radio inspection

Emily, Tim and Kathy return from a big fishing expedition

Shake down trip on Thursday.  NW at 15 - 25, wind chill 14 degrees!

Emma bringing up the captain's coffee

Capt. Tom with his ever-present cup

Happy sailors:  Larry, Len, Tim

And then ....

Saturday in the ISEA Boat Shop - Opti Prams Nearing Completion

Installing deck hardware.

Painting the daggerboards and rudders.

 Next Saturday is the Graduation Ceremony for the Boat Shop students. They will get a certificate and a scholarship to the Northport Youth Sailing School this summer.

Inland Seas' rebuilt head gets a fresh coat of paint!

Friday Fit-Out at Inland Seas

The heavy rain kept us indoors most of the morning, but the weather improved in the afternoon so we could load the life raft (technically an inflatable buoyant device). The raft weighs about 350 pounds, so we had to bring it aboard using the handy billy and fore boom. We then set it on a furnature dolly on deck, and easily moved it to its rack on the foredeck.

The raft in the golf cart trailer before loading aboard

Ben steadies the load while Larry and Kathy hoist with the handy billy

Allen keeping tension on the guys the the raft is positioned properly on the dolly

Almost down.  From here it was a cake walk to the foredeck

Larry varnishing the butterfly hatch of Liberty

Ben making up new lanyards

The "before" photo of the main head.  We will give it a complete rebuild and a fresh coat of paint.

-Capt. Tom

Beach Clean - Up this Weekend

Come to the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay on Saturday morning (10 am or later) and get your bag, clipboard, check list and instructions for cleaning up the area's beaches, wetlands and streams.  You'll feel good while doing good.  ISEA will collect the clean - up data and publish the results. 

The beach at Round Island, from the tower.

More Fit-Out Photos From Inland Seas

View from the lower rigging.



Our rebuilt R. M. Young Wind Monitor ready to go aloft. It is mounted on the foremast head, 65' feet up.





The fore topmast is up!



Kathy Kane watching the action aloft and ready to hoist tools and gear up as needed.
Air temperature yesterday: 34 deg. F.



 

Pumping out the holding tanks after a malfunctioning head filled them with lake water.  Thanks to Williams Pumping for coming to our aid.  (This is the real fun stuff).

Dr. Sander Kushner leads our Crew 1st Aid Training Program

-T. Kelly - April 18, 2012

April Photos

Blocks and belaying pins ready to be put back aboard Inland Seas

Terry, Bill and Chuck making a filler piece to replace some soft wood in the base of the fore topmast

Fore Topmast ready for new piece of Sitka spruce to be glued in place

Suttons Bay students at work on the 16' strip canoe they have been building this winter

Education & Volunteer Coordinator Emily Shaw leads the veteran instructor refresher course last week

Ben and Allen painting the masts with epoxy paint

View from our underwater TV camera showing the propeller and rudder and its inverse image reflected on the underside of the water's surface.  The monitor is located in the ISEA Exhibit Room.

I took this photo of the famous car ferry sign on my way home from the Benzie Water Festival on Saturday.  Too bad ferrys no longer sail from Betsie Bay.

Inland Seas Crew Visits USCG Air Station Traverse City

Inland Seas' crew members had a chance yesterday to see first hand the rescue assets of the U. S. Coast Guard at Air Station Traverse City.  Thanks to LTJG Chris Breuer for giving us the grand tour.

This basket is the usual means of lifting a person from the water or a ship

The litter with floatation

One of five MH-65C Dolphin helicopters assigned to Air Station Traverse City

Head on view of the Dolphin showing the arm containing the lifting winch

Chris Breuer explaining the operations area of Air Station Traverse City.  During our visit a helicopter from Traverse City was enroute to a ship in Lake Superior for a medical evacuation (shown by an orange marker located near Isle Royle on the aviation chart)

Thanks to Chris Breuer and everyone at CGAS Traverse City for taking time for this informative exchange.  --Tom Kelly, Inland Seas

Welcome Aboard, Tim Davis

Tim Davis, ISEA's new Education Director, begin work at ISEA today.  He will be be working with Emily Shaw, ISEA Education and Volunteer Coordinator, to make our programs the best on the Lakes. Tim came all the way from Brisbane, Australia, to work with us. Tim comes to us with experience on Great Lakes research vessels (mainly algae studies), tall ships, and working with students in oceanography and limnology.  Please say hello to Tim next time you are at the Education Center.  

Tim Davis with Lindsey and son Joel.  Daughter Amity was yet to show herself when this photo was taken.

Tom Kastle in Traverse City this Friday, April 13th

Long-time Inland Seas musician, instructor and crew member Tom Kastle will be at Horizon Books this Friday at 8pm.  Join Tom and many of his ISEA friends for an evening of song, coffee and conversation.  See you there!  --Capt. Tom

Tom Kastle at the helm of Inland Seas last August on the LSSU Oceanography Cruise

Schooner Inland Seas - Launch and Return to Suttons Bay

Our Schoolship schooner Inland Seas returned to her natural element yesterday afternoon at Northport Bay Boatyard.  After filling the water tanks and system checks, we motored the ship back to her home dock in Suttons Bay to continue maintenance and outfitting for spring Schoolship classes (to begin on May 1st.).  The crew consisted of Tom Kelly, Allen Wolfe, Ben Hale, Jan Hale, Larry Good and Bob Hagerman.



Removing the winter cover. The white plastic will be recycled by Bay Area Recycling for Charities

Hanging the Fortress Anchor

Ready to move

On the edge of the haul out slip

About to touch water

Picking up Allen in the stern boat

Back home at Suttons Bay

Thanks to Martha Eldridge for the top three photos and other help.  A big thank you to Northport Bay Boatyard for great service.   -Tom Kelly