Friday, November 22, 2013

R. M. Young Co. Assists ISEA After Lightning Strike

The R. M. Young Company, based in Traverse City, has replaced the lightning-damaged weather instruments on our schooner Inland Seas.  R. M. Young donated a new Wind Monitor, Wind Tracker display, and repaired the temperature/relative humidity display.

Many thanks to our good friends at R. M. Young Company.  Your continued support of the Inland Seas Education Association will keep us sailing and teaching about the Great Lakes. We use these instruments as part of our education program and to provide information to the National Weather Service.

Tom Kelly
Captain/Founder

Remains of our Wind Monitor after being hit by lightning on October 3rd

Replacement Wind Monitor supplied by the R. M. Young Co.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Inland Seas Hauled Out at Northport

Inland Seas was hauled out this morning at Northport Bay Boatyard in a snow storm.  Nice day for a boat trip.  We will now winterize the engine and other systems onboard and put on a shrink-wrap cover (as soon as there is a break in the weather).  Our thanks to NBBY for their good work. 

Ben Clark sweeping off the snow prior to departure.


Haul Out at NBBY in the snow



--Tom K.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Antique Pulling Boat Donated to ISEA

This 15'3" pulling boat was donated to ISEA by Michael O'Donnell.  The boat was built by Dan Kidney & Sons in West Depere, WI.  It is believed the boat was built before WWII. 

This boat will be on display at the Inland Seas Education Center this winter. 



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Micro Plastics in the News

The Traverse City Record Eagle ran a story yesterday on micro-plastics.  You can expect to hear a lot more about this issue in the future.  ISEA is involved the the research effort by collecting samples for Dr. Mason at SUNY and training our older students on how to collect these samples using the manta trawl. 




Manta Trawl being towed from Inland Seas, summer 2013

ISEA Ship Lay-Up Report

All ISEA vessels are in lay-up mode.  Inland Seas is at Northport Marina, ready for haul out next week at Northport Bay Boatyard.  Our whaleboat Lake Sturgeon was hauled out Tuesday (thanks to Bob Joyce & his big truck).  Our Boston Whaler is on its trailer in the parking lot.  We still have lots to do before winter, but we are roughly on schedule (barring a sudden arrival of winter weather). 

If you would like to help get the boats ready for winter, please call the ISEA office at 271-3077. 

ISEA's Boston Whaler workboat


Motor whaleboat coming out for the winter at Suttons Bay


Thanks for visiting....Capt. Tom 

Christine Crissman will be the next Executive Director at The Watershed Center

Congratulations, Christine!

Christine aboard Inland Seas

Christine Crissman has been named the new executive director of the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay. She most recently served as director of education and conservation at the Grand Traverse Conservation District. Prior to that, she was education director and chief scientist at the Inland Seas Education Association.

Her first day on the job is November 13. She replaces Andy Knott, who left the organization in September to work for the Sierra Club in St. Louis, Mo. 

The Watershed Center has done amazing work in Suttons Bay this summer, installing a state-of-the-art stormwater management system. Read more about this by clicking here.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Update from Sleeping Bear Dunes NLS on Waterfowl Mortality


Hello All,

The first real increase in observed mortality for the fall season seems to be underway. AMBLE monitors at SLBE reported Oct.17-18 about 24 red-breasted mergansers, 6 white-winged scoters, and a few cormorants and gulls, one dead loon, and a sick loon reported. These reports from Platte River area to Empire, and Sleeping Bear Point (approx. 15 miles of beach). Yesterday I assisted on Transect 5 (1.8 miles) near N. Bar Lake, where about 18 more mergansers were found, mostly red-breasted (some still out in the heavy surf from our ongoing strong winds), a scoter and a loon were also collected. Preliminary observations this morning at Good Harbor Bay and Glen Haven showed only 1 horned grebe found dead .

As these observations coincide exactly with the timing of heavy loon, scoter, and long-tailed duck losses last year during this week, we will be paying close attention during the next few days. 

In comparison to last year, our annual mortality is way down. We had some anecdotal reports during the shutdown (seems some citizens are ever vigilant) which indicated the continuation of the previous trend of relatively light mortality along the lakeshore, there was fairly light mortality observed during  monitoring trips in Aug. and Sept.of this year on the Manitous, and with these recent additions from mainland transects, we probably still are below 200 total birds (3 loons). Last season end of year total approx.1500 (580 dead, 4 sick loons). Several days of strong winds and waves were a common factor last year and this year during these observed events.

We will keep you informed.

Thanks,

Dan

Dan Ray
Avian Botulism Monitoring Project Lead
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
9922 Front Street
Empire, MI 49630    
231 326-5834 x606  
dan_ray@nps.gov

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Whaleboat Color Tour is a Big Hit with Passengers

The whaleboat Lake Sturgeon was very busy this past weekend, with severn full trips on Friday afternoon and Saturday.  The weather was near perfect, and everyone aboard had a great experience learning about the fall colors and the changing Great Lakes.  Book your trip for this Saturday October 19 by calling the ISEA office at 231-271-3077.

Leaving the dock

Underway




Suttons Bay from the water


Mate Bob Hagerman

Mate Allen Wolfe


Hope to see you again soon on the motor whaleboat Lake Sturgeon

Capt. Tom Kelly

Thursday, October 10, 2013


Schoolship Season Ends With A Bang

ISEA’s last Schoolship Program of the 2013 season (our 25th!) was on the morning of October 3rd with Kalkaska Middle School.  We had a great trip with light winds and warm temperatures.
This final trip brought our total student population for this season to 4,119, giving a total of 98,809 students since our founding in 1989.
The rain held off for the final trip of the season, but it soon began to rain and thunder, and this weather continued off and on for the next four days.  Around 11 pm on October 3rd, Inland Seas was struck by lightning.  Our deckhand, Ben Clark, was asleep in the foc’s’le, just a few feet from the foremast that was hit.  He awoke to a huge BANG and then the sound of objects hitting the deck above.  He went into the pilot house where he could see the deck and rig.  Nothing looked out of the ordinary, so he went back to bed. 

The next morning it was obvious that we had sustained a lightning strike to the foremast.  Little pieces of the R. M. Young Wind Monitor (anemometer) were scattered on the deck and dock, and the wooden disc that supported the anemometer was lying on the deck, blasted from the masthead by the strike.



All that remains of the Wind Monitor after the lightning strike

 

As we began a thorough inspection of the vessel we found no structural damage except to one of the topmast shrouds. The bad news was that many of our electronic instruments no longer functioned, including the radar, the pilot house VHF radio, the graph depth sounder, the wind and weather instrument displays, the pilot house GPS and inverter.  We may have to replace the compasses also.  This will run in excess of $9,000, and should be covered by insurance after our $4,500 deductible is paid.
If you would like to make a contribution to help replace the damaged instruments, you can send ISEA a check (write Schoolship Fund in the memo line) or use our secure web site at http://www.schoolship.org/giving/donate-now (type Schoolship Fund in the Special Instructions box).  Any funds received over our deductible will be used for future maintenance and upgrading the Schoolship Inland Seas.

Thank you for your help with keeping our ship sailing and safe. 

Best regards,
Tom  Kelly

ISEA Executive Director
Master, Inland Seas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Young Men In Science Cruise

The Young Men In Science Cruise took place on September 21 & 22.  After sampling in Suttons Bay and Omena Bay, Capt. Ben took the ship to Power Island.  Mate Jan Hale went ashore and was replaced by Capt. Tom.  We had smores on the Island that evening.

The next day we hoisted the anchor and sampled several sites in Grand Traverse Bay for zooplankton and benthos.

The student research groups made presentations of their results at the end of the program.  Thanks to the students for a job well done. 

-Capt. Tom
Power Island

Windlass Work

Abandon Ship Drill

Alex, John & Skyler present their results

Jesse and Kyle discuss plankton findings

Friday, September 20, 2013

Report from the Avian Botulism Seminar

Researchers Share Findings on Avian Botulism in the Great Lakes...a report from TV 9 & 10 News.  Watch it here.


Thanks to Taaja Tucker, Kelly & Paige.

The next ISEA Great Lakes Seminar will be on October 8th and the subject will be waste water treatment in the Grand Traverse Bay area. 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Evening Schoolship with NMC Watershed Class

Colleen and Capt. Ben

Carol Inman at Weather Station

John Casteel at Fish Station

Sunset on Suttons Bay

Virginia Tegel leading Stewardship Station

A fine evening on Suttons Bay, enjoyed by all.  --Tom K. 


Friday, September 6, 2013

Perfect Night for the Astronomy Cruise

Last evening we did our last Astronomy Under Sail Program for the 2013 season.  We had 26 guests aboard and all had a great time listening to Dick Cookman and learning about the night sky.

I took these photos before it got really dark.   The air temperature was 53 degrees when we got in.
--T. Kelly

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Piping Plover Seminar Tonight

Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) will host ornithologist and naturalist Alice Van Zoren at a free public seminar on Tuesday, August 27th at 7:00 p.m.  Ms. Van Zoren will discuss her work involving piping plover population recovery on Lake Michigan. The event will take place at the ISEA Education Center, 100 Dame Street, Suttons Bay, MI.




Alice Van Zoren is a free-lance naturalist based in Leelanau County, with a degree from University of Michigan. Van Zoren currently works with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on their piping plover monitoring program. Piping plovers are an endangered shorebird, with only 50-60 nesting pairs in the Great Lakes area, and less than 5,000 individuals worldwide. Please call ISEA with any questions. No reservations needed. 

For Information call 231-271-3077.

Friday, July 26, 2013

We Remember Dr. Larry Garber

Today we remember Dr. Larry Garber - a great friend, colleague and leader.


 
Read Larry's Obituary.  He lead an amazing life.
 
Donations to ISEA in Larry's memory will be used for a new set of sails for the
 schooner Inland Seas

Monday, July 15, 2013

Classic Boat Show this Saturday in Suttons Bay

Be sure to visit the Classic Boat Show in Suttons Bay this Saturday.  Click here for information. 

Some of the boats on display on Saturday are:

Inland Seas

Liberty


Bay Monitor

Lots 'o Canoes
Motor Whaleboat Lake Sturgeon

Madeline
  • Also....watch a Native American birch bark canoe being made
  • MTU's Concrete Canoe
  • Old Town War Canoe
  • Working rope walk on site
  • Food cart provided by Suttons Bay Rotary Club
  • Nautical Flea Market starting at 8 am. 
  • Voyageur Canoe rides
  • and much more!
It is not too late to register your Classic Boat.  Here's how.

Escanaba to Suttons Bay, July 14, 2013

Aboard Inland Seas,  Escanaba to Suttons Bay, July 14, 2013
Leaving Escanaba, 0608 hrs.


Sunrise over Little Bay de Noc
Important Navigation Gear: Compass, GPS, Coffee, Sunscreen.
Rebecha & Len on the fores'l halyard.  Allen on the sheet.

Fores'l up 

St. Martin Island Light


Gary recovering mylar balloon.  We saw four on our passage. What goes up must come down. 

Getting a nice boost from the wind (motorsailed all the way)

Capt. Gary at the helm


Capt. Allen Wolfe


Leo & Len plot our position
It was a great trip.  Thanks to the crew: Allen Wolfe, Len Klein, Gary Longton, Rebekah Fuller & Leo Peveglio.

Biology report:  About 200 white pelicans seen near Little Gull Island.  Many dead alewives seen between Little Bay de Noc and South Fox Island.  About one every 3 square meters. Mostly sub-adults. --- Capt. Tom Kelly