Launch and Transit to Suttons Bay, May 1, 2014

Launch at Northport Bay Boatyard

Hull reflection - note ice in well

On our way home

We disassembled the cover frame enroute

Heavy ice off Omena Point

Near Omena Point

Open water ahead...somewhere

We made it home safely after a 3 hour passage.  One hour longer than usual.  --Capt. Tom

More Inland Seas Fit-Out Photos....

NBBY Workers putting on 6 coats of Interlux epoxy primer...

and two coats of red anti-fouling 

Capt. Ben aloft to install the new radar on the main mast

Schoolship Year in Review This Wednesday

The Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) will present a seminar that focuses on the work of the Schoolship Inland Seas and the current ecological status of Grand Traverse Bay at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, December 12th, at the Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay. The program will be presented by Tom Kelly, Executive Director of ISEA. This seminar is free and open to the public.

Advanced Invasive Spieces Field Course Students (teachers) in the Straits of Mackinac

During the 2012 navigation season, ISEA’s 77 foot schooner Inland Seas sailed the waters of Grand Traverse Bay and northern Lake Michigan, visiting 13 ports with students from all across the state of Michigan. Together with the schooner Manitou, ISEA provided shipboard science programs for 4,175 students in 2012. Since its founding in 1989, ISEA has sailed with 94,609 students and teachers.

The major findings this year relate mainly to the continued impact of invasive species on the lower food web in Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. The round goby, an invasive fish, dominated the forage fish community in the near shore waters. Water clarity continued to increase, largely due to particle filtering by quagga mussels, which have largely replaced zebra mussels in Lake Michigan. Kelly will also discuss the recent lowering of lake levels and the prognosis for 2013.

Hope to see you there!

We Remember Bounty



Bounty on Lake Michigan, August 2010.  Photo by Inland Seas' Mate, Allen Wolfe



Maritime History of Suttons Bay, Peshawbestown & Omena

June 28, 2012:  We had a beautiful night to sail up the Leelanau Peninsula coastline from Suttons Bay to Omena Bay.  During the sail historian Laura Quackenbush gave a running commentary on the history of the area and its people. We enjoyed a great dinner prepared aboard by our ship's cook Kathy Kane.  On the return sail Captain Tom presented an outline of the ecological history of the Bay, with an and emphasis on the impact of invasive species.  The sun was just setting as we returned to the dock in Suttons Bay.  Thanks to Laura for her presentation and for all who came on this educational sail. 

Laura gets applause for her presentation

Under sail for Omena

Kathy calls us for dinner

Bringing in the main topsail

Crew Bob Hagerman

Capt. Tom

Crew Training Saturday Morning with MHA

The Maritime Heritage Alliance sponsored a crew training session on fire fighting and signal flares this morning.   Taking part were the crews of Madeline, Welcome, Champion, Inland Seas and Manitou. 

This is a SOLAS grade red hand held flare, suitable for day or night use

A similar, but not SOLAS, flare.  Note the difference in intensity

Smoke flares

Barb has a go with the dry chemical extinguisher

Thanks to Brian Smith and John Pettit of MHA and the Elmwood Township Fire Department for this valuable training. 

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

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

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







Inland Seas Fit Out - Day 2

Today we removed to old stern bearing and fitted the new bearing.  We also put a second coat of anti-fouling on half the bottom and painted the waterline stripe.  I continued work on deck chasing rust spots (rust never sleeps).  A good day with lots accomplished.  Tomorrow we hope to refit the rudder and continue painting.  Thanks to Bob Hagerman, Allen Wolfe, Jan Hale and Ben Hale for great work today.

The old stern bearing (18 years and 5,000 hours of service)

Capt. Ben Hale cutting the old bearing into sections to allow removal.

Bob Hagerman cleaning up the shaft prior to reinstallation.

Reinstalling the shaft into the new bearing.

Done! 

Capt. Wolfe rolling on the 2nd coat of anti-fouling.

Lookinggood!

Capt. Jan Hale taping the waterline prior to painting.

Tomorrow:  Reinstall the rudder, paint the rub rail, prep deck houses for painting.  ---Capt. Tom K.