1000 Mile Great Lakes Walk Author Visits the Schoolship

-Loreen Niewenhuis author of A 1,000 Mile Great Lakes Walk, visited the Schoolship last week and filed this report on her blog (click here). 

Topmasts Up!

On last Thursday and Friday the crew, lead by Captain Ben Hale, set the topmasts.  This is usually done in April but was delayed this spring by the lingering winter and our busy spring class schedule.

Captain Ben Hale and Deckhand Ben Swanton guide the main topmast into position

 Other News from the Schoolship Inland Seas:

New crew member Jim Herman removes the washdown pump for replacement

We are using a flux-gate compass until our magnetic compass is repaired (damaged in the lightning strike last October)
Thanks to The Traverse Tall Ship Co. for the loan of the KVH flux-gate compass.

The big news was reaching our 100,000th student mark last Tuesday.  

-Capt. Tom 

Meet Ben Swanton

Ben Swanton joined the Inland Sea's crew on Sunday.  He will be with us as Deckhand for most of the summer.  Say hi to Ben next time you are aboard. 

Ben's Second Day on the Job - Fitting Right In!

 

Welcome aboard, Ben - Capt. Tom & Capt. Ben

Gull Island Birding Cruise, June 1, 2014

We had a great day to sail to Gull Island in Grand Traverse Bay.  We were able to observe the herring gull colony, mute swans, cormorants and Caspian terns.  Bill Scharf counted 45 Caspian tern nests, which is good news for this threatened species.  We noted many fewer cormorants this year.

Our thanks to our presenters Jenee Rowe of the Leelanau Conservancy and Bill Scharf, and to the Leelanau Peninsula Birding Festival.

Remains of the house on Gull Island

Close up of the old house foundation and chimneys

Gull Island Sail Participants

Thanks also to all who sailed with us.  Great to have you aboard. --Capt. Tom

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 Inland Seas Fit-Out Underway at Northport Bay Boat Yard

Lower "skirt" cover added to allow work on the bottom

Inside the lower cover, ready for sand blasting off the old paint

Capt. Ben fairing out a repaired area of the Pilot House roof

Control for the new inverter/charger.  We also replaced a VHF radio, radar, GPS plotter and added an isolation transformer this winter.

More photos from fit-out coming soon.  We hope to launch as soon as we have open water.  The Bay is still completely frozen, except for a few places around the edges. -Capt. Tom