Almost Spring

Looks quiet on the outside, but Capt. Ben has multiple projects underway under the cover.  Sailing soon!

-Capt Tom

The Schoolship in Winter

I visited Inland Seas yesterday but I could not get in as the lock was frozen.  Capt. Ben will come later with a torch!  Otherwise, she is wintering well.

I don't think anyone would want to swim here today.

Inland Seas with her sister Schoolship, Manitou

--Stay warm, Capt. Tom.

ISEA Book Signing, Saturday January 17th, at Horizon Books, Traverse City

Join author Heather Shaw and ISEA Founder Tom Kelly for a book signing at Horizon Books on Saturday January 17th, 2 - 4 pm.  Heather will be signing several of her recent books, including It's OK Not to Share, Uncommon Conservation (the story of the Grass River Natural Area), A Colorful Cast (about Paul Welch and the growth of the arts in Traverse City), and Aboard the Schoolship, the story of ISEA.  Also participating will be artist and instructor Paul Welch.  

Schooner Inland Seas Crew & Instructors at Escanaba this past July

GPS Navigation Course to be offered by Grand Traverse Power & Sail Squadron

Electronic Navigation introduces GPS technology from the most basic receiver to chart plotter systems for navigation on board.

 

The process of navigation by establishing waypoints and routes and then running the planned course is demonstrated. Further, electronic charting software for the desktop computer is examined with creation of waypoints and routes on the desktop and subsequent download to the onboard unit. Despite differences among the various manufacturers’ offerings, a thorough discussion of the features being made available is included Special attention is paid to apps for tablets and smartphones that provide the electronic navigation function at the helm, for relatively little cost.

 

Students should be familiar with the basic charting concepts such as latitude, longitude, the compass, course plotting, and time/distance calculation, to get the most out of the course.

 

This course omits Radar and Depth Sonar technologies, however Appendix 8 of the course text on Automatic Identification System (AIS) is presented and made part of the examinable material for USPS course credit.

 

Course cost - $60.00 USPS member—$85.00 Non-members

 

Time – Jan 19, 2015 at 7:00 pm (for 8 weeks)

 

Location – Grand Traverse Yacht Club

 

Instructors:  Jerry Williams, former GLMA Instructor & Tom Kelly, former ISEA Executive Director & Captain. 

If you are interested please e-mail Jerry Williams (jwilliams6@sbcglobal.net) so I can order the correct number of textbooks.

New Book "Aboard the Great Lakes Schoolship" Now Available

Heather Shaw's 96-page book on the history of Inland Seas, titled Aboard the Great Lakes Schoolship  is available at the ISEA office or Horizon Books in Traverse City.  The cost is $16 plus tax.  This book would make a great gift to any friend of ISEA. 

 

Winter 2014 Layup

The cover finally goes on when we get a short break in the weather (November 14, 2014).

This is what it looked like at 0800.  About 8" of snow on deck. 

Tom and Jan got to work shoveling and got much of it off before the rest of the crew arrived at 0900

With the plastic on, Jan, Len, Bob and Jack worked at cutting in the shrouds.

Capt. Ben fitting the aft end of the cover.

Bob stapling the door in place.

By 1730 we had the cover on and secured.  Just in time for another blast of early winter!
---Capt. Tom

PS:  Thanks again to Center Pointe for use of their dock for the winter!

Boy Scout Troop 290 - 3 Day Sailing & Science

On September 5 - 7, 14 Boy Scouts and 6 adults sailed with us on Grand Traverse Bay.  Most of these Scouts had never sailed before.  In 3 days they were sailors and scientists! 

Abandon Ship Drill prior to leaving dock

Abandon Ship Drill

Sampling for Micro-Plastics with the Manta Trawl

Manta Trawl coming aboard

Chief Scientist Jeanie with Manta Trawl

Happy Helmsman

Reed's Poster

 

We had a great time with these Scouts.  Hope to sail with you again soon! 

 

-- Capt. Tom & the Crew (Ben Hale, Jim Herman, Jeanie Williams, Allen Wolfe)

Inland Seas at Escanaba, July 2014

Crew Change on Friday, June 27

Young Women in Science students present their research results

Second group research results

Aloft to adjust the fore topmast backstay

Foredeck from aloft

Escanaba Harbor channel

Sand Point Lighthouse

Weathered in at Escanaba Monday & Tuesday

Leaving Escanaba, wind N 20 - 30 kts

Len and Ben Swanton off St. Martin Island

We made it home to Suttons Bay in 8 hours and 10 minutes.  --Capt. Tom

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