Life Raft Inflation Video (similar raft is carried aboard Inland Seas & Manitou)

This video of a Viking IBA (inflatable buoyant apparatus) shows a raft similar but larger than those carried aboard Inland Seas and Manitou.  The raft in the video is a double (2 rafts connected together).  Ours are single.  See below. The orange squares are stability bags that fill with water and help stabilize the raft.--Capt. Tom

Mackinac Bridge, Safety Session at Volunteer Class this Wednesday

I drove up to Sault Ste. Marie today to talk with LSSU staff and administration about future collaboration in shipboard classes. We had a good session and I'll let you know as soon as we have something confirmed, hopefully in time for the 2010 summer session. Crossing the Mackinac Bridge was a windy affair, with trucks restricted to 20 mph. Almost no ice visible in the Straits. No ships either.

This Wednesday evening (6:30 pm) at the Volunteer Instructor Class I will review safety procedures aboard Inland Seas and the Instructor's role in ensuring a safe learning environment. If you have not attended any classes yet, this one is a great place to begin. Give us a call to register for the class, or just show up and you can register upon arrival. Hope to see you there. ---Capt. Tom Kelly

Final Week of Rigging and Training - And 1st 2009 Schoolship

Crew practices abandon ship drill with life raft. Allen and Ben in the Rescue Boat

This was a very busy week for ISEA. The ship rigging was finished, the crew did additional training dockside and underway, and we did two "Wet Run" training trips for new instructors. We came home in pea soup fog on Thursday afternoon. And Friday morning we did our first Schoolship Program of 2009 for 5th grade girls from Silver Lake School (the boys come next week). We had a good breeze this morning, but man was it cold!

Below:

Christine showing off nice perch from our trawl catch, Instructor Wet Run.

Silver Lake 5th graders at the helm.

Crew and Instructor Training Continues at ISEA

On April 21, 17 crew members and lead instructors took the CPR re-certification course from Dr. Sander Kushner and Janice Lemak, RN. Thanks to Sandy and Janice for providing this service to ISEA!

Following the CPR class, Lead Instructors met with Christine Crissman to prepare for the upcoming Schoolship season aboard Inland Seas and Manitou. -Tom K.

Plankton Station Narrated Slide Show Available on Line

NOAA Photo

Last week's Volunteer Instructor Class program was on the Plankton Station. If you missed the program, or if you wish to review the material, just click on http://www.schoolship.org/membership/?id=861 and you will find the slides and a narration by Christine Crissman.

Next week's (2-24-09) program will cover fishes and the Fish Station.

A reminder of the reception this evening at the Watershed Center in Traverse City:

The Art of the Watershed opening reception for the first exhibit will be held on Thursday, February 19, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Watershed Center office. The opening reception will feature mixed media work by Glenn Wolff, a reading from Winter Walks by Jerry Dennis, and fine books by Chad Pastotnik of Deep Wood Press.

I knocked 4" of fresh snow of Inland Seas' and Liberty's winter covers this afternoon.

-Capt. Tom

!st Volunteer Class, Winter Boatshop Work

The first Volunteer Instructor Class was a great success with 50 people in attendance. If you missed the first class, you can still participate - just come Wednesday evening at 6:30 to Glen Loomis School and get started in your new career with Inland Seas.

Bob Hagerman refurbishing the Achillies inflateable rescue boat.

Work continues at the Education Center Boat Shop on a refit of the ship's inflateable rescue boat and the Boston Whaler utility boat. The Canoe Building Class had a break yesterday while the new garage door was installed. The new door has a row of windows which brings additional natural light into the shop. Instead of working in the shop, students watched a video of traditional boatbuilding in Alaska. -TK

Capt. Remy Champt beginning work on the new bow fender for the Boston Whaler.

Instructor Training Class to Begin in January

Learning about Great Lakes zooplankton.

The "Wet Run" Instructor Training Cruise

INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION’S
2009 VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTOR TRAINING SCHEDULE

Come join us in our 2009 volunteer instructor training classes! Become an Inland Seas volunteer instructor & help us provide students with an exciting science & sailing adventure. Not sure if you want to become a volunteer? Come to the introductory session on January 6th to learn more about us. No experience required! Already an instructor? Come back for a review & an update on Inland Seas programs.

Training classes for volunteers will take place on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Glenn Loomis Elementary School (1009 S. Oak Street, at the intersection of Oak and 13th Street) unless otherwise noted. If Traverse City Schools are closed due to weather, no class will be held that evening. Classes will include an introductory presentation and hands-on activities led by ISEA staff and experienced volunteer instructors.

January 6: Introduction to ISEA and our Great Lakes Schoolship/Center Programs
Come learn more about ISEA and our Schoolship/Center Programs! This session will include an overview of our volunteer instructor training, an introduction to our various programs, and the responsibilities of volunteer instructors. You will also learn how to effectively promote Inland Seas. It is a great time to meet the ISEA staff and other volunteers that teach aboard the Schoolship and in the Center.

January 13: The Great Lakes & Global Freshwater
This session is designed to introduce you to the Great Lakes. We will explore topics including the formation of the Great Lakes watershed, physical and chemical characteristics of the lakes, and the food web. We will also discuss current issues affecting the Great Lakes such as lake levels, fisheries, contaminants, and invasive species, as well as Global Freshwater issues.

January 20: Sample Collections and Weather
What is a Van Dorn bottle and who was Fr. Secchi? In this session, you will learn how students collect samples of water, plankton, benthos, and fish aboard the Schoolship. You will also learn how to teach the weather station, by measuring wind speed and direction, visibility, cloud types, air and water temperatures, and water clarity.

January 27: Water Chemistry
What is the physical and chemical make-up of Grand Traverse Bay and how are organisms affected? In this session, you will learn how to teach the water chemistry station by measuring dissolved oxygen and pH, and discussing the thermal structure of the lake.

February 3: Benthos
What type of sediment is found at the bottom of Grand Traverse Bay and what lives there? In this session, you will learn how to identify sediment types and how to separate and identify bottom-dwelling (benthic) organisms. You will also learn about the role of these benthic organisms as nutrient recyclers in the bay.

February 10: Inland Seas Education Center & Wetland (Special time and location: Inland Seas Education Center in Suttons Bay from 3-5p.m.)
The Inland Seas Education Association offers several exciting programs in addition to the Schoolship. At this session, you will learn about the ISEA Boat Shop, the invasive species exhibits at the Inland Seas Education Center, and the newly created Wetland on the waterfront in Suttons Bay. You will also learn effective methods to teach this material to different audiences.

February 17: Plankton
Plankton are microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) that float freely in the water column and play a vital role in the food web of Grand Traverse Bay. During this session, you will learn how to identify live zooplankton using our micro-video system and how to teach the plankton station aboard the Schoolship.

February 24: Fishes
In this session, you will be introduced to the life history, ecology, and economic importance of Grand Traverse Bay fishes. You will learn to teach the fish station aboard the Schoolship by identifying live fishes, discussing factors affecting fisheries in the Great Lakes, and learning some fun new fish facts.

March 3: Stewardship
What makes up the Great Lakes watershed and what can you do to help protect it? In this session, you will learn how to identify a watershed, explain what organisms make up the Great Lakes food web, and identify organisms with high contaminant levels. You will learn what stewardship means and how you can inspire students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.

March 10: Safety and Seamanship
This session will focus on ship safety and emergency procedures. You will also learn to teach the seamanship station by discussing the physics of sailing, navigation, steering, and maritime history.

March 17: Teaching Strategies
In this session, you will explore a variety of teaching strategies to help you relay all your new Great Lakes knowledge to students aboard the Schoolship. Understand why our hands-on approach is successful and learn effective ways to ask questions, motivate students, and create a positive learning environment. Here we will also discuss effective strategies for our research-oriented summer programs, as well as our center-based programs.

March 24: Review
We will tailor this week’s program to the material you would most like to review. All 6 Schoolship learning stations will be set up so you may practice with the equipment and ask questions of staff and experienced volunteers. This is also a great time to catch up on information you may have missed in an earlier session.

All-Day Inland Seas Training Program
April 7, 2009; 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
If you were unable to attend the volunteer training classes this winter, ISEA will be hosting an intensive all-day training class to prepare you for teaching on the ship, in the center, and at the Wetland. It will be held at the Inland Seas Education Center. Please register for this class in advance.


SPECIAL SCHOOLSHIP PROGRAM FOR NEW VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS
April 30, 2009(8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.) aboard the schooner Inland Seas

Finally, come sail aboard the schooner Inland Seas to see how the Schoolship program actually works! This will be a typical Schoolship program, but YOU and other new volunteers will become our Schoolship students for the day. You will assist in collecting samples, weighing the anchor, and raising the sails. You will rotate through the Schoolship learning stations as a student and see first-hand how you will use the material from the volunteer training classes when it is your turn to teach aboard the Schoolship. Please register for this program ahead of time by calling (231) 271-3077. Meet at the Inland Seas dock in Suttons Bay at 8:30 a.m. or 1:15 p.m.


SPRING SCHOOLSHIP PROGRAMS BEGIN WITH SCHOOL GROUPS
May 4, 2009

For more information about becoming a volunteer instructor, please contact our Education Director, Christine Crissman, at (231) 271-3077 or ccrissman@schoolship.org.

In order to help us prepare materials for the volunteer instructor training program, please register ahead of time by calling (231) 271-3077. You can also register the first night of class (January 6, 2009). Bring a friend!