Final Windy Day of the 2012 Schoolship Season

With 30 students from Kalkaska Middle School, we headed into Suttons Bay for the final Schoolship trip of the season. The otter trawl yielded a diverse catch of fishes, including 5 brook stickleback, 18 rock bass, 7 round goby, 14 spottail shiner and 4 white sucker. Note that the round goby was not the dominate species caught.  This has been a trend this year, as some of the native species seem to be making a come-back. 

At the limnology station, students found the surface water temperature to be 60 deg F. The same temperature was found at the bottom, 64 feet deep.  Air temperature was 47 deg F. At least it was sunny.

When we anchored on the sampling station the wind was SW at 9 knots.  By the time we hove up the anchor the wind had increased to SSW 15 with higher gusts.  We set the main, fore and stays'l.  The wind inceased steadily to the low 20's with gusts to 25.  We lowered the fores'l which decreased the angle of heel and made the ride a lot better for science work.

Kalkaska MS students at the wheel.  ISEA Board President and Volunteer Instructor Larry Garber is on the left.

Lead Instructor Thom Yokum pauses for a moment after we have shortened sail to main & stays'l.

 When we landed back at Suttons Bay, we said good-bye to our Kalkaska students and their teacher.  We were a little sad that the season was over, but looking at the weather forecast we were glad that we had no more schools booked this year.  Time to think about down-rigging and putting the ship into winter lay-up.  This process will take several weeks.  We will be back in our usual winter berth at the Center Point dock in Traverse City later this month.


The students have departed, and the final group of Volunteer Instructors and the crew pose for last photo.




By Tuesday afternoon Capt. Ben and Bob Hagerman had remove all the sails.



The total student count for 2012 was 4,256.  The total since our founding in 1989 is now 94,690!  This number includes adult students and participating teachers.

--Capt. Tom

News from the Schoolship

This is our final week of Schoolship Programs for the 2012 season (our 24th).  On Monday we hosted North Central Academy (Mancelona) and Prevail Academy (Mt. Clemens).  Both of these schools were provided with full tuition scholarships with funds granted to ISEA from the Herbert and Grace Dow Foundation.  The Edmund & Virginia Ball Foundation provided matching scholarships to these and 22 other classes this fall.  The matching scholarships allow us to keep school fees low (about 1/3 of the actual cost).


Clouds and sun created a beautiful light on the hills of Suttons Bay



Ben brings the trawl aboard



Kalkaska Middle School brought three classes this week, and a forth was scheduled this Friday (today) but it was moved to Monday Oct. 9 due to gale winds being forecast for today.  The Oct. 9 class with Kalkaska will be our final program of the year.

Nancy leads the Fish Station

North Central students at the wheel

 

Education Coordinator Emily Shaw teaching the Benthos Station

 

It has been a great year, with 4,000 students and trips to Escanaba, Beaver Island, St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie, Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Traverse City and Frankfort.
---Capt. Tom

Former Schoolship Students, Now Teachers, Bring Their Students To Inland Seas

Thirteen years ago Darryl Dimon and Katie Barbar sailed aboard the Schoolship Malabar as Kalkaska Middle School Students.  Yesterday they returned to the Schoolship with their own classes of 7th grade Kalkaska students.  "I just can't keep away from the Schoolship" said Dimon.  "It's so important for students to experience their classroom lessons in real life" added Barber.

Kalkaska Teachers and Schoolship Alumnae Katie Barber and Darryl Dimon

Hauling in the Trawl

Hauling up the Anchor

"This made my day" - Capt. Tom

Final Week of Schoolship 2011 - Safety Talk

Here Capt. Allen Wolfe is giving the pre-boarding Safety Briefing to students from Kalkaska Middle School.  It is a perfect October morning - light wind, warm and bright.  To see the entire Safety Briefing click here. 

Capt. Allen Wolfe - October 4, 2011

Inland Seas Fall Sailing Schedule

Schooner Inland Seas - Fall 2011 Sailing Schedule

“Great Lakes Schoolship Program”

September 9 – 11: Michigan Schooner Festival

September 12: NMC Watershed Studies Class

September 13: NMC Watershed Studies Class

September 14: Lake Shore High School, Stephensville – 2 classes

September 15: St. Francis of Assisi, Ann Arbor 7th grade – 2 classes

September 19: Traverse City West HS, German Exchange Students

September 20: Willow Hill 5th grade

September 21: Willow Hill 5th grade

September 22: Willow Hill 5th grade

September 23: Greenspire School 7th grade & Groves High School

September 27: Concord Montessori, Mancelona

September 28: Concord Montessori, Mancelona

September 29: Blair Elementary School, Traverse City

September 30: Blair Elementary School, Traverse City

October 3: NMC Ethics Class – 2 classes

October 4: Kalkaska 7th grade

October 5 : Kalkaska 7th grade

October 6: Kalkaska 7th grade

Fish Station aboard Inland Seas

Sept. 30 - October 1: Kalkaska MS & Blair Elementary

Thanks for sailing with us, Kalkaska and Blair.  We had great weather (not like forecast) and everyone enjoyed their trip. 


Blair students return to dock, Sept. 30



Capt. Remy swings her into the dock.  9-30-10

More class photos at http://www.schoolship.org/blog/

Week of September 27 - Willow Hill & Kalkaska

Early Morning, Sept. 27, 2010

Bringing up the trawl, Sept. 28

Lucky Willow Hill Student

Kalkaska MS at end of voyage

This week we started Schoolship Programs with much better weather!  Willow Hill Elementary and Kalkaska Middle School sailed with us on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Many thanks to Global Marine Insurance, sponsor of the three Willow Hill class trips.  Click here for more class photos.

Season Finale...Kalkaska Middle School - Oct. 6, 2009

"Up behind." Trawl coming aboard. Lots of Chara, and a diverse catch of fishes (trout-perch, 3-spine stickleback, brook stickleback, round goby, white sucker & native crayfish).
If the ship is made of steel and weighs 45 tons, how can it float?

We were wet, and cold, and wind-blown. But smiling. Thanks Kalkaska Middle School Blazers for another great fall Schoolship season with your three classes! -- Capt. Tom