Girls Take the Helm

By Elizabeth Becker

In late July, an enthusiastic group of 16 young women, average age 13, boarded Adventuress in Friday Harbor for 3 days of sailing, learning, and exploring.  Except for one group of five Girl Scouts who had journeyed all the way from central Oregon, the girls didn’t know one another.  But any hesitance quickly evaporated during the opening circle, lunch, and Watch Group orientations.  A sunny afternoon of sailing kept everyone busy hauling on lines, tacking, and taking turns at the helm.  At anchor in McKay Harbor off Lopez Island, preparations began for the evening program, which would include resource reports and game night.

One of the unique aspects of Girls at the Helm is having a group of women mentors aboard to share their passions and expertise with the participants.  On this trip, the five mentors shared their interests in wildlife biology, teamwork, photography, tall ships, and water quality.  The crew, which was mostly female for this trip, added plankton and sail theory to the mix.

Furling the jib in windy weather

On day 2, the ship headed south and east into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, heading up Rosario Strait.  The sun and calm seas of the day before had given way to cooler temperatures, stronger winds, and sizable swells, giving all aboard a taste of saltier sailing.  Heading back through Thatcher Pass brought smoother waters along with a bit of rain. But once at anchor in Blind Bay off Shaw Island, the sun came out and there was plenty of time for climbing aloft, sailing Ayashe, and doing some fancy knotwork.

During dinner, the participants had an opportunity for some one-on-one time with the mentors, with an assignment to ask them questions and then share the answers with the whole group during the evening program. The girls did an awesome job with their presentations, which were followed up with skits by each Watch Group.

The trip ended far too soon. Day 3 brought Adventuress back to Friday Harbor under sunny skies. The girls left with great memories, a better sense of their abilities, and a new window into what’s possible.
“I learned that I’m stronger than I thought.” ---participant

Studying plankton

The Intrepid Mentors

Hauling up the mainsail

Studying the charts

Learning Adventuress' sails

Preparing to go up Adventuress' mainmast!

Getting Personal

By Zoë Plakias

Our family within a family

Oh, Adventuress. [Insert sigh here]. For those of you, like me, who don’t live nearby, it’s easy to forget why we love Adventuress so much. Sure, we can give money when asked, or respond to Facebook posts, and these are important aspects of our community. But we forget what it’s like to be onboard – to see someone’s realization of self worth when they first learn to tie a bowline or that look of fear that precedes the climb aloft followed by pure joy on the return to deck. We forget that feeling of shared satisfaction coupled with exhaustion at the end of a long day of sailing.

I first sailed aboard Adventuress more than 5 years ago now. But it had been a few years since I’d participated in a program. This past week, I had the joy to sail as both a volunteer crewmember and participant with my partner, a crewmember, and his 13-year old niece. This allowed me the best of all possible worlds—to participate in a program in a way I never had before. I was both a member of a watch as a participant, and a crewmember without a watch, spending time in the galley and on deck, able to observe from a few steps back.

And I was blown away by what I saw. I had forgotten the aspects of sharing and camaraderie that make Sound Experience so special. We share our knowledge and our songs and our poetry and our history and our dreams with each other. We get personal. This is the point where Catherine, our Executive Director, get’s a little worried about what I’m going to say. It’s a bit of a joke within the Sound Experience community that many past crewmembers and volunteers end up in romantic relationships later on. My partner and I are two such crewmembers. And although this is meant as a joke, it comes as no surprise. I have learned more about my fellow shipmates on one six-day trip than I have learned about friends I have known on land for years. There are no walls on a ship. There is no room for baggage. This is true of Adventuress more than any other ship I have sailed on. Participants and crew literally sleep in a cabin together with no divisions, bulkheads or curtains. There really is no space for extra clothes, rolling suitcases, and all that stuff we like to carry with us these days. And this reminds us—there is no need to worry if someone sees us without our make-up on or our hair brushed. Who cares if we wear the same shirt as yesterday? Everyone else is doing the same.

In just six days, all of us—crew and participants alike—are able to let go of these trivialities, get to know each other and our selves better and to push ourselves to do things we have not done before. Captain Joshua says he has one goal for a trip. “I consider a trip to be successful,” he says, “if we all return just a little bit better off than when we started.” What I love about this goal is how all encompassing it is. It means a participant overcoming a fear of heights to climb aloft. It means a crewmember calling the setting of a sail for the first time. It means learning something that you never knew about a loved one or a friend. It means being a little bit stronger and having more of a tan. Each of us gains something different from sailing aboard Adventuress. For me, it was a reminder to have faith in my fellow shipmates and in myself—that no matter how much planning time we put in, faith is always a necessary component.

So with that, I want to encourage you as well to do what I had forgotten to do for a long time—go sailing. Make the effort. Buy the plane ticket. Remember why you love Sound Experience. Although I have continued to support Sound Experience over the years, I had forgotten why I was doing it. I had forgotten about the serenity of Parks Bay at sunrise. I had forgotten how hard I could laugh. I had forgotten the power that just six days can have on a group of people that has never met before. I had forgotten how to get personal with myself and other people in a supportive and meaningful way.

And I had forgotten that it’s our responsibility, as members of the Sound Experience community, not to forget. So don’t.

December Shipyard Update

By Zach Simonson-Bond

Phases II and III of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration have been flying by.  December saw some exciting milestones from both the starboard bow and counter stern!

Phase II: Starboard Bow

Arthur Minnerly puts in the last futtock

The most notable accomplishment on the starboard bow is the completion of framing just before December 25.  Shipwrights Brad Seamans and Arthur Minnerly lead the replacement of Adventuress' frames and they did so with excellent attitudes!  Often, you could hear them swapping jokes and speaking in accents and they methodically strengthened the starboard bow.

Their scope of work extended from the new stem, installed last year, to the starboard midships reframing that happened in 2005-2006, and from the top plank to just below the waterline.  Planking on the starboard bow will begin in January, 2011.

Other Phase II accomplishments include the fabrication of a new chain plate and associated strapping which are currently being galvanized before they are secured to Adventuress.

Phase III: Counter Stern

The counter stern project has also had some exciting milestones, namely a strengthening of the entire steering system from the rudder to the wheel.  

Shipwright Andy C. works on the housing

A new rudder design has been completed that will provide more strength and stability for Adventuress' next half century.  An added benefit of the new design is that it will allow the rudder to be more easily removed and inspected in future years.

The rudder attaches to the Edson "worm steerer" at roughly deck level.  The worm steerer is a gear which provides mechanical advantage between the ships wheel and the rudder, making Adventuress easier to drive.  While strengthening the rudder, it was also decided to rebuild the box that holds the worm gear.  Shipwrights Blaise Holly and Andy C. are working on a new housing that will provide increased security for the worm gear and strengthen the entire system.

Leland with the transom blank

Meanwhile, shipwright Leland Gibson has been making a transom "blank."  Essentially, it is a curved board that the transom will be cut from.  Leland has been laminating boards together, two sapele with a top layer of teak, in preparation for the new transom!

Last, we're excited to announce that a large piece of white oak, 25 feet long, has been identified in New York for the horn timber.  It will be shipping in early January.  Shipwright Blaise Holly has already made the pattern for the timber and waiting eagerly for its arrival.

Maintenance
Regular maintenance is also moving steadily forward.  The inclement weather has kept our volunteers mostly under cover.  As a result, they have completed the disassembly and cleaning of Adventuress' blocks, the soles (or floors) of the ship are getting many protective coats of varathane, and the ship's spars have been scuffed in preparation for varnish!

Dont forget!  We have a Volunteer Work Weekend coming up at the end of January.  Come join us and help prepare Adventuress for her next sailing season.  The Work Weekend will be on Jan. 22 - 23.  Click here for more info.

Thank you all who have volunteered or donated during these projects.  You are keeping Adventuress in the best shape of her life!

Brad removes excess fastener material

Nate and Tom working on blocks!

Volunteers, Futtocks and Gift Memberships!

By Zach Simonson-Bond

There has been a lot going on in the office and on the boat since Joshua's last update. We've picked up some new volunteers, the starboard bow project is roaring along, the Counter Stern Restoration is well underway, our usual maintenance projects are getting checked off and we're now offering Holiday Gift Memberships!

New Volunteers

We're honored to have three more volunteers for this winter's restoration. Jane Burleigh is back with us! A familiar face aboard Adventuress, Jane has sailed aboard our ship for three seasons and is contracted for Spring 2011.

We've also picked up Levi J., a superb addition to the team. Levi comes to us from Chicago bringing with him a great attitude and a lot of tall ship experience. He sailed aboard the schooner Windy before coming to Adventuress and he's excited to learn more from the Haven Boatworks shipwrights.

Last but certainly not least, Nate Seward has returned to us from the sloop Clearwater in New York. Bo's'n, sailmaker, rigger and sailor extraordinaire, we're lucky to have Nate back for Phases II and III of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration, and as crew in Spring 2011.

Phase II Update: Starboard Bow Progression
By the end of November, the shipwrights of Haven Boatworks had replaced 18 futtocks (futtocks make up a frame). Since then, they have put in another 32 bring the total to 50 futtocks replaced. These guys are good!

"All of the new futtocks will be in by Christmas" said Haven shipwright Brad Seamans, who is leading up the starboard bow reframing.

Brad Seamans installing futtocks

Brad believes the frames will be faired off (smoothed) and lined off (lines drawn to indicate where planking goes) so that planking can begin begin shortly after the new year!

Phase III Update: Counter Stern Restoration
Shipwright Blaise Holly has been working diligently on the Counter Stern restoration. In November, the project began by removing the original horn timber, which is essentially the backbone of Adventuress' stern. It will be replaced with a single 25 foot long piece of wood! Blaise has been laying out the pattern for the new horn timber while we wait for the log to arrive.

The work on the horn timber necessitated the removal of the ship's rudder. This presented an excellent opportunity to rebuild the rudder while it's off, so we'll be doing that too.

Refinishing fo'c's'le sole boards

Maintenance
While Phases II and III are underway, we are simultaneously pursuing our regular maintenance projects. Our Winter Mate, Ryan Short, has been leading those projects with great success.

"Things have been going well now that we have a couple new folks on board," said Ryan. "More work is getting done!"

Aided by the occasional drop-in volunteers, the winter crew has completed an impressive list so far including: repairing the fo'c's'le hatch, servicing Adventuress' many blocks, constructing a cover for the mainmast, and refurbishing the fo'c's'le sole boards.

Holiday Gift Memberships!

I would be amiss if I didn't mention our new Holiday Gift Memberships! Give the gift of sailing aboard Adventuress in 2011. You can purchase an Individual Gift membership for your special someone, or a Household Gift Membership for a whole family.

Click here to purchase a $50.00 Individual Gift Membership

Click here to purchase an $85.00 Family/Household Gift Membership

Shipwright Blaise Holly and volunteer Jen G. remove fasteners from inside the lazarette

Shipyard Update!

By Capt. Joshua Berger

Since hauling the ship out of the water on November 3, Adventuress crew, volunteers and the shipwrights at Haven Boatworks have been hard at work. We are fully engaged in arguably the most extensive shipyard period that Adventuress has ever seen.

We have embarked upon Phases II and III of the Centennial Restoration, as well as extensive winter maintenance projects. Here is a an update:

Phase II: Starboard Bow Restoration
As the scaffolding was erected, Haven Shipwrights, assisted by Adventuress crew and volunteers, began tearing windows into the starboard bow. In order to map out a strategy, planks were taken off in order to assess the frame condition beneath. Everything seemed as we had expected from our work last year on the port side and we quickly engaged in a plan. To date, we have removed all the planking we will need, already replaced 18 futtock sections, and have removed the old chain plate.

Phase III: Counter Stern Restoration
With careful planning and direction from Haven, we now have a good scope of work for the Counter Stern portion of the Centennial Restoration that includes the replacement of almost 25 feet of Adventuress' horn timber. This is a tremendous project that will undoubtedly bring life to the ship for many generations to come. This repair necessitated the removal of the rudder and will give us a great opportunity to refresh its associated metal work and bearings.

Rigging:

In addition to the extensive effort to prepare Adventuress for the next century of her life, Sound Experience has embarked upon an exceptional and rigorous full inspection of the rigging and spars. In collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, we have proactively engaged in an expanded inspection and inventory process, including the full cataloging of each component of the ship's standing rigging, running rigging and the spars.

As part of this thorough assessment, we decided to pull Adventuress’ mainmast in order to inspect the iron and wood condition aloft. On Monday, November 8, led by several hitches and a supportive crew, the mast came out without a glitch. We are happy with what we have found thus far. We will continue to develop a strategy for this winter's, and future, rig-repair and replacement.

Winter Work Weekends:
On the weekend of November 21 - 22, we had 25 generous and hard-working volunteers come help finish building the winter cover. They also began to breakdown and clean of all the running rigging blocks. The cover was pulled over the ship just in time as almost six inches of snow fell the next morning! Thank you to all those that came and we look forward to seeing you all again next weekend, December 4 - 5. Please join us!

All and all, it has been a fantastic and exciting start to a winter full of hard work during true winter conditions (thank you El Nino). Praises to our Winter Mate, Ryan Short; Winter Engineer, Jessup Coffin and dedicated Crew, Jen Grod. It’s not easy work and the conditions are difficult, but these folks are devoted and passionate. What a community we continue to build!

More updates later…

Capt. Joshua Berger
Schooner ADVENTURESS

Shipwright Blaise Holly removes the horn timber

Hoisting out the mainmast!

Once, there was a mast here!

The AMAZING winter volunteers

YOU DID IT! Our Exceptional Community Came Through Again!

By Zach Simonson-Bond

IT JUST HAPPENED. Thanks to our exceptional community, we have officially reached our 29 Dollars, 29 Days: Getting Kids on the Boat campaign goal!!! That's $58,000 raised to support our work to educate, inspire and empower young people through powerful on-the-water education programs aboard Adventuress.

We are floored by the tremendous support from our community. Gifts and pledges came in from old and new friends, families, past participants, Board members, staff, crew, and many more! People contributed from all over the United States and even some from Canada. ;)

So, What Now?

Well... watch our movie again because all WILL be well! :D

Also, Adventuress will soon be undergoing Phases II & III of her Centennial Restoration project. I'll do a blog post soon, but to curb your curiosity visit our website: Centennial Restoration webpage.

Last, if you still want to make a tax-deductible gift to support our 29 Dollars, 29 Days: Getting Kids on the Boat campaign, we are still accepting gifts and pledges (but not talking your ear off about it anymore). www.29dollars.org

I can't wait to bring you more updates about the exciting restoration work this winter. With lots of pictures! Oh and some videos too!

Still beaming because of our amazing community,

Zach

Thank You Cards From Participants!

Hey Everyone,

This is so great! Recently, a group from Quilcene School District wrote thank you letters to our Crew for their time aboard Adventuress.

It is gestures like these that make everyone at Sound Experience beam with pride for our mission, our programs and our ship.

You can help us continue to reach out to schools and youth groups throughout Puget Sound. $29.00 is the cost to put one student aboard Adventuress for a 3-hour educational sail. Please donate at to http://www.29dollars.org

Zach Explains 29 Dollars, 29 Days

29 Dollars, 29 Days: Getting Kids on the Boat

Hey everyone!

We are in the midst of our 29 Dollars, 29 Days: Getting Kids on the Boat fundraising campaign! It has been so exciting!

We're off to a ROARING start thanks to everyone who attended the Party for Adventuress or gave online. After the party, we calculated that we had raised $38,525!!!!! We have such an AMAZING community. We love you!

However! It's not over yet! Our goal for this campaign is $58,000. There are many ways you can help:

1. If you haven't donated, go to www.29dollars.org and donate $29.00!
2. Tell your friends! - Let your friends, neighbors and colleagues know about 29 Dollars, 29 Days! Direct them to www.29dollars.org.
3. Send an email - Encourage your friends to donate with an email
4. Use Social Media - Spread the word on Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter:
5. Change your Facebook profile picture - Use our 29 Dollars, 29 Days graphic as your Facebook profile picture. You can download it by right clicking on the icon above.

Thank you everyone for your support so far! We have 23 days left. Please help us spread the word. With your enthusiasm, we were able to win the Partners in Preservation competition. Now, with your help we will raise the funds needed to continue to deliver inspirational programs to youth throughout Puget Sound!

Fair winds,

The Crew & Staff of Sound Experience and the schooner Adventuress

Oh, how she schoons!

This is a great video of Adventuress sailing during the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. It was taken by Three Sheets Northwest, a website that provides news, community and resources for Northwest boaters.



You can also read more about the Festival and see pictures at www.threesheetsnw.com.

The Power of Citizen Science

By Monica, Program Coordinator

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Port Townsend Marine Science Center Plastics Summit. The Center is conducting a study to assess the amount plastics in Puget Sound and to determine its potential sources. The data for this study (plastics found on Puget Sound shorelines of every size and type) is being collected by volunteers. The purpose of the Summit was to share the results of the analysis of this data to date with those volunteers. The approximately 100 people in attendance had sifted through sand and other natural shoreline substances to extract the tiniest pieces of plastic (called micro-plastics), sorted it all by type and size, weighed and counted the pieces – an excruciating task it seemed to me.

The results of the data collection and analysis were interesting and eye-opening to say the least. Plastic never decomposes – it is forever – but it does break down into smaller and smaller pieces over time making it even easier to enter the food web and more difficult to eradicate. But this summit highlighted something even more significant: the power of citizen science. The attendees (the volunteers who had seen it first-hand, put their hands on those tiny pieces of plastic, counted and weighed it) were so engaged and passionate about turning the tide on our human impacts to the environment. They totally “get it”. They were looking for ways to change their own behavior and advocating for others to do the same.

We, too, are trying to create this same level of engagement with all participants who sail aboard the Adventuress. We do not want it to be a one-time event where awareness peaks while on board then wanes after participants return to their homes and busy lifestyles. Connecting them to citizen science efforts may just be the ticket to keep that level of engagement long after they leave the ship. While on shore excursions, we now take time to explore the high tide line of the beach looking for micro plastics. We find them everywhere.

We also take water samples and submit them to Sound Citizens to be analyzed for a multitude of “contaminants” including cinnamon, thyme, vanilla and other spices. The mission of Sound Citizens is to demonstrate how we impact the quality of water without alienating people. Seeing spikes of thyme and cinnamon during the Holiday season and vanilla during the summer (while folks are eating a lot of ice cream) demonstrates the point without turning people off. Similar efforts that focus on toxic chemicals such as mercury, PCB’s, etc. can turn people off. It is easy to relate to spices and see how what we consume ends up in the water. Sound Citizens shares their sample analysis on their website so that everyone can follow the unfolding story from their work.

This summer, we have been taking plankton samples for the University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs where they are studying and establishing a baseline of the diversity of phytoplankton in the waters around the San Juan Islands. We routinely take plankton samples using a 500 micron net and analyze them under a microscope to create awareness and appreciation for some of the smallest living things in the Sound. But taking samples for Friday Harbor labs using a 35 micron net creates a whole new awareness (the volume and diversity of the phytoplankton) and connects participants to “real science” which hopefully will have a more long-lasting impact.

We have a long-standing partnership with People for Puget Sound, an organization that launches and oversees many community-sponsored environmental projects throughout Puget Sound. This is one organization that participants can turn to after they leave the ship to find other ways to continue their personal journey of awareness and improved stewardship of the Sound. We also encourage participants to look for other local organizations within their communities where they can get involved. The synergy derived from local, group efforts allows us to leverage our individual efforts and keeps the momentum building.

We recognize the impact of citizen science on helping people “see” the need for change. We are proud to partner with these organizations and applaud their efforts in reaching out to communities to create greater awareness and involvement.

Links:
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Sound Citizens
UW Friday Harbor Labs
People For Puget Sound

Nathan's Adventuress Poem Caught on Video

By Zach Simonson-Bond

During the last night of the Fantastic Voyage, anchored in Shoal Bay, Lopez Island, we did an evening program called "Party Piece," a timeless classic aboard Adventuress. People can share anything they'd like whether it's a poem, music, skit, story, joke, and so on. The presentations range from serious to silly.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Nathan during this Fantastic Voyage. He was down to earth, had tremendous determination, and was simply hilarious. Listen to his poem!

A Story Made During Anchor Watch

By the Participants and Crew Aboard Adventuress
July 20 - 21, 2010

During anchor watch, each of our participants and crew stand guard over the sleeping ship. Well, we also like to have fun during anchor watch! Often we write stories or haikus as part of these one-hour rotations, with each watch adding a little bit to the tale! Here is one from our last trip:

While hiking on Sucia Island, the young sailors discovered...

a monol-bismol (a kind of pepto-bismal that does the opposite of pepto-bismal)

Adam thought that it was cranberry lemonade and drank it!

Once their stomachs recovered, they carried on and came upon an old smuggler's secret hiding place. In it they found not people, drugs or alcohol but rather...

purple sea lions singing shanties while turtles kept rhythm on their shells. On a large table were potentially explosive moose cupcakes... were the crew tempted?

They threw a cupcake out into the ocean to see if it would explode, and sure enough, it did. Everyone was pretty glad they hadn't eaten any. The young sailors spent the night on the island and were woken up by purple seals singing a new sea shanty. It went:

"Elijah has blue hair, oh my oh my!

Steve has cool glasses, oh my oh my"

And it went on, similar to that. It was midnight. The sailors were groggy, disoriented by the purple sea lions' song and managed to fall off one of the lovely sandstone bluffs.

With a splash and a splish they plummeted into the cold water! Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, came something they never expected! A line! Thrown in the water by a hooded nudibranch!

Its watermelon-y smell captured the nostrils of (purple) sea lions everywhere, and the young sailors balked at their sudden company. And Kat was pleased to finally meet her sea lion friend. Soon the sea lions were all hauled up on the deck of Adventuress (along with the hooded nudibranch) and a wild bluegrass dance party erupted. Porpoises provided the decorations to Elijah's delight, and Elijah said "porpoise!"

They all stayed up through every anchor watch (checking bilges as the party raged on) and it was the best night they'd ever had. It had swaggerfullisticalness!!!

The End

Adventuress Sailing Video!

This video was shot from the bowsprit of Adventuress during a Public Day Sail out of Everett, WA.

Down to the Sea in Ships: Daniel Evans and Adventuress

July 14, 2010 - KPLU-FM's environment reporter Liam Moriarty interviewed our own Captain Daniel Evans! Captain Evans is a third generation Salish Sea sailor, and the newest Captain of Adventuress

"There’s a harmonious feel to sailing on a wooden boat. That organic feeling to me, and that feeling of something that is wood, that has been living, that has come naturally to this place is, I think, a really important aspect in creating that environment for coming to understand [Puget Sound]."

Click here to listen or read the transcription.

Watch this video that Moriarty took from his time aboard Adventuress!

Glimpses from a Road Scholar Intergenerational Voyage, Part I

By the Crew of the Schooner Adventuress

At the beginning of our trip, we divided into three watches, which is an old maritime tradition. During the day, one watch is on deck sailing the vessel, while the other two watches choose between education stations and/or down time (the sun and sailing can take it out of you!). In the evening, after Adventuress has found a cozy anchorage, rotations continue! One watch cooks dinner & does dishes, one watch takes on the natural history report--which is about what they saw that day, and the remaining watch prepares for the "Resource Report."

The Resource Watch goes throughout the ship finding:

• How much fuel we used
• How much water we drank
• Estimating the amount of compost made from cooking
• Estimating food waste made from uneaten morsels
• Estimating trash produced that day

The resource report has been presented in various ways. Sometimes it comes as a skit, sometimes a discussion, sometimes a game. This time however, the Bodacious BarbaRays Watch (B Watch) presented a Resource "Opereta," which included the following rap!

Yo
This is Big Papa Sailor and
I'm on a boat
yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm on a boat
and it can float
We be rockin' and rockin'
making distance and distance
So let me give you a little somethin' somethin'
We went 10 nautical miles
Wow it's all down in our nautical files
Yeah
I know the number's pretty big
Yeah
I said big just like our nautical rig
Wait, before we run out of time
Let me give you one more rhyme
Yeah
Man, our boat don't cower
We got 2.4 nautical miles per hour
So do me a favor and keep it dope
Cuz get ready, get set,
I'm on a boat!

A Grandmother's Experience Aboard Adventuress

By Ann Collins

Age 74, and Grandmother of 10 and Mother of 5 (including Catherine, our Executive Director)

Road Scholar (formerly Elder Hostel) Trip from Friday Harbor to S. Lake Union

Where do I begin? From the minute you step aboard the deck of Adventuress, the crew and staff are so friendly and helpful; you feel “at home” right away. Within no time at all, you start to feel as if you “belong.” The crew have you working on hauling up the sails, swabbing the decks, and eating their wonderful food (that was one of the best parts in my estimation). The cook, Marilee, was a marvel in her “limited space” galley. I even helped her make orange-cardamom cookies for my daughter’s birthday that day! The beginning and end of the days, you would hear crew members singing or playing a guitar to either wake you up or quietly lull you to sleep. It was so soft and gentle.

What a gift this whole experience was. The group of participants formed a loving and supportive community. There was a lot of sharing and especially a lot of laughter. It was so easy to join right in and become a special part of this group of both crew and participants. What surprised me most was my own willingness to try new things, to put myself out of my comfort zone, like going out on the bowsprit under sail or taking the helm. That part brought back memories of my early sailing days as a young person on the coast of Maine. I think my father, who loved wooden boats and sailing, would have loved to see me enjoying every minute of this trip. I will have wonderful memories to take home to the East Coast to think back on for many years to come.

Sailing Through Deception Pass

By the Crew of the schooner Adventuress

It is a highlight for all mariners – passing through the ever-so-narrow Deception Pass. We experienced this ourselves on June 25th with a group of young participants from the Treehouse organization (www.treehouse4kids.org) onboard. We were travelling from Everett to the San Juan Islands.

The pass is known for its majestic towering cliffs on both sides and turbulent currents. We timed our passage at slack tide to avoid the worst of the currents. Additionally, we paid tribute to Ko Kwal Al Woot (aka the Maiden of Deception Pass) by sharing her story and paying tribute with a sacrificial brownie to ensure our safe passage. Our timing and sacrifice paid off as we motored safely through the narrow passageway. (Maiden photo comes from: http://www.stonebard.com/carving_the_maiden_of_deception.htm)

The story of the Ko Kwal Al Woot dates back to the time the Samish people lived in this area where they found plenty of food from the sea. The “Maiden” (as she is known) makes the ultimate sacrifice for her people by agreeing to marry a man living in the sea who had power over their food and water sources. The man used his power to persuade this beautiful maiden, who he had fallen in love with while watching her gather clams along the shore, to marry him. Initially, she returned to her village once each year to see her people. But in a short matter of time, she no longer wanted to leave her husband or the sea. So, she stopped coming back to the village. She had fallen in love with the sea. (A more complete story of Ko Kwal Al Woot can be found at exhibits.pacsci.org/puget_sound/Maiden.html.)

There was one additional highlight of our passage through Deception Pass. A couple of our newest Shipboard Volunteers were standing on the towering bluffs waving us on. One of them played the bagpipes as we passed by. We could feel their presence on the deck of the ship. It is always wonderful to see this kind of community support. Thanks Chiara, Rob and Danaan!

Fair winds,

The Crew of the schooner Adventuress

Two Days of Maintenance: Complete!

By Capt. Daniel Evans,

Howdy folks!

We just wrapped up two days of maintenance on Adventuress and you wouldn't believe how much we got done. I could keep it a secret, but decided I would enjoy it much less if I didn't get to share it with all the people who work so hard to keep her(and us) afloat. So here is a list, but keep in mind that for everything that was completed many other things had to happen: like moving deck boxes, walking every where except the deck, working out of Hefe, mixing, cleaning, coordinating, prepping, troubleshooting, buying, climbing, sanding and well...a little bit of guessing and just praying it will dry in time.

So here we go:

1. Scraped the entire deck for paint, etc. and slushed the whole deck
2. Scrubbed down and Osphod the entire hull
3. Sanded and Painted both rubrails
4. Popped paint bubbles on the entire hull, then faired and painted all bare spots (2 coats)
5. Slushed not just the standing rigging, but the backstays, head rig and jib and staysail stays
6. Cut down all the troublesome bolt ends in the focsle that have been bopping people in the head, arms and feet
7. End for ended both the throat and peak halyards on the fore (anything to give them some life!)
8. Painted beautiful bunk numbers on the new focsle bunks
9. Had a thorough cleaning of the belowdecks (field day)
10. Replaced bad shackles aloft - bad shackles! Bad Shackles!
11. Inspected and cleaned 'suspect' blocks aloft
12. Pinned or double nutted every bolt that wasn't already done in the standing rigging
13. Applied sodium borate not just to the lazarette, but to the main cabin and focsle bilges
14. Killed bad mosses that were actually growing aloft in our trestletrees! Bad moss! Bad moss!
15. Finished the servings on the head rig
16. Traced down the issue with the fire pump that was not allowing us to use more than one fire hose (long story, but it was an air leak in the heads)
17. And finally, pulled out all the sole boards in the main cabin, sanded them down and painted on a beautiful coat of Varathane.

It was tremendous work by our Chief Mate Sarah and this eager crew. They worked hard, completed tasks well and were still cheerful at the end of the day. Kacie worked the first day even though it was her day off and Merilee stopped cooking long enough to slush the fore shrouds. Adventuress was in need of some love and she got it in these two days.

Thanks!
Daniel

Congratulations to the Crew of S/V Ocean Watch

By the Crew of the schooner Adventuress

On Thursday, June 17th the S/V Ocean Watch returned to Seattle after a 12+ month circumnavigation of the Americas. Their mission was to create awareness about the many environmental concerns facing our oceans today. They travelled 28,000 miles and reached out to 10,000 students along the way. They truly educated & inspired everyone whose lives they touched throughout this epic journey.

The last leg of their journey was from Port Townsend to Shilshole on June 17th. It happened to coincide with our transit from Elliott Bay Marina to Everett which allowed us to greet them as they approached Shilshole. Along with other sailing vessels, helicopters and a fully-charged Seattle Fire Department fireboat, we escorted S/V Ocean Watch into the marina. There were also fans and supporters along the shoreline waving, cheering and holding up signs welcoming them all home. Once secured on the dock, we joined the large crowd at the top of the dock that had gathered to recognize their significant accomplishments and to congratulate them on such an incredible endeavor. We had the opportunity to meet the crew and tour their ship. We also observed some local school students, who had participated in the entire journey via satellite communications, interacting with their “heroes”. One of their teachers said that this experience was so real for them and as a result, the impact so lasting. This is truly effective education.

We tip our hats to the crew of the S/V Ocean Watch. We ourselves are inspired by their journey and the impact it is having on so many people. We know that their experience and learnings will continue to educate and inspire more and more people as their stories are told. We ourselves look forward to learning more about their experience and sharing it with participants that come aboard the Adventuress.

Fair Winds!

The Crew of the schooner Adventuress