Sound Experience Aboard the Schooner Adventuress

How We're Moving Forward with Outdoor Education

2012-01-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

Message from Megan, aka the Education and Outreach Coordinator

Photo by Jempe Center

The winter months are a great time to reflect on the past sailing season, and start planning for future sailing seasons. With the amazing insight of our Education Committee, Captains, volunteers, and partner organizations, we are finding new ways to move forward and keep our environmental curriculum current and engaging.

One project I’m really excited for is increasing our focus on stewardship and citizen science. During our 2011 sailing season, we had the opportunity to partner with People For Puget Sound during one overnight program to do a shoreline restoration project! Our Fantastic Voyage participants stepped off Adventuress in Deer Harbor, Orcas Island, and hiked to Cayou Lagoon. There they tore out invasive species and helped to remove trash from Orcas Island's largest estuary.

We also partnered with plankton researchers the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Labs and were able to collect over samples that led to increased knowledge of harmful algal blooms in the San Juan Islands.

In 2012, we hope to continue these projects as well as other develop other projects that include water quality, microplastics, zooplankton, and more. To fully engage in some of these citizen science projects, we have some equipment needs – If you want to directly contribute to these initiatives, check out our ‘wish list’ to learn more.

We are looking forward to a fantastic 2012, and hope to see you, your family, your students, and friends aboard when we’re back on the water in April.

Captain Joshua's Maintenance & Restoration Update

2011-12-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Volunteer Work Weekends

Adventuress' maintenance season is underway! With both new and returning friends and volunteers, we held a fun and successful Volunteer Winter Work Weekend on December 3 and 4th at Historic Ships Wharf in Seattle. With many hands, and support from The Center for Wooden Boats, we were able to accomplish quite a bit. Chief Mate Sarah Felder organized the crew of volunteers as we:

Prepped and painted the foc'sle interior and bunk boards (Huge Project!)
Disassembled, cleaned, greased and painted blocks,
Worked on fixing our Bosun's Tools Box and the ship's boarding ladder
Fixed interior cabinetry in crew cabin
Coat of varnish on some pin rails and
Prepped and updated our signage

Thank you all who came to enjoy each other's company, and the remarkably good weather! Thank you also to all who tried to make it down - we look forward to seeing you for the next one.

Email joshua(at)soundexp(dot)org if you are interested in joining us for the next Volunteer Winter Work Weekend during the Martin Luther KIng Weekend and Day of Service, January 14-16th. Sign up early to make sure we have bunk space available!

Adventuress' New Sails!
Everything is in place to begin building new sails for the Adventuress in January! Students at The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, in conjunction with Sean Rankins of Northwest Sails, will be building a new Mainsail for the schooner Adventuress. “The Boat School” is accepting applications for the 2012 Sailmaking and Rigging class to be taught January 9th through March 23rd, 2012. And, there is space available for you to sign up!

The class will introduce students to the full range of traditional sailmaking skills, including tools, materials, design, measuring, handwork, machine work, canvas work and the range of basic techniques needed by Sailmakers and Riggers. It is a hands-on, technique-oriented course that students will find to be a superlative introduction to the field.

This is a great opportunity to work alongside The Boat School as both organizations are learning institutions valuing education to increase awareness and skills of traditional maritime trades. Many Boat School graduates work in tall ships, shipyards, boatshops and sail lofts across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia where their craftsmanship, creativity and artistic talents enhance their communities.

Sign up NOW for the last remaining spots; SCHOLARSHIPS are available!
http://www.nwboatschool.org/alerts/Alerts_Detail.aspx?processID=69

Upward Bound Students Sail Aboard Adventuress

2011-09-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

By Keith Van Essen
Upward Bound Counselor

For three years now, Adventuress, a beautifully restored wooden schooner, has been home for 5 days/4 nights to a variety of Upward Bound participants, students who come from low-income families and will be the first generation in their families to attend college.

Getting out of Seattle for an adventure such as this is a once in a lifetime experience for UB students; many of them rarely even venture beyond the borders of their own neighborhood or city. This year, two Upward Bound students, Alazar and Vivian, jumped at the opportunity to take part in this sailing adventure through the San Juan Islands. Both of them had only positive things to say.

Alazar wrote, “I was able to see unique animals such as Orcas and Seals, and I hiked up to a huge lighthouse where I could overlook the beautiful Puget Sound. The entire trip was an amazing experience!”

Vivian noted, “My trip on the Fantastic Voyage was amazing! I learned so much like the names of the sails and ropes on the ship, the JKL (Orca) pods, and I learned some history of the San Juan Islands. I definitely made some great long lasting friend and would love to go back again and again!”

Our students will forever be impacted by this experience as their minds and hearts have been enriched by this outdoor, experiential, team-building experience. A HUGE thank you goes out to the generous staff of Sound Experience who for 3 years now have invited our Upward Bound students to come aboard the Adventuress and benefit from an amazing experience on the Puget Sound.

Sincere thanks,

Keith Van Essen
Upward Bound Counselor

Adventuress teams up with The Boat School for her new Mainsail

2011-08-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

This coming winter students at The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, in conjunction with Sean Rankins of Northwest Sails, will be building a new Mainsail for the schooner Adventuress. NWSWB, locally known as “The Boat School” is accepting applications for the 2012 Sailmaking and Rigging class to be taught January 9th through March 23rd, 2012. And, there is space available for you to sign up!

The class will introduce students to the full range of traditional sailmaking skills, including tools, materials, design, measuring, handwork, machine work, canvas work and the range of basic techniques needed by Sailmakers and Riggers. It is a hands-on, technique-oriented course that students will find to be a superlative introduction to the field. A complete course listing is available on the Boat School's web page at:

http://nwboatschool.org/programs/Course_Detail.aspx?processID=79

Master Sailmaker, Sean Rankins, of Northwest Sails will teach the class and will be assisted by other professional sailmakers and riggers. Sean has well over thirty years of experience as a sailmaker. Adventuress has been working with Sean over the last year to design and build new sails as part of the Centennial Restoration Project.

This is a great opportunity to work alongside The Boat School as both organizations are learning institutions valuing education to increase awareness and skills of traditional maritime trades. Many Boat School graduates work in tall ships, shipyards, boatshops and sail lofts across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia where their craftsmanship, creativity and artistic talents enhance their communities.

Adventuress’ Mainsail is the second largest working sail on the West Coast and carries over 3,000 people a year throughout Puget Sound and the lower Salish Sea. At 2,500 square feet it will be the first of the four lower sails to be built for the ship’s 100th birthday.

During the 2012 class, students will also make sails for the Dana Point CA-based gaff topsail schooner The Spirit of Dana Point.

The Sailmaking and Rigging class is a comprehensive and intensive class. Students will work in the School's Sail Loft 10am - 5pm Mondays and 8am -5pm daily Tuesday through Friday as well as on other local vessels as appropriate.

Other Boat School programs include 9 month diplomas and 12 month Associate Degrees of Occupational Studies in Traditional Small Craft, Traditional Large Craft, and Contemporary Wooden Boatbuilding in addition to the 3 month Certificate program in the Sailmaking and Rigging class announced above.

Interested? Contact Captain Joshua Berger at: Joshua(at)soundexp(dot)org

Or, the NWSWB directly at:

The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding 
42 N Water Street, Port Hadlock WA 98339 
360-385-4948
 www.nwboatschool.org
(See them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NWBoatSchool)

Girls Take the Helm

2011-08-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

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.

Road Scholar Intergenerational Day 5 of 6 Day Voyage – Headed down Puget Sound toward Seattle from Everett

2011-07-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Q & A with the Grandchildren – 6 boys ages 10-13

Describe what you’ve liked the most on this trip so far:

"Climbing aloft. You’re up there above everything – you can see everything afar – and it’s windy up there! It’s an awesome experience."

"I’ve never been really, really high up before, except on roller coasters."

"I liked when we went on a hike – it’s just an island to itself. And you needed a boat to get out there. I’ve only been to islands you can drive to before."

"I think it’s really fun setting the sails – you’ve got everyone working together doing something that affects everyone else. It’s kind of rewarding putting up something that weighs several thousand pounds!"

Each night we have evening program. What has been your favorite part?

"I really like the whole program – the different “reports” – and everyone comes together to play games and sing. There were old songs that I didn’t know but my grandmother did – and it helped us win!"

"I loved the murder mystery game! That was so funny in the end."

"It’s fun to see my grandmother here on the boat; she’s really different here than at home."

This final question was posed by one of the boys to the other boys…How do you think this experience has changed you?

"It’s taught me a lot about food waste and how you can eat healthy foods."

"I’ve learned to love different kinds of tea."

"You have to work hard to do something and in the end, it’s really rewarding."

"If no one did the dishes, you’d just have dirty dishes."

"Every little thing you do affects the environment – every little thing contributes to a big thing, which affects all other things."

"It’s definitely given me more experience in sailing. I learned about new and different boats, the San Juan Islands, and history."

Road Scholar Day 3 of 6 day voyage – Headed down the east side of Whidbey Island

2011-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Ann Collins, Catherine’s mother

Yesterday was a bit rainy but not enough to stop anybody from enjoying above decks. Most of the folks aboard went to discover Hope Island, spotting eagles and other wildlife. A hike across the island was a welcome stretch of the legs with the delightful surprise of a rope swing over the bay upon arrival at the island – all ages took a turn!

I’m finding that I’m just enjoying the whole atmosphere, with time to think about all that life has given me with my daughter and my grandson Ben with me on the trip. It feels like life has come full circle from the time I was a youngster, especially as I watch Ben learning what it takes to be comfortable at sea. I grew up cruising the Maine coast in the 1940s and early 50s on a wooden yawl named the Fortune. It has been years since I’ve spent time on a wooden boat, and it brings back all the memories of things my mother and father taught me about living on a boat. I hope I can share some of these things with Ben, as he is absorbing the shipboard culture alongside the enthusiastic Adventuress crew.

Today, we had the opportunity to climb way up into the rigging, and Ben loved it so much that he didn’t want to come down. I trusted that despite my own fears about climbing, that I’d be able to return him in one piece to his parents at the end of trip. Ben, on the other hand, was elated to have reached the top!

Road Scholar Day 1 of 6 day voyage – Anchoring in Dacatur Bay

2011-06-27T14:06:00.001-07:00

June 26, 2011 -

Submitted by Catherine Collins

Evening program has just ended, and the light on Mount Baker is golden red. Four boys, ages 10-12, are creeping along the deck, walking like ninjas the way they were taught by crew member Dan Dan. It’s the first day of the first Road Scholar (formerly Elder Hostel) Intergenerational trip of the season.

I’m excited to be out of the office this week as “guest crew” and experiencing the magic of a program aboard Adventuress. It’s sheer joy to have my mother, Ann, aboard. She turned 75 this year, and is the real sailor in our family growing up on wooden boats on the coast of Maine. My nephew, Ben, is aboard too, and quickly signed us up for anchor watch – enthusiastically jumping in at every turn.

We boarded yesterday afternoon, on a gorgeous Friday Harbor day. Grandparents and grandkids – renewing and strengthening their relationships across generations, and of course, having fun. Though most were a bit road-weary after traveling from all parts of the country, they were ready for adventure.

After nearly 12 miles under sail, we settled down off Decatur Head, Decatur Island, which Ben helped the captain choose for our anchorage. And a quiet night was had by all with much-needed rest and renewal – and delicious, healthy food from the galley. Time to slow down, take in spectacular views of our Northwest waterways…and become part of the life of Puget Sound.

Catherine

New Start High School

2011-05-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

On a rainy day at Elliott Bay Marina, we waved goodbye to the New Start High School students as they walked away from Adventuress. My eyes met the crew's and I could tell that they, like me, were experiencing a wide range of emotions. Some eyes shimmered with tears, others shimmered with hope and inspiration. Everyone's eyes were smiling. Everyone was grateful to have sailed with New Start High School.

New Start High School is an alternative school with non-traditional programs to help its students succeed. While the students may not have done well in traditional schools, they are determined to take full advantage of this opportunity to learn, grow and graduate. And they are surrounded by people who care about their success.

Bev with her students

One of those supporters and advocates is Bev Mowrer. She is a science teacher at New Start who is deeply passionate about finding opportunities for her students. Through her endless energy and determination, she raised $1,000 to help put her students aboard Adventuress. She wanted to use the voyage as incentive for her students to raise their grades and quit smoking. Sound Experience was so moved by their story that we provided scholarship funding to pay for the rest of the voyage.

It was the right thing to do.

In my four years with Sound Experience, sailing on dozens of voyages, I have never seen such eager participants. These students were gracious, hard working, and thirsty for every experience. They were quick to smile and eager to help. They embodied the spirit of Adventuress.

Students came with their own hopes for the voyage. One student planned to join the Coast Guard after graduation and this was her first overnight experience on a boat. Another was considering working in the marine trades. But my favorite reason for coming was this:

Troy at the top of Adventuress' mainmast

"My grandpa's lifelong dream was to sail around the world. He recently had to cut it short because he couldn't do it on his own anymore. I want to learn as much as I can aboard Adventuress so I can help him finish his voyage." - Troy

That was merely the tip of a tremendously thoughtful and inspiring iceberg.

Their trip was short. They spent two nights aboard Adventuress, but that was enough time to endear us to each other. The bond happened so quickly, and so powerfully, that we were all choked up at their departure—it felt like we had known them for months. I am certain the experience was even more powerful for them. Here's what they had to say about their time on Adventuress:

"I learned how far I can push myself. My experience opened my eyes and showed me that I can go forward and do more with my life. I can work hard and work with others. It's given me the push to want to be better." - Angela

"Before, I didn't know my classmates, but now, being on this ship, I feel like they're extended family. Most of us didn't talk before and now we're communicating together." - Troy

"I've grown stronger, as in my will to do things. When someone asks me to do something, I'll just to do it rather than waiting for someone else to do it. I have more initiative and more respect for the things I do and what others do." - Nick

"I learned that even when I'm afraid, I can overcome those fears by taking one step forward. Just keep moving forward." - Katrina

"I learned to not be scared to do things. It's ok to try something new. Go out there, explore, see what's new in life and have fun." - Andres

New Start's journey has continued to have a powerful effect. One student has already returned to Adventuress to volunteer for a week. Bev was named Teacher of the Year for her district. And Sound Experience continues to tell New Start's story as an example of the empowerment and community that can happen aboard Adventuress.

Volunteer Antonio chats to Cpt. Daniel

Keeping the ship safe on bow watch!

Rowing the dinghy, Ayashe

Furling the foresail

Jessica climbing aloft and rowing Ayashe

Mechanical advantage is a wondrous thing!

Everyone squeezes into the main cabin

Providing our own entertainment!

Doing the dishes

Thumbs up for washing the decks!

Scrubbing the sole boards (floors)

Nick checking the engine

Andres cleaning the soles

Jose hauls up the jib!

At the helm

Charting our location

Angela and Merilee

Hanging out on the bowsprit

Bev performs as the crab zoea

We sang "La Bamba" and danced!

Chimacum School Wins Video Competition!

2011-05-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

To the tune of SpongeBob SquarePants, “The Adventuress Chantey” video sailed to victory in our From Land to Sea - The Adventuress Video Project! Mitch Brennan’s multi-age class from Chimacum Elementary took the prize, a free 3-hour educational sail aboard Adventuress.

Voting on the videos lasted just one week, ending on Sunday, May 22. In that time the winning video was able to collect over 100 “likes” and was viewed over 900 times—twice as many as the next closest video.

“I think you can expect big things from us in the voting department,” said Brennan in an email to us before the competition.

True to his word, their chantey video won handily. When we contacted Mr. Brennan this morning, a wild cheer came over the phone from his elated students! Soon, he and his class will be sailing on Puget Sound’s environmental tall ship.

Our video competition, titled “From Land to Sea – The Adventuress Video Project,” was launched to build interest for Sound Experience’s youth programs aboard Adventuress, and to build relationships with the community on the Olympic Peninsula. The contest encouraged youth from Jefferson, Clallam and Kitsap counties to answer, in video format, “Why do YOU want to sail aboard Adventuress?”

Six videos were submitted from groups in Port Angeles, Chimacum and Port Townsend. The videos were posted to our YouTube Channel where they earned votes when people “liked” their movie.

“It was an incredible effort by all of the participating groups,” said Catherine Collins, Executive Director for Sound Experience. “I was so thrilled when I first watched the videos that I didn’t stop smiling for days. I wish we could sail with them all.”

Want to Sail with Your Class or Youth Group?
Adventuress will be actively sailing until the end of October. Space is still available for schools and youth groups in September and October. Additionally, Sound Experience offers trips for teens, families and adults sailing throughout the San Juan Islands. For more information, visit Sound Experience’s website, www.soundexp.org, or call 360-379-0438.

HORN TIMBER, FUTTOCKS AND MAST BANDS….OH MY!

2011-04-18T13:41:00.001-07:00

By: Korie Griffith

And I thought that the winter of 2009-2010 was a big one! This winter’s completed project list, including Phases 2 & 3 of the Centennial Restoration Project, is most likely unparalleled in the life of the Adventuress. And, coupled with Phase 1 of the CRP and maintenance list from last winter, this schooner is probably in the best shape since her early years. The CRP is an extensive list of restoration work over 4 winters leading up the 100th birthday of Adventuress. But, just as we are dusting off from this winter, planning for future phases is already underway.

Who Made it all Possible?

On November 3, 2010, we returned to the shipyard at Haven Boatworks in Port Townsend, Washington. The expertise, professionalism and passion that the shipwrights, machinists and management brought to the restoration work fueled each day’s work whether it was pulling old stuff out or putting new stuff in. Many thanks go to Blaise, Brad, Arthur, Andy, Leland, Kit, Joe, Stephen & Julia. True to their nature as shipwrights, they not only repaired and restored Adventuress, they rebuilt her stronger and better without compromising her original lines.

At the heart of the winter’s work was our amazing winter crew. Led by Captain Joshua Berger and Mate Ryan Short, our team of dedicated volunteer crew led the way in logging over 4700 volunteer hours this winter! This crew lived aboard the ship when she was stripped down from both ends during southerly gales and snowstorms. They showed up every day, worked late when needed and formed a big part of the leadership during the volunteer work weekends. While there were many volunteers and experts that lent many hands throughout the winter (you know who you are and thank you!), our most hearty thanks go to Jen Grod, Levi Johnston, Jane Burleigh, Andrew Pape, Kacie Guthrie, Nate Seward and Aleythea Dolstad. Thanks also to our two winter engineers Jessup Coffin and Crystal Goodner who continued tackling the ship’s systems during all the turmoil.

So, what did we do?

Phase 2: Starboard Bow Reframing

Like a mirror image from last winter’s port bow reframing (Phase 1), we added all new frame futtocks from the new purple heart stem (Phase 1) to midships which had been reframed in 2005-2006. We removed and replaced the top 15 rows of planks from the sheer strake (topmost plank) down below the turn of the bilge. Once exposed, we replaced the fore chain plate and diagonal straping. In the end we replaced 66 futtocks and over 700 feet of lineal planking. The new futtocks were made from purple heart and the new planking was sapele. With the completion of this phase, all topsides futtocks have either been replaced or deemed worthy of another 50 years of sea service!

In order to through-bolt the futtocks into the ship’s ceiling, we had to remove the starboard focsle bunks and all the shelves and paneling from the three heads. Our dedicated crew reassembled all the bunks just in time to move out of the main cabin when the horn timber was going in. Matthew Hirsch, a local volunteer carpenter, then came in to build us some beautiful new counters, paneling and shelves in the forward heads.

Phase 3: Counter Stern Rebuild

The backbone of the project from which all other components stemmed was the replacement of the horn timber, the key structural extension of the keel that runs to the transom. Aside from the forward 8 feet, the horn timber was completely replaced with a piece of white oak. In order to hoist the timber into place we had to remove and replace 12 futtocks (purple heart again) and over 400 lineal feet of planking (sapele).

As if that was not remarkable enough, we also replaced the ship’s transom and rim timber, starboard quarter fashion piece, the rudder and its associated steering gear housing, decking and covering boards. On the interior you’ll notice a new main cabin look as local volunteer Phil Rome rebuilt the steps and storage areas leading up to the aftmost bunks.

Mainmast Rigging

With the aid of riggers Brion Toss, John Koon and Wayne and Nahja Chimenti, we cataloged the entire rigging system and pulled the mainmast this year. We replaced the mast bands aloft as well as the throat crane and triatic bails on the mainmast and foremast. We replaced the triatic stay, the bobstay and both whiskers stays in our effort to rejuvenate the standing rigging prior to her 100th birthday.

New Suite of Electronic Navigation

Partnering with Emerald Harbor Marine (Seattle) and Furuno and with generous support from donors, we spruced up our navigation components to include electronic charting, a new depth, speed and temperature sensor, a weather station transducer and a Class B AIS system (Automatic Identification System used by Vessel Traffic Services to monitor commercial traffic). We also replaced our radar and GPS units. But don’t worry, you’ll still see the crew using paper charts too!

In Summary

I only outlined the big stuff here. The list of routine winter projects completed is just too long to include. Not to diminish the quality or quantity of the projects, but let’s just say it involved a lot of varnishing, painting and plumbing! Just like at the end of every Adventuress winter, I am left feeling humbled by the outpouring of support (physical and financial), inspired by what a small organization like ours can do for this ship and, yes, tired. Though, even before the last coat of bottom paint went on this winter, we were already getting excited for what is still left to do! HAPPY 98TH BIRTHDAY ADVENTURESS!

What’s Next?

Look forward to a new suit of sails, bottom futtock and plank replacement, new foremast mast bands, new blocks and more!

BEST Boating Adventure: Vote Adventuress!

2011-04-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

Exciting news! Adventuress is up for "Best Boating Adventure," "Best ECO Adventure" and "Best Cruise" in Evening Magazine's Best Northwest Escapes online voting competition. Is anyone else having Vote for the Boat flashbacks?

This one is even easier than Partners in Preservation. You can vote by simply logging on with an email or your Facebook account. The other major difference: you only need to vote once per category.

So... VOTE FOR THE BOAT... again! And help us spread the word. Send an email, post on Facebook, and tell your friends. You know the drill. :)

Best Boating Adventure: http://nwescapes.king5.com/historic-tall-ship-adventuress/biz/606903
Best ECO Adventure: http://nwescapes.king5.com/schooner-adventuress/biz/541870
Best Cruise: http://nwescapes.king5.com/tall-ship-adventuress/biz/604804

Thanks everyone for your vote and helping us get the word out.

Sincerely,
Zach

Adventuress is BACK!

2011-04-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

Adventuress "splashes!"

So much happened in March, we thought a little summary would be nice. So, here it goes:

On March 14, Adventuress "splashed" back into Puget Sound after four months of exciting and extensive restoration at Haven Boatworks in Port Townsend. Kudos to our amazing winter Captain Joshua Berger, Restoration Manager Korie Griffith, hardworking crew and hearty volunteers who dedicated their time and resources to making this winter a success.

Capt. Joshua Berger

Soon after the boat hit the water, the Crew took Adventuress out for a "shake down" sail to make sure everything was working fine before the sailing season began. Captain Joshua, who will be co-Captain for the 2011 sailing season, drove Adventuress out into Port Townsend Bay. It was a stunning day for a first sail!

Captain Daniel Evans, who recently returned from the Bahamas to Co-Captain for a second season, took Adventuress out for the first Public Sail of the season. He was later quoted in a Peninsula Daily News article saying the boat is excellent shape!

Capt. Daniel Evans

The last week of March saw the arrival and training of the new Crew. They came brimming with talent, knowledge and eagerness to sail Adventuress. The 2011 Season One Crew is a mix of new and veteran crew.

Check out their bios on our website.

Finally, our March "Grow the Family" Membership Drive was a resounding success! Thanks to your tremendous support, there are now 113 new and renewed card-carrying members of Sound Experience! Thank you for choosing our family.

We're heading your way!

We have an incredibly exciting sailing season coming up. Public Sails are already selling out; spots have been reserved on almost all overnight programs for teens, families and adults; and Adventuress is out there now, educating kids and adults while sailing Puget Sound.

We can't wait to see you aboard very soon.

The Board, Staff & Crew of Adventuress & Sound Experience

Adventuress “Splashes” Back Into Puget Sound, Soon to be in Your Homeport

2011-03-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

What an exciting day yesterday! Adventuress "splashed" back into Puget Sound after four months of extensive restoration work, the latest in her multi-year Centennial Restoration Project. By the end of March, Puget Sound's environmental tall ship will be sailing throughout the region, stopping in ports from Bellingham to Olympia.

This winter, the shipwrights of Haven Boatworks--along with a small army of Adventuress volunteers--tackled Phases II & III of the Centennial Restoration. According to Capt. Korie Griffith, 73 futtocks and over 1100 lineal feet of planking were replaced from the combined two phases (9 futtocks and 400+ lineal feet aft, 64 futtocks and 700+ lineal feet forward). Funding came from a number of sources including the Save America’s Treasures program, the Partners in Preservation program and many private donors.

Now, we're looking forward! We have packed the boat with a variety of day-long and overnight programs throughout the year. To get on board Adventuress for a short excursion, check out our three-hour Public Sails, offered at nearly every major port in Puget Sound. Don't forget, Members sail free on all Public Sails. ;)

Here are a few upcoming Adventuress Public Sails:

Date: Saturday, March 6

What: Port Townsend, Boat Haven D-Dock

Time: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Click here to register

Date: Saturday, April 2

What: Seattle, Elliott Bay Marina

Time: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Click here to register

Date: Saturday, April 16

What: Tacoma, Foss Waterway Seaport

Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon

Click here to register

For a more complete list of Public Sails, visit Sound Experience’s website: www.soundexp.org.

For longer voyages, we have some awesome overnight trips for teens, families and adults. Our Family Sail out of Friday Harbor, for example, is a very-manageable weekend long, Friday, August 5 to Sunday, August 7.

Alternatively, teens can spend five days in summer exploring the San Juan Islands on a Fantastic Voyage. Two Fantastic Voyages are offered this year, one for Grades 6 - 9 from July 31 to August 4; the other for Grades 9 - 12 from August 14 to August 18.

Also, this month we're running our “Grow the Family” Membership Drive. During the month of March, we're encouraged Puget Sound residents to “join up” as members and get out sailing aboard Adventuress. Members of Sound Experience sail on all Public Sails for free, receive discounts on overnight programs, plus a number of additional benefits. At $50/year for an individual and $85/year for a household, membership is the most affordable way to get out sailing aboard Adventuress and experience Puget Sound!

For more info about Adventuress & Sound Experience, membership and to see when the ship will be sailing toward your homeport, visit www.soundexp.org or call 360-379-0438.

Transom Timelapse Video

2011-02-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Adventuress' new transom is on! We took a photo every 5 minutes over 6 days while Haven Boatworks shipwright Leland Gibson crafted the new transom. The video turned out awesome!

Getaway for Grown-Ups: A Participant's Perspective

2011-02-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

By Dan Adams, Get Away for Grown-ups Participant

Growing up around the water and being an avid sailor for the past 35 years I have always been drawn to tall ships. After seeing the schooner Adventuress while sailing on Elliott Bay this past May I checked into this beautiful ship and went for a day sail a month later. I was hooked. It was then that I found out about the Get-Away for Grown-Ups weekend.

Not really knowing what we were getting ourselves into, Diane and I decided to give it a shot. After all, a weekend in the San Juans aboard an historic schooner sounded like fun. We had some reservations; dorm style sleeping with people we don’t know, getting up in the middle of the night to stand watch, no shower for three days etc. In need of an adventure, we walked onto the ferry in Anacortes on Aug. 27th bound for Friday Harbor.

Once aboard the Adventuress we were greeted by Program Coordinator Emilee Monson and then divided up into “watches." Our watch consisted of 4 adults and 3 crew. We then went to pick out our bunks, women in the main cabin, men in the forward cabin. OK, this makes sense, it was like being back at scout camp. After a meeting with our watch, we set about learning how to sail Adventuress, hoisting sail, trimming sheets, tying lines and safety rules. This is what I was hoping for, not being one to sit around and watch others, we became working members of the crew.

Our first day at sea was exciting, once under sail and learning about the islands around us, we were treated to pods of dolphins and then the call “Orca off the starboard bow." Diane and I were down below helping Jane with the evening meal when we dropped what we were doing and bolted up the ladder to the main deck.....our first Orca sighting. Other Orca were playing over by the shore and their blow spray was backlit by the afternoon sun. It was a magical moment.

After dropping anchor in Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island, a delicious meal on deck and an informative evening muster in the main cabin we all bedded down at 10 o’clock wondering what the night watch would be like. Sleep was a little hard to find the first night but we were awakened at 2am for our night watch. Meeting Diane on deck, we were delighted to discover a beautiful evening of stars, sounds and rhythms of the night watch. The hour watch seemed to fly by and was more fun than we thought, checking the anchor, ships position, water in the bilge and just hanging out and taking in the beautiful surroundings.

A 7:00am wake up call on Saturday morning, coffee, a wonderful breakfast and the morning duties began with a good ole swabbing of the decks. Each watch group (A, B & C) had different duties and ours was the deck wash that morning. We sailed off the anchor into a nice morning blow followed by a short tacking duel with the schooner Zodiac, more Orca sightings including a nice breach and then anchored early in Westcott Bay on San Juan Island. Each watch group observed informative presentations on sea plankton, mammals of the sea, knot tying etc. It was then play time, each watch group took turns sailing the dingy Ayashi, climbing the rigging, sitting on the bow sprit, and just taking in the sights and sounds of the anchorage. Another fabulous dinner and the evening muster in the main cabin (what a hoot that was.)

We chose the 6am night watch so we could catch the sunrise and it was well worth it. The bay was coming alive with the sounds of the local wildlife and the ever changing morning light. Coffee, breakfast and a wonderful sail in the San Juan Channel with a reefed main (Capt. Daniel loved our reefing job) staysail, jib and no foresail. Each watch got a turn at the helm and what a thrill it was to sail the Adventuress with such a good wind. We finally arrived back in Friday Harbor at 3pm.

What a magical weekend, not only were the experiences incredible but we can’t say enough good things about the Captain and Crew of the Adventuress. They quickly integrated all of us strangers into a cohesive group of deck hands all the while carefully watching us as we learned the next skill. As an educator myself, I was very impressed with the passion our watch group leaders demonstrated in their ability to communicate and teach.

Emilee & Diane

They were very patient and knowledgeable and genuinely cared about our learning experience. We came away with many fond memories and many new friends. Thank you Sound Experience for what you do and the people you have assembled and thank you Emilee for a job well done. I highly recommend the Get-Away for Grown-Ups, or any other program, to anyone interested in a truly educational and thrilling adventure. We will be back.

Dan Adams

You can sign up for the 2011 Getaway for Grown-Ups by following this link: http://www.doubleknot.com/Registration/CalendarDetail.asp?ActivityKey=893078&OrgKey=2293

Dinner on deck in the evening sun

At the helm

Sheeting in the foresail

View from aloft

Sailing A-ya-she, Adventuress' small boat

Thank You January Work Weekenders

2011-01-28T12:32:00.000-08:00

By Capt. Korie Griffith

Scraping the hull

Thank you so much for coming to our last work weekend! Though we were promised sunshine, we still made the best of what we were given. I’m happy to say that we met our goal this weekend of getting the entire hull of Adventuress scraped and ready for bottom paint. This is never a glorious job, but it is one that goes fast with lots of hands and is very satisfying when it is finished! So, a special thanks to all of you who strapped on a respirator and left with bits of red dust in your hairlines (I hope you all enjoyed a well-deserved, long, hot shower!).

Other weekend accomplishments:

A big dent in block assembly; 2/3 done’ish (thanks Linda, Tom, Dennis, Mark and more)
Anchor chain shot marks prepped and painted for the season (thanks Dennis and Burke)
Mainmast repair (thanks Paul)
Fo'c's'le hatch got varnish (thanks Beth and Kacie)
Electrical wiring runs documented for our new navigation equipment (thanks Rick and Jane)
Repair to our shipyard boat bike (thanks Levi)
Christmas lights unbent (thanks Zach)
Delicious meals were cooked and served (thanks Monica and Indu)
Wood stock was moved (thanks Andrew)
Lots and lots of clean up (everyone!)

Winter Mate Ryan and Andrew inspecting the mainmast

There is probably more to add to this list, but our Master of Ceremonies, Ryan, is off on some well-deserved time off so I wasn’t able to get his list. So, thank you for everything and all you did last weekend.

Please remember to sign up* for our last two work weekends this winter if you can: February 19-20 and March 12-13. In February look forward to some rigging, paying the seams on the new planks and the start of gear shuffling (winter stuff off, sailing gear on). March should find us back in the water, finishing rigging, cleaning and more gear shuffling and all those pesky projects that hang on until the bitter end of winter maintenance season. As always, we’d love to have your help during the week too!

Thanks again!
Korie
Centennial Restoration Project Manager, Adventuress
http://www.soundexp.org
korie (at) soundexp (dot) org

*If you'd like to sign up for the February or March Work Weekends, please send Korie an email.

Volunteers scraping bottom paint!

They're a dedicated, hearty bunch

Don't worry, we vacuumed it all up!

Reassembling the blocks

Newly painted metal hardware waiting to be assembled

Jane B. and Rick C. studying electronics

Washington Conservation Corps Comes to Adventuress

2011-01-18T17:03:00.000-08:00

Today, we were happy to welcome aboard Adventuress the Jefferson County Crew of the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC)! They brought with them positive attitudes and big smiles--in spite of the rain--for their day of volunteering. It was inspiring to hear that these passionate 18-25 year-olds are not just volunteering for a day, but have committed to a week of community service in honor of the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Adventuress was just one of their many projects this week.

Some of the Jefferson County Crew

Established in 1983, the Washington Conservation Corps is modeled after Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. The WCC is a program within Washington's Department of Ecology and Americorps. They have 33 crews operating throughout the state year-round to protect and enhance Washington's natural resources. So, when you see these folks out restoring habitats or removing invasive plant species, give them a wave and a thumbs up!

The six person WCC Jefferson Crew came to Adventuress at the suggestion of their corps member A.J. Garcia who had volunteered aboard our ship last year. He suggested it as a possibility for MLK Week and it was well received.

"It's been a cool, positive experience being able to come out today," said James House, Assistant Supervisor for the Jefferson County Crew. James had come aboard Adventuress when he was in elementary school and remembers the experience warmly.

Many of the corps members expressed that MLK week is exciting because they work on projects a little different than their usual work; like volunteering aboard Adventuress.

Corps member Aliina strikes a serious face!

Today, they effectively doubled the efforts of our regular winter crew. The corps members were sanding the deckhouse, removing varnish bubbles from the ship's spars and they even got to rust-busting and painting block strops (the metal bands that run through a block). Needless to say, they were a huge help in our efforts to keep our National Historic Landmark in ship-shape.

So, is a WCC position sounding appealing to you? You should know that they're not currently hiring. However, they will be doing their major hiring in the summer for positions starting in October.

Thank you Washington Conservation Corps and the Jefferson County Crew for working aboard Adventuress today! You're welcome aboard anytime.

Horn Timber Arrives! First Plank Goes on! Life is Good.

2011-01-11T16:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening the horn timber arrived from the Hudson Valley in New York!

The arrival of the timber had been pushed back because the snowstorms in the east delayed milling the tree. On Thursday January 6, two drivers were able to load the timber and get out of New York just before another winter storm set in. The timber was delivered yesterday evening, only four days after their departure.

Made of white oak, the timber is around 28 feet long! Haven Boatworks worked with a company called New England Naval Timbers to fell and mill the tree. The tree may be over 100 years old. It seems suiting that the timber will now become part of a nearly 100-year-old vessel, providing strength and security for Adventuress for many generations to come.

Today held another momentous occasion as shipwright Brad Seamans put the first plank on the Starboard Bow. The starboard bow is being planked with sapele, just like the port side project.

December Shipyard Update

2011-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

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

ASTA Auctions Tall Ships Adventure

2010-12-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

Our friends at the American Sail Training Association (ASTA) are doing a eBay auction to support sail training programs all over the states. Spaces aboard tall ships across the country are up for bid, including a spot our historic vessel. Give a kid the gift of a Tall Ships Adventure aboard the aptly named schooner Adventuress!

Click the image below to visit their eBay auction site:

Here's their press release:

Just in time for the Holidays! ASTA offers Tall Ships® Adventures Auction on eBay

More than a dozen ASTA member tall ships, including the USS Constellation, Pride of Baltimore II, Appledore IV, Lady Washington, Hawaiian Chieftain and A. J. Meerwald are holding an eBay auction of life changing experiences this month as a holiday gift alternative. Vessels which specialize in training young people about life through work aboard ocean-going sailing ships, are auctioning single-day and multi-day excursions aboard their vessels.

The Tall Ships® Adventure auction will raise money for expansion of national sail training programs overseen by the American Sail Training Association (ASTA). Funds will also support ASTA's popular TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® series of events, which bring world-class traditional sailing vessels to ports across the country for public tours and trips.

The auction will run through the end of December, 2010.To bid on a Tall Ships® Adventure excursion or voyage, visit www.sailtraining.org and click on the "Give the Gift of Tall Ships® Adventure" link.

Give the gift of adventure this holiday season!

The American Sail Training Association is the recognized hub for tall ship activity, information and expertise in North America. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on youth education, leadership development and the preservation of the maritime heritage of North America, ASTA organizes the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Series, manages scholarship programs to make sail training experiences more affordable for young people, grant programs to assist crew of ASTA member vessels with the costs of professional development courses and licensing requirements and publishes SAIL TALL SHIPS! A Directory of Sail Training and Adventure at Sea.www.sailtraining.org

Holiday Jingle #1

2010-12-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

Purchase an Individual Gift Membership for that special someone, or a Household Gift Membership for the whole family!

Click Here to Learn More about Gift Memberships

Shipyard Update!

2010-12-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

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

Adventuress Haul Out

2010-11-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

Yesterday, started out with bright stars and a crescent moon as I rode my bicycle to the Boat Haven shipyard. I was excited to see Adventuress hauled-out again so I rode fast. As I arrived, I was wished good-morning by a smiling crew; it was obvious their excitement matched my own. Adventuress was scheduled to haul out at 8:00 a.m. and there was plenty of prep work to do.

We quickly finished the pre-haul out chores: warm up Jefe (our small boat), get rid of extra docklines, do the engine checks, and so on. The heavy haul-out lift--a beast and beauty of mechanical prowess--honked across the harbor signaling they were ready. The sun had just come from behind the mountains as Captain Korie backed Adventuress into the lift.

Adventuress
   Slowly
   Left
   the Water

It's very difficult to describe how odd it is to have Adventuress suspended in mid air. Obviously, having 98 tons swaying gently in the lift straps is mind boggling: you can walk beneath her, clearly see her lines, touch her keel, and admire. For me, having sailed on her so frequently, her transition to land is a little jarring. It's hard to accept that this lively ocean entity will rest land-locked for 4 months of restoration.

After Adventuress was entirely over land, we paused for cleaning. We had a bet with the Port that we could wash the grime from Adventuress' hull in a half-hour. Donned in foul-weather gear, eye protection, and fueled by the challenge, the crew sprang to the pressure washers and methodically blasted the hull clean. Thirty minutes later, Adventuress was clean but the crew was FILTHY!

The heavy-haul out slowly wheeled Adventuress to her place "on the hard," just beside Haven Boatworks. It's been great to see familiar faces again: Blaise, Leland, Brad, Joe, Antonio and all the other shipwrights. I admire these folks for the quality of their craftsmanship, but also the quality of their character.

The rest of the day we took care of necessary things:

We deflated Jefe and stowed it for the winter
Emptied the grey-water
Set up the winter grey-water system
Dried docklines
And little things here and there

The shipwrights began setting up the scaffolding for the major projects that lie ahead: the starboard bow restoration and the counter stern restoration. I'll explain that more later, but if you absolutely need details, you can visit our website: http://www.soundexp.org/index.php?page=centennial-restoration-project

Today begins Adventuress' biggest winter project while under Sound Experience's care.

Haven Boatworks Chosen for Restoration Work

2010-10-26T11:59:00.001-07:00

Through competitive bid process, we’re excited to announce that Port Townsend-based Haven Boatworks will be tackling Phases II & III of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration project this winter. We look forward to sharing with you all the exciting details from November through March.

Phase I was completed last winter by Haven Boatworks and involved a small army of dedicated Adventuress volunteers! To see pictures from Phase I of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration, click here.

Click here for more info about volunteer opportunities

Click here for details about the Centennial Restoration project

Nautical Book Exchange!

2010-10-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Winter is coming. Do you have the nautical books you'll need to make it through the cold, soggy months that lie ahead? Here's your chance to get the maritime books you'll need, and share the ones you don't!

Our friends at Three Sheets Northwest, the online boating magazine, have teamed up with the Armchair Sailor to offer their first ever nautical book exchange! Come to the Center for Wooden Boats (map) in Seattle on Friday, November 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. with books to swap. All nautical books are welcome.

The proceeds from this event will support the Center for Wooden Boats (suggested donation: $10 or more). Snacks, beer and wine provided.

Space is limited, so RSVP by clicking here.

*As an authors note, I just want to say that it doesn't get much better than this. Three Sheets + Armchair Sailor + CWB + Nautical Books = Love.

YOU DID IT! Our Exceptional Community Came Through Again!

2010-10-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-10-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-06T17:31:00.001-07:00

29 Dollars, 29 Days: Getting Kids on the Boat

2010-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

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:

If you haven't donated, go to www.29dollars.org and donate $29.00!
Tell your friends! - Let your friends, neighbors and colleagues know about 29 Dollars, 29 Days! Direct them to www.29dollars.org.
Send an email - Encourage your friends to donate with an email
Use Social Media - Spread the word on Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter:
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

Video-invite from the Crew of Adventuress

2010-09-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

Join us at the Party for Adventuress: A Benefit with Live Music! The Crew would love to see you there. :D

Oh, how she schoons!

2010-09-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

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.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

2010-09-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Just a quick note, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival is this weekend and we'd love to see you there!

Adventuress is having sails every day of the festival. Visit our Booth in the Education Tent to register for a sail, just left of the Festival gate as you enter. You can also call the office, but you'll likely get our voicemail. We'll be checking messages every hour and will do our best to get you on board!

Again, it would be great to see you. Plus, there are some AMAZING boats in the marina. I've never seen it so packed. It's a beautiful sea of masts and rigging.

Fair winds,

Zach

The Power of Citizen Science

2010-09-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

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!

Our Adventure on Adventuress

2010-08-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Lesley Reed and her 14-year old son Sage won People For Puget Sound's recent contest to spend a family weekend aboard the schooner Adventuress. Lesley describes each moment of that sail as 'a new adventure' and shares that adventure.

Our adventure of a lifetime began with a benevolent request from a friend of my son’s. For his 14th birthday, he asked that donations be made to an environmental organization. Sage chose People for Puget Sound and with that donation we became members.

Meanwhile, Sage was taking sailing lessons and finding he loved it. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect when we received the email from People For Puget Sound announcing the raffle for two spots on the Adventuress Family Sail. Sage and I eagerly answered each day’s questions and crossed our fingers. What joy when we won!

You can read the rest of their adventure by on People For Puget Sound's website! Thank you Lesley and Sage for coming aboard Adventuress and writing this article.

2010-08-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Some of the most unique and special moments that happen aboard Adventuress occur during the hour up on deck in the middle of the night. Whether stormy or clear, alone or with one or two others, the opportunity to experience the night in a whole new way can be magical. Not only that, but creative energy at 3AM can be quite spectacular! The following story was written during anchor watch by crew and participants on our Boy Scout trip last week...

On their 2^nd night of anchor watch, while reflecting on all of the activities of the day, the Adventuress sailors were startled by...a sea serpent as long as their boat who smelled peanut sauce from the Upright Channel, 6nanometers away. Suddenly...the horny head of the serpent thrust out of the quiet waters of Shoal Bay, sending a scintillating spray of phosphorescent dinoflagellates across the dewy deck of the ship in a living reflection of the night sky.

The monster’s head arched over the starboard lifelines. The night watch had fallen asleep in the deckhouse and was oblivious to the threat looming over them. Suddenly, there was a thunderous snore from the Captain’s Cabin! The monster was taken aback for the moment, not sure whether this snoring ship was a worthy opponent, or a creature to be romanced and seduced.

The ship tried to flee. For the lack of wind it used the motor and powered out of the bay. In hopes of losing the monster the crew sailed her into high water. Clear of the San Juan Islands the wind picked up and the ship sailed on.

The watch now applied as much sail as two deckhands could raise and sighting the sea serpent ahead – gave chase! The helmsman shouted “we are heading for the arctic” as Adventuress started back on the path of her original journey North. The wind rose and the ship thundered on – unbeknownst to the unsuspecting sleeping occupants below. What would happen about Breakfast?

As the crew and occupants began to rise for morning, they realized they were soaked from sweat! What was going on? Everyone gathered on deck and looked out to a beautiful island called Hawaii. The crew on deck were shocked, for they had been trying to navigate from the stars and thought for sure they were headed back to San Juan Island.

‘Alas!’ cried the crew, for the breakfast was a stew. And keeping a sharp eye for the danger of the rocks, the temporary cook had brewed up some soup of Elena’s stinky socks! ‘Arrg!’ cried the mate as the sailors cast their fate. They plotted a new course, while raising the main they shouted ‘Heave’ until their voices grew near hoarse.

Meanwhile, Jane relieved the temporary cook in the galley. The crew had hated their breakfast, but resourceful Jane quickly realized the perfect use for stinky sock stew. When they returned to the islands she could use it to pacify the sea serpent, which was lying in wait for them! The crew of Adventuress sailed up the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, enjoying sightings of sea lions along the way. When they returned to Shoal Bay, the sea serpent gratefully ate the stew – he’d only been hungry all this time! And Jane cooked a scrumptious celebratory breakfast for all hands. THE END

Girls Leadership Adventure

2010-08-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

By Elizabeth Becker

What would you call a group of fourteen young women (ages 13 to 17), five mentors (ages 37 to 70), and a highly energetic and enthusiastic crew aboard a historic schooner in the San Juan Islands? The answer: PHENOMENAL!

Our newest program, focused on girls and leadership, took place the first week of August, under sunny skies, perfect breezes, and starry nights at anchor watch.

While those things were wonderful, they couldn’t hold a candle to the delight of heading south through Cattle Pass (at the southern tip of San Juan Island) to come upon a SUPER POD of Orcas. Breaching, spy hopping, and tail slapping elicited the appropriate “oohs” and “aahs” as the whales amazed us with their beauty and agility.

That morning set the stage for a fun-filled trip. Mentors Jean, Eileen, Kristin, Nancy, and me (Elizabeth) shared our enthusiasm for groundwater, coastal seabirds, effective communication, tall ships, and citizen science. Our crew led the girls in collecting and examining plankton, learning “the ropes” (halyards, actually!), talking about sustainable nutrition, and creating some highly memorable skits.

We all headed home tired and happy, a bit more knowledgeable about the environment, about ourselves, and about our community. In the words of a participant: “I learned a lot and had fun doing it, which is rare sometimes!”

Sound Experience is HIRING!

2010-08-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

Public Programs/Member Services Associate
Port Townsend-based nonprofit Sound Experience, which owns and operates the historic schooner Adventuress, seeks to add a half-time administrative position to its “Office Watch.” Exceptional customer service approach, excellent written and verbal communicator, highly technology-literate and a team-player. $12-$14/hr plus benefits.

Cover letter and resume by Aug. 20 to catherine at soundexp dot org. Start date Sept. 7. E.O.E.

Sound Experience on LinkedIn

2010-08-02T10:07:00.001-07:00

What! Another social networking website? This one is a little different. LinkedIn is a little less "social" and a little more of a "professional" networking website. It's a great tool to keep track of your contacts, post your job history, and follow organizations, like ours!

Sound Experience is on LinkedIn. You can follow our organization by pressing this button:

If you've previously worked for Sound Experience or aboard Adventuress, make sure you put that in your LinkedIn work history. By doing so, you'll appear as a "Former Employee" of our organization. We want to show how many wonderful people we've had working for us!

A Story Made During Anchor Watch

2010-07-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-07-22T12:03:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-06-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

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:

Scraped the entire deck for paint, etc. and slushed the whole deck
Scrubbed down and Osphod the entire hull
Sanded and Painted both rubrails
Popped paint bubbles on the entire hull, then faired and painted all bare spots (2 coats)
Slushed not just the standing rigging, but the backstays, head rig and jib and staysail stays
Cut down all the troublesome bolt ends in the focsle that have been bopping people in the head, arms and feet
End for ended both the throat and peak halyards on the fore (anything to give them some life!)
Painted beautiful bunk numbers on the new focsle bunks
Had a thorough cleaning of the belowdecks (field day)
Replaced bad shackles aloft - bad shackles! Bad Shackles!
Inspected and cleaned 'suspect' blocks aloft
Pinned or double nutted every bolt that wasn't already done in the standing rigging
Applied sodium borate not just to the lazarette, but to the main cabin and focsle bilges
Killed bad mosses that were actually growing aloft in our trestletrees! Bad moss! Bad moss!
Finished the servings on the head rig
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)
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

Teacher Sail Aboard Adventuress!

2010-06-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

By Megan Addison, Education & Outreach Coordinator

On Sunday, June 13^th I had the pleasure of sailing with a group of educators from all over Puget Sound. We had teachers from Vashon Island, Edmonds, Bothell, and Seattle, not to mention a few folks from the Seattle Aquarium and Environmental Science Center in Burien.

Our first Teacher Sail in the 2010 sailing season started out with beautiful blue sky and sunshine. All the teachers were there on time if not early, and we were all on board by 9am. After a brief welcome and introduction circle, we got off the dock and used all the muscle on board to raise our four sails. While underway, the guest-educators had the opportunity to investigate Adventuress' various learning stations: a tour of below decks, looking at plankton under the microscope, and checking out the marine invertebrates in our onboard aquarium.

We took a break from the stations to enjoy some "lemony scone-type-things," or so our Galley Coordinator called them. While we were munching on our treats, the crew donned silly outfits and performed a hysterical skit. After, the educators finished their tour of our learning stations with watersheds and nautical skills.

Three hours of sunshine, great wind, and a fantastic group of educators and their families reminded me exactly why it is I want to remain a part of the Sound Experience family. The passionate educators this program attracts, the crew who never cease to amaze me in their creativity, enthusiasm, and flexibility, and a boat that continues to bring people together are just three reasons I’ve stuck around.

Megan

Congratulations to the Crew of S/V Ocean Watch

2010-06-17T08:58:00.001-07:00

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

Haikus From Anchor Watch on the Waldorf Trip

2010-06-09T11:22:00.001-07:00

Recently, two Waldorf schools joined us for a four-day overnight trip out of Bellingham and through the San Juan Islands.

On our overnight trips, everyone aboard stands a one-hour anchor watch to keep the ship and their slumbering shipmates safe!

Anchor watches are magical hours. Participants are roused gently from sleep by whispering their names and tugging at their pillows. They don their anchor watch garb--which was thoughtfully laid out the night before--and make their way gingerly to deck.

Always there are things to do on anchor watch. Careful not to make a noise, we sneak around checking and rechecking the ship. How high is the bilgewater? Is the anchor light still on? Are our bearings still within an acceptable range? Check, check and check!

As the nights progress, our participants learn the ropes and we finish with time to spare. Sometimes, like on this trip, we write haikus. Here are the haikus written by the Waldorf students:

Night is very dark

Chuckanut Bay is awesome

We love it here

Ripples on water

Rain pats softly on the deck

Clouds cover the stars

The water is smooth

Glossy like a mirror's face

Quiet like the moon

Tomorrow is now

The water is calm and clear

All is sound and safe

Campfire on the shore

Joyful music and singing

As we guarded home

Calculating Speed Without GPS!

2010-06-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

By Monica, Program Coordinator aboard Adventuress

We're back up sailing in the beautiful San Juan Islands! This recent group was very interested in really learning how to sail, so we accommodated. We incorporated something from the "old" days of sailing. We calculated our speed using something other than a GPS. Here's what we did:

Our deck is 101 feet in length. A nautical mile is 6,076 feet. Rounding these two figures off (for ease of calculations) to 100 and 6,000 respectively allows for a very simple (and fun) way to approximate our speed. Mathmeticians will immediately see the formula which is 60 divided by the number of seconds it takes for an object in the water to travel from the bow to the stern of the ship. This simple formula results in our speed expressed in knots.

For those non-mathmeticians, here is how you get there...

x = the number of seconds it takes an object in the water to travel from the bow to the stern of the ship which is 1/60 of a nautical mile

y = x(60) = the number of seconds it takes that object to travel one nautical mile

y / 60 = the number of minutes it takes that object to travel one nautical mile

z = y / 3600 = the number of hours it takes that object to travel one nautical mile

To convert the number of hours to travel one nautical mile into knots (nautical miles per hour) take 1 divided by z.

The mathematical laws of cancellation when multiplying and dividing result in the very simple, final formula of 60 divided by x. So any time we see an object drifting towards the ship, we can easily approximate our speed by timing the object as it passes from bow to stern and divide that time into 60. So who needs a GPS to measure speed?

Students at the bow would signal students at the stern who were holding a stop watch when they saw something drifting by. As the object reached the bow, the lookouts would lower their arms signalling the ones at the stern to begin timing. When the object reached the stern, they would stop the watch and announce the length of time. We could then very quickly approximate our speed. Pretty cool.

Monica

Adventuress Thanks our Troops!

2010-05-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today is Memorial Day!

We here at Sound Experience and aboard the schooner Adventuress are deeply thankful for the women and men who serve, and have served in, our country's armed forces. We are honored to fly the American flag from our ship to show our support for our country and our troops. Thank you for your service to our country!

On a related note, did you know that Adventuress was in the military during World War II? Starting in 1943 she served as a patrol boat in the United States Coast Guard for two and a half years on the west coast of the United States.

Upon completion of her service, James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, wrote a letter stating, "it will no doubt be a matter of great pride and interest to you to know that ADVENTURESS gave valuable and excellent service in the important duties assigned to her. In recognition of the war service rendered by ADVENTURESS you are authorized to place in the most appropriate display location five chevrons, one for each six months active service with the Coast Guard."

Do you think we should apply the chevrons? We'll have to investigate how to properly go about this. Where should they go? Comment on this blog with your answers!

Fair Winds,

The Crew & Staff of Sound Experience aboard the schooner Adventuress

Adventuress Won the Popular Vote!

2010-05-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

Hey everyone! Wow, the month-long Partners in Preservation (PiP) program was a whirlwind! This post comes well after the end-of-voting, which closed on May 12; my apologies for not keeping these up! You can expect us to resume our regular, weekly blog-posts starting with this one.

ADVENTURESS WINS!
To start, I am excited to say that Adventuress has officially WON the popular vote and will receive $125,000 for the restoration of our Counter-Stern (Click here to read Howard Chapelle's thoughts on the counter-stern design). WOOHOO!

One REALLY COOL difference between our Seattle/Puget Sound Initiative (as it was called) and the four previous PiP Initiatives was the "nail-biting" race to the finish. During the last few days Adventuress and Town Hall Seattle often had tied percentages, but by midnight on May 12, Adventuress had gained the lead, and the win, with 20 percent of the total votes!

So! Here's the best part! The race was so close that the PiP Board decided to give BOTH Adventuress and Town Hall full grants of $125,000!! We are so excited for Town Hall. They ran an amazing campaign full of creativity and enthusiasm. We're looking forward to seeing their restored windows & walls, and would love to collaborate more with them in the future.

Ship's Log
Onboard Adventuress are some middle schoolers from Montana for a three-day overnight trip. Yesterday, they sailed from Bellingham, WA, to the San Juan Islands where they will spend the majority of their trip. Adventuress will be sailing out of Bellingham until Saturday, June 5.

Space Available on FAMILY SAIL
There is still space on our Family Sail this weekend, May 29 - 31. If you're interested in getting your family aboard for a three-day overnight, call the office: 360-379-0438 or Click Here for more information.

Gone With The Vote

2010-05-10T01:54:00.000-07:00

Romeo and the Vote

2010-05-10T01:52:00.000-07:00

My Fair Vote

2010-05-10T01:49:00.000-07:00

Local artist rocks the 'Vote for the Boat' campaign (Video)

2010-05-10T01:35:00.001-07:00

Local artist rocks the 'Vote for the Boat' campaign (Video)

Posted using ShareThis

Welcome, 2010 Season-One Crew!

2010-05-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

By Elizabeth Becker

After an exciting but totally exhausting winter restoration project, we’ve finally started our 2010 sailing season. Our Season-One crew, which includes both new and returning crew members, arrived for a welcome dinner on board the ship Sunday, April 25, in Port Townsend. A windy day on Monday kept them dockside, but the ship headed out of the harbor on Tuesday, April 27, for a week of crew training on the way to Tacoma.

As always, we have a stellar group of Educator/Deckhands on board, hailing from all across the U.S. and from Canada. Returning are Captain Joshua, First Mate Sarah, Engineer Asa, Second Mate Adam, Bosun Nate, and Program Coordinator Monica. Captain Daniel Evans is on board for his first season with Adventuress but is no stranger to tall ships. We do have a surprising number of “dual names” on board, including two Ethans, two Camerons, and two Erins. Nicknames will likely be a necessity. Check out all the crew bios by clicking this link.

We’re also happy to welcome two former crew members to our Office Watch. Zach is our new Development Associate and Megan is

our new Education and Outreach Coordinator. We’ve also recently welcomed Kelli as our part-time Bookkeeper and Daniel as our interim Membership Coordinator.

It’s looking like it will be a fun and busy spring filled with lots of school programs and a full summer in the San Juan Islands, with sails for teens, families, seniors, and “grown-ups” (the term grown-up applies to age only; maturity is not a requirement). We hope you’ll join us for an overnight program or at least one of our many 3-hour Public Sails. Check out our website for details (or give us a call).

We’re still working on scheduling programs for late September and October, so if you know of a school or youth group or a corporate group interested in shipboard environmental education and leadership, please let us know.

See you on board!

Thank You April Work-Weekend Volunteers!!

2010-04-19T09:52:00.001-07:00

By Captain Korie Griffith

Hello Adventuress Rock Stars!

Thanks for coming for our “final push” work weekend. So much was accomplished to not only ready us for splash, but also for the upcoming sailing season. Thanks to all your efforts and good weather we were able to splash Adventuress on Monday afternoon to much fanfare. While we only splashed a week late, it was so great to finally get the old gal back in the water in better shape than ever!

Here’s a list of what we accomplished (though I’m sure I’m missing some things!):

· Medical Inventory
· Cleaned focsle
· Cleaned main cabin
· Cleaned heads
· Cleaned galley and dry stores bins
· Loaded deck boxes, rigging, safety gear
· Bottom paint touch-up
· Paint port topsides
· Varnish Ayashe
· Load mattresses
· Set up Jefe and test run
· Varnish deckhouse and main skylight
· Rig headrig
· Hook up main engine intake through-hull and grey water plumbing
· Measure for aquarium retrofit
· Steve’s woodworking projects

Since the work weekend, we’ve had good weather and have gotten so much done. With help from Captain Wayne, the Puget Sound Voyagers and some local riggers, we got the topmasts up, Ayashe in her davits, and the mainsail and foresail bent on. All the big stuff is done! This week we’ve got a bunch of details left to do, but for the most part the ship is ready to sail Friday!

Also, a friendly reminder to “VOTE FOR THE BOAT” so Adventuress can win a $100,000 for next winter’s restoration work. For us to win you (and your friends) need to vote every day for the next month. See our website for more info (www.soundexp.org). And thanks!

See you out on the water...

Korie
Captain, Schooner Adventuress
http://www.soundexp.org

VOTE FOR THE BOAT!

2010-04-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Our 97 year old schooner, Adventuress, is one of twenty-five historic sites in the Puget Sound region competing for up to $100,000 in Partners in Preservation program. It's a voting competition and the contestant with the MOST VOTES wins $100,000. We need YOU to cast your vote daily, AND tell your friends, to help keep Adventuress sailing. Click here to Vote Now!

With your help, Adventuress will keep inspiring people for generations to come.

www.votefortheboat.com

Instruction Video

Click the above link for more information about the competition and ways to get involved. Thank you for your support and helping us spread the word. Again, please Vote EVERY DAY and get your friends to vote too!

Adventuress Going in the Water Today!

2010-04-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

After months of extraordinary restoration work, Adventuress is finally going back in the water!

We are inviting everyone to come celebrate with us. We will begin the process of launching Adventuress at 12:30 p.m. Right now the ship is at Haven Boatworks, the south-west end of Boat Haven. The actual launch will be happening at the Travel Lift Pier in the Port of Port Townsend's Boat Haven. Click here for a map of the port.

Our deepest thanks go out to everyone who helped to make this restoration project a reality. We hope to see you there!

- Sound Experience Crew & Staff

Congressman Norm Dicks Visits Adventuress!

2010-04-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

By Catherine Collins, Executive Director

An exciting morning aboard the schooner Adventuress as we were honored by a visit from Congressman Norm Dicks and his staff. We’re tremendously grateful to Congressman Dicks for his support of a $180,000 appropriations from the National Park Service Save America’s Treasures program. Matched by $100,000 in private funds from generous individual donors, we were able to complete Phase 1 of Adventuress’ Centennial Restoration this winter!

Arriving around 9:30AM, the Congressman met ship’s crew members Sarah, Nate, Beth, Steve, Asa, Adam and our restoration Project Manager Korie Griffith (formerly Mielke), as well as board members Kiwi and Mike. Also joining us were Port of Port Townsend officials including Port Commissioner John Collins. Bill Mahler, Executive Director of the NW School of Wooden Boat Building, represented our partnership with the school for the incredible rebuild of the fo’c’sle. Allyson Brooks, WA State Dept. of Archeology and Historic Preservation and Mary Thompson, a Board Member with National Trust for Historic Preservation, also joined us for the Congressman’s visit.

After lots of photos in front of the ship’s wheel, we treated Congressman Dicks to muffins made by Sarah this morning in our diesel stove and delicious coffee generously donated to the ship by the Undertown Coffee Shop. We all had a great discussion in the main cabin about the state of Puget Sound and the Congressman’s early efforts to bring resources to its cleanup decades ago, and heard a few fishing stories from Congressman Dicks’ employment on a fishing boat while he was putting himself though law school.

We all really enjoyed the visit and have invited the Congressman to come sailing, see our environmental programs in action with boatloads of Puget Sound kids, and, of course, take the helm. If I were a betting gal, I’d bet we’ll see him on board again! Thanks, Congressman Dicks, from all of us for a wonderful visit!

New Article in the Peninsula Daily News

2010-04-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

U.S. Rep. Dicks to tour Adventuress in Port Townsend; visits also set for other sites

Jeff Chew, the Peninsula Daily News' Jefferson County editor, covers U.S. Rep Norm Dicks' scheduled visit to Adventuress next Tuesday.

Click here to view the article.

New Video! "Calking: ˈkȯr-kiŋ or ˈkȯ-kiŋ?"

2010-04-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Calking: To make (a boat) watertight by packing seams with a waterproof material, such as oakum, cotton or pitch.

This video is about the different ways to pronounce "Calking." It features the shipwrights and calkers who worked on Adventuress' port-side during Phase 1 of her Centennial Restoration Project.

Watch the video by clicking this link.

A Quick Update & Thank You Volunteers!

2010-03-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

Alright everyone, here's the quick update: We're almost finished with Phase 1 of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration!

Last week, Haven Boatworks brought in extra calkers to button up Adventuress' seams. They were characters! One of the calkers, Moose, helped to build the tall ships Exy and Irving Johnson. He had all sorts of great stories, lots of good calking advice, and an awesome history. I believe his father sailed with Irving Johnson.

Last Saturday, a determined contingent of volunteers spent the day going-over the calkers work with seam compound and cement. The calkers filled the seams with cotton and oakum, a very traditional method of sealing the planking. For added protection, our volunteers went over the calkers' work with seam compound for seams above the waterline and cement for seams below the waterline.

As for the plan for this week, there is lots left to be done. Asa, our engineer, is working to put through-holes in the engineers locker; the shipwrights are testing the new anchor configuration; and we're putting new concrete in the forepeak. We may also put the bowsprit back in place and start painting the hull!

Looking back on this project, it is really amazing how much was accomplished. As an organization, Sound Experience could not operate without its amazing volunteers; the amount of work that was completed this winter is testament to our volunteers' dedication. So thank you, Volunteers! Whether this was your first year or 20th, whether you stayed for months or an afternoon, we appreciate every single thing you have done for us, and every moment that you've cared for Adventuress. It has been such an honor to work with you all so far, and I look forward to working with you in the future!

The Last Plank

2010-03-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

March 23, 2010 - Deborah Bach, a reporter for the online magazine Three Sheets Northwest, featured Adventuress' in her latest article. Her article covers the whiskey plank ceremony which was held last Friday, March 19. The article also describes what's next in the Centennial Restoration Project! You can find the article here:

With a whiskey toast, first phase of Adventuress work almost done.

Thank you Volunteers!!

2010-03-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

By Capt. Korie

My oh my. What an amazing work list we

all accomplished this past weekend. Thank you everyone for coming from all over, pitching in wherever you could, bringing us rags and supplies and helping us log an amazing amount of volunteer hours. Everything you did this weekend gets us one step closer to our splash date (the week of April 5th). There is still a lot to be done before that, but this weekend helped tremendously.

PLEA FOR MORE HELP And, just a reminder, we really need more help throughout the work week. Our dedicated live aboard volunteers are slowly trickling out to other spring jobs just when we need hands the most. So, any time you can spare during the week, we could really use you. Before we splash we still need to seam and paint all the new planks, paint the bottom, rig all the lower spars, remove the boat cover. Hopefully, we can also get the new focsle bunks painted and more varnish on our deck brightwork as well before we start to focus on rigging and getting the ship ready for the season start on April 25th. Please contact me if you are able to join us. There will always be a bunk and meals waiting for you aboard. Thanks in advance!

THE WEEKEND IN SUMMARY

Hours towards the Restoration Project: 148
Hours towards general winter maintenance: 128
TOTAL volunteer hours: 276!!

WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED:

Repaired and tarred headrig
Leathered gaff jaws
Prepped focsle bunks and bulkheads for finishwork
Repaired focsle ceiling vents
Installed new 12V House Bank
Repaired Engineer’s Locker ceiling
Installed and faired bungs for the port planks
Prepped the starboard hull for repair
Prepped and painted the port rub rail
Prepped and varnished the cap rail
Spot varnished spars
Prepped and painted the starboard boot stripe
Prepped the deckhouse and bowsprit for varnish
Moved spars from storage to ship
Organized storage containers
Moved wood and equipment to the storage containers
Cleaned and organized the deck
Moved rigging to ship
Painted engine room
Painted new fore shroud chain plate
Repaired and painted chart case shelf
Scraped the forward bulwarks
Painted the middle head
Worked on deck eye backing blocks

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE. It was great to see you all again and meet some new folks. Thanks for keeping us on your radar. We need you all this winter more than ever!

LAST REMINDER: The work weekend in April was moved from the 3/4 to the 10/11 because Easter is on the 4th. Hope to see you all there as we make our last big push before the season!

Cheers!
Korie, Beth and the Adventuress crew
http://www.soundexp.org
korie@soundexp.org

Project Update: Planks and Bungs

2010-03-12T13:43:00.000-08:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

Wednesday was a noteworthy day in the restoration of Adventuress. Working from aft to the bow, the shipwrights have been working diligently over the last couple of weeks putting on our new planking. Today however, witnessed the first new-plank to tie into the stem. That means there is now a new strake of continuous planking running from our stem to stern!

Additionally, the shipwrights are over half-way replanking the hull. Of course, it takes a lot of bronze fasteners to hold those planks in place, which subsequently means those fastener holes need to be plugged. We are careful not to waste, so our volunteers have been using scraps that come off the new planks to create the bungs. At the end of the project, our head shipwright, Blaise, estimates that we will have used roughly 1,200 to 1,500 bungs to seal the holes.

Once the planking is on and the fasteners sealed, the shipwrights will begin calking the seams. That is a process I am really excited to learn about and I will eagerly create a blog post for it!

The fo'c'sle is coming along beautifully. The new layout makes that space feel more open and comfortable. I am excited to sleep there this upcoming sailing season. The shipwrights have finished their part, and just the finish work is left before we can use it!

Sadie, our lovable, albeit temperamental diesel stove, underwent an operation to rebuild her firebox this last Saturday. Under our engineer Asa's careful hands, and guidance from retired Dickinson representative, her operation was a success and she is running wonderfully.

That's about it for now. If you're interested in seeing what we do, or getting your hands dirty, come visit any time. We can definitely give you an engaging job! Contact Captain Korie: korie@soundexp.org.

Pictures of the Entire Project

2010-03-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

I was called recently by a good friend who is currently crew aboard the Hudson River sloop Clearwater. She correctly pointed out that I had few, if any, pictures of the entire port-side project. So, here upon request are some of those photos!

What's a Futtock?

2010-03-04T10:34:00.001-08:00

Call for Volunteers!

2010-03-03T15:16:00.001-08:00

By Captain Korie

Hello Local Adventuress Volunteers!

I hope everyone is having a great winter. We are tackling more projects this winter on Adventuress than I’ve seen undertaken including all new framing in the port forward section of the ship, a new stem, new focsle bunks, lots of deck brightwork and a new anchor configuration. If you haven’t stopped by the ship, come on by. If you have, thanks so much for your help!

I know that we’ve still got 7 weeks left of winter maintenance before our sail date of April 26th, but the crunch is on. There are a lot of great projects started that need to be completed including a big push at the end of the month to get the hull painted and deck put back together in anticipation of splashing on April 1st. Up until that time, we have lots of deck furniture to varnish, blocks to assemble, rigging to tackle and shipwrights to assist. We are slowly losing our wonderful full-time volunteer crew to other springtime jobs and could really use any time and help you can provide. You are mo

re than welcome any day of the week and towards the end of the month we may need some weekend painting help.

If you can come help you can either RSVP to me or just show up anytime!

And, don’t forget our upcoming work weekends: March 13/14 and April 10/11!

Thanks for being such a great part of our community!

Cheers,
Korie

New Planking, Mar-X-ite and the Fo'c'sle

2010-03-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

By Zach Simonson-Bond

It's been far too long since the last update. My apologies! There have been great things happening on the ship. On a personal note, I am now working in Sound Experience's office as the Development Associate. I am excited about the change, but it was hard to leave the ship. Still, I'll get to help in a different way, AND it's part of my job is to be a liaison between the office and the ship, which I am very thankful for.

Work is continuing as usual but the end is in sight; we are a month away from going back in the water. Currently, the shipwrights are putting the new sapele planks on the boat. Additionally, they are redoing the port bow-frames and creating a new hawse system for the anchor. I'll be sure to get some pictures on here soon.

As for the Adventuress' other projects, the construction of the new fo'c'sle bunks is being led by Jeff Hammond, a chief instructor from the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. With the help from two excellent boat-school graduates, Amy and Tom, the fo'c'sle is starting to take shape.

Additionally, work has continued on the deckhouse. At this past January Work Weekend our volunteers stripped and sanded the varnish off the port, starboard and aft sides of the deckhouse. We have since coated those surfaces with two coats of a sealer called Mar-X-ite and have started on the new coats of varnish. The deckhouse will look amazing after it's finished.

I have talked mostly about the restoration projects, but a lot has been happening in engineering-land too! Asa, our winter engineer, joined us in early February. He has been doing a number of things since then including routine maintenance on our battery banks, installing a low-psi safety alarm for our pneumatic shifting system, and he will be repacking the stuffing-box and doing a shaft alignment when the ship is back in the water. That should be something to see!

Pictures:

Our new fasteners

We grease the fasteners so they go into the hard purple-heart futtocks better

A plank of sapele

These are called fish plates. They connect the butt-ends of futtocks

Joe welding a plate for inside the forepeak

Brad roughing out a plank with a circular saw

Adventuress in the Peninsula Daily News

2010-02-23T14:37:00.000-08:00

The Peninsula Daily News ran a story Sunday about Phase 1 of our Centennial Restoration Project. The article gives a good overview of what has been accomplished so far, and has quotes from Julia Maynard, co-owner of Haven Boatworks. Read it here:

Adventuress Undergoes Major Restoration Project

A Restoration Update

2010-02-19T22:32:00.000-08:00

Today marked the close of a very productive week in the restoration of the schooner Adventuress.

"It was an exciting time of things coming together," said Aleythea, a volunteer crew-member aboard the historic ship.

A major accomplishment of the week was the installment of the ship's new stem. The new stem was created by joining two separate pieces of purple-heart by a scarf. Interestingly, the ship's original stem was made from a single piece of white oak with a natural curve.

According to Aleythea, the shipwrights greased the area where the stem was to lay, and then it, "slid right in."

Beth, the winter mate during the preservation project, commented that other notable achievements for the week included the installment of the newly fabricated chain plate, to which the shrouds will be reattached; varnish was applied to the upper portions of the spars; sanding and varnishing continued on the deckhouse; and the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding began to install the new focs'le bunks.

Work will resume on Monday. For those interested in getting involved, contact Capt. Korie at korie@soundexp.org.

Captain Korie Featured in Northlake Wharf Blog

2010-02-10T00:53:00.000-08:00

The Friends of Northlake Community Wharf recently posted a video on their blog featuring Captain Korie! The video is titled: "What it Takes to Maintain a Working Historic Tall Ship." Korie explains some of the work we do every year to maintain the Adventuress, and how important our volunteers are to that work and organization.

Their group is working with the Center for Wooden Boats to create a maritime presence at the north end of Lake Union for the Fremont and Wallingford neighborhoods. To watch the video and find out more about the Friends of Northlake Community Wharf, visit their blog by clicking on the picture below:

The Work Weekend, a Recipe and a Project Update

2010-02-03T22:21:00.000-08:00

What an eventful weekend for the Adventuress' Centennial Restoration Project. Volunteers poured in from all around the sound bringing with them fresh energy and excitement. The food was fantastic, the work engaging, and I couldn't ask for better company; Adventuress' community is so fun, knowledgeable and hardworking.

The food was a highlight for all. Monica, one of our volunteer galley-coordinators, made an amazing bread pudding. One of our volunteers liked it so much that he insisted it be posted on the blog. So, here it is:

Bread Pudding
Create the custard:
Combine 3 eggs per 1 cup milk
Add sugar to taste (roughly 1/2 cup sugar per 1 cup milk)
1 tsp vanilla
Add fruit if desired

Fill a pan with bread cut into cubes
Add the custard to the bread. It should almost cover the cubes.
Put it all in the oven at 350. You know it's done when you stick in a knife and it comes out clean.

Enjoy!

There were so many other highlights of the weekend, a major one being the outstanding number of volunteers that came to donate their time. On Saturday, there were 31 volunteers and on Sunday, there were 21. Together, they logged 299 hours working on the ship! Thank you again volunteers for your dedication and support.

The work accomplished this weekend is impressive. Here is the list from Captain Korie:

Scraped entire hull in preparation for bottom paint
Stripped and sanded 75% of deckhouse
Sanded Aya-She
Sanded spars and topmasts
Chipped concrete from forepeak frame bays to accommodate our new stem
Sanded deck boxes, console and deck table
Rebuilt Spar Alley roof
Prepped and painted the starboard focsle ceiling
Sanded heads
Cleaned/scraped cap rails and bulwarks
Removed fasteners from old frames and plugged holes with swede nails

The deckhouse was particularly exciting. The sun had bleached the deckhouse's rich mahogany-red into something yellow and resembling pine. But now, by the power of heat-guns, scrapers, orbital sanders, and volunteer-stamina, the deckhouse is returning to its former beauty. All in all, the weekend was a huge success.

There have also been new developments in the scope of the restoration project. Korie and the shipwrights decided to replace the stem! The shipwrights carefully cut away the old oak stem, and have started diligently working on its replacement. They bought 3 huge pieces of purple heart from Edensaw and have been carefully patterning and planning.

That seems like plenty for now, but be watching for future posts on how to install swede nails, bungs, and further updates on Phase 1 of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration Project.

Pictures: Our volunteers hard at work scraping the hull; Shipwright Blaise taking out the stem.

Tools of Traditional Shipwrights

2010-01-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

There are many amazing things about Phase 1 of Adventuress' Centennial Restoration project, but the best part has been--by far--working with our shipwrights. They are strong, intelligent, and humble men keeping a tradition alive. I have learned so much over the last three weeks about ship construction and restoration simply from helping and observing them work. To make things even better, they are natural educators, often giving us demonstrations and answering our many questions.

I am a lover of tools, and the shipwrights of Haven Boatworks have many. They use traditional tools and have tricks of the trade gleaned from the vast history of boatbuilding, but they also use power tools to expedite the overall restoration. The results are beautiful and efficient.

One of my favorite traditional tools the shipwrights carry is the bevel gauge. The picture to the left is a spread of shipwright Leland's tools. You can see three bevel gauges: two small brass ones in the bottom-middle of the picture, and a larger sliding bevel-gauge in the top middle. The metal ruler is Leland's bevel board; on the back it has specifically angled lines etched in so you can compare the bevel gauge to the bevel board to find your angle.

From top to bottom, the tools are as follows: (row 1) a combination square, a sliding bevel gauge, a hand planer; (row 2) a bevel board, a folding knife, a spiling block, a folding ruler, an awl; (row 3) two sizes of bevel gauges. The square is for measuring and being sure things are "square," i.e. at 90 degree angles. The awl is good for a lot of things, like making marks on wood or probing for rot. It is the spiling blocks, however, are curious and genius tools.

My own description of spiling would be a little rough, so here's a link that explains it better: Spiling. Spiling is the process of making a pattern of an existing futtock so you can make a new, sister futtock. Through this process, our frames are being reconstructed. You can see Brad at right using spiling blocks to make a pattern on the spiling batten.

There are many other tools the shipwrights harness: pry bars, hammers, mallets, drills, sawzalls, bandsaws, table saws, chisels, slide hammers, braces, pencil sharpeners, and so on. I am continually being impressed by their talents and knowledge, and I am proud to be working alongside them during this restoration project.

The picture above is of Brad and Leland using the ship's saw to cut a futtock. Brad is careful to keep the saw abreast of his markings while Leland is changing the angle of the saw. 5 degrees, 6 degrees, 7 degrees...

Project Update
The rest of the preservation and maintenance is going well. Here is an list of some things we've done.

Continually replacing futtocks
Removed mast wedges to check masts
Painted anchor chain
Completely disassembled, cleaned, and painted the Edson Patent Gyber
Removed & replaced deck bungs
Overhauled main-cabin stove, Lucy
Put Dutchmen in the deck (carved out rot and put in new wood)
Checked shaft alignment
Overhauled bilge alarms

Pictures (top to bottom): New frames next to the old! Amazing that these futtocks have survived; Nora working under the engine; Lara clearing rot for the Dutchman; A mast wedge removed; Adam proud of his sanding on the main-cabin hatch; A pretty picture of our new futtocks against the hull

Wrecking, Wrecking, and More Wrecking

2010-01-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Greetings again,

I promise to get another crew member to write one of these soon. In the mean time, I'll write another post because it has been a week since the last one and a lot has happened.

I can speak for the crew without reservation on this one: there has been a lot of hard work this week! The shipwrights have been working us hard, and it has been educational and fantastic. They have had us wrecking planks, removing fasteners, and chipping concrete with a hammer and chisel (the latter being what I did for 4 hours yesterday).

Chipping concrete where, you ask? In the forepeak. The shipwrights need to see the stem of the boat. So, we were charged with exposing it. Adam started, I continued, and our new friend Jay finished it off today.

Meanwhile, we have all taken turns wrecking planks off the boat. Fasteners stick out here and there. They are no match for our pry-bars, 2 pound mallets, slide hammers, and brawn. We modified the slide hammer so that it could be secured around the head of the fasteners, then hammered out of the ship.

Today was especially cool because we removed the port chain-plate. The chain plate is what the shrouds are secured to. You can see in the picture it coming out of its hiding place behind the pin rail. The majority of the plate rests inside the ship--pinched between the frames and the planking. The top portion sneaks out above deck and rests snugly against the inboard side of the bulwarks, which is where the shrouds attach. It was fun to help the shipwrights get it out, then learn from them afterward.

Shipwright Brad started making patterns of the futtocks today. A futtock is a curved piece of wood. Many of these pieces are put together to make a single frame. I learned that this is called a sawn frame, as opposed to a bent frame where wood is steamed and bent into place. We took the patterns to the purple-heart wood and cut out manageable pieces, which were then planed down to the appropriate thickness. This was great fun!

As the port side restoration gets into full swing, there are still many regular maintenance projects to be done. We have been doing things like servicing and painting the blocks, overhauling the Edson Patent Gyber (which I mentioned earlier), removing the halyard deck eye-bolts, and more. Cameron, a regular aboard the A, is with us this week and has had the pleasure of cleaning the lazarette. If you are interested in volunteering, we can put you to work too!

That is all for today. Your homework assignment is to look up trunnels. Apparently, they are a way to fasten without using metal.

End of the First Week

2010-01-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

This is Zach again. We have successfully finished our first week of Adventuress' centennial restoration! What a week it has been. I am exhausted. The learning curve is steep, but there are so many people involved in this project with expert knowledge, experience, and patience, that I have never felt overwhelmed - just sore!

The shipwrights have continued tearing off planks, some of the holes now extend as far back as the mainmast. This fact didn't really settle in until I was reaching for the olive oil in the galley, I could see light streaming through the bulkhead. Bizarre.

That said, it has been really fun to clean up after their wrecking because I get to examine the wood; I can now tell the difference between the newer wood, Douglas Fir, and the older wood, Longleaf Yellow Pine, mostly by the smell! The older wood is also denser and darker but I usually rely on my nose to differentiate.We're saving many pieces of the wood and the old bronze fasteners to possibly use for something in the future...

The new wood for our planks, African sapele, came on Wednesday afternoon. In the picture to the right you can see the wood's initial resting place. Notice the hammer on the big stack of lumber; that's my attempt to give scale to this picture. We eventually moved the piles nearer to the starboard bow, which was quite the process.

Due to the other projects around us, the forklift could not get the lumber close enough to the ship. The task was then turned over to experts in wood-schlepping: the trusty volunteers. We each summoned our inner Clydesdale and proceeded to move the pieces one by one. We would wedge dunnage under each board so the forklift could get in there. The lift would move the board onto a pair of wheels, then leave it to us to roll it over to the Adventuress. While we were rolling, the shipwright would drive around and meet us to unload the board. Once it was successfully placed, we would prep the next board while the shipwright drove back. This happened 12 times. What a day!

To keep this brief, I will just outline some of the other projects we have done.

There was some copper sheathing covering the stem, just under the waterline. That has been removed.
The varnish on the main companionway hatch is being scraped off.
The head-rig was examined, rust removed, and a list of replacement parts was made
The Edson Patent Gyber (one of my favorite things on the ship) got an overhaul, see left.
On Thursday we got our plastic cover on which took all day. It hasn't been shrunk yet, so it flaps quite boisterously in the wind.

Last, but certainly not least, the Explorers came to help out on Friday. The Explorers are young adults who take on different projects around the community. I'm new to their program, so perhaps someone would care to elaborate on my description. The explorers removed the blocks from our storage container and brought them to the ship. They then formed an assembly line to disassemble, clean, and reassemble the blocks. It was fantastic to have their energy on the ship. When the day was finished, we gathered with them the main cabin for snacks and chanteys. I was deeply impressed by their positive attitudes, hard work, and musical abilities. I hope they come back.

That's it for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Zach

Pictures: An Explorer playing the mandolin (excellently). The forepeak with planks removed. Volunteer Meg removing varnish. Nora anchoring the plastic. A bolthole through the stem in the forepeak.