On the morning of Sunday, July 3rd, Salish Sea Sciences takes to the water on longboats, courtesy of the Northwest Maritime Center. As the NWC describes, longboats are “26′ open wooden boats. They are historic replicas from Captain George Vancouver’s exploration of the region in 1792 that were built at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. The boats are equipped with 8 rowing stations and 3 sails. Stepping aboard is like going back in time. Both longboats are US Coast Guard Inspected vessels and are staffed by licensed Captains.”

Photo by Tom Grauman

NWC Program Coordinator Nancy Israel tells us, “Captain Michael Sharp and Mate Chrissy McLean are really excited to meet our Salish Sea Sciences team. Michael and Chrissy are experienced longboaters and Marine Educators. Michael is a licensed Captain who has recently been working for Salish Sea Expeditions aboard the yawl Carlyn as the Mate doing inquiry based science. Chrissy used to work for Pacific Crest Outward Bound on kayak and longboat courses and for the last 8 years, she has been working at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center.”

Here is Captain Michael’s blurb from the Salish Sea Expeditions website: “Michael [is] a licensed USCG Captain, lifelong sailor and adventurer. His earliest memories are of being aboard sailboats. In early 2015, Michael arrived in Port Townsend after an eight-year Alaskan odyssey aboard his 36-foot steel cutter Bluewater with his wife Susanna and Nisa the Wonderdog. When not working with Salish Sea Expeditions, he is a Maritime Educator and Sailing Instructor with the Northwest Maritime Center, and helps businesses and nonprofits with program development and strategic communications. With more than 25 years of sailing experience on vessels up to 137 feet, he is known for his emphasis on safety and preparedness and his ability to inspire enthusiasm in anyone who is the tiniest bit interested. In his free time, he enjoys exploring his new home in his Vanagon, learning ukulele and marveling at how spring arrives four months earlier at 48 degrees North.”