PORT TOWNSEND — Landlubbers are being invited by the resident schooner Adventuress to determine what kind of educational sailing programs the tall ship should offer in the future.
“We are moving forward,” said Catherine Collins, executive director of Sound Experience, the nonprofit that manages and operates the sailing ship that is based in Port Townsend.
“Now that we are completing our renovations, we have the bandwidth and incentive to adapt our programming to a changing world.”
The Adventuress celebrated its centennial year in 2013 and is now completing the final stage of a renovation that has taken place during the past three off-seasons.
It is now beginning a yearlong process to examine Sound Experience’s current offerings and develop new ones, to provide programs that support the Next Generation Science Standards that now are being implemented in public schools throughout Washington state, Collins said.
The town hall-style meetings are scheduled in Seattle at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St.; and in Port Townsend at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Pope Marine Building at the corner of Water and Madison streets.
The program is guided by Daniel Evans, one of the two Adventuress captains who has worked as an educator, trainer and curriculum designer.
Evans plans to seek the input of educators and the broader Puget Sound community.
“With regional educators, those who sail with us and interested young people and adults from our greater community, we are envisioning Adventuress’ future,” Evans said.
“We want to create a framework for which all of our programs will be measured,” Collins said.
“New things are coming up all the time, and we want to create the educational programs that will provide the most benefit.”
Educational programs aboard the Adventuress range from three hour tours to multiple days where students live on the boat for several days at a time.
The schooner was built in East Boothbay, Maine, in 1913 for John Borden, who wanted to sail it to Alaska.
A year later, it was sold to the Port of San Francisco as a pilot ship.
Sold again in 1952, it was moved to the Pacific Northwest. The nonprofit Sound Experience, based in Port Townsend, has operated it since 1989.
In recent years, an average of 5,000 people have participated annually in its sailing programs, with that many again visiting the ship in port.
For more information go to www.soundexperience.org.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
