Our regular sailing season may be over, but ISEA is sailing strong into the winter months. Our off-season has officially kicked off, as we winterized and docked Inland Seas in Traverse City for the winter months. Back at the office, we are making some much-needed updates to our Education Center. Starting this week, we are re-carpeting not only the center, but the entire building! Our new carpet color has been fondly deemed "Sand and Water" by our executive director-any guesses as to what it looks like? Once we have the carpet down, we will be installing a new fish tank and rearranging upstairs to be more visitor-friendly, open, and modern. Be sure to stop by when it's all finished-we are excited to show it off!

In the meantime, we are pleased to welcome Suttons Bay students back to our Boat Shop for our annual canoe building! Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from now until June, groups of students will visit ISEA after school to work on building a cedar strip canoe for our 2015 raffle. Stay tuned in on social media for updates, and keep your ears open for when the raffle will be for your chance to win.  

There is still time to donate to our challenge! Please help us meet our goal so that we have enough money for our new website.

Donate Now

The re-carpeting of the education center has become the catalyst for a serious opportunity to evaluate and update our education center exhibits. Emily is seeking individuals who are interested in compiling up-to-date information and research pertaining to the exhibits in our center. Current topics include: sand, water levels, zebra and quagga mussels, sea lamprey, phragmites, general invasive species, turtles/wetlands and spiny water flea. Working for the ISEA office is not a requirement, if you are interested in this opportunity, contact Emily and we can hash out the 'work from home' option!  

With all of our big plans for the 2015 sailing season, we are focusing on streamlining many of our systems, which will help position us for a successful season. This requires quite a bit of legwork including digitizing and re-organizing many of our records. If you are interested in being a part of this process as a volunteer on either an isolated or a consistent basis, please contact Emily Shaw for more details. She will be happy to work with you to figure out projects and a schedule that works with you!

Just in time for the holidays, you have the opportunity to order ISEA t-shirts, hoodies, and hats! Download and fill out our order form, or call our office and we can put an order together for you.

Our limited edition sail bags are also available!

These re-purposed bags were made from the original suit of sails, and have the wear and the history to prove it! Each bag has an Inland Seas logo and handles made from retired lines from onboard the ship. You can also choose more typical handles.

Click Here to Print the Order Form.

This time of year, it seems, there are always lots of boats for sale. If yours is one of them and you've not had the response you hoped for, perhaps you should consider the tax advantages of donating your boat to help Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA).

ISEA also accepts used nautical equipment that we sell at our flea market every summer. So while you're cleaning out your boat or garage and preparing for the colder months, take a look at what you may not need and consider donating to ISEA.

So, think about it and give us call. The decision is yours, of course, but we'll be happy to send you a packet of information on the advantages of donating that boat and used equipment, along with some information on how Inland Seas will put your tax-deductible contribution to work Protecting the Great Lakes through Education.