Set Sail Aboard Traverse City's Tall Ship Manitou

Make memories to last a lifetime this summer, with an exciting fresh-water sailing adventure aboard the Tall Ship Manitou, which sails out of its home port in Traverse City, Michigan.

The 2011 season begins Memorial Day Weekend, with weekend-only excursions planned for the first two weeks. The 7-day-a-week sailing schedule begins June 11, when three two-hour excursions are offered daily (Noon, midday, evening). Special-themed cruises are also offered on select days throughout the summer.

THEMED CRUISES

• Moomers Ice Cream Sails!
(June 20 thru September 2)
$40 per adult, $20 per child
Monday and Friday afternoons (3-5 p.m. sail) bring the whole family out for a glorious sail on the bay and the best ice cream in northern Michigan…Moomers! VOTED #1 SCOOP OF ICE CREAM IN AMERICA ON “GOOD MORNING AMERICA!” We’ll sample five flavors, including our very own “Tall Ship Manitou.”

• Microbrew Tasting Cruise
(June 26 thru Sept. 4)
$50 per person
Sunday evenings have just become a bit more exciting with samplings of local beer from Shorts Brewing Company and pizza from Crusted Creations during your evening sail.

• Wine Tasting Cruises
(June 28 thru September 1)
$60 per person
In July and August you can sample a medley of local wines and enjoy specially catered cuisine as we ply the sparkling waters of Grand Traverse Bay. Tuesday nights feature Leelanau Cellars, while Thursdays we will taste the offerings of Left Foot Charley.

• Entertainment Nights
(July 6 thru August 31)
$60 per adult, $41 per child
Wednesday evenings in July and August are our entertainment nights, featuring the popular music group “Song of the Lakes” playing lively jigs, chanteys and ballads of sailing and life on the sea. The evening also includes a picnic meal.

Whether traveling solo, as a couple, with a family or as part of a group, a Tall Ship sail makes a memorable traditional Great Lakes adventure. The regular sails are priced at $35 adults/$18 children for the noon and afternoon sails, and $42 adults/$26 children for the evening sail (includes picnic meal). A cash bar is available for all excursions.

In addition to the day sails and specialty cruises, the Manitou offers a “Floating B&B” experience which includes the evening sail (Tuesday through Saturday), accommodations in bunk-style cabins and breakfast the next morning ($203 per couple/$118 single/$61 per child, ages 8-12).

Multi-day fall windjammers are for those with a more adventurous side. The 2011 schedule includes:

• Astronomy Cruise
(September 16-19, 2011)
Astronomer Mark Nussbaum will be our guide as we study the brilliant northern Michigan heavens. Cost $685 per person. Cost is $685 per person.

• Wine Tasting Cruise
(September 23-26, 2011)
Explore the great wine regions of the world with sommelier and restaurant proprietor Amanda Danielson. Each evening aboard Manitou we will discuss the winemaking histories and taste the varietals of different countries. Dinners will feature paired wines chosen by Amanda as a perfect complement to our meals. Cost $685 per person. Cost is $685 per person.

• Music Cruise
(September 30-October 3, 2011)
Join us as we once again welcome renowned folk singer Lee Murdock aboard for four days of Great Lakes music, history, and lore. Cost $685 per person. Cost is $685 per person.

As one of the largest sailing ships on the Great Lakes, the Manitou is a replica of an 1800s “coasting” cargo schooner. A traditional two-masted, gaff rigged, topsail schooner, Manitou measures 114 feet in length with more than 3000 square feet of sail.

With a 60 passenger sailing capacity (24 overnight capacity), there is plenty of space for sitting and moving around the decks while under sail. While aboard the Manitou, passengers are free to leave the sailing to the experienced crew or lend a hand and learn the arts of the sailor. An excursion aboard the Manitou allows you to remove yourself from the trappings of modern life: no TV, phone (cell phones are discouraged), beeper, email and definitely no itinerary.

To make reservations for any of the 2011 Manitou sailing adventures, call toll free 800-678-0383. Gift certificates are also available.

For additional information about the Manitou, including its corporate charters, log on to www.tallshipsailing.com or www.facebook.com/TallShipManitou.

Inland Seas Announces its 2009 Northern Michigan Sailing Season

A true Great Lakes sailing experience – focused on hands-on science, maritime history and culture of the region – awaits this summer aboard the schooner Inland Seas. Family sailing and science adventures are the centerpiece of a summer of hands-on activity aboard the 77-foot tall ship, which sails June 26 through September 5, 2009 on the freshwaters of Grand Traverse Bay.

Celebrating its 21st season on the Great Lakes, Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) has already attracted nearly 80,000 participants to its award-winning science and sailing programs. Departing from the ISEA Center in Suttons Bay at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. throughout the summer, these three-hour learning adventures are conducted by ISEA’s professional staff and its volunteer corps of over 200 professionally trained instructors.

During these trips, groups of up to 30 individuals – including families, children, parents, teenagers and grandparents, work together as scientists to collect samples of fish, aquatic insects, plants and water. They examine fish, bottom organisms, sediment and plants; view plankton through a micro-video system; take turns steering the ship; and even make weather reports to the National Weather Service. While the Inland Seas programs area educationally focused, they are structured to teach in a fun and entertaining way.

In addition to the nearly two dozen three-hour science and sailing trips for families, ISEA offers several specialty sailing adventures for both families and adults in 2009. These day-long or multi-day programs feature a history, geology and ecology sail to Power Island and an underwater exploration of shipwrecks and other underwater features in Grand Traverse Bay.

On July 23, Inland Seas passengers will explore the rich maritime heritage of the coastal villages of Suttons Bay, Omena and Peshawbestown during a dinner cruise from 5-8 p.m., with a guest faculty of local historians.

ISEA will once again conduct its Invasive Species Research Program for High School Students. These overnight programs for teenagers will be offered on June 29-30 and July 15-16. A Technology in Invasive Species Research Workshop for high schoolers is scheduled for July 27-28. This two-day sailing experience includes seminars by researchers and professionals, as well as the opportunity for students to build a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) to take back to their school for classroom use.

On August 19, Inland Seas explores the Geology of Grand Traverse Bay where passengers will discover – both above and below the water – what gives the Bay its unique character. This sailing adventure includes lunch and a hike on Power Island.

The popular Astronomy Under Sail excursions, with astronomer Dick Cookman, are scheduled for the evenings of August 20 and 21, beginning at 9:00 p.m. Sailing eastward away from the shore, this adults-only adventure affords a clear view of the night sky and the constellations that have guided ships for centuries.

The Great Lakes Schoolship and the Inland Seas Education Association began in 1989 as the dream of Suttons Bay mariner and scientist, Tom Kelly. His vision was to develop a program that encourages young people and adults to sail the tall ships, while learning about the science and heritage of the Great Lakes.

The Inland Seas Education Association is a non-profit organization based in Suttons Bay, Michigan, dedicated to science education on the Great Lakes. Its shipboard and shore-side education programs are designed to inspire young people’s interest in science and to provide for the long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes. In 2001, ISEA was awarded the American Sail Training Association’s 2001 “Sea Education Program of the Year.”

For further information on program fees or to book a summer program, contact the Inland Seas Education Association at (231) 271-3077 or on the web at www.schoolship.org.

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Inland Seas Education Association
P.O. Box 218 – Suttons Bay, MI 49682