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Climb aboard a 77' schooner for three hours of hands-on Great Lakes science and seamanship departing from Escanaba Marina. Hoist sails, trawl for fish, collect plankton, and test water quality—an ideal outing for families and curious travelers.
Climb aboard a 77' schooner for three hours of hands-on Great Lakes science and seamanship departing from Escanaba Marina. Hoist sails, trawl for fish, collect plankton, and test water quality—an ideal outing for families and curious travelers.
Book with Inland Seas Education Association
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Inland Seas Education Association · Escanaba, Michigan
Step aboard a 77' schooner and become part scientist, part crew on the Great Lakes Discovery Sail out of Escanaba, Michigan. Departing from Escanaba Marina, 17 Water Plant Rd, Escanaba, MI 49829, this three-hour program turns the Inland Seas into a floating classroom for families and curious adults. The trip takes place on Lake Michigan's cooler waters along Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a region carved by glaciers and defined by clean freshwater, rocky shorelines, and sand bars. On deck you'll hoist sails, raise the anchor, and take the wheel, learning basic seamanship while the schooner slips over glacially scoured basins. Between maneuvers, small groups rotate through hands-on science stations: trawling for fish, collecting plankton with fine nets, sampling the lake bottom, and running simple water-quality tests. Natural features include the open-lake blue of the Great Lakes, drifting kelp-like macroalgae patches nearshore, and the occasional limestone outcrop visible along the coastline. The experience delivers a tactile education: you can feel plankton between your fingers, see juvenile fish in a trawl, and watch turbidity readings change in real time. Species you might encounter range from small forage fish to larger lake trout and schools of alewife; gulls and waterfowl follow the schooner and bald eagles sometimes circle the harbor. The hands-on format makes the science stick for kids and adults alike, and learning stations are paced for mixed ages. This program is also a living lesson in regional maritime history. The schooner Inland Seas carries forward Great Lakes sailing traditions that sustained commerce and communities here for centuries, and the shipboard routine - raising sail, trimming lines, steering by feel - connects visitors to that lineage. Practical info: check-in is at the dock in front of SV Inland Seas; arrive 20–30 minutes early and call the ship phone at (231) 620-9719 if delayed. Dress for cooler conditions on the water and avoid flip-flops. Bring a non-glass water bottle; outside food and glass containers are prohibited. The sail is three hours long and suitable for all ages, making it ideal for multi-generational outings and school groups. Expect instructors to explain sampling protocols and local conservation issues, and feel free to ask questions - the crew encourages participation and curiosity throughout the sail. Children leave with new vocabulary, teachers collect real measurements, and families return home inspired to protect freshwater habitats locally. Why book it? It’s rare to find a program that blends active sailing with rigorous, approachable lake science, right in the heart of Escanaba. Whether you want to learn to steer a schooner, identify plankton under a microscope, or simply watch a working wooden ship cut across a vast inland sea, this discovery sail delivers an education and an adventure that reveals the Great Lakes from a new angle.
Meet at Escanaba Marina, 17 Water Plant Rd, Escanaba, MI 49829, at the dock in front of SV Inland Seas. Please arrive 20–30 minutes before departure; call (231) 620-9719 if you are delayed.
Yes — the sail is designed for families and students of all ages with paced learning stations appropriate for kids and adults.
No. You may bring a reusable plastic water bottle, but glass and outside food are prohibited on board.
Accessibility can vary by vessel and dock conditions; contact the ship phone at (231) 620-9719 before booking to discuss boarding needs and possible accommodations.
Yes. Guests rotate through small groups to raise sails, steer, trawl for fish, collect plankton, and run water-quality tests—crew encourage hands-on participation.
Take preventive medication before boarding and sit in the middle of the vessel where motion is reduced; bring ginger or acupressure bands if those methods work for you.
Inland Seas Education Association provides immersive Great Lakes education through hands-on sailing trips, STEM programs, and group lodging. Operating historic tall ships including the 105' schooner Alliance and the 77' schooner Inland Seas, the organization delivers public sails, schoolship science expeditions, night sky cruises, and watershed exploration programs that connect participants with lake ecology. Programs offered include Schoolship registration aboard both Alliance and Inland Seas, four-hour student research cruises where learners collect and analyze aquatic samples, and fisheries netting sails that support Michigan DNR research. The ROV Engineer and Explore program guides students to design, build, and operate remotely operated vehicles, blending engineering practice with marine stewardship. Public experiences include Night Sail events in Traverse City and Suttons Bay and Schooner Showcase sails that place guests among majestic tall ships on Grand Traverse Bay. For residential groups, dormitory lodging at the Capt. Thomas M. Kelly Biological Station accommodates up to 12 guests in a quiet Suttons Bay setting. The organization emphasizes curriculum-aligned lessons, certified instructors, and partnerships with regional researchers to ensure educational rigor and safety. By combining authentic sailing with hands-on science, Inland Seas Education Association fosters environmental stewardship, inspires future scientists and mariners, and offers repeatable programs tailored to school groups, families, and adult learners. Participants can expect professional crew, clearly defined learning objectives, and opportunities to contribute real data to regional research efforts.
Book with Inland Seas Education Association