News from Call of the Sea and the Schooner SEAWARD
From Ken Neal, Executive Director:

Seaward’s 2009 season has been busy, and the fall has shaped up to be even busier. Schools and youth groups keep coming to Call of the Sea to get a direct connection to their maritime environment and history. While they learn a lot, they also gain a sense of accomplishment and have a great time!

There’s no escaping the recession, and Call of the Sea certainly has felt it. Public schools have cut their budgets, private schools have lost enrollment, non-profits are tightening their belts, and all of this affects our programs. But Call of the Sea has benefited from our increasing acceptance as a unique and important part of the Bay Area’s educational community. Each year sees our old friends returning, just as more and more new schools and organizations include Call of the Sea in their programs. The economy has been painful, both for us and for our partner organizations, but Call of the Sea is pulling through.

And we’ve been making progress. Schooner Seaward is in great shape, as you’ll read further in this newsletter. As I write this, we’re having her engine and propulsion systems surveyed for upgrades. We also have focused this year on improving our programs, including strengthening the teaching skills of our crew of sailor-educators.

We continue to broaden our relationships with program partners, old and new. The Presidio YMCA and First Graduate made their first voyages on Seaward this year. Our programs for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts have expanded. You’ll read about our growing work with Headlands Institute further in this newsletter.

For Call of the Sea’s ability to stay the course, I am deeply grateful to you, our supporters. Please, keep spreading the word to more teachers and youth groups. Think of Seaward for company events (perhaps a Holidays celebration on the Bay?) Come sailing. Please consider donating to support our programs.

All of us – teachers, sailors, business and community leaders, captains and crew – are determined to keep building Call of the Sea as an effective force to inspire learning and growth of our young people. Thank you for joining us.