From Ken Neal, Executive Director:

A sailing ship at sea has always been independent, prepared with the skills and means to meet any eventuality.  She is self-reliant, and rightly proud of it.  But once that ship reaches port the situation changes completely, and ships have always depended on a network of support, whether for unloading, repairs, provisioning, or any of the hundreds of other resources that only the larger community can supply.  In return, of course, the ship supplied the community with fish, or trade goods, or defense, but also with stories of lands beyond the horizon, new knowledge of the earth and inspiration for dreams.

Even before Schooner Seaward first sailed through the Golden Gate to her new home on the Bay, Call of the Sea was focused on the community and our place in it.  Every day, we strengthen that focus.

Our community comprises a lot of geography.  Although Seaward’s home berth is Sausalito, she also sails regularly out of Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley, and other Bay Area ports.  We have built relationships with schools and youth organizations in all of those areas.  Seaward is as comfortable offering a perspective on the Oakland container wharves as she is providing access to examine ocean-borne plankton.

Our community also comprises many cultures and populations.  Our successful programs have included inner city classes where every student was on a free lunch program, advanced marine science classes from private schools, programs for adjudicated youth and for developmentally disabled adults.  We have served a shelter for abused women and Latina Girl Scout troops.  Our amazing crew goes where our students are, whether that means patiently showing a kid how to use binoculars for her first view across the Bay, or analyzing the scientific reasons for the variation in tidal currents.               

We are a part of the Bay Area’s great community of non-profit organizations.  We’re always ready to donate tickets aboard Seaward to the auctions and raffles of the groups that provide a rich array of services to our community, and we conspire with every group we can, finding ways to get deserving kids out on the water.  We’re also part of the maritime community, helping to formulate better standards for crew training and equipment safety.

Like the sailing ships of old, Call of the Sea both depends on the community and contributes to it.  When you play a part in joining with Call of the Sea, you also are part of these communities.  Our June 12th festivities are meant to celebrate Call of the Sea’s place in our community, and the community’s place in Call of the Sea.  It’s your place, too; I hope you’ll join with us to celebrate it.