Learning on the lakes

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

?Ready on the fore throat!? shouted Harris Kinnard, just before students from Onaway and Rogers City pulled ropes to hoist two of the three sails on the S/V Denis Sullivan. Kinnard, a newcomer to the teaching vessel, looks like an old sea dog with his American flag bandana wrapped tightly across his brow and the complimentary sunglasses. ?Ready on the fore throat!? he shouted again, just before the more than 40 students started pulling ropes. As the sail rose, so did the smiles. Many of them kept peaking up to see how it as progressing and were amazed at their work. The re-created 19th century Great Lakes schooner launched in 2000. The Wisconsin-based ship is named after a prominent 19th century Great Lakes sailor and businessman. About 150 years ago, fast schooners like the Sullivan did the job of today’s 18-wheelers, transporting loads of grain, iron ore, coal and lumber between cities like Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee and Chicago.

THE SHIP?S stop on the Thunder Bay River, near the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration?s (NOAA)Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, offered a unique opportunity. Student in Rogers City Middle School?s science classes will be studying fresh water this school year. ?The plan is to explore the watershed of the Trout River, since its right here in Rogers City,? said Holly Wirgau. ?This is a great way to introduce the kids to water testing and water quality.? They?ll be studying all aspects of the watershed, from the animals that make their home along its shores, to the water cycle. The program is mirrored after a study program of the Ocqueoc River watershed, which was established at Onaway Elementary School several years ago. ?I picked Trout River because it is right here in Rogers City, and the kids are there all the time,? said Wirgau. THE SHIP set out for the middle of Thunder Bay at 10 a.m. sharp Monday morning.

There were different learning stations set up on the deck of the schooner and in the galley. Students learned about tying knots, what?s on the lake floor, as well as the quality of the water. ?The Denis Sullivan happened to passing through,? said Brandon Schroeder, district sea grant extension educator. ?The timing of them coming through northeast Michigan was perfect with the celebration of ?world water quality monitoring month.? ? The Sullivan is on its way to Miami, Florida, and along the way many students are getting chance to take part in hands-on learning experiences.

?We are getting them out on Lake Huron and doing something really cool, and really exciting to kick off the school year,? said Schroeder. ?Hopefully, it will get them excited about the projects they?ll be working on.?

SCHROEDER SAID the sponsors of the program are Toyota and Dow Chemical, but there are a multitude of partners which include Michigan State University Extens

ion, NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries, Huron Pines. He added that September is World Water Quality Monitoring Month. Schroeder said the goal of the program is to ?Get these kids excited about the coastal resources in their own backyard. We?re getting them out on Lake Huron, excited about water quality, and giving them some water education tools they can use in their school for their water studies. ?I think it was really cool because we learned how to tie knots,? said Matt Rhode. ?It was fun learning things with my fiends and having a good time,? said Jessica Butera.

?This is 10 times better than being in school,? said Brandon Darling. The Sullivan was on its way to the St. Lawrence River and then on to the Atlantic Ocean. With many more on-board classroom experiences in store, it will take two months to arrive in Florida. Daily log updates and more information are on the web site: voyage: pierwisconsin.org.