FREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS(FAQs)Ifyouhavequestionsatanytime,pleasecontactourEducationDirectorat

(206)780-7848oremaileducationdirector@salish.org.

WhatisSalishSeaExpeditions?

SalishSeaExpeditionsisa501(c)(3)nonprofitorganizationestablishedtoinspireyouthtoconnectwiththemarineenvironmentthroughboat-basedscientificinquiryandhands-onlearning,instillingcuriosity,confidence,andcriticalthinking.SalishSeaExpeditionsprovidesopportunitiesforstudentscientistsandsailorstodesignandconductauthenticscientificresearchfromthedecksofa61-footsailingvesselontheSalishSea.

Whatvesselisused?

ProgramsoccuraboardthesailingvesselCarlyn,a61-footyawlbuiltin1996,belongingtoFourWinds*WestwardHoCamps.CarlynisaUSCoastGuard(USCG)inspectedvessel.

Wedon’thaveenoughstudents.Canwepairwithanothergroup?

Yes,youcanpairwithanothergroup.Wecantrytohelpyoufindoneoryoucancomeupwithyourown.Wefindtheidealgroupsizetobebetween18and24students.Yourgroupcanbemixedage(anycombinationof5-12thgraders).Inallcaseswewouldneedtoinsurethatprogramplansmeettheneedsofallpartiesandwewouldarrangefortheentiregrouptomeetbeforegoingoutontheboat.

Howmanycrewmembersarethereandwhatqualificationsdotheyhave?

Thereareaminimumofsixcrewmembersonallprograms,includingaCaptain,Mate,Deckhand,ProgramCoordinator,MarineScienceEducator,andLogistics&GalleyCoordinator.Allhaveexperienceworkingwithyouthinvarioussettingsandhavefirstaidtraining.TheMarineScientistshaveexperiencebothintheteachingandresearchfields,whileourMatesandDeckhandshaveexperienceonthewater.TheCaptainandMatearelicensedbytheUSCGandhaveextensiveexperienceoperatingsailingschoolvessels.

Whatkindofplandoyouhaveforemergencieswhilestudentsareonboard?

AnyvesselcarryingpassengersforhiremustmeetconstructionandoperationsstandardsestablishedbytheUSCG.CarlynwasdesignedandcertifiedundertheSailingSchoolShipVesselAct.Asthenameimplies,vesselscertifiedundertheSailingSchoolVesselActaremeanttobeusedastrainingvesselsandoperatedbystudents.Assuch,thesafetymargininconstructionstandardsandoperationalrequirementsarequitehigh.

CarlynisrequiredtohaveplansthatmeetorexceedresponsestandardssetbytheUSCGforjustaboutanyincident.Thesemainlyaddressmajorvesselincidentssuchasman-overboard,fire,collision,andabandonship.EveryCaptainisrequiredbylawtothoroughlytrainanddrilltheircrewintheapprovedemergencyproceduresforthatparticularvessel.Whenstudentsboardthevessel,theCaptainwillspecificallydiscusswiththegroupwhattodointheeventofanemergency.Anemergencydrillmightverywellbepartofyourprogram.Carlynisalsorequiredtocarryemergencysuppliesandequipmentincludingradios,flares,firstaidkits,liferaft,lifeslingandTypeIPersonalFlotationDevices(PFDs).Wehaveestablishedsafetyproceduresforeveryactivitythestudentsparticipatein,bothaboardtheshipandwhileashore.Studentsareinformedoftheproceduresbeforeengagingintheactivity.Studentswhocannotfollowtheproceduresdonotparticipate.

DostudentswearPersonalFlotationDevices?

Yes.AnytimetheyareworkingondeckwhiletheboatisunderwayorinthesmallboatstheywillberequiredtowearTypeIIIPFDs(lifevests).WearealsorequiredtocarrytheTypeIPFD's(highestUSCGbuoyancyrating)foreachpersononboard.

Isseasicknessaproblem?

Seasicknessisgenerallycausedbythemotionofbigoceanswells.TheSalishSeaisprotectedfromswellsbythelandthatsurroundsit.Seasicknesscanoftenactasaself-fulfillingprophesy;ifyoucomeaboardconvincedyouwillgetseasick,thenyouprobablywill!Mostpeoplethatexperienceseasicknessdosowhentheyarebelowdecksforlongperiodsoftime.Theyusuallyfeelbetterjustbycomingupondeck,gettingsomefreshair,andlookingatthehorizon.Ifyouknowthatmotionsicknessisaproblem,consultyourdoctoraboutamotionsicknessproduct.Theseproductstendtomakeyoufeeldrowsyandusuallyneedtobetakenseveralhoursbeforegoingoutonthewater.Please,onlyusethemifyouknowthatmotionsicknessisaproblem.Youmaywanttolookintoalternativeremediessuchasginger(teaorcandied)andwristbandsthatworkusingpressurepoints.

WhatdoestheSOUNDPrograminvolve?

Intheclassroom,studentsaretaughtscientificprinciplesandprovidedwithbackgroundscientificinformation.Theythenidentifyasuitablemarineresearchtopicandworkwithourstafftoorganizearesearchexpedition.Studentsarekeydecisionmakersineveryaspectofplanningandconductingtheprogram.Groupsmustbewillingtoworkwithinthestructureusedbymostnon-pleasuremarinevessels.Thisisarotationthatallowsforequalsharingofallaspectsoftheexpedition.Everyonewillbeexpectedtohelphandlesails,cookmeals,launchandrecoverscientificgear,scrubtoilets,evaluatedata,plotacourse,washdishes,etc.Onovernightprograms,onewatch(halfthestudents)sleepashoreintentsatamarinestateparkandtheotherwatchsleepsonboardCarlyn.Moreinformationcanbefoundhere:SOUNDProgram:Multi-DayExpeditionandSOUNDProgram:1-DayExpedition.

Howlongareprograms?

Youcanchoosethelengthofyourprogramaboardtheship(from1-5days).WealsoofferPre&PostExpeditionSessionsforMulti-DayExpeditions.Thesesessionsaredesignedtomaximizetheexperiencebyprovidingstudentswiththebackgroundknowledgeandskillstheywillneedtobeinvolvedinthedecision-makingprocess.Ataminimum,werecommendatleastone2hourpre-tripsessionfocusingonbackgroundinformation,becomingfamiliarwithavailableresearchequipment,anddevelopingahypothesis.PostExpeditionSessionsfocusoncreationofpresentationsinordertocommunicatetheresultsofthestudentresearch.Youdecidehowmuchtimeyouwouldliketodedicatetothesesessionsandwhatadditionaltopicsyouwouldlikeustoaddress.Sessionscanbearrangedbefore,duringorafterschool.Theentiregroupdoesnotneedtoattendeverysession.

Whatarethesleepingarrangements?

DuringtheExpedition,studentswillalternatebetweencampingonshoreandsleepingonboardtheboat,dependingontheirassignedWatchGroupandcorrespondingschedule.Specificsleepingarrangementsaredeterminedbythenumberofstudentsandgenderidentity,andisteacherdrivenandinformed.Onshore,studentssleepingrouptentsaccordingtogender,withadultssharingsamegendertentsseparatefromstudents.SalishSeaExpeditionsprovidesinsulatedpadsforthosesleepingonshore.Ontheboat,therearetwocompletelyseparatecompartments,eachhavingitsown“head”(toiletandsink)withbunkstylebedsthatcanaccommodateupto7each.Adultswillbeassignedaccordingtogendertothecorrespondingcompartments.

Spaceisverylimitedandstudentswillalsobesharingtheirbunkwiththeirpersonalgear.Forthisreason,weaskthattheybringonlytheitemsonthelistandpackinasoftbag.Forthosesleepingashore,weprovideinsulatedpads.

WhereintheSalishSeawillwebeandcanparentsfollowourExpedition?

Parentsandteacherswillalwaysbeawareofthemarinaandcitythattheirtripwillbedepartingfrom.Duetothestudent-directednatureofourprogramsandthefactthatstudentsdecidewheretheywillbesailingandcollectingsampleseachmorning,wecannotexactlysaywheretheboatwillbe.TheEducationDirectorwillsendperiodicemails,somewithupdatesfromstudentsdirectly,toparents/guardiansoverthecourseofthesailadventure.Theinformationtypicallyincludesthelocationoftheboat,theboattrackfortheday,andsomejournaltextfromthestudent.OurProgramCoordinatorwillalsodotheirbesttoupdateourInstagramaccountoverthecourseoftheExpedition.

Howfarwilltheboattraveleachday?

Aswithallaspectsofthetripplanning,yourstudentswillbedecidingexactlywheretosaileachday,takingintoconsiderationwhatsamplingneedstogetdone,thetidesandcurrentsandwheretheywanttocampfortheevening.Ingeneral,thegreaterthedistanceyouattempttosail,thelesstimeyouhaveforsamplingstations.Weencouragethestudentstomakeconservativeplansthatdonotcoveralotofphysicaldistancesothattheyhavegreaterflexibilityinmeetingthechallengesoftheday.

Howfarwilltheboatbefromthecampers?

Ideallocationsarethosewheretheshipisindirectsightofthecamp.OccasionallythecampsitewillnothaveaprotectedenoughmoorageforCarlyn,inwhichcasetheshipwillmoorintheclosestpossiblesafeanchorage.Ingeneral,wetrytokeepthecampersandtheboatasclosetogetheraspossible.Somestaffandchaperoneswillbesleepingwiththewatchashore.

Whatkindofcommunicationsystemistherebetweenboatandcampers?

Mostofourcampinglocationsaremarinestateparks.Wecommunicatebetweenshipandshoreviaourhand-heldtwo-wayradiosorcellphone.Wealsotravelwithbothaninflatablesmallboatwithoutboardmotorandrowboat/dinghy.

Couldaparentcontacttheirchildiftherewereanemergencyathome?

Yes.DuringallSalishSeaExpeditionsadventures,adesignatedSalishstaff(typicallytheEducationDirector)willcarryaphoneduringallprogramsincaseofemergencyatanytimeduringtheExpedition.OnCallEducationPhoneNumber:(206)715-0312

Whatdostudentsneedtobringthatisnotcoveredintheprogramfees?

Studentswillneedtobringappropriateclothing(wewillsupplyalist)packedinaduffelorgymbagandabackpackingtype(compressible)sleepingbag.Wesupplyraingear,tents,sleepingpadsandPFD’s.PleaserefertoWhatToBring(Multi-DayExpedition)foramoredetailed,comprehensivelist.

What'stheinsurancecoveragepolicy?

Participantsarecoveredbya$1,000,000liabilitypolicy.