Sail New York Harbor aboard the historic 1885 schooner Pioneer, a floating classroom in which students learn by doing. Programs aboard Pioneer are the ultimate in hands-on education. Your students will explore the rich tidal estuary of New York Harbor and develop environmental awareness through engaging activities and projects. During a 90-minute or 3-hour sail, students will work with skilled educators as they haul on lines to set sails, navigate using a nautical chart, use scientific sampling gear to test water quality, observe the diverse and busy commerce of New York Harbor, and learn about the history and significance of New York as a port. During the 3-hour program, participants will use a trawl net to sample the diversity of marine life in this important estuary. Included in the 3-hour sail is an interactive “touch tank” of estuarine marine life.

Launched in 1885, and still traditionally rigged and sailed, Pioneer is a living connection to the history of the port of New York. She sails mid-April through October with a maximum of 36 people per group, including chaperones. Full-day education programs are available and can be customized for your school group through many varied program elements that incorporate your specific curriculum needs. After-school and weekend reservations are also available. Although Pioneer is an historic vessel, she is fully USCG-certified and inspected and conforms to all safety regulations. She is operated by a licensed captain and staff of highly trained crew and educators.

Our programs are specifically designed to meet New York State curriculum guidelines and are geared toward grades 3 and up. They include the history of New York Harbor; navigation skills and practice; observation and identification of harbor commerce; the background of significant New York Harbor landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, the Battery, Ellis Island, and Governors Island; and estuarine ecology, including salt marshes, brackish water creatures, watershed ecology, and marine nurseries.

Where does our drinking water come from? How does it connect with, and differ from, the harbor estuary at our shoreline? What indicates that these waters are healthy? What is being done to keep drinking water clean, and how can each of us be stewards for clean water? These questions and more were explored this spring aboard the Seaport Museum's schooner Pioneer through For Learning on Water (FLOW), a unique program that provides a Watershed based educational sail on New York Harbor. For 6 years, FLOW programs have been generously funded by the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), in partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), through Watershed Education Grants. In 2012, classes from P.S. 9, P.S.24, P.S. 196 Ten Eyck, Global Learning Collaborative, and PS 116 participated, including 129 students and 29 adults.

After exploring the city water supply through DEP curricula, students sailed in New York Harbor aboard schooner Pioneer to develop a deeper understanding of the city's water supply, from its origins and protection, to its delivery and eventual release into the harbor waterways. They fished with a net, and observed live flounder, blue claw crabs, and sea horses. They compared the Watershed map with a New York Harbor chart, and measured the farthest distance of the drinking watershed at 125 miles away. In addition, the students experimented with a model of run-off pollution, observing that pollutants on land can be washed into waterbodies, and discovered how our upstate partners prevent this from affecting our drinking water. They ran water quality tests, and measured salinity ranging from 14 ppt to 26 ppt, dissolved oxygen at 6ppm, and pH ranging from 7 to 8.2, all indicating normal. Through this hands-on testing and analysis, FLOW participants learned the importance of maintaining water quality throughout the system, and developed an appreciation of the cooperative effort taken by the city and its Watershed partners to maintain the vital resource of drinking water.

Sail New York Harbor aboard the historic 1885 schooner Pioneer, a floating classroom in which students learn by doing. Programs aboard Pioneer are the ultimate in hands-on education. Your students will explore New York Harbor, a rich tidal estuary, and develop environmental awareness through engaging activities and projects. During a 3-hour sail, students will work with skilled educators as they haul on lines to set sails, navigate using a nautical chart, use scientific sampling gear to test water quality, observe the diverse and busy commerce of New York Harbor, and learn about the history and significance of New York as a port. Participants will use a trawl net to sample the diversity of marine life in this important estuary.

Our programs are specifically designed to meet NY State curriculum guidelines such as estuarine ecology including brackish water creatures, watershed ecology, history of New York Harbor, navigation skills and practice, and observation and identification of harbor commerce such as tugs, ferries, lighters, and supply vessels.

Launched in 1885, and still traditionally rigged and sailed, Pioneer is a living connection to the history of the port of New York. Although Pioneer is an historic vessel, she is fully USCG certified and inspected and conforms to all safety regulations. She is operated by a licensed captain and staff of highly trained crew and educators.

With support from the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program Office, we are able to offer 3 free trawling sails to Title 1 NYC school groups, grades 4-8. Availability is May 8th and June 14th, from 10 am to 1 pm. Teachers who are interested must submit a one page summary describing how a trawling sail will benefit their students and support their school curriculum. The introduction paragraph to the summary must include the name and address of the school, confirmation that the school is Title 1, the grade, the number of students and chaperones interested in participating (a maximum number of 36 students and chaperones can be accommodated), whether or not the group has any special needs, the name of the teacher who will bring the group, the subject being taught by the teacher, and a cell phone number and email address for the teacher. In addition, you must clearly list the order of dates preferred from the list above. At the end of the sail, the teacher must complete a written survey to report specifics on the program's success in meeting science and math education goals, and any areas for improvement. Your summary should clearly state your commitment to complete this survey.

Summaries must be submitted by email to fkent@mcny.org by April 19th and groups that are chosen will be notified by email by April 26th. Please write "Application for Free Trawling Sail" in the subject line.