Salish Sea Expeditions

Out here, science comes alive!

Salish Sea Expeditions inspires youth to connect with the marine environment through boat-based scientific inquiry and hands-on learning, instilling curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking.

REQUEST A PROGRAM

Questions?

Contact Salish Sea Expeditions Program Manager Abbie Smith at 360.385.3628 x110 or abbie@nwmaritime.org

Choose from two unique programs!

Ignite your students' curiosity with the wonders of the sea! Whether they aspire to become marine scientists, mariners, or are simply enchanted by the idea of exploring the Salish Sea—we have the perfect programs for you. Embark on an extraordinary journey aboard one of our floating classrooms, where your students will engage in captivating scientific inquiries and immersive hands-on learning experiences. Join us for a single or multi-day adventure, and give your students an experience they will never forget!

Admiral Jack

The Northwest Maritime Center invites you aboard our experiential education vessel, Admiral Jack! During our voyage, students gain marine science and maritime skills through a series of hands-on activity rotations. Activities include, plankton collection and microscope exploration, water quality sampling, exploring the briny deep with submersible cameras, and navigation.

  • Participants: 5th–12th grade
  • Cost: $30 per student
  • Capacity: 26 passengers max (students + chaperones)
  • Location: Harbor Island Marina, Seattle, WA
  • Available: Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays
  • Questions: Email abbie@nwmaritime.org

The Schooner Zodiac

Come join us for a once-in-a-lifetime experience aboard the schooner Zodiac. During our multi-day voyage, students become part of the crew and work together to raise sail and circumnavigate the San Juan Islands. Students also engage in marine science experiments, collaborate and create team-built STEM projects, head to shore for island exploration, and participate in a boatload of additional activities, classes, and games. Also—it should be noted the food onboard is world-class!

  • Participants: 6th–12th grade
  • Cost: $6,000 per day
  • Capacity: 23 passengers max (students + chaperones—2 chaperone minimum)
  • Location: Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Bellingham, WA
  • Available: Monday–Friday (3-4 day programs)
  • Questions: Email abbie@nwmaritime.org

Presented in sponsorship with the Schooner Zodiac

Scholarships Available

Northwest Maritime Center believes that money should not be a barrier to getting your students out on the water. For more information about scholarships, please contact Abbie Smith at abbie@nwmaritime.org or 360.385.3628 x110.

“The entire journey was eye opening. It gave me an interest in marine biology and definitely did a great job of getting us out of the classroom. This may be one of the highlights of my high school career.”
– Student, Liberty Bell High School

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About Salish Sea Expeditions

Since Salish Sea Expeditions’ founding in 1994, more than 12,000 middle and high school students, 1,000 teachers and hundreds of schools have sailed the waters of Puget Sound as part of our innovative “science-under-sail” programs. On July 1, 2019, Salish Sea Expeditions merged with the Northwest Maritime Center—a partnership designed to sustain and grow SSE programs.

Salish’s growing success is a result of the commitment to a novel idea by an inspired group of staff, board members, volunteers, donors and others who believed in the creation of an unparalleled learning experience and the impact that it would have on thousands of lives.

Following inquiry-based methodologies, students are given control and ownership of all aspects of their Salish learning experience, with the belief that students would develop a joy for learning and a new-found appreciation for science that they would carry back to their traditional classroom settings.

Book your Salish Sea Expedition today!

Contact Abbie Smith at 360.385.3628 x110 or abbie@nwmaritime.org