School & Group Programs

Classroom lessons coupled with hands-on learning both on and off the water bring classroom subjects to life in the Maritime Discovery Program: science through the study of weather and local wildlife; mathematics through nautical chart use and plotting speed, distance and time; engineering through boat building; social studies through mapping and historical research; language arts through maritime nomenclature and poetry; and art through illustrations of indigenous species and mythological sea creatures and making hand-bound sailor’s books.

Students learn seamanship and teamwork as they row and sail in longboats, replicas of the 18th century historic vessels in which Capt. Vancouver explored the Puget Sound. They build a small skiff in our Boatshop that they then launch at the end of the program, and they tour local maritime trades businesses, where they get a glimpse of the maritime industry and the potential for maritime careers should they choose to pursue more in-depth maritime learning.

Our community came together and asked, “Shouldn’t all schools be like that?” The 7th Grade Maritime Discovery Program thus became the inspiration and model for the Maritime Discovery Schools, an initiative to connect all grade levels and subjects to our community’s unique maritime environment and economy. To learn more about the effort to create the nation’s first maritime school district, click here.

Bravo Team is a longboat seamanship, team building, and environmental learning program that lasts the entire school year. Students are from the OCEAN program of Port Townsend School District. They work together to voyage on Port Townsend Bay, maintain the longboat, and learn about marine trades and the natural history of the Salish Sea. They culminate the year with an overnight voyage. To follow along with their activities during the year, visit the Bravo Team Blog.