The Sailing School Vessel (SSV) Robert C. Seamans will be arriving in the territory Friday — for the second time in a year.

Last August, the most sophisticated oceanographic research/sailing vessel ever built in the United States docked at the Malaloa Marina just in time for the historical arrival of the Hokulea.

The Sea Education Association (SEA) is sailing the SSV Seamans from Kanton Island in Kiribati to Pago Pago.

The vessel and her crew will be on island for a six-week stay. While here, the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa will organize activities for the local community, as well as play host for the crew members.

According to the NMSAS, last year’s trip accomplished the following:

1.         Value-adding to the mission of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and its partners;

2.         Connecting and fostering a relationship with the SEA to encourage future programs in the territory;

3.         Training the next generation’s science leaders and future decision-makers on the importance of ocean protection and ocean science; and

4.         Enlarging the campaign of outreach and awareness of ocean conservation to a broader audience in American Samoa in a very unique setting.

As with the first time they were here, tours will be carried out for the public as well as for schools to see first hand what goes on aboard the vessel and receive pertinent information on what kind of work they conduct.

Last year, a boat ride was offered for local residents and those on board included media representatives, the Governor’s legal counsel Steve Watson, former Bluesky country manager Lewis Wolman and CEO Aoe’e Adolfo Montenegro, and employees of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, the Coral Reef Advisory Group, the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, and the National Park of American Samoa.

The tour lasted close to four hours and those on board got to see first hand what life is like on an educational vessel. The tour headed away from the bay area and out to sea for about twelve miles where it stopped for several minutes to collect water samples.

Local residents became temporary crew members of the SSV Robert C. Seamans, assisting with things like pulling the sails.

The boat will be docked near the Dept. of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) in Fagatogo, behind the Tool Shop in Malaloa.

BACKGROUND

The Sea Education Association runs two sailing school vessels (SSVs) - the Corwith Cramer in the Atlantic and the Robert C. Seamans in the Pacific. Both are purpose-built for deep ocean science and education.

The SSV Robert C. Seamans, the newer of the two vessels, is a 134-foot steel brigantine that was designed by Laurent Giles of Hampshire, England, and built at JM Martinac shipbuilding in Tacoma, Washington.

The Robert C. Seamans is named after former trustee and chairman of the SEA’s board. Improvements in design and equipment, including a wet/dry laboratory and larger library, classroom and computer laboratory enhance the SEA academic program.

A SHARED MISSION

According to information from the NMSAS, the SEA and the NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Office were created at virtually the same time (1971-1972).

“Both share important commonalities in institutional missions, history, and current directions. Both organizations recognize that creating deeper and more diverse cultural engagement with the ocean is essential for the world’s future.”

“Place and people-based sanctuaries foster a diverse ocean constituency by engaging individuals at an early age and throughout their lives. At strategic moments, be it for an afternoon, an overnight, or an entire semester, SEA’s ships and programs can help to fire the imaginations of young people of all backgrounds, irrespective of culture or educational preparation, by providing meaningful personal experiences that link the study and care of the coasts and oceans with their own futures.”

Lt. Charlene Felkley explained in an initial interview that Sailing School Vessels host ‘semesters at sea’ programs for college students and it’s not all about sailing and being out in the open ocean. “It covers everything on a deeper level from nautical and engineering to marine science, oceanography and geography.”

More information can be obtained by contacting Lt. Charlene Felkley, the NMSAS marine operations coordinator at 633-6500 ext. 225 or email <charlene.felkley@noaa.gov>