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Maritime Heritage Alliance keeps history of the lakes alive

The interest in traditional sailing ships—both here in the Grand Traverse Region and throughout much of the world—holds many in fascination. This enthusiasm for both reconstructing and maintaining these boats visually draws past maritime history and current life together. Schooners would come to grace the waterways not only out of need in the early days of settlement, but again today, bringing a deep recreational satisfaction to many. Being aboard, skimming over the water, feeling the wooden planks underneath one’s feet, winds whipping the face, is sheer exhilaration for the adventurous. A passion for classic wooden boats brought together the founders of the Maritime Heritage Alliance (MHA) in the early 1980s. The group’s primary interest was to preserve the maritime history of the area. A quote from the late Bill Livingston, a renowned boat builder from Northport, typifies the alliance’s attitude: “The real joys in life consist of making something with our hands, not making money, but making something.”

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Sailing Ladies: Meet the Grand Traverse region’s female captains

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In the Grand Traverse region, being on a boat is almost second nature to many, both men and women. Women are truly, and successfully, contributing to our modern-day maritime way of life. No longer considered an exclusively all male domain, even here in the Grand Traverse region women make their own mark captaining boats of all sizes. “One of the greatest things I like to hear is young women wanting to captain a ship,” said Lily Heyns, Relief Captain on both the Tall Ships Inland Seas and Manitou. Get to know Heyns, Heather Jankens, Rebecca Hancock, and Stephanie Watkins in Sandra Bradshaw’s story published in our July 14 edition of the Glen Arbor Sun.

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Empowerment on Water: Female captain breaks boating barriers

Whether it is hobby or career they seek, it is difficult for females to enter the sport of boating. Sailing is especially challenging in northern Michigan, where weather only permits a six-month season in contrast to warmer climates that offer more time during the year to practice. “It takes a really brave person to go into hibernation and come out boating again after a long break,” said Captain Stephanie Watkins, a Leelanau County resident and possibly Traverse City’s first female sailing captain.

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Tall Ship Madeline sails again on West Grand Traverse Bay

It has been well over two years since the Traverse City icon and Good Will Ambassador, the Tall Ship Madeline,gracefully sailed over West Grand Traverse Bay’s waters and beyond. The 55-foot ship, with a sparred length of 92 feet, was built between 1985 and 1990 by more than 165 Maritime Heritage Alliance (MHA) volunteers who gave over 40,000 hours to build the schooner, a replica of an 1840s commercial vessel that once sailed our local waters.

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Maritime Heritage Alliance’s Mackinaw boats maintain legacy

A love of the significantly rich maritime history bestowed upon the Great Lakes region, and of traditional sailing boats working on these lakes, was—and still is—the very foundation of the Maritime Heritage Alliance (MHA). Since the early 1980s, its mission, to Preserve, Interpret, and Share the Maritime History of the Great Lakes, is ever at its forefront. A dedicated and growing core of volunteers have been avidly working on projects ever since.

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Local ships bring maritime history alive

The interest in traditional sailing ships—both here in the Grand Traverse region and throughout much of the world—fascinates many. This enthusiasm for both reconstructing and maintaining these boats visually connects maritime history with current times. Schooners would grace the waterways not only out of need in the early days of our area being settled, but again today, bringing a deep recreational satisfaction to many. Being aboard, skimming over the water, feeling the wooden planks underneath one’s feet, winds whipping the face, is sheer exhilaration for the adventurous.

Read more
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