2023 Sound Experience Annual Report

Photo: Kim Merriman

2023 Annual Report

Sound Experience aboard the schooner Adventuress

Educate, Inspire & Empower

Nonprofit Sound Experience’s mission is to educate, inspire and empower an inclusive community that works to improve our marine environment and celebrates our maritime heritage. Our education platform is the fully-restored 1913 National Historic Landmark sailing ship Adventuress.

Photo: Kim Merriman

Exploring Possibilities

Our work is...

Environment

Teaching current issues in marine science through experiential education on the Salish Sea.

Maritime

Helping students to experience the maritime industry through exploration of career pathways.

Preservation

Stewarding a 1913 National Historic Landmark sailing ship for youth and the public

in perpetuity.

Engaging Hands-on Experiences

651

Children and teens served on all shipboard programs

270

Teens served on overnight shipboard programs

99 youth

Experienced Maritime Career Exploration programs

525

Community members on Public and Festival Sails

Growing Strong Community

139

The number of times the sails were raised

138

Sound Experience Family and Individual Memberships

LGBTQ+ youth thrived during the 3nd Annual Gender Odyssey Voyages

Community partnerships developed and/or deepened

Stories from the Ship

"My favorite elements of the program was the flexibility and variety of activities for the students to participate. I loved the balance of life skills and curricular education. Additionally I loved the team building and cooperation required by the students. It made them feel like a real group that belonged to our school community."

- Ashley, Teacher at Silverwood School

"The most important thing I learned about myself was being able to not use my phone, and how much I actually like the ocean. "

- Kimberly, 11th grade

"I will look for more opportunities to help nature and get out on the water because of this trip."

- Vander, 7th grade

"I really loved the food & the staff was very welcoming and professional making me feel safe to be on this boat... this trip was something that changed my life"

- Aava, Everett at Sea

"Our group were in middle school when covid hit. They changed socially, mentally, emotionally, physically. They didn't interact with people outside their bubbles for two years. When they returned to school, it was with changed bodies and minds. They are often too shy to interact with each other and are afraid to volunteer new ideas in class. This trip changed them. They went in as 22 individuals, and left as a family unit. They are talking about overcoming tough challenges and seeing more things possible in their life. What you guys facilitated was indistinguishable from magic. I so appreciate you."

- Jenn, Teacher at Hazen High School

"Overtime I found myself to be more open to participate in things that made me uncomfortable on this boat which lead led me to find that it is okay to stay out of ones comfort zone. "

- Remy, 10th grade

"I think the lesson nearest to my heart that Adventuress taught me was how to be part of another family... I truly felt these guys are my siblings and because of that I felt more connected with these guys. I wanted to work hard for my family. So thank you."

- Alex, Everett at Sea Intern

“I will no longer be afraid of boats.”

- Gabriella, 10th grade

“My favorite parts of this trip were unlearning my own biases, breathing and being trusted.”

- Tiana, 10th grade

“I can do hard things and I can overcome my fears.”

- Rosie, 7th grade

"The most important thing I leaned about myself is that I can do hard things."

- Auerie, 7th grade

“What a special thing to not rush through a shore hike but give it the full day that island deserves. The student crew spent the morning exploring the beach, learning about intertidal creatures, and playing games. Then we ate lunch ashore and went for a hike to Fossil Bay. Crewmember David started the day with a framing talk about the unique geology of the island, the long indigenous history there, and how lucky we are to get to experience it. At Fossil Bay, crewmember Elijah found a huge well intact bivalve fossil that had just fallen out of a cliff face, we were probably the first creatures to see it in millions of years! Some of the students were thoroughly fascinated and loved hunting for more. On our way back one of the younger students minorly twisted her ankle and it was so cool to see the older kids, interns and crew chip in to take turns carrying her back to the ship. Our time at Sucia wrapped up with a beautiful sunset, an impromptu sing along to some of the kids' favorite Spanish songs (a worthy breaking of our usual restrictions on phones) and an incredible night with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower above us and peak bioluminescence below. We kept a tally of shooting stars spotted during anchor watch and, in the morning, our final count was 124!”

- Gaia, Crew Member during Everett at Sea

Program Partners

Partnerships are an important aspect of all work that happens at Sound Experience. We collaborate and build alliances with partner organizations to help achieve greater impact, efficacy, access to students and communities who can most benefit from these programs.

Over 12 partnerships were developed or deepened in 2023.

New Program Highlight

Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle

& the Youth Maritime Career Launch Program

Sound Experience has partnered with The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, the Port of Seattle, Seattle Skills Center, and Compass Courses to introduce the Youth Maritime Career Launch Program (YMCLP)! The Youth Maritime Career Launch Internship Program provides paid internship opportunities, training and experiences that connects youth and young adults ages 18-24 to permanent employment opportunities with employers in the Maritime Industry. The goal of this program is to establish an employment pipeline to diversify the maritime workforce and get young adults into entry level jobs in the industry.

Total on the water training and job shadowing

with Sound Experience: 80 hours

Program Locations

Bellingham
Friday Harbor
Port Townsend
Everett
Seattle
Bainbridge Island
Tacoma
Olympia

Crew

13 seasonal crew members employed

As a way to work towards a more equitable job for seasonal mariners and environmental educators, in 2023, we welcomed our first ever 8 month crew! This group of dedicated and skilled sailors and educators did an amazing job throughout the season with people of all ages. Their expertise in teaching and being present for young people was clear throughout the season.

Thank you to an incredible crew community who delivered powerful and meaningful youth programing!

Thank You 2023 Crew!

Gaia Wilson

Chief Mate

Anne Willey

Second Mate

Maris Winters

Co-Galley Coordinator

David LeMay

Level 2 Educator/Deckhand

Ansleigh Coplin

Level 2 Educator/Deckhand

Emrys Takahashi

Level 2 Educator/Deckhand

Hannah Gerrish

Level 2 Educator/Deckhand

Maddy Savage

Program Coordinator

Victor Boyer

Engineer

George Clark

Co-Galley Coordinator

Eugenia Frank

Level 1 Educator/Deckhand

Elijah Jennison

Level 1 Educator/Deckhand

Madison Innis-Skinner

Level 1 Educator/Deckhand

Volunteering

2,362 Hours

Volunteers over the years have been vital to the care, maintenance and sailing of Adventuress and 2023 was no different.

Volunteers accomplished many routine winter projects including:

Painting and scraping the hull
Sanding and painting the topsides
Applying fresh coatings on deck furniture
Coatings on spars
Cleaning below decks and more!

In 2023, they helped to uprig Adventuress in late February for the sailing season. And over the summer, volunteers helped out as needed on day sails and programs.

Maintaining a National Historic Landmark

Preparation for the rigging of the topmasts and the addition of lead ballast to the keel was the focus of the 2022/2023 winter season. As with any large wooden vessel, hundreds of other projects were completed.

Sound Experience thanks its dedicated volunteers and the businesses and community members that help to maintain the important National Historic Landmark and on-the-water education classroom.

A special thanks to:

The winter live-aboard crew – this team rose every morning and turned to the job at hand no matter what the weather

Mate, Stephanie Norman and deckhands Elijah Jennison, Jacob Barnes and volunteer Ben Theard

Membership

A Sound Experience Membership conjures up sails on Adventuress, volunteer opportunities and a connection to the Salish Sea.

Over 280 members and their families sailed on Community Sails out of Bellingham, Port Townsend, Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia to haul on halyards, take a turn at the wheel and spot orcas and other marine life on many of the sails.

144 memberships were renewed in 2023.
Membership renewals helped to support programs which shows the members unconditional dedication to Adventuress.

This continued support helps to ensure that Sound Experience can continue to deliver more programs to youth throughout the Salish Sea.

Festivals

The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

Over 220 people sailed aboard Adventuress for the weekend of the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. A strong marine layer started off the weekend but cleared to beautiful blue skies and nice winds!

The pictures (to the right) shows Adventuress sailing with another BB Crowninshield design, the magnificent schooner Martha, during the Sail-By.

Adventuress was also open for deck tours where crew members welcomed hundreds of visitors aboard.

Conferences and Presentations

Storming the Sound

Attended in-person

Tall Ships America Annual Conference

Attended in-person

National Marine Educators Association (NMEA)

In-person Presentation

The Continued Evolution of an Environmental Tall Ship: Adventuress' People and Programs

Workplace Sails

Each year Sound Experience offers a few exclusive Workplace Sails to companies and businesses. Aboard Adventuress, work colleagues come together to raise the sails, experience the teamwork required to sail a 133-foot schooner and marvel at our Salish Sea waterways. It’s a way for companies to thank its employees and/or customers while supporting Adventuress’ youth environmental education mission.

In 2023, companies whose employees and customers join us for invigorating and memorable Workplace Sails included Salesforce, Paccar and Emerald Harbor Marine.

Top left - spotting a Gray Whale in Shilshole Bay

Bottom left - Board Member Satish Iyer (with Exec Dir Catherine Collins) helps to promote Workpace Sails as a powerful opportunity to build stronger teams in Puget Sound area companies

Financial Overview

2023 Income & Expenses

*Program includes restoration and maintenance of schooner Adventuress

Community Financial Support through Campaigns

Party for Adventuress

Annual Gala

& Year-End Giving

Party for Adventuress Annual Gala

On September 15, Sound Experience welcomed 225 guests to the Party for Adventuress gala! The festive evening took place at Soho Park in Seattle and was a “reboot” of the organization’s popular pre-Covid Annual Fundraiser. The evening raised more than $230,000 in support for youth education programs, partnerships and stewardship of our education platform, the 1913 National Historic Landmark schooner Adventuress. A highlight of the evening of celebration was a moving video and talk by Renton’s Hazen High School teen about their week-long shipboard experience.

The Adventuress Cup - A Race for the Salish Sea

On Saturday, September 16, 2023, sailboats, motorboats and an enthusiastic ever-growing community came together throughout Puget Sound to support the mission of Sound Experience. This year marked the third exciting, inclusive on-the-water and virtual race that highlights the extraordinary Salish Sea marine environment and to raise funds to support the work of the iconic, fully-restored schooner Adventuress in a peer-to-peer style race. Learn more and view winning teams on our website.

Folks participated by:

Racing their sailboat
Creating a virtual team
Joining the pre-race parade with their powerboat

Becoming a sponsor
Completing pre-race, educational activities called Wind in Your Sails Challenges to support a team
Donating to a team

Thank you to our generous 2023 Sponsors

Dedicated to Excellence

Sound Experience Board of Directors

Board Members in Action - Board Invitational Sails and Party for Adventuress

Board Led Committees

Development

Chair - Rusty Lhamon

Susan Brittain

Catherine Collins

Jim Congdon

Paul Erb

Joe Freedman

Ken Greff

Michael Hoffman

Jenny Huntley

Satish Iyer

Jason Karas

Julie Masura

Nate Seward

Gordon Sims

Education

Chair - Michele Wolski

Jenny Huntley

Patrick Hutchins

Amy Kovacs

Emma LeValley

Julie Masura

Caitlyn McFarland

Sam Nadell

Maddy Savage

Emrys Takahashi

Anne Willey

Gaia Wilson

Finance

Chair - Henry Veldman

Catherine Collins

Julie Masura

Dave Schoeggl

Ship

Chair - David Jackson

Catherine Collins

Mark Donahue

Ken Greff

Katelinn Shaw

Nate Seward

Gordon Sims

Current Board Member (2023) Past Board Member Staff Member Past/Current Crew Member

Michael Hoffman

Years on Board: 2000-2004, 2008-2014, 2022-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 1999

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Marrowstone Island/Outdoor Education Committee, Development Committee

Ahoy, my name is Michael Hoffman, and I’ve been involved as a volunteer and Board Member with Sound Experience since 2000. As an architect, local business owner for 20 yrs, and avid sailor, I cherish the Salish Sea and our unique, interconnected, environment. I see the life-changing effects of education and outreach programs aboard Adventuress as critical to the health of our environment and social fabric, and I look forward to helping guide our future.

Julie Masura

Years on Board: 2016-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2012

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Board President, all Committees

Hello! My name is Julie Masura and I have been with Sound Experience since 2011, partnering with this group by exploring microplastic marine debris in the Salish Sea. Since then, I was the Chair of the Education Committee and am now the Board President. I love the Salish Sea and have the honor to be a part of a community that shares my passion of providing opportunities for all to board our ship the Adventuress and leave a part of our crew!

Katey Noonan

Years on Board: 2021-present Years in Sound Experience Community: Since 2021

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Secretary, Executive Committee, Budget Committee

Hi there! My name is Katey Noonan, and I’ve been a board member for just over a year. I'm no stranger to the maritime

world however, as I was a Sea Explorer in my youth and had family in the industry! I was a marine insurance broker for over 15 years and am currently the Executive Director for Washington’s Assigned Risk Plan for US Longshore & Harborworkers Compensation insurance. I am excited to bring my expertise to the group!

Alex Tellez

Years on Board: 2020- July 2023 Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2020

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Secretary, Executive Committee, Development Committee

Hello! My name is Alex Tellez and I have partnered with Sound Experience since 2020. As a recent Marine Science and Policy graduate at UW, I was inspired by the work Sound Experience is doing to foster stewardship of the Salish Sea in the community. I currently serve as the Board Secretary and am honored to support such an impactful organization.

Henry Veldman

Years on Board: 2020-present Sound Experience Community Member:

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Interim Treasurer, Finance Committee, Development Committee

I’ve owned a boat for more than 25 years and love being on the water. To be part of Sound Experience is an honor. Giving young people a chance to learn beyond traditional modalities on the schooner Adventuress can be eye opening to youth as they think about what awaits them in life. Helping Sound Experience maintaining viability as a steward of our ship and programs is a privilege as a Board member.

Rusty Lhamon

Years on Board: 2020-present Sound Experience Community Member:

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Development Committee Chair

Michele Wolski

Years on Board: 2009-2017, 2021-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 1984

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Education Committee Chair

I joined the Sound Experience Community as volunteer crew in 1984. I remained engaged for many years beyond as a volunteer at Wooden Boat Festivals, as a high school science teacher sailing and learning with my students, and finally as a Board Member. After 33 years in the classroom, I have retired. I am filling my days with travel, most recently to Africa and London, hiking and bicycling and looking forward to spending more time onboard Adventuress and with the SE community.

David Jackson

Years on Board: 2020-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2004

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Ship Committee Chair

I came on board Adventuress during Ernie Bennet's leadership as a volunteer and once as a relief captain. I started on the Ship Committee and am now the chair.

Joshua Berger

Years on Board: 2016-present Sound Experience Community Member: 10+ years

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Ship Committee

Joshua is a beloved past captain of Adventuress and now is the President & CEO of Maritime Blue. As a strategic alliance to accelerate innovation for a sustainable and inclusive maritime and ocean economy, Joshua works at home and abroad to support economic growth, address climate action, and serve communities’ interests. He is also a licensed and professional Merchant Mariner having worked in the towing industry and aboard traditional sailing ships as platforms for education and training, including nearly ten years as Captain and Restoration Project Manager of the historic schooner Adventuress.

Jim Congdon

Years on Board: 2001-2004, 2010-2014 and 2017-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2001

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Development Committee

I am a retired physician and enjoy sailing and our maritime history. I strongly identify with the mission of Sound Experience to introduce the ecology of the Salish Sea to our community, provide the youth of our region the opportunity to sail aboard Adventuress and at the same time preserve our cherished, historic maritime vessel, Adventuress.

Ken Greff

Board President 2013-2015 Founding member of Centennial Circle 2013 Adventuress Captain 1987-94

Years on Board: 1992-2000, 2006-2015, 2022-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 1989

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Ship Committee

I am a retired educational psychologist who got inspired by witnessing the power of experiential education and the positive enduring impact that sailing tall ships can have on youth. I have been privileged to participate in and support programs on Adventuress since 1978 and honored to join the amazing and talented community of people that surround the ship and programs.

I served as chair of the ship committee for years, and subsequently part of the leadership team managing the Centennial Restoration Project, re-power and deck replacement. I have re-joined the board with a focus on working to build a Legacy Gifts Initiative for Sound Experience, to help strengthen the Centennial Circle, and to help expand and to solidify a permanent home for Adventuress.

Satish Iyer

Years on Board: 2021-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2017

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Development Committee

Hello my name is Satish Iyer and I joined Sound Experience as a Development Committee member in 2017. I became a Board Member in 2021. It has been an absolute honor and joy for me to be part of an organization that makes an amazing impact to our environment and the children in our communities through their educational programs.

Jason Karas

Years on Board: 2019-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2019

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Strategic Planning, Development Committee

Hi, I'm Jason Karas. I grew up sailing and teaching sailing in New England, and I was thrilled to find Sound Experience when my family moved to Seattle. Sailing had a huge impact on my growth as a kid. It built my confidence & independence, fostered curiosity about nature & environmental issues, and created lifelong relationships. I'm a business planner and entrepreneur, and I love that I can apply those skills to expand the reach of Sound Experience, introducing more kids to the joys and learning only possible aboard a sailboat.

Maggie Mallon

Years on Board: 2021-Fall 2023 Years in Sound Experience Community: Since 2015

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Strategic Planning

I am a long-time member of Sound Experience and joined the board in 2021. I’m passionate about the Sound Experience’s commitment to undeserved youth and the health of the Salish Sea. With an equal passion for people development, I’m excited to learn more about how this amazing organization works and to share my expertise in order to further strengthen our capabilities.

Dave Schoeggl

Years on Board: 2016-present Sound Experience Community Member: Since 2016

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Ship Committee, Finance Committee

I am a lifetime boater and currently own an old wooden boat. I've always admired Adventuress and was interested in the Board for that reason, but my true passion is helping to get more disadvantaged kids out on the water. I'm also a lawyer in Seattle practicing aviation and insurance law.

Captain Jonathan Ward

Years on Board: 2015-2023 Sound Experience Community Member:

Board Leadership Position and/or Committee Membership: Development Committee

As a professional Mariner my entire career I’ve had the privilege of seeing ADVENTURESS on the waters of Puget Sound and The Salish Sea for decades. I relate to and believe in the mission and goals of this organization. These are continually reinforced by seeing and hearing of the positive impacts and influence Sound Experience has in the lives of scores of our area youth.