Expanding the Horizons of Bay Area Youth, One Voyage at a Time

Hundreds of ships travel the waters of San Francisco Bay each day. Few of them are classic sailing vessels, and even fewer have the mission of Call of the Sea’s schooner Seaward—inspiring and educating our local youth.

Call of the Sea, based in Sausalito, is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to the sea and its maritime traditions. The organization’s teaching platform is the lovely 82-foot schooner Seaward, and its goal is to offer the benefits of connecting with the sea and sailing to all people, with a special focus on empowering youth of all backgrounds. Programs range from three hours to two weeks long, primarily taking place on San Francisco Bay and coastal waters but occasionally ranging as far away as the Baja Peninsula.

Call of the Sea’s educational programs provide a way for youth to experience nature and build self-confidence through the challenge of sailing a traditional tall ship. During the hands-on programs, participants are completely immersed in the new world of a ship. They learn teamwork, leadership, and a variety of academic subjects while directly experiencing these concepts on the water. Through participating, students gain a new sense of empowerment and stewardship that their parents and teachers attest is carried with them to their lives onshore.

One important part of Call of the Sea’s mission is providing scholarships for underserved youth and for schools that have dwindling budgets for field trips. Sailing programs are impactful (often even life-changing) for youth of all backgrounds, but especially for these students. The unique educational opportunity helps close the learning gap between underserved youth and their better-served counterparts. One Boys & Girls Club volunteer said of Call of the Sea’s overnight programs, I have worked with underserved youth for over 15 years. I have seen how changing the life of one child changes the life of that child’s family, then the community. These types of programs are invaluable to closing the education gap of our underserved youth.

Call of the Sea’s programs are not just for kids. The organization thinks of Seaward as a boat for the community, with the motto your bay, your boat, and it offers a little something for everyone. There are three-hour public sails for the community; educational day sails which are field trips for schools, scouts and other youth groups; and overnight summer camps for teens. Call of the Sea also offers customized programs to fit the educational goals of different groups. And for those itching for a longer voyage, Seaward sails to Mexico most winters with adult passengers, and makes occasional voyages to the Farallon Islands and Drakes Bay through OCSC Sailing.

With more sailing days than almost any other vessel on the Bay, Seaward has become a common sight on our local waters. Her mission is to connect everyone to the water and the Bay’s maritime heritage. Whether you are looking for a way to relax or to provide the adventure of a lifetime for yourself or a youth in your life, this nonprofit has something for you. To find out more, book a voyage, or support Call of the Sea, please call (415) 331-3214 or visit www.callofthesea.org. You can also consult the Waterfront Activities section of this issue (pages 20-21) for a list of available adventures aboard the Seaward.