Protecting and Sharing the Landscape
To know Grand Traverse Bay and to experience Grand Traverse Bay are two different things. For Traverse Tall Ship Company (TTSC), a long time friend and sponsor of the Swim for Grand Traverse Bay, they’re intent on creating opportunities that encourage folks to experience the landscape. A self-proclaimed “nature connection company that just happens to have two amazing vessels”, they’ve been taking visitors and locals alike out on Grand Traverse Bay since 1987.
While new owners Alysia, Jamie, and Kathleen have been at the helm of the company since 2022, every decision across all areas of business has been evaluated through the lens of sustainability and partnership, in many ways echoing The Watershed Center’s efforts to protect, restore, and connect. Captain Jamie shares, “We want to be a part of the people who are celebrating, protecting, and sharing the landscape.”
This includes a trifecta of ensuring sustainability of the company through daily business practices from forks to fuel and everything in between, encouraging sustainability of resources through connection and building sustainable community through partnerships, collaboration, and support. Their team has Grand Traverse Bay at the heart of their work.
Business Practices that Restore
Consideration of local landscape might not seem like an obvious factor when ordering forks but for Traverse Tall Ship Company, it absolutely is. The materials that consumables are made from and how they break down, reducing the amount of fuel to an absolute minimum, and selection of the vendors providing supplies are just some of the decisions made with Grand Traverse Bay in mind. Taking it a step further, while the local region has no shortage of wineries or culinary producers, TTSC strategically looks for companies that support freshwater initiatives and have their own freshwater practices shored up.
Building Connection to our Shared Resource
While the area has a rich history both from a geological and maritime perspective, Traverse Tall Ship Company doesn’t just want folks to connect with Grand Traverse Bay, they want them to understand the importance of this resource and the ways we’re all connected to it, past and present.
Trading and the movement of goods were an influential part of the early Great Lakes industry but there’s no hiding that tourism has continued to play a large role in the Grand Traverse area since its arrival. And that’s an area Traverse Tall Ship Company leans into. Sailing with TTSC is an enjoyable experience for visitors but it’s also an opportunity to share the significance of our freshwater resource and its vital importance– not just from a beauty standpoint but healthy ecosystems and thriving community.
Regardless of each sailing excursion’s theme (some favorites include ice cream, music, and raptors) every passenger hears a 10-15 minute presentation of the history of the area and importance of Grand Traverse Bay. Perhaps just as impactful, Captain Jamie aims to ensure every sail has a few minutes of silence once under sail. He encourages passengers to breathe and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the bay as our ancestors would have experienced it. Closing out the experience he reminds them that the Grand Traverse Bay’s history is now two-hours longer, and they are part of that unique and ongoing history, the connection is theirs to take home and to foster.
Supporting Community
Traverse Tall Ship Company has always set out to support the community. Long time Watershed Center supporters and swimmers alike may recall they have sponsored and continue to be a generous sponsor of The Watershed Center’s annual Swim for Grand Traverse Bay event since their current owners took the helm. They share our message with their passengers and more. When asked about why they support TWC, Jamie says…
“We’re not just a tourist town with a bunch of great restaurants and vineyards and hotels. The water is a focal point and there’s people who are working really, really hard to keep the water, the animals, and the actual original history alive. And we (TTSC) want to be a part of all of those.”
Those sentiments from Jamie are found in their work and relationships with many other organizations but especially with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Their main vessel, the Manitou literally means spirit of Grand Traverse Bay in Anishinaabemowin and for all the owners of TTSC, carrying that name means in addition to ensuring stewardship of the landscape that inspired its name, they also want to honor the cultural roots and connections that created it. As a result of their continuous efforts to share the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ history and culture, they are the only nontribal maritime vessel on the Great Lakes that is able to fly the Grand Traverse Band courtesy flag.
As a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the health of GT Bay and its surrounding watershed, we’re grateful for TTSC’s commitment to our waters and our community. Their ability to pair intentional partnerships and thoughtful experiences is a combination that will continue to support Grand Traverse Bay in the seasons ahead. We hope to see you aboard their next sail taking a silent moment to appreciate the landscape, and maybe even having a scoop of the Watershed Moment ice cream.