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Running Free - Member News April 2026
ROPEFEST is back! 📷R & W Rope
Join the team at R & W Rope for a free, family-friendly event in May. This will be a full day of exciting activities, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences for all ages. Whether you're passionate about ropes, climbing, or simply looking for a unique event, RopeFest has something for everyone.
There will be a climbing wall demo, splicing demonstrations, a charity auction, and a food truck. In addition, the entire warehouse is 20-40% off!
We'll be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of R & W Rope all day so bring the family and join in on the festivities.
We are excited to announce a new online series in partnership with Women Offshore. Meetings will be held monthly with the next meeting on Tuesday, April 21st.
This session will be hosted by Liz Schmidt, a maritime professional and nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience in strategic operations, community programming, and maritime industry advocacy. In this space, we set aside titles, ranks, and credentials so we can focus on the real experiences that shape our time on the water. By speaking openly and listening to one another, we strengthen the sense of community, professionalism, and resilience that defines our industry.
On April 7, Living Classrooms launched their 41st sailing season with 75 7th grade students from Hardy Middle School. These students sailed aboard the pungy schooner Lady Maryland, skipjack Sigsbee, and Chesapeake Bay buyboat Mildred Belle. Living Classrooms’ maritime education program serves thousands of students from Maryland area schools annually from April through November as they participate in daily maritime education sailing trips aboard ships departing from the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum in Baltimore, MD.
The Maritime Education program at Living Classrooms underscores applied learning through direct experience, engaging students in hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. Programs also delve into maritime history, focusing on the War of 1812 and celebrating the significant contributions of Black mariners in the region. Journeys on these vessels offer students a rare chance to immerse themselves in the Chesapeake Bay's diverse maritime heritage while applying their classroom knowledge to tangible activities. Leadership and collaborative skills are developed as students manage sails, analyze marine specimens, conduct scientific tests, and discover the commerce, history, and ecological systems of Baltimore, Washington DC, and the Chesapeake Bay.
Call of the Sea is starting the sailing season with dedicated volunteer training days. The goal is to familiarize returning and new volunteers with the programs Call of the Sea has to offer, sailing, chores, and other responsibilities. There is so much to learn as a volunteer, so these days are great opportunities to learn in a structured environment.
The next training day is on Sunday, May 3rd, near the Bay Model in Saulsalito, California from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including a sail. Those interested in volunteering should email volunteer@callofthesea.org.
Call of the Sea is also hosting its Tall Ship Celebration at the Bay Model in Sausalito on Sunday, April 25th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. There will be paella, ice cream, drinks, live music, ship tours, educational stations, and a pirate-themed photo booth. All proceeds benefit educational programs so that more students can learn at sea. Stop by for a day of fun!
New Boat Shoes for Summer? We have a discount for that.
Born in Maine, Sebago has become an international brand: your shoes are produced by companies located in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and El Salvador, as well as by a few small specialist manufacturers in Southeast Asia. Sebago shoes have always been and will only ever be crafted by the hands of expert shoemakers, meticulously selected based on stringent standards in order to ensure the highest quality results.
Browse some new kicks for the sailing season over at Sebago USA.
Tall Ships America members receive 30% off purchases made through the Sebago USA website.
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