SEATTLE - It has sailed the waters of the world for nearly a century and now the majestic schooner Adventuress cruises the Puget Sound as a learning vessel.
"For boy scouts, girl scouts, sea scouts, bringing young kids out to sea and learning the ropes so to speak," said Capt. Joshua Berger.
From March to October, three thousand people come aboard to gain a newfound respect for the environment.
"Kids come aboard anywhere from 3 hours to 6 days and they learn about how you treat watersheds, marine life in Puget Sound, what our role is," said Berger.
And they walk away with experiences they'll never forget.
"You get to see these grandkids stand on the deck of Adventuress and look up into the rigging and see their 70- or 80-year-old grandparent up in the rigging, climbing the loft. These kids are just sitting there like 'oh my gosh, grandma is so cool!'" said Zach Simonson-Bond, Development Associate.
It's those memories that helped get thousands of people to "vote for the boat" as part of American Express's "Partners in Preservation" contest, beating two dozen other sites to win a $125,000 preservation grant.
"It was inspiring to see our community come out of the woodwork all over the world, East Coast, West Coast, we had voters from England, Australia, China, Russia.
It's been pretty amazing," said Simonson-Bond.
The adventuress will use the money to replace the counter stern.
"We plan that by the time she turns 100 years old, she'll be ready to sail for another 50 years at least," said Berger.
The Adventuress is an important piece of maritime history that will stay afloat for future generations to enjoy.
The winner was actually considered a tie. Town Hall Seattle received almost as many votes, so they will also be awarded a $125,000 grant.
$750,000 in additional grants will be announced on June 15 to a number of the other participating sites.
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