September 11, 2010: Patrons and members gather at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum for Egan Maritime's annual Lifesavers Recognition Day. Nantucket's history is filled with stories of heroic lifesaving efforts by everyday citizens and those who went above and beyond the call of duty. In 2010 Kimberley Layman, Jim Sjolund, and the Town of Nantucket Lifeguards were honored for their efforts.
For the sixth consecutive school year Egan Maritime is partnering with all island middle schools—public and private—to ensure Nantucket youth benefit from experiential maritime learning that provides a connection to the island’s maritime trades and history. As part of the Sea of Opportunities Maritime Education Program, Egan Maritime will provide semester-based educational maritime experiences at the Nantucket New School and the Nantucket Lighthouse School. Additionally, 2018 marks the fourth year the organization is in Nantucket Public School’s Cyrus Peirce Middle School eighth grade core class.
Taught by Dr. Amanda Knight Bradsley, this year’s Sea of Opportunities Oceanography and Maritime Studies classroom will have the largest number of students on record with 137 youths in the 2018-2019 eighth grade class. When speaking with Dr. Bardsley about the class she noted, “All 8th graders in Nantucket Public Schools are enrolled in Oceanography and Maritime Studies. This experiential course makes island life relevant by emphasizing Nantucket’s maritime history, vocations, and sciences. We start with a narrow focus on how water moves on and around our island, and then expand our scope outward by learning about air and water currents. We wrap up the year by reflecting on the global issues of the carbon cycle and ocean plastic.” The first unit in Dr. Bardsley’s classroom is How did we learn to navigate the Earth? Incorporated into this unit is the annual build and race your own cardboard boat program. Students work in groups to design and craft a boat that will finish a short race at Children’s Beach using cardboard, duct tape, and wood glue. Not only has the cardboard boat race become a favorite for parents, teachers, and Egan Maritime, but also for the students, as well. It is a great start to the school year and provides students the opportunity to work alongside their peers with a shared goal. To continue reading, click here.
The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum has been recognized "for the consistent achievement of high ratings from travelers" with a rating of 4.5 in our fifth year of reviews on TripAdvisor. Thank you members, patrons, and all who have visited the museum and provided feedback. It is our privilege to preserve and share the stories of Nantucket's lifesavers, ordinary people who did, and continue to do, extraordinary things in the pursuit of rescue.
On Tuesday, September 11 at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, Egan Maritime gathered with Members and the Nantucket Cottage Hospital to present 2018's Lifesavers Recognition Day awards to Doug Lindley, Andrew Trott-Kielawa, Jeff Turner, and Connor Ventling for their heroic efforts. To read about their rescues and enjoy photos from the event, please click here.
On Thursday, September 27 at 7pm NCTV18 will air a special on this year's Lifesaver's Recognition Day awards ceremony. To watch the promo for this special, click here. And, be sure to stay tuned to Egan Maritime's Facebook page for the full program.
As part of Egan Maritime's Sea of Opportunities school collaborations, each new academic year Evan Schwanfelder, Manager of Maritime Education, coordinates lessons and field trips aboard the Tall Ship Lynx to enrich and expand the students' connection to the sea. "It is always amazing to see the students' eyes light up as they take a step into the past aboard Lynx. They connect to Nantucket's maritime history in an exciting way which unites them with traditional elements of a life lived by the sea that were once part of everyday island life," said Schwanfelder. To continue reading and enjoy photos from the field trips, click here.
The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum's last day of the 2018 season is Columbus Day, Monday, October 8. The Museum will be open 10am to 5pm, and will offer free admission to all Nantucket locals. Local status may be confirmed with an island driver's license, official piece of mail, or other form of government-issued identification. To learn more about the Museum and the activities included with every visit, click here.
Egan Maritime was pleased to present An Evening of Shipwreck Stories & Sea Shanties at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum on Thursday, August 23, 2018. To read about the event and enjoy a gallery of pictures by Katie Kaizer Photography, click here.
ACKweather's social media has launched a new initiative to partner with local Nantucket photographers for daily weather updates across all platforms. Bill Hoenk was the first to be feature the last full week of September, and shared incredible examples of his work. To learn more about Bill and enjoy a full gallery of his featured photography click here.
Egan Maritime members gathered at the Museum and aboard the Tall Ship Lynx this past summer to take advantage of free members-only programs.
Members enjoyed a foggy and salty sail on Tuesday, August 21 alongside active service men from the United States Coast Guard Station Brant Point and retired members of the USCG and United States Navy. To learn more about the program and view photos by Peter Louderback, click here.
On Friday, September 21 members started their day at the Museum for morning coffee and a gallery tour. Museum Director Lisa Lazarus and Museum Interpreter and island artist David Lazarus were on site to give a highlights tour and behind-the-scenes look at the making of 2018's special exhibition, Courage & Calamity, Fifty Ships Against the Sea. To read more and enjoy program photos, click here.
