Call of the Sea Stages Annual Fundraiser on Matthew Turner Educational Tall Ship Construction Site

Call of the Sea – the organization orchestrating construction of the 100’ schooner Matthew Turner in Sausalito – is hosting another shipyard shindig at its construction site. This one is a fundraiser for the Matthew Turner as well as for the Seaward educational program that Call of the Sea has operated for over 10 years now. Over 35,000 children have participated in this innovative program in the last decade, learning invaluable lessons in leadership and environmental stewardship, as well as honing their nautical and maritime skills.

The fundraiser, called “Sailing on the Sea of Knowledge,” will be staged at the shipyard (2330 Marinship Way) on Saturday, April 11 from 6-9 p.m. A tented cocktail reception offering a signature “Matthew Margarita” will be followed by a gourmet buffet provided by John Scopazzi and Davey Jones Deli. Live entertainment throughout the evening includes sea shanty music by the local Waterfront Pickers. Tickets are $75 ($30 for anyone under 21) and are available online. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards operation of the Seaward program as well as construction of the Matthew Turner.

The Matthew Turner has been almost entirely built by a dedicated corps of volunteers, and funded to date by a capital campaign that has raised over $4 million. Additional funding is needed for masts and sails, other rigging and all the steering, propulsion and navigation systems. Ever want a mast or sail named after you or a loved one? Maybe the bowsprit or main cabin named after your business? Now is your opportunity. The “Blue Sea Leadership Society” is a sponsorship level with many naming opportunities and benefits that include one-week sails to Mexico and a marketing exposure for a sponsor business.

From christening the hull of the ship to blessing the bones, it has been remarkable to follow the progress of this massive and historic undertaking. The frame of the ship is almost complete and now looms above the sawdust strewn floors of the construction site. No such ship has been built in the San Francisco Bay Area in over 100 years. Like the Seaward, it too will be an experiential, floating classroom for children of all ages, based in Sausalito and sailing the SF Bay and California coast.

For more information about Call of the Sea programs, including the Seaward and Matthew Turner, visit callofthesea.org