Most of us have seen the schooner Adventuress gracing the waters of the Salish Sea more than onceas we’ve cruised, raced, or simply hung out on our boats. But, do you know what her mission is?  She is run by the non-profit Sound Experience to educate, inspire, and empower an inclusive
community that works to improve our marine environment and celebrate our maritime heritage. With a focus on making access to our marine environment available to all area youth, Sound Experience envisions a future where everyone values the Puget Sound/Salish Sea and the world's oceans and chooses to act as stewards of their treasured waters.

To benefit these programs, Sound Experience will be hosting the second annual Adventuress Cup on Saturday, September 18 in Seattle’s Shilshole Bay. All boaters are encouraged to participate in this fun event which will include sailboat races, a parade led by Adventuress, and an evening awards and social gathering at the CYC Seattle Club House in Shilshole Bay Marina. Registration is open at https://www.soundexp.org/adventuresscup/.

During another year in which COVID-19 has changed all of our paradigms, we are expanding thisyear’s event with both real and virtual components that will be exciting and meaningful to all participants, those who sail in person and those who participate from miles away.

The event is a celebration of the marine environment and aims to raise funds to continue operation and programming on the historic tall ship, the Adventuress. The Adventuress’ programs reach more than a thousand children and teens yearly who climb aboard for day or overnight programs focused on teaching maritime skills, environmental stewardship, resilience, and connection to each other and the natural world.

“The one thing we hear most from kids at the end of a program is, ‘I would never have been friends
with [her/him/them] if we hadn’t sailed together,’” said Catherine Collins, executive director of Sound Experience.

All activities will follow safety guidelines and procedures from the Washington State Department of Health. The CYC clubhouse at Shilshole will be open for a post race social event (subject to applicable COVID protocols). We hope members will support this fun event that is critical to sustaining Adventuress and her mission in the coming year.

Learn more and watch for updates at www.soundexp.org/AdventuressCup.