Courses

Celestial navigation is one of the oldest of all forms of navigation, and for thousands of years has guided mariners safely across the trackless oceans of the world. It is a traditional craft that is rich in both history and romance. With the advent of modern electronics, one can now…

Once you've mastered the noon sight, it is time to spend a day with the sun, taking sextant sights throughout the day and advancing your position on the chart. This course will take students beyond the noon sight and teach them how to find a position by taking sextant sights…

Navigating by the stars is the oldest form of celestial navigation and has been used for millennia by seafarers to find their way on the seas. This is the third course in our celestial navigation series and will introduce you to taking and working out sights from the moon and…

Spend a day aboard the Hjørdis and learn the basics of sailing a 50’ gaff-rigged schooner on Lake Superior. This course offers a mix of in-class preparation and on-the-water experience: topics include points of sail, seamanship, rope-work, sailing terminology and boat handling technique. Wind, weather and waves vary greatly on…

During long passages or when the wind slacked, sailors would busy themselves repairing sails and sewing other useful items. The same skill set and materials required to maintain traditional sailing vessels are reflected in the traditional sailor's ditty bag or canvas bucket. The classic maritime look comes from using leather,…

In the northwestern portion of Lake Superior is a unique and remote island archipelago. Isle Royale National Park preserves 132,018 acres of land that were federally designated as wilderness in 1976. The park consists of one large island surrounded by over 450 smaller islands, located in the largest freshwater lake…

Join us for an adventurous sail-training expedition from Knife River to Grand Marais, along Minnesota’s North Shore. Rigorous sailing on open water is to be expected. Each night we will stay at an all-weather anchorage along the North Shore such as Taconite Harbor or Silver Bay. If weather allows, we…