Tole Mour
Encyclopedia
The SSV Tole Mour is a 156 ft (48 m) schooner
and sail training
vessel operating in the Channel Islands of California
, off the West Coast of the United States
.
Built by the Nichols Bros. Boat Builders on Whidbey Island
in Washington’s Puget Sound
to withstand the extreme conditions of the South Pacific
, she is extremely seaworthy and meets or exceeds all of the United States Coast Guard’s
regulations as a Sailing School Vessel
, while offering luxurious accommodations in comparison to other tall ship
s. At 229 gross registered tons she is the largest active tall ship on the West Coast.
The Tole Mour was originally commissioned by the Marimed Foundation of Hawai’i
in 1988 as a self-contained primary health care support vessel, operating in the US trust territory protectorate of the Marshall Islands
. The name of the ship was selected by a competition of Marshall Islands school children, and means 'A Gift of Life and Health' in the Marshallese language
. She served the outer islands for 4 years, providing medical
services to over 15,000 islanders. With onboard medical
, dental
and ophthalmological
offices, the Tole Mour served this role for 4 years, until the Marshallese government commissioned their own fleet of medical delivery vessels and the Tole Mour returned to Hawai’i to serve other purposes.
In her current incarnation, she is part of the Guided Discoveries’ Catalina Island Marine Institute
, offering sail training
, oceanography
and marine biology
education to hundreds of school-aged participants a year. The professional crew is housed in up into 6 double cabins and 2 master rooms within her 123 feet on deck
and 31 feet (9 m) beam
. Up to 36 youth participants can be accommodated in cabins housing 4, 8 and 10 berth
s. Her previous medical requirements provide areas for laboratory equipment, touch tanks and aquarium
s.
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
and sail training
Sail training
From its modern interpretations to its antecedents when maritime nations would send young naval officer candidates to sea , sail training provides an unconventional and effective way of building many useful skills on and off the water....
vessel operating in the Channel Islands of California
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
, off the West Coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
.
Built by the Nichols Bros. Boat Builders on Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island is one of nine islands located in Island County, Washington, in the United States. Whidbey is located about north of Seattle, and lies between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 corridor of western Washington...
in Washington’s Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
to withstand the extreme conditions of the South Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, she is extremely seaworthy and meets or exceeds all of the United States Coast Guard’s
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
regulations as a Sailing School Vessel
School ship
A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is especially used for ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house classrooms....
, while offering luxurious accommodations in comparison to other tall ship
Tall ship
A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall Ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a race or festival....
s. At 229 gross registered tons she is the largest active tall ship on the West Coast.
The Tole Mour was originally commissioned by the Marimed Foundation of Hawai’i
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1988 as a self-contained primary health care support vessel, operating in the US trust territory protectorate of the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. The name of the ship was selected by a competition of Marshall Islands school children, and means 'A Gift of Life and Health' in the Marshallese language
Marshallese language
The Marshallese language is a Malayo-Polynesian language of the Marshall Islands, and the principal language of the country...
. She served the outer islands for 4 years, providing medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
services to over 15,000 islanders. With onboard medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, dental
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
and ophthalmological
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
offices, the Tole Mour served this role for 4 years, until the Marshallese government commissioned their own fleet of medical delivery vessels and the Tole Mour returned to Hawai’i to serve other purposes.
In her current incarnation, she is part of the Guided Discoveries’ Catalina Island Marine Institute
Catalina Island Marine Institute
The Catalina Island Marine Institute is a non-profit educational program run by Guided Discoveries on Santa Catalina Island, California.It is the host to approximately 15,000 students a year, who visit it in school-organized trips and summer camps...
, offering sail training
Sail training
From its modern interpretations to its antecedents when maritime nations would send young naval officer candidates to sea , sail training provides an unconventional and effective way of building many useful skills on and off the water....
, oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
and marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
education to hundreds of school-aged participants a year. The professional crew is housed in up into 6 double cabins and 2 master rooms within her 123 feet on deck
Deck (ship)
A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary deck is the horizontal structure which forms the 'roof' for the hull, which both strengthens the hull and serves as the primary working surface...
and 31 feet (9 m) beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
. Up to 36 youth participants can be accommodated in cabins housing 4, 8 and 10 berth
Berth (sleeping)
The word berth was originally used to describe beds and sleeping accommodation on boats and ships and has now been extended to refer to similar facilities on trains, aircraft and buses.-Beds in boats or ships:...
s. Her previous medical requirements provide areas for laboratory equipment, touch tanks and aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
s.