This Spring, Chelsea Piers welcomes hundreds of students from grades four through twelve to board one of three "floating maritime schools." The sloop Clearwater and the schooner Mystic Whaler are part of a program entitled Classroom of the Waves, a program operated by Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. designed to teach about the ecology and history of the Hudson River and its related waterways.

Once aboard these historically recreated vessels, students have the opportunity to discover the many facets of the Hudson River including its ecology, history and biosphere. The on-board program is taught with small group learning stations that allow students more individualized attention. Classroom of the Waves' basic learning stations include fish study, plankton study, water chemistry, navigation, mechanics, and main cabin. The various stations are designed to introduce students to all elements of marine life and river navigation. Myra Seka of the Clearwater states, "We believe that engaging students in hands-on learning is a highly-effective method of teaching abstract concepts like pollution and biosphere. It allows students to gain the knowledge and skills to address effectively environmental concerns and to become active problem solvers, rather than passive victims."

CUNY At Kingsboro is a vessel that specializes in marine biology and is part of a program run by Kingsboro Community College. Its mission is to expose New York City high school students to marine life in the Hudson River. "The program provides a great opportunity for high school students to get a view of New York harbor, its marine life and its history. It is a great experience for the kids and creates an awareness of the marine environment around them," states program director, Robert Brennon.

Scott Gerber, the marina liaison for Chelsea Piers says, "We are pleased to be able to provide a home to these programs. The Hudson River is an invaluable resource for New York City and it's important to make our marina available and accessible to educators who want to teach our students and the public about this great resource and the marine environment."

Chelsea Piers, located at 23rd Street and the Hudson River, maintains the largest active marina in New York City and plays host to watercraft of all types. The Surfside 3 Marina at Chelsea Piers has 70 slips available for smaller boats and dockage for yachts and sailboats of all sizes. A Sea-Ray boat dealership with a full in-water showroom is also on-site. Lunch and dinner cruises by Spirit Cruises are also available and depart daily from Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers. Also at Chelsea Piers are a sailing school, river kayaking program, yacht charters, and the 54-passenger speedboat, Chelsea Screamer, which offers daily tours of New York harbor.