Tanya Banks-Christensen, Sultana Education Foundation’s longest-serving captain—seven award-winning years—will step down from the helm in February. A new captain will be announced the week of the 9th.
“It’s just time to take a break,” Banks-Christensen says. “It was a great experience: introducing kids to the Bay, our marine environment, and the seafaring life, by sailing on a beautiful wooden ship will always be memorable highlights. Drew McMullen and the rest of Sultana Education Foundation have put together a really wonderful program. And, in the tall-ship world, Sultana is one of the best,” she says.
A recent Sultana Education Foundation press release stated that “During her command Banks-Christensen sailed with more than 35,000 students, hired and trained 70+ staff, voyaged more than 25,000 miles, and slept on Sultana over 550 nights and won numerous awards, most notably Tall Ships America’s Sea Education Program of the Year, along with recognition by the United States Coast Guard for having the highest achievement in annual inspection recertification in the Northern Chesapeake region.”
Banks-Christensen’s stint as Sultana’s captain came as a natural progression of her previous work with the schooner.
“In 2004 I was hired by Sultana’s Captain to be First-Mate,” she said. “And in 2008 I was Alternate Captain, then Captain in 2009.”
A native of Philadelphia, Banks-Christensen first looked toward the sea during her college years where she spent time in a program affiliated through Boston University with Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. It was there during her senior year that she knew she liked to sail.
A cum-laude graduate of Alfred College the young sailor quickly racked up maritime experience as Mate on several ships including the schooners Providence, A.J. Meerwald, Westward, and Spirit of Massachusetts, and then as Executive Captain of the schooner Quinnipiack out of New Haven, Connecticut.
“I actually got my first job answering an ad in Wooden Boat Magazine,” she said.
Banks-Christenson says that being captain of a teaching vessel like Sultana is a rigorous and demanding activity, and work doesn’t end when the vessel slides into port and the season’s sailing schedule is complete. With summer and fall sailing programs ending with Downrigging Weekend at the end of October, the schooner is hauled out of the water for maintenance in Georgetown.
“At that point there’s a lot of painting to do and any repairs to catch up with,” she says. “Plus I try to do something new each year to upgrade something. I have to step back from being on the ship and take another look—you can always improve son something.”
She says that one of the things that make a mariner excel is knowing how to do things most of us take for granted. “Along with sailing skills, using hand tools, sewing, cooking—the things we’ve lost touch with—these skills make the difference.”
It likely that after six years Banks-Christensen has worked with, repaired, or enhanced all aspects of the schooner at one time or another.
She laughs about how much you have to do to stay on top of it. It’s a kind of parental vigilance, she acknowledges. If you’re not paying attention, things can easily go wrong.
After so much time aboard Sultana she’s memorized every inch of the vessel. “I could call on the phone and tell someone where to find whatever they might be looking for.”
Banks-Christensen is pleased with her term as Sultana’s captain and will be thinking of the upcoming sailing season as the Foundation begins to select their crew.
“The tall ship business is a tough one,” she reflects. “Many of them are in dire financial straits with bankruptcies and closures. Sultana Education Foundation, however, has done something wonderfully right and positioned itself in a unique way as an educational sailing experience with an academic mission to teach history and environmental sciences. The have a bright future and I’m proud to have been a part of their ongoing success.”
And the future? “It’s been a wonderful year with Sultana. And I got married! We’d like to stay in the area we’ve grown to like so much.”
For more about Sultana Education Foundation and a schedule of their summer programs, go here.
Melinda Bookwalter says
Tanya has been an incredible asset to Sultana Education Foundation and particularly Schooner Sultana. Thanks to her attention to detail and diligent work, Sultana is in the best shape since she was launched in 2001. Kudos Tanya! We will miss her AND are glad she and Andy are staying in the area.