Rotterdam’s shore excursions manager Eva Marti submitted this note from the crew’s recent Whales and Glaciers Citizen Science Adventure in Juneau, Alaska.

During the shore excursion guests trek through Alaska’s famed Stephen’s Passage and the Mendenhall Glacier National Recreation Area where they get hands-on experience collecting water samples, plankton and recording ocean temperature readings. The data collected from guests during the excursion is used by actual scientists currently studying the marine and glacial environments of Southeast Alaska.

Good afternoon,

A reporter with the “Juneau Empire” newspaper went on the “Whales and Glaciers – Citizen Science Adventure” tour in Juneau yesterday with 12 of our guests. Everyone had a lovely time!

Gastineau Guiding (the local tour operator) works with a non-profit organization called “Discovery Southeast” as this tour that qualifies for “Continuing Education Course Credit” – nationally accredited through the University of Alaska and NCATE. One of our guests who participated in the tour, Ms. Lane, will be the first one to try this out and she is very excited to be able to participate in this experience. She has already been given instructions and assignments to complete her credits.

Eva Marti
Shore Excursions Manager, ms Rotterdam

Marilyn Lane, center, watches her daughter, Kelly, measure a fireweed blossom at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center during a citizen science tour offered by Gastineau Guiding. This photo appeared in the Juneau Empire newspaper Tuesday, June 22, 2010. Photo by Michael Penn.

Link to ‘The Science Behind the Scenery’ article by clicking here.