Press Release

STANFORD MARINE BIOLOGIST JOINS TWO JOHN STEINBECK SCHOLARS ABOARD CRUISE WEST’S SEVEN-NIGHT MEXICO SEA OF CORTÉS CRUISE, MARCH, 2005

Aug 18 2004 12:00AM

Seattle, August, 2004 -- Stanford marine biologist, Dr. William Gilly, is joining director of San Jose State Center for Steinbeck Studies, Dr. Susan Shillinglaw, and Steinbeck fellow and Ricketts scholar, Katharine Rodger on a seven-night Cruise West “Whales & Wildlife” in the Sea of Cortés. The scholars will present evening lectures to fellow passengers about the region’s amazingly abundant marine life as well as Steinbeck’s classic 1941 book Log From the Sea of Cortez, co-authored by marine biologist Ed Ricketts, Steinbeck’s close friend. The cruise sails from Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja California peninsula, March 12, 2005.

All three of the guest experts come to the cruise with strong credentials: Gilly served as chief scientist on the 2004 Sea of Cortez Expedition and Education Project that retraced Steinbeck’s and Ricketts’ historic Gulf of California biological survey and has done extensive research on the mysterious giant squid that inhabit Sea of Cortés waters; Shillinglaw has written several books on Steinbeck and edits the award-winning journal Steinbeck Studies; and Rodger compiled and edited The Life and Letters of Edward F. Ricketts, a collection of 125 previously unpublished letters, is a Steinbeck fellow and doctoral student.

“Whales & Wildlife” departs every Saturday, between January 15 and March 12, the height of the whale migration season, aboard the 102-passenger Spirit of Endeavour. Steinbeck and Rickett’s Log from the Sea of Cortez -- renowned for its extraordinary blending of science, adventure and philosophy -- gives travelers a remarkably perceptive and enriching introduction to a cruise that explores nearly 200 miles of the Baja California Sur coastline. The ship visits several of the locales mentioned in the book, including 17th-century mission community Loreto; colonial-era city of La Paz, now capital of Baja California Sur; the wildlife sanctuary Isla Espiritú Santo, and Los Islotes, a steep seamount where blue-footed boobies reside on cliffs and a colony of sea lions live on rocks below. Sea conditions permitting, passengers may swim and snorkel at Los Islotes as sea lions and their pups cavort about them.

Spirit of Endeavour inflatable launches put travelers ashore on Isla Espiritú Santo and Isla Partida, as well as one of the many unnamed and unspoiled islands in the Sea of Cortés. Passengers can participate in guided walks through exotic cacti, succulents and other desert flora; swim in the pristine waters and relax on beautiful sand beaches; snorkel in search of puffer fish, sergeant majors, rainbow wrasse and other exotic species; and kayak in mangrove-fringed lagoons. In La Paz, there is time for shopping and independent exploration of the old city and, in the evening, a private shore-front Mexican fiesta with music, dancers and piñatas.

The 217-foot Spirit of Endeavour has a large forward viewing lounge, teak decks and a variety of comfortable cabins, ranging from deluxe staterooms to twin bed cabins, all with outside views, private baths, desk and TV/VCR and most with picture windows. The dining room serves Mexican and international cuisines and seating is open, offering passengers a chance to meet and mingle, sit with the guest experts or sit together in their own group.

Reservations, additional information and brochures can be obtained from travel agents and Cruise West, Suite 401, 2301 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA 98121, toll-free 1-800-888-9378; fax 206-441-4757; web site www.cruisewest.com

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Cruise West – a second-generation, family-owned business based in Seattle – offers the opportunity to explore remote, worldwide locales by providing distinctive, one-of-a-kind, personalized itineraries not offered by the traditional larger cruise lines. Cruise West’s smaller ships – nine in all – hold between 78-138 people each, and the casual style onboard encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. The experience is personally enriching through expert Exploration Leaders providing onboard narrative and lectures, special local guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each vessel. All have forward lounges and ample outdoor deck space for viewing and photographing wildlife and scenery. All vessels are also equipped with inflatable landing boats for close-up exploration of remote areas and shore landings.

Destinations served include: Alaska and the Bering Sea, British Columbia, Columbia & Snake Rivers, California Wine Country, Mexico's Sea of Cortés, Costa Rica & Panama, Japan, the South Pacific, and the Kuril Islands.