A WORD ABOUT CLOUD RIDGE Cloud Ridge Naturalists is one of the oldest and We spend our days in some of the world’s most most respected nonprofit field schools in the beautiful wilderness areas—recognizing their West. Over the past thirty-one years, several importance to conservation but also their increas- thousand people have experienced the special ing fragility as global environmental change blend of environmental education and exploration reshapes the world we’ve known. Wherever we that Cloud Ridge offers. Our commitment to travel, and by whatever means—expedition ship, providing the finest in natural history education boat, raft, sea kayak, or on foot—we work only and environmentally responsible travel remains with outfitters whose environmental ethics and the cornerstone of our program. Not surprisingly, operating principles parallel our own. Our field more than 80% of our participants each year have seminar groups are kept small and congenial, traveled with us before. Our educational vision creating the best possible atmosphere for learning relies on a multidisciplinary perspective well and discussion. We always select fine lodging or grounded in state-of-the-art science. Recognizing picturesque campsites that have a strong sense of the powerful role that photographers, artists, and place, and make every effort to live up to our writers play in environmental education and reputation for excellent food. We also take your advocacy, you’ll find seminar offerings address- safety, comfort, and enjoyment seriously— even ing these skills as well. Just a glance through the in the most remote field settings. Our trips open a biographies of our leaders should convey the magical window on the natural world! excellence of our faculty—their expertise, talent, and passion for teaching are unsurpassed! Many of the places Cloud Ridge visits are at risk— the impacts of global climate change and environmental degradation transcending interna- tional and ecological boundaries. We all need to move beyond the “last great place” model that drives most ecotourism and become better- informed stewards—not just quick “snapshot” sojourners. Our leadership position in environ- mental education has emboldened us to embrace three complementary strategies to enhance our educational outreach: (1) a program of natural history seminars for the general public, now in its fourth decade; (2) scientific and cultural exchanges emphasizing conservation biology; and (3) publishing efforts focused on natural history books and related visual media. Visit our website at www.CloudRidge.org for our annual posting of “Field Notes,” slideshows of our recent trips and conservation projects, and a look at Cloud Ridge Publishing’s very first book, Valley of the Dunes: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (2010). We look forward to seeing you on our next sea voyage or journey afield! the bears, the first returning whales, and the thou- sands of migrating shore- and seabirds traveling the Pacific Flyway. Few people know this ice- bound wilderness as well as the Sea Wolf’s owner, Kimber Owen. Against a backdrop of some of the most magnificent mountains on earth, rivers of glacial ice tumble into the sea and aquamarine- colored icebergs drift by on the tides. Responding to the boom and crash of ice at the glacier front, CONSERVATION IN FOCUS SERIES kittiwakes and Arctic terns swirl over the churn- ing, welling waters in search of food. Western Glaciers move in tides. So do mountains, sandpipers and other shorebirds skitter along the so do all things. (John Muir) shorelines, poking their bills into the food-rich mud and gravels of the intertidal zone. Sea ducks I. CONSERVATION IN FOCUS: ALASKA’S and huge rafts of harlequin ducks forage in quiet GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK bays before making the final push to their breed- ing areas. Both brown and black bears, recently May 7-19, 2011 (13 Days/12 Nights) emerged from their hibernation dens, can be seen Bob Rozinski & Wendy Shattil, bending down the branches of black cottonwoods Kimber Owen, Marilyn Hailbronner, to feed on the sweetly-resinous leaf buds, grazing and the M/V Sea Wolf Crew on swards of lush sedges, or scraping succulent barnacles and mussels from rocks along the inter- Imagine Glacier Bay as John Muir saw it in tidal zone. For the wildlife of Glacier Bay and the 1899, as a member of the legendary Harriman outer islands, this is truly a time of plenty. Expedition—without the cruise ships, the guide- books, and interpretive signs that define the With all of Glacier Bay as our classroom, the modern visitor’s experience. Glacier Bay is a year’s first Conservation in Focus workshop, deepwater fjord system with two arms, Muir Inlet embodies the true spirit of an expeditionary and the West Arm, each more than 65 miles long. voyage. Photography is a powerful tool for build- Traveling aboard the M/V Sea Wolf, a 97-foot ing a conservation constituency—whether you are vintage wooden boat, we’ll have the chance to see interested in projects close to home or in the most this spectacular glacier- and- fjord landscape in remote corners of our changing world. Wendy much the same way that Harriman’s scientists did. Shattil and Bob Rozinski, members of the Interna- We’ll trace the evidence of climatic change left tional League of Conservation Photographers, are behind by the advance and retreat of these recognized worldwide for their evocative images immense glaciers—just as Muir did—and ponder and for their compelling portrayals of at-risk the impacts and changes that loom on the horizon. ecosystems. But long before the camera became a Unlike the big cruise ships, Sea Wolf is trim standard piece of field equipment, expedition enough to explore the narrowest of fjords and naturalists kept field journals in which to record shallow coastal waters. She carries twelve their discoveries. Cloud Ridge’s artist, Marilyn passengers and a crew of five in superb Hailbronner, follows that tradition, sharing her comfort—the perfect size for a voyage such as techniques for using drawing and photography to ours. Best of all, Sea Wolf carries a full comple- enhance your natural history observations. ment of sea kayaks and a motorized inflatable to enable exploration both far and wide. For those Capturing the attention of your viewer requires a who take paddle in hand, the use of sea kayaks thorough understanding of your subject—as well allows a more intimate, seal’s eye view of the as a strong sense of photographic integrity and tidewater glaciers, inlets, islets, and estuary ecological stewardship. This workshop is de- streams that make this coastal wilderness one of signed to refine your photographic skills and to North America’s most biologically diverse areas. help you make a difference with your images. We’ll create a photo book that truly conveys the May is a magical time to be in Glacier Bay, magic of “place.” Our hope is that this voyage of largely because the weather is at its best and we discovery will provide inspiration for other have these spectacular fjords to ourselves—just conservation projects. Price: $4,995 (includes a $500 deposit) the many smaller rivers of Washington’s main- Group Size: 12 Trip Rating: 2-3 land—the essential building blocks for the sea’s Price Includes: 10 nights/10 days aboard the extraordinary biodiversity. The strong currents M/V Sea Wolf, all meals and beverages aboard, and extreme tidal exchanges that characterize the 2 nights lodging in Juneau (May 7 & 18), two Salish Sea create optimal conditions for nutrient group dinners ashore, the services of a five-person upwelling and for the proliferation of the photo- crew and three naturalist leaders, roundtrip Air synthetic plankton that forms the base of the Excursions charter flight to Gustavus from Juneau marine food chain. Over 7 million people live (including a special scenic flight), all boat and within the drainage basin that nourishes the Salish hotel transfers, full sea kayak outfitting and in- Sea, including the cities of Seattle, Vancouver, struction, gratuities to the Sea Wolf’s crew, and all Victoria, Nanaimo, Bellingham, Port Townsend, applicable state and local taxes. Does not include and Tacoma—a reality that poses a significant roundtrip airfare to Juneau, Alaska from your environmental challenge now and in the future. point of departure or meals other than those listed. The San Juan Archipelago lies at the heart of the Need more information? Visit Sea Wolf Adven- Salish Sea and provides the perfect setting for our tures online at www.seawolfadventures.net for second “Conservation in Focus” workshop. Life pictures of the M/V Sea Wolf, her cabins, interior in the San Juan Islands is governed by the sea’s amenities, accessibility & crew biographies. rhythms—and we turn our attention to navigating a watery maze of channels, passes, and reaches aboard the M/V Catalyst, a 76-foot classic wooden boat originally built in 1932 as the floating laboratory for the University of Washington. Today, with owners and naturalists Bill and Shannon Bailey at the helm, Pacific Catalyst carries on the conservation tradition. The ultimate “classroom” afloat, Catalyst carries 12 passengers in superb comfort and is equipped with a full complement of sea kayaks and a motorized inflat- able to enable explorations both near and far. The use of sea kayaks allows a more intimate, seal’s- eye view of the marine world—the perfect plat- form for aspiring conservation photographers. II. CONSERVATION IN FOCUS: Our Conservation in Focus leaders include the THE SALISH SEA & SAN JUAN ISLANDS renowned nature photographers Wendy Shattil and Bob Rozinski, and naturalist co-leader Jenny October 2-9, 2011 8 Days/ 7 Nights Hahn, one of the Northwest’s foremost guides and Bob Rozinski & Wendy Shattil, Jennifer Hahn, an award-winning author.