Imagine each day bringing new insights as our Exploration Leaders reveal nature's mysteries. You'll encounter worlds most travelers never have a chance to glimpse. You'll come to love being guided by the expertise of these new friends who make your small-ship voyage a uniquely satisfying wilderness learning experience. Our Exploration Leaders (ELs) add a dimension to your journey, sharing their broad knowledge as educators, historians, conservationists, and guides.
Alastair Newton
"It's the first trip of the season and we are drifting off Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, surrounded by a sea of ice. There's a beautiful sunrise over the snow-covered island and the ice off shore. Out a ways from us is a lone Zodiac, the driver standing, silhouetted against the rising sun, looking just like another piece of ice."
Alastair grew up sailing everything from dinghies to 50-foot yachts and developed a real passion for all things nautical. He came to the United States from England in 1997 for a 6-month internship at the Large Animal Research Station in Alaska. He returned home with the intent of attending college in London, but after a year of missing Alaska and its incredible wildlife, he packed up and moved back to Alaska to complete his degree. It wasn't until 2005 that Alastair finally returned to England.
While living in Anchorage, Alastair taught natural history and general biology at the University of Alaska. He returns to Cruise West with a tremendous enthusiasm for biology, wildlife and the great outdoors.
Alastair’s special interests include environmental education, hiking, reading and sailing. He is also fascinated with how animals adapt to the challenges of their specific environments.
Alastair recently became a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. He spends his off time visiting schools in England, giving lectures on life and biology in northern climates. He was also a guest speaker in several English schools during National Science Week.
If he could tap the heels of his hiking boots and go anywhere in the world?
He'd go to Fairbanks, Alaska.
Andrew Marshall
A native New Zealander, Andrew Marshall joins us with expedition cruise experience in Greenland, Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic Island. He has also skippered dolphin swimming and whale watching vessels in New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.
Andrew’s extensive education includes a B.S. degree in Zoology and Ecology, a postgraduate diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication, a postgraduate diploma in Tourism Management and Marine Mammals and he is currently completing a Master’s in Science Communication in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication.
An internationally recognized wildlife filmmaker, Andrew's other activities include diving, surfing, sailing,snowboarding and active duty as a sailor in the Royal New Zealand Navy Reserves.
Since he was a young boy, Andrew has had a strong connection with the ocean. He is keen to share with you both his acquired and practical knowledge, the latter of which can be anything from how to place an eyesplice in the jackstay to getting the best shots out of your digital camera.
Brad Mason
Some years back, during a walking tour of Juneau, I was leading a group through the streets of downtown, talking about one of the old saloons or something, when all of sudden, about a block ahead of us, a black bear emerged, trotted across the street, and ran between two gift shops up into the hills above town. We all just stood in silence for a few seconds, then a lady in the group asked if that was really a bear we’d all just seen run out in front of us in a state capitol. I replied, “Yes it was.” She said “Ok,” and we all proceeded in the opposite direction towards the old Russian Orthodox church in town.
Originally hailing from Texas, Brad’s passion for travel and love of the outdoors first took shape along the desert trails in the mountains of west Texas. Undoubtedly contributing to this passion were all those Louis L’Amour western novels he read as a kid. After gaining a Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences degree from Texas A&M University, Brad loaded up his backpack and headed north to Alaska to help run a small lodge just outside Denali National Park and Preserve. Then he became a Park Service Ranger and later worked with a rafting company on the Nenana River. After his stint in the Interior, Brad headed to Southeast Alaska, where he led rainforest and glacier tours for Cruise West as a land-based guide in Juneau, then on to Katmai National Park and Preserve in Southwest Alaska, where he got to play with the coastal grizzlies and lead tours into the park and to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes.
Leaving Alaska after 2004, Brad moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where for a couple of years he led tours to native pueblos, national monuments, and old ruins around the southwest region of the U.S. Most recently he has been living in South America, first in Chile, then in Ecuador, working as an English teacher and trying to explore more and more of that continent.
Brad’s excited to be back with Cruise West and back in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. When not guiding a tour, Brad is usually attempting to feed his insatiable curiosity of people and places and things of all sorts.
Something you may not know about Brad?
He’s looking to improve his non-existent harmonica skills with any willing teachers.
Cal Ulberg
To me your trip is more than what you see or hear; it is a total experience.
Cal joined Cruise West in 2007 bringing a diverse background with him.
And so far his experiences at Cruise West include serving as a licensed
deckhand in Southeast Alaska, an inflatable excursion craft operator and Exploration Guide in
Mexico.
Cal grew up in Seattle, graduating from the University
of Washington with a chemistry education major, a physics minor and a masters degree in education from Seattle
Pacific University. Cal spent over two years serving in
the Coast Guard teaching at their academy in
Connecticut, and sailing the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific
Ocean, and the Bering Sea.
Cal's other teaching experience includes 14 years at the elementary school level and 10 years teaching high school science and math. He also coached wrestling and soccer.
Cal has earned a 100-ton near coastal masters license and has worked in
Alaska as a fishing guide, in Hawaii as a deckhand on a snorkel boat
and in Seattle as a duck driver.
Chelsea LevenThis is Chelsea’s first season with Cruise West and she brings an interesting background with her. Her love of geology inspired her to get her bachelor’s in geology from Amherst College. Her studies were supplemented with field courses in Hawaii, New Zealand and Montana. Chelsea participated in a geological survey in the Nez Perce National Forest of north-central Idaho, a paleoclimate and ecology study into the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, and on a spotted owl and northern goshawk observational study into Yosemite National Park. She also went on a SCUBA-based field study of tilefish in Cozumel, Mexico.
Chelsea has also done volunteer work at a wildlife rehabilitation center in a tiny Costa Rican village in the rainforest, and in Sri Lanka following the tsunami.
Chelsea is ready to share her love of geology, the formation, composition, and rock movement as well as exploring how geology can affect so much of our lives – breathtaking landscapes, wildlife and plant distributions, population movements and the history and legends of local peoples.
When she’s not working, Chelsea likes to ski and snowboard, go caving, kayak, read, paint, draw, photograph, SCUBA dive, sail, backpack, bike…as you can see basically anything to be outside.
What’s one thing Chelsea never leaves home without?
Her appetite for adventure and learning.
Copper Bittner
I was assignd to Prince William Sound. I knew what glaciers were, of course - I had studied them, read everything I could get ahold of as background material. But when I got to the Sound, and we sat in front of Harvard Glacier, I was dumbfounded. The rifle-shot cracking, thunderous bellows of ice calving into the sea sent me into a state of shock. Here was a 300-foot high, mile-wide moving river of ice, always forming, always calving right off the bow of our tiny ship!
Copper is beginning her fifth year as a naturalist with Cruise West. She has been studying the natural wonders of British Columbia, Alaska, and Mexico most of her life and is eager to share her experiences with you. Self-educated in the natural sciences, Copper’s love of the outdoors dictates is mirrored in the vast range of subjects she finds fascinating, from the Sonora desert, to North American bears, and marine life to glaciology.
A certified Master Gardener, Copper has published articles on botany and entomology for the Master Gardner Journal and the Roots & Shoots newsletter in her native Arizona. She has also lent her expertise as a volunteere at the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where she worked with injured raptors and other birds and animals. She also trained non-releasable birds of prey and other injured birds and animals for use in educational programs.
Copper has worked most of the Cruise West itineraries, including Prince William Sound, Alaska’s Inside Passage, Gold Rush Inside Passage, Sea of Cortés, the Columbia & Snake Rivers. Her personal favorite? British Columbia & the Pacific Northwest Coastal Escape. She is fascinated with Native culture and the diverse marine and plant life of these areas.
One of Copper’s favorite hobbies is photography - she often takes landscape photos and recreates them in watercolor. Other interests include gardening, camping, playing the piano, and reading.
She is a passionate storyteller and interpreter and uses her talents in educating guests about the many places in which she travels.
Dana Filippini "The first time I saw a humpback whale I was brought to tears. It's what inspired me to go back to school." Dana was born with a sense of adventure and is passionate about sharing her love of the natural world with others. She's the sole proprietor of Backyard Habitats Landscape Design, a landscape and greenhouse business in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, that educates people on the importance of managing property for wildlife diversity and abundance using native, non-invasive plant species.
Dana has traveled the world from beach to rainforest doing hands-on research with local wildlife, marine life, flora and fauna. As co-leader and expedition ornithologist, she conducted the first-ever faunal inventory of the Atlantic rainforest of Sergipe, Brazil, where she identified over 260 species of birds and taught her Brazilian counterparts the modern techniques of ecological research. She was the head research assistant on an EARTHWATCH Humpback Whale project in Dampier, West Australia, and interned on a Humpback Whale project with the Pacific Whale Foundation in Maui, Hawaii.
Dana is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Host to their Backyard Habitat Stewardship Program. She's a PADI Certified Scuba Diver and a host for the National Wildlife Federation.
Dana enjoys birding, biking, international travel, photography, diving, kayaking and maintaining fluency in Lithuanian and Portuguese. She joins Cruise West for her first season as an Exploration Leader and looks forward to welcoming you aboard.
Something she never leaves home without?
Her Bino's.
David Watness
There is no better way to become engaged with how the landscape imposes itself on our Northwest values than by cruising up the Great River of the West.David’s great curiosity about nature and human history has guided his work as an outdoor recreation/environmental educator for over 30 years. During that time, he has shared his wealth of knowledge through parks departments, the National Park Service, The Seattle Aquarium and the cruise boat sector. Raised in Portland, Oregon, David earned his B.A. at Pacific Lutheran University, Parkland, Washington, and developed his career in the Puget Sound region. He currently resides in Ketchum, Idaho.
David has lived the Columbia River, having cruised it over 200 times, telling the stories of how the Columbia Gorge was formed, the first peoples and their legends, and what took place from Lewis & Clark, through the fur trade era and the Oregon Trail, to settlement.
David’s love of nature and human history has expanded into Alaska where this summer he’ll enthusiastically be sharing his insights and expertise on Inside Passage cruises. “I like the surprise and curiosity by which visitors experience the grandeur and detail of our expansive out-west history and natural history,” David relates.
Something David never leaves home without? His binoculars.
David Miller
"We were cruising through the Russian-owned Kuril Islands on a repositioning trip from Singapore to Alaska and made a stop at a recently abandoned submarine base on one of the wind-swept, volcanic islands. As we came ashore it quickly became apparent that we'd arrived at a modern-day ghost town. Old army vehicles lay rusting in the misty air. As we entered the buildings, it was as if the entire population had left with but a moment’s notice. In one of them – it must have been the military operations headquarters – the floor was piled knee-high with books, manuals and personnel photos. Wherever you looked, the red star of Russia offered the only splash of color in this mysterious, forgotten outpost."
Born and raised in Seattle, David attended the University of Washington, earning a Bachelor's degree in Forest Management and Environmental Science. After graduating, David worked as a forester in the Columbia River Gorge. He's worked as a driver and guide in Alaska’s Interior and Denali National Park and also aboard various cruise ships as a cruise director, lecturer and singer.
David has been with Cruise West since 1983, aboard the Spirit of Alaska , the Spirit of ’98 and the Spirit of Oceanus. As an Exploration Leader, he brings first-hand experience (and with that, countless stories!) from years spent backpacking the world, living and photographing native, indigenous cultures, teaching English in Thailand, sailing the Caribbean and facilitating sea turtle breeding and rehabilitation in Florida. His goal is to instill a passion for and appreciation of the natural world in the people around him.
David now lives in Orlando, Florida, where he teaches 7th grade science.
Something you might not know about him?
His pride and joy is “Tweety,” his yellow Triumph Spitfire.
Dee DeJong
"Before joining Cruise West, I spent some time in India. My most vivid memory is of the day I traveled by hand-carried cart into a Bird Sanctuary outside New Delhi. We entered at sunrise and the smell of sweet spices filled the air. Up ahead was a wonderful tree with beautiful white blossoms standing at least 50 feet tall. As we approached, the tree took flight. For minutes I don’t think I took a breath as I watched hundreds of Great Egrets fly over me to visit the feeding grounds for the day. At that moment, I knew my life was forever changed."
Dee has over 20 years of experience in nature guiding, interpretation and environmental education and is the founder of Guides-to-Go, an organization that develops and delivers nature programs for people curious to learn more about nature and the environment. She's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to natural history and learning theory and an expert on everything from birds and mammals to wildflowers, native plants, insects and life zone environments.
Dee received a Bachelor's of Science in Farm and Ranch Management from Colorado State University and is a Certified Interpretive Guide and soon-to-be Interpretive Trainer with the National Association of Interpretation. She's a Certified Native Plant Master, is working on her certification as an Ornithologist and volunteers as a trainer for the American Red Cross's Disaster Action Team in Denver, Colorado.
Dee enjoys bird watching, reading, hiking, biking, gardening and tennis. She joins Cruise West for her first season as an Exploration Leader and looks forward to welcoming you onboard.
Something she never leaves home without?
A laugh!
Greg McCormack
All the guests were out on deck to watch dozens of flying mobulas in Mexico’s Sea of Cortes. There creatures were working an eddy-line during a marvelous sunset, and one by one they’d leap spontaneously up to 10 feet out of the water, some doing flips, all landing with loud “ker-plunks.” Later that same night, we witnessed a pair of dolphins chasing fish near the bow. The only thing we could see on this moon-less night were the blue-green trails of bioluminescence left by disturbed plankton.
Greg McCormack has returned to Cruise West full of new and wondrous experiences he is excited to share with our guests. He has worked as an environmental educator for the Olympic Park Institute, as an Elderhostel instructor, a National Park Ranger, a marine educator for NOAA, an Expedition Leader in the Arctic, the South Pacific and the Antarctic, and a river and kayak guide in Alaska.
Greg received his Bachelor of Science education at the University of California, San Diego, the University of California, Santa Cruz, the University of Maine, and earning his Biology Life-Science degree with a Spanish minor at Humboldt State University.
Greg’s love of exploration as an adventure athlete led him to bicycle 18,350 miles from Prudyce Bay, Alaska, to Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina. He has also completed a 5-year, 1,100-mile trail run of all of the Olympic National Parks, swam the entire circumference of Lake Crescent, and kayaked hundreds of miles of Washington state’s marine shoreline.
Greg has worked on both the Mexico’s Sea of Cortes and the South Pacific Legends of the Pacific itineraries. He enjoys scuba diving, trail running, reading natural history books and talking to and learning about the rich and colorful life experiences of Cruise West guests throughout our cruises.
What does Greg never leave home without? Respect for others, a sense of wonder, an adventurous spirit, curiosity and hope!
Jeff Pietka
"I love the challenge of finding wildlife on the shore … of searching until my eyes are sore, to find the animals that I know are there, that we're all hoping to find."
A native of Portland, Oregon, Jeff earned degrees in both International Affairs and Geography at The George Washington University. Following two internships – one with the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill and one with the National Park Service Student Conservation Association in Puerto Rico, it didn’t take long for Jeff to realize his calling.
Jeff returned to the Pacific Northwest to pursue a career combining his love for the outdoors and adventure travel. He found a second home in the waters of Southeast Alaska, where he spent several years interpreting the wonders of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Since then, he's worked as an onboard naturalist and kayak guide on small cruise lines, joining Cruise West for our 2006 season aboard our ships in Southeast Alaska, on the Columbia & Snake Rivers and in the Sea of Cortés.
Jeff rarely misses an opportunity to travel abroad, an obsession that has taken him to East and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and throughout Latin America. Through his travels, Jeff has learned first hand what a difference a great guide can make, inspiring him to become a Certified Interpretive Guide, endorsed by the National Association of Interpretation. Jeff prides himself on communicating with guests in ways that are relevant and meaningful – in ways that help them truly connect to a new land and culture.
If he could tap the heels of his hiking boots three times and go anywhere in the world?
He would take his two younger sisters kayaking in one of his favorite places in the world – Alaska's Glacier Bay.
Jessica Rickard "As I snorkeled around the side of the ship I could see a group of a dozen guests surrounded by three playful bottlenose dolphins, two females and presumably one of their babies. The guests were amazed! I had my camera of course, safely in its underwater housing, so I swam up and began snapping away. Before I knew it, the baby dolphin took an interest in me. As I was free diving, it began mimicking my head-down position in the water and started picking up sticks and rubble from the bottom, as if showing off its toys. The guests couldn't believe their eyes – it was incredible!"
Jessica has spent countless hours on the water as a researcher with the Marine Science Consortium’s Dolphin Research Project on dorsal fin identification of bottlenose dolphins. She's also done field research in the Galapagos Islands, the Florida Everglades and the Florida Keys. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Marine Biology from Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania.
Jessica's interest in marine science led her to the Catalina Island Marine Institute where she spent 2+ years as a marine science instructor and aquarist. She's also worked at the Marine Science Consortium in Virginia as a marine science instructor and Elderhostel assistant.
Jessica is a certified American Red Cross lifeguard and certified Divemaster, an avid knitter and artist. A passionate photographer, she watches diligently for glimpses of wildlife, and you'll rarely find her without a camera around her neck.
Jessica harbors a boundless enthusiasm and deep love of learning and sharing information about the natural world. She looks forward to welcoming you aboard.
The one thing Jess never leaves home without?
Her camera, of course!
Kate Caldwell
“Nature has a way of inspiring people all on its own, but it's the 'ah ha!' moments that I look forward to the most – the times when I'm interpreting a plant, or an animal, say – and the light bulb goes off and the guests say, 'I get it! … and then that moment is theirs."
Passionate about travel, adventure and nature, Kate has worked for The Nature Conservancy in Florida and Colorado for the past six years, where her responsibilities included facilitating community outreach programs, naturalist workshops, donor visits and ranch tours, coordinating with the Florida State Chapter department and sitting on the board of the Colorado Field Institute.
Prior to that, Kate spent 10 years as a Programs Coordinator at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where she managed youth and adult education programs and earned the Walt Disney World Partners in Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award and the Excellence in Training Award.
An animal lover at heart, Kate has volunteered for the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust and the Central Florida Zoological Park, where she facilitated learning and conservation efforts and assisted with mark/recapture and radio telemetry studies of Florida box turtles. Kate enjoys scuba diving, whitewater rafting, kayaking, camping, rock climbing and biking and is a horse trainer, riding instructor and downhill ski instructor. When she slows down, she enjoys a good book (especially if it's about nature!), paints watercolor and studies interior design.
Kate joins Cruise West for her first season as an Exploration Leader and looks forward to welcoming you aboard.
Something you might not know about her?
Kate volunteered for Global Vision International in Tortuguero, Costa Rica in 2006, where she researched the nesting behavior and jaguar impact on Green Sea turtles and resident bird populations and taught English as a second language.
Kurt Studt
"The men and women of Playa de Muertos in Costa Rica are wonderful to be with. I feel honored each time I go there to be able to see how they live: the rough-cut but worn-smooth mahogany floors of their homes, the way they cook on smoldering logs on the kitchen floor, the smell of roasting guineos or of fish smoking slowly over a fire..."
Kurt was born in California and grew up captivated by wildlife programs like Jacques Cousteau and Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, which sparked his passion and interest in nature. Kurt moved to Costa Rica along with his family at age 17 in 1980 and has lived there all but six years, which he's spent back in his native state with his wife and children. Kurt has worked in adventure travel since 1993, at first guiding whitewater rafting and mountain biking trips, then as a naturalist licensed by the Costa Rican Bureau of Tourism.
Kurt joined Cruise West in 2006 with the goal of sharing his knowledge of Costa Rica's nature, culture, history and wildlife, as well as helping to generate consciousness of the balance between life and the environment. When not onboard a Cruise West small ship, Kurt enjoys birding, rafting, listening to music, running with his dog and going on long nature walks with his family.
If he could tap the heels of his hiking boots and go anywhere in the world?
Kurt says: "That's a tough question! If you had asked me when I was a child I would have said Africa, 15 years ago I would have said Japan, last year it would have been Mount Everest, right now it would be Machu Picchu … tomorrow, who knows?"
Lathan Goumas
Lathan Goumas has been putting his B.S. in Marine Biology to good use. Not only has he has been working with Cruise West, he was the Marine Educator for Kenai Fjords Tours in Seward, Alaska. He’s been pleased to show tour participants the alpine and tidewater glaciers, abundant wildlife like bears, seals, whales, sea otters and puffins. His experience helps him know where to look for wildlife and identify the impressive sights found in the remote wilderness of Alaska.
Lathan holds a B.S. of Marine Biology and has had a love of nature since elementary school, where he first realized his passion for the great outdoors. He likes to capture those fleeting moments with his camera and is especially ready to pass and share his passion for the natural world to others.
Marcy Kober
"My first encounter with a killer whale was at Sea World in Ohio when I was around eight years old. Ever since then, I've wanted to work with whales in some way. I feel the best way to get people to care about and take an interest in a wild species is to see them and learn about them in their natural environment. Encountering wild animals, whether watching a bald eagle soar or a killer whale breach, is truly exhilarating."
Born and raised in Michigan, Marcy received her Bachelor's degree from the University of North Florida. She spent 3 years as a lead travel agent for Runaway Tours with a focus on Hawaii, Mexico and Tahiti, before going on to work for The Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit in Sausalito, California. She spent several years at the Center, first on an animal care crew rehabilitating sick or injured sea lions, seals, otters and porpoise. Marcy later took on the role of marine science instructor/education volunteer coordinator, teaching scholastic groups about the Center and marine mammal natural history.
In 2004, Marcy moved to Friday Harbor on Washington State's San Juan Island, where she works in the summertime for a local whale watching company as a marine naturalist. Marcy also works year-round for The Whale Museum as the education curator, where she's responsible for running all of the education programs. In her spare time, Marcy is the programming specialist for Skagit Valley College's Elderhostel Program as well as their guest lecturer for whale presentations. She enjoys snowboarding, camping, hiking, knitting, jewelry-making, sewing and cooking.
Something you might not know about her?
Marcy and her husband have written and published an online curriculum about the whales of the Puget Sound area.
Marjie MacGregor
"As an Exploration Leader, my goal is to share the natural world with our guests and provide them with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. I want them to see and do things they never dreamed possible. I believe in opening windows to the world … and I believe that once opened, those windows never close. I once had the opportunity to take an 80-year-old grandmother snorkeling for the first time and it was magical."
Marjie obtained a Bachelor's in Biology and Microbiology from Washington State University and is currently pursuing a dual Master's degree in American Studies and Environment & Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. Her interests are broad and include ecotourism, sustainability and biodiversity conservation as well as indigenous revolutions, canine research and International Conservation Management.
Marjie has been exploring and educating folks about Alaska since her first job in Valdez in 1992 and has worked with Cruise West on and off since 1997. Her personal and professional expeditions have taken her throughout Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Mexico, the Yukon Territory, British Columbia and throughout North America.
When she's not traveling or guiding Cruise West tours, Marjie works as a dog musher and cares for coyotes in Jackson Hole. Her personal interests include biking, hiking, foreign films, books, science and of course, dogs and coyotes. Born and raised in Washington, Marjie now calls "home" wherever she parks her dogs! She has an unmistakable passion for life and the world we live in.
Something she never leaves home without?
Coffee! (A born and raised Seattleite, this comes as no surprise)
Meriwether Gill 
"We were in Endicott Arm Fjord when out of nowhere, a 'shooter' exploded in the foreground of Dawes Glacier. I'd never heard nor seen anything like it before … the thundering sound and the blue of the ice left our guests awe-inspired. The experience defined, in my mind, the true grandeur of Alaska."
Meriwether returns for her fifth season with Cruise West, sharing with guests her love for marine mammals and her background in cetology – the study of whales, dolphins and porpoises.
Meriwether attended Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia and double majored in Biology and Psychology. She's since earned a Master’s in Liberal Arts, with a focus in marine mammal behavior and training. While an undergraduate, Meriwether worked as a marine educator at Sea World of Florida. She's also interned at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida, training dolphins and learning about dolphin therapy.
Part of Meriwether's past life was spent in Hawaii, where she worked as a naturalist for the non-profit Pacific Whale Foundation, educating guests on humpbacks, Hawaiian spinner dolphins and coral reefs. She also worked in the Foundation's research department, studying the function of the humpback whale’s song and the behavior patterns of Hawaiian spinner dolphins.
Meriwether is involved in several conservation efforts and looks forward to educating Cruise West guests on current conservation and management issues as well as the latest research endeavors surrounding marine mammals. She recently completed a project with The Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Washington, assisting Ken Balcomb and his team in keeping their photo-id catalog of resident orca pods up-to-date. Through this work, she's learned to recognize individual orcas by the shape of their dorsal fins and saddle patches.
When not cruising, Meriwether enjoys sailing, skiing and traveling, and has returned recently from travels in Patagonia, Iceland and the Galapagos Islands.
Something you might not know about her?
Meriwether is a descendant of the Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark. A possible source of her passion for exploration? We think so.
Nicky Shumway
Nicki Shumway joins Cruise West eager to share her love of the ocean and marine life. She has been a research assistant for a manatee project on sound localization and acoutics, a hawksbill sea turtle in-water population study, a sea turtle conservation project in Costa Rice and a variety of other research position working with marine animals.
Nicki earned a B.S. in Environmental Biology/Zoology and an additional B.S. in Marine Biology. She has been involved in some cutting edge research in sea turtle ecology and behavior and her studies and interests have given her a great deal of experience with marine life especially because she loves to SCUBA dive.
Nicki loves to travel, meet people, share and discuss knowledge and love of marine life. She has a great sense of adventure and believes the journey should be just as memorable as the destination.
What does Nicki never leave home without? A good book and her SCUBA gear.
Paulino Perez
Paulino returns to Cruise West for adventures in the Sea of Cortes and Southeast Alaska. Paulino’s experiences have taken him from sailing small ships in the icy waters of Southeast Alaska to the protected areas of the beautiful islands in Mexico’s Gulf of California.
Paulino resides in La Paz, Mexico, with his wife and son. He has a degree in Marine Biology and an intimate knowledge of the flora and fauna that we will encounter on our voyage.
Taking a nature hike with Paulino will enlighten you to the fragile eco-system that lives on some of the islands we visit. He will point out flora and fauna that most eyes simply pass over.
When he is not at sea, Paulino indulges in his love of art. As an accomplished artist he often paints the inhabitants of the fragile environments through which he travels. In addition, Paulino works with the children of La Paz, teaching them environmental education through art by creating casts of plants and animals and generating multimedia presentations on natural history and cultural heritage.
Rudy Zamora
Rudy is Cruise West's lead naturalist guide aboard the Pacific Explorer in Costa Rica and Panama. Rudy was born on a dairy farm in the highlands of Costa Rica, and his lifelong appreciation of that tropical nation's natural cornucopia has led to years of involvement with local and international conservation organizations. He dedicates an abundant amount of time educating and raising awareness about the incredible diversity and fragile state of Costa Rica's ecosystems and the importance of preserving them for ourselves and future generations.
An accomplished musician and world traveler, Rudy has a degree in biology, and his field of expertise is tropical ecology and ornithology. For the last ten years, he has worked as a naturalist guide, with a special interest in bird watching. Recently, Rudy added the diversity of Alaska's wildlife to his repertoire, logging 80 new species of birds to his lifelong list.
Ryan Martin
I love the opportunity to show others all the beauty this great world has to offer. When I can make someone smile, or see the look on someone’s face when he/she sees something new and exciting, I know I have done a great service and that is what drives me and makes my happy.
Joining us for the first time this year, Ryan Martin is eager to lead adventures in Southeast Alaska on the seas. He has previously been a professional river guide on both the Colorado and Green Rivers and led other North America expeditions through some of the biggest whitewater environments in sometimes harsh and challenging conditions.
Ryan earned his bachelor of arts degree in history and pre-medical studies with a minor in sociology from the University of Virginia. He has traveled to 45 of the 50 states and 10 countries. Ryan grew up as a lover of the wilderness as his family would frequently travel to state and national parks across the U.S. to hike, camp, hunt, fish and experience nature.
Ryan is also an actor who not only seeks to entertain but help people learn about the world around them in a fun, provocative manner, and as active participants in what they are seeing. He hopes to develop in others passion for nature and travel with a sense of humor that puts a smile on each guest’s face.
Besides traveling, Ryan enjoys private river trips, watching all types of sports, analyzing great movies and spending time with family and friends.
What Ryan doesn’t leave home without? A picture of his family with his two Labrador retrievers and a drawing his best friend did of him as a river guide.
Stacy Messer
Stacy joins us for the first time on our Japan cruises. She has extensive experience running river cruises in Egypt on the Nile and in Europe and leading trips to the Middle East, South Africa, Europe, Asia and India. Her travel management experience also includes destination management companies, travel management companies for business travelers and tour operators.
Stacy received her BA in economics with a minor in East Asian History from Colorado College. After receiving her degree, Stacy played professional soccer in Asia for 2 years before getting her postgraduate degree in International Tour/Guide Management. She trained at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, India and was invited to climb Mt. Everest in 2003, but declined after reading the book, “Into Thin Air.”
Stacy’s background is unique in that she worked in the corporate world for many years, domestically and internationally. Because the demands of her work never afforded her a vacation, she quit her job and went traveling for 2 years all over the world. The experience taught her about different cultures and their long histories.
Stacy has an insatiable curiosity, an adventurous spirit, an open mind and she loves to meet new people and share her experiences while hearing the experiences of others. She is passionate about nature, culture and travel and hopes to share this passion with her guests.
When she isn’t working, Stacy enjoys running, hiking, rock climbing, scuba diving, cycling, reading, photography and spending time with family, friends and her dogs.
Why did Stacy choose to become an Exploration Leader?
She says, “It’s the best job in the world.”
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Stephen Weston
"We were walking silently along a narrow rainforest trail, trying to spot elusive wildlife in Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park, when suddenly we came upon ~40 Scarlet Macaws, perched in total silence in the branches of a cocobolo tree. Startled by our presence, they spread their colorful wings and with a piercing CAHH!! CAHH!! CAHH!!, flew towards the lush forest canopy in a cacophonous display of crimson and yellow. When the birds disappeared, we were left breathless and once again in silence, as a shower of small, colorful, iridescent feathers floated above our heads … testimony that what had just happened wasn't a dream."
Stephen is a third generation Costa Rican of English and Italian descent. Licensed by the tourism board of Costa Rica as a naturalist guide since 1995, he has guided ecotourism tours throughout Central America for over 10 years. Stephen's focus is on marine biodiversity and the intricate interactions among marine organisms in the Caribbean Ocean in countries such as Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. As a guide, Stephen specializes in tropical ecology and natural history interpretation and is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of conserving our tropical ecosystems. He enjoys leading cruise and land tours and has a particular interest in bird watching, ethnobotany and seashell identification.
Over the years, Stephen has developed a profound passion for sharks, earning him the nickname Bolillo, or, "little shark" This fascination was sparked as a child around Coco’s Island off the shore of Costa Rica, where his father taught him to dive. Stephen went on to become a dive instructor and now boasts over 3,000 dives and operates his own marine research station, where he's pioneered the identification and documentation of individual sharks.
Something you might not know about him?
You may already be familiar with Stephen's videos and photography, which have been featured on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.
Teresa Mealy
"I was taking a group kayaking in Glacier Bay when we spotted a pack of wolves (rarely seen in the Park) on the shore across a small inlet. We paddled closer and as we approached, the wolves began to howl. There were five of them, all bellowing, noses pointing towards the sky … and I'm not quite sure why – but we joined in! Suddenly, there were seven of us howling back and forth with the pack – it was as if we were exchanging conversations about our day."
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Teresa grew up exploring the woods and waters of the Pacific Northwest. From walking the shores of the Puget Sound to hiking the Siskiyous and kayaking the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, Teresa has experienced much of what the region has to offer. While this is her second year working in Southeast Alaska, Teresa is thrilled to begin her first season with Cruise West.
Teresa graduated from the University of Portland where she majored in Environmental Ethics and Policy and minored in Environmental Science and Social Justice. Teresa spent three years volunteering as a naturalist for the Seattle Aquarium, where she educated visitors on the marine environment, interpreted exhibits and organized and facilitated the Marine Science Day Camp. Teresa has also spent two summers as a crew leader with the Northwest Youth Corp, a non-profit organization specializing in providing jobs integrated with environmental education to youth in the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, Teresa has worked as a teacher's assistant for a Marine Biology class at the University of Portland.
Teresa is Red Cross certified in Wilderness First Aid and Small Craft Safety. She was a four-year member of the University of Portland Crew team and is an avid hiker, sea kayaker and rock climber.
Something Teresa never leaves home without?
Her seal puppet.
Weston Eiler
"Standing next to guests who are totally new to Alaska, it's priceless to see the look on their faces when a whale breaches or when porpoise ride off the bow."
Born and raised in Juneau, Weston knows Alaska like the back of his hand. One of the things he loves most about it is the fact that even for someone growing up there, "there's always something new to see and experience."
Weston has spent several seasons leading tours for Cruise West and as a tour guide at the Alaska State Capitol Building. Currently a student at Willamette University in Oregon, he's pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Politics and Environmental Science. Weston's strong interest in Alaska’s unique political history has led him to volunteer at the annual Model United Nations conference at the U.N. in New York. He's also interned at the Oregon State Legislature and on Capitol Hill, and has done research on the politics and policy of Pacific fisheries management.
When not studying or guiding a Cruise West tour, Weston enjoys kayaking, running, soccer, reading and falconry.
Something he never leaves home without?
Clothes, if he's having a good day!
videos 
booked guests 
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