Public Trips

 

Pacific Marine Research sadly announces we do not anticipate providing shipboard Marine Science Afloat™ program in Spring 2023.

We know that the return to our Marine Science Afloat™ shipboard program is highly anticipated. This decision has not been made lightly. For more on this follow this link to our official announcement. 

Sail with MARINE SCIENCE AFLOAT!

Our esteemed guests will learn to love and appreciate Puget Sound on our 4 hour hands-on scientific expedition aboard the Spirit of 76. From tiny drifting plankton to wolf eels, octopus, and marine mammals, we provide an interactive glimpse into the underwater world that simply be done on land. Examine the microscopic life of our ocean, alive, under the microscope. Observe, touch, and handle our beautiful and bizarre invertebrates: From cuddly helmet crabs, to slippery sea cucumbers, and massive moon snails, you’ll meet them all!

Follow along with our team of scientific divers as they explore the depths beneath the boat and introduce us to the animals below with our LIVE underwater video and audio system. And most importantly – Learn how your daily actions can help protect this magnificent, but delicate ecosystem that we all share, and how to take protecting Puget Sound to the next level!

Our public trips are appropriate for families, youth groups, scout groups and other groups up to 75 people. At this time we cannot accommodate unaccompanied minors, so all persons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a supervising adult. Due to vessel design, wheelchair access is not available and there is no elevator to the second deck.

Our mission is to "educate and train the current and future stewards of Puget Sound" and that means YOU! We truly believe that the best way to accomplish this is to give you a hands-on science experience that focuses on all of the factors that play into the health and well-being of Puget Sound, from watershed management, to pollution, and an understanding of the inner workings of the ecosystem. 

 

Our Ship
The Spirit of 76, departs principally out of the Bell Harbor Marina in Seattle.  The upper deck has two outside areas for sampling activities and a covered area inside, while the heated lower deck boasts multiple big screen HDTV monitors and a microscope lab so our guests can look closer still at what makes Puget Sound amazing and follow along with our divers from anywhere in the cabin.

 

Arrival
This trip will depart from Bell Harbor Marina, Pier 66, about 1/2 mile north of the Seattle Aquarium. You must provide your own transportation. Construction of the seawall/waterfront continues and traffic and parking may be affected, so please plan accordingly. At Bell Harbor Marina please meet a PMR staff member at the Harbor Master’s Office, located behind Anthony’s Restaurant.

 

Parking
Parking is available across the street along Alaskan Way in pay parking lots and garages. We do not recommend parking at a metered spot, as you will likely get a ticket over the course of the 4 hour trip. The nearest parking garage to Bell Harbor Marina is the Bell Street Pier Garage, with entrances on Wall St. and Elliot Ave. There is an overhead walkway at the South end of the garage that connects to Pier 66.

 

Agreement of Terms
By purchasing seats on this trip, you agree to all the terms outlined in the WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT linked below and agree to provide a signed copy of the form(s) for each member of your party on the day of your trip. 

ADULT WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT

MINOR WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT

 

Cost
$50 per person for groups of 1-10 guests
$40 per person for groups over 10 guests  (discount will be reflected in the cart) 

All persons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a supervising adult. 

We are able to keep costs low due to gifts made by our private and grant donors. These donations also fund a limited number of scholarships for low income students. Use the donate button below or visit our DONATIONS page and see how you can help support our scholarship program.

 

Questions?
See Booking Policy and Procedures and What to Expect and How to Prepare for detailed trip information.

For further questions email: booking@marinescienceafloat.org