May 14, 2007, IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Duluth, Minn., U.S.A.—The 15th annual series of River Quest educational cruises for area sixth grade students will be held Wednesday through Friday (May 16-18) aboard the harbor excursion vessel Vista Star.

This 15th annual program is being dedicated to Capt. Ray Skelton, one of the original program founders, who died October 13, 2006. After rising from the ranks of ordinary seaman Capt. Skelton acquired a master’s license before spending the final 16 years of his career as the Duluth Seaway Port Authority’s security, government and environmental affairs director.

The Lake Superior Marine Museum Association and others are working with the Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Traverse City, Mich., to create a Captain Ray Skelton Scholarship Endowment that would sustain annual scholarships for aspiring senior-year deck officers.

Details of the endowment and scholarship programs are available from: Northwestern Michigan College, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686.

St. Louis River Quest, created in 1993, is an educational program designed to instill environmental stewardship in area sixth graders, while helping them understand industrial, commercial and recreational activities in the St. Louis River estuary.

The two-hour boat trips offer hands-on-learning experiences that foster in student participants a sense of awareness of river ecosystems and connection with the river and harbor environment. Through interactive learning stations, students organized into cooperative groups learn first hand about use and preservation of their local harbor.

More than 40 local organizations sponsor the program. This year the six cruises held onboard the Vista Star will accommodate about 700 students from Cathedral, Hermantown, Lincoln Park, Marshall, Ordean, St. John’s Elementary, St. Michael’s, Superior Middle School and Woodland Middle School.

Learning stations provided will include hands-on lessons in water quality, pollution prevention, water runoff, dredge material use, boating safety, maritime commerce and environmental “habitattitude.” - 30 -

CONTACT: Lisa Marciniak, Port Promotion Manager, phone 218-727-8525