Hybrid education vessel to arrive at Pittsburgh on Aug. 13

The following is the text of a press release issued by RiverQuest:
 
(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) — Explorer, RiverQuest’s newly constructed 90-foot, 150-passenger hybrid boat left Bayou La Batre, Alabama on Sunday, August 3rd and expects to arrive into the Pittsburgh Pool of the Ohio River at 10am on Wednesday
August 13th after a 1,600 mile journey through nine states.
 
Explorer is a state-of-the-art education and research vessel that is designed to serve students and the public in the Pittsburgh region with transformative on
board programs.  RiverQuest will dock Explorer at their homeport next
to Carnegie Science Center by early afternoon Wednesday and begin a
month of intensive preparation to take their first passengers on board in
the coming months after local United States Coast Guard inspections are
completed.
 
Explorer is a global benchmark for greening the boating industry with
one of the first commercial marine hybrid propulsion systems on earth.
Explorer, also one of the world’s first green-engineered floating
classrooms, marks a new era in marine design for environmental
sustainability and RiverQuest instructors will teach about the multi-
disciplinary subject through the wide variety of programs that the
organization offers.  RiverQuest delivers river-based experiential
learning about human’s relationship to nature that includes ecology,
environment science, energy, climate change, green engineering and
river history and culture for students, teachers and the community
through on board formal and informal education programs.
 
WHO:     RiverQuest is providing the MEDIA exclusive access to Explorer’s
arrival on board private luxury boats. PASSENGER SPACE IS LIMITED and
members of the MEDIA MUST CONFIRM ATTENDANCE with RiverQuest’s contacts
below.
 
WHAT: Private boats and RiverQuest’s vessel Discovery will greet Explorer at
Emsworth Lock and Dam and travel through Downtown Pittsburgh to RiverQuest’s
docks.  PLEASE NOTE:  No onboard tours will be available until after
United States Coast Guard approvals in the next month.
 
WHY:     For the Pittsburgh region to celebrate the arrival of Explorer to
its rivers. Explorer was designed and built by RiverQuest to serve the Pittsburgh
community for decades to come and funded, sponsored and financed by local partners.
 
WHEN:  Wednesday, August 13th at 9am:  Media board private boats at Heinz
Quay in front of Heinz Field.  Parking at Heinz Field Gold Lot #2.  Boats
depart from dock at 9am for 3-hour excursion.   Alternative scheduling can be provided if necessary to meet Explorer at West End Bridge.
 
CONTACTS:
Emily Harding
eharding@riverquest.org
412-231-2712 x25
412-965-7485 cell
Shayna Pitt
shaynapitt@riverquest.org
412-231-2712 x22
412-656-7798 cell
 
RiverQuest’s mission is to connect people to their environment through
river education adventures programs.  Since launching programs in 1995, RiverQuest has served nearly 80,000 individuals through on-board education programming.   More than 64,000 elementary, middle and high school students representing 239 schools from 66 school districts in 11 western Pennsylvania counties have participated in
standards-based learning programs, with themes ranging from environmental science and regional history to physical science and mathematics.   Along with students, more than 2,500 teachers and college students and 17,000 members of the general public have participated in RiverQuest programs.   For more information, visit
http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=226646191&u=2375893.
 
By Professional Mariner Staff