Candidate Profile

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EXPERTISE
Earth Sciences, Geology & Geography
Extraordinary Lives & Famous People
Oceanography & Hydrography
Travel & Destinations
Wildlife & Nature
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH:
BIOGRAPHY
Ed Sobey is a scientist, explorer, author, and former museum director. Holding a Ph.D. in oceanography, Ed has participated in two dozen research expeditions from the poles to the tropics.

He is a Fellow Emeritus of the Explorers Club. On his expeditions and travels Ed has taught or conducted research on all seven continents and three oceans, and visited 130 countries. Along the way he spent a winter in Antarctica, crossed the Pacific Ocean in a sailboat, studied whales from ocean kayaks, pushed a Rolls Royce into the Atlantic Ocean, and explored natural wonders at every opportunity.

At sea Ed has travelled 500,000 miles in vessels ranging in size from a World War II Victory ship and large cruise ships to small research vessels, sailboats, and 16’ ocean kayaks. Global encounters with whales, sea lions, sharks, and underwater treasure hunters have given Ed experiences that spark enthusiastic interest in his audiences.

He was the founding director of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, founder of the National Toy Hall of Fame, and co-founder of Kids Invent! He has directed five museums in the United States and served as President of the Ohio Museums Association.

Ed teaches oceanography for Semester at Sea, has published 35 books, and hosted his own television show on science and inventing. The Fulbright Commission has awarded Ed four grants to train science teachers overseas.


TALKS
Presentations on ocean life and regional geography are tied directly to the cruise route to encourage passengers to see the wonders of the ocean from the deck. Created presentations include 8 on Antarctica and its exploration; 6 on the Arctic and its exploration; several on the origin of islands; several on coral reefs; several interactive trivia contests; and several on personal exploration. Each presentation is adjusted to reflect the itinerary of the voyage. Specific topics include:

1. Whales
The giants of the ocean are a thrilling site no matter how many times you have seen them. We will tell you what you are most likely to see and when and where you should look. Presented by oceanographer Dr. Ed Sobey who has traveled the world ocean and studied whales in Alaska.

2. A Winter on ice
Dr. Ed Sobey and three team mates spent the winter living on the frozen Ross Sea in Antarctica on a National Science Foundation sponsored expedition. Their work is tied to understanding polar seas and climate change.

3. Sailing the Pacific
What is it like to cross the Pacific Ocean in a sail boat? Ed Sobey recounts the adventures of this trip from Tokyo Bay, Japan, to Seattle.

4. Icebergs and Sea Ice – the Polar Seas
These sometimes frozen bodies of water share similarities and great differences and play a leading role in determining climate.
The Arctic Circle Why is there an Arctic Circle and why is it here? We examine this invisible line on the ocean and explain what it means to cross it.

5. Marine Life of the Caribbean Sea and Bahamas
Here is what you will see when you snorkel or SCUBA in the Caribbean Sea.

6. Shark Attack
Starting from a shark attack on speaker we move to a presentation on the phenomena senses of these creature. How do sharks find their victims? We examine the family of sharks and their success in the competitive ocean environment.

7. The Caribbean Sea
Separated from the Atlantic Ocean by island arcs, this beautiful body of water is one of the largest seas in the world. Discover what is unique about this body of water and how the sea was created.

8. The Great Migration of Gray Whales
Learn about the longest migration of any mammal that occurs along the west coast. Hear the sounds of these giants and learn their amazing story as they rebounded from near extinction. Dr. Sobey conducted acoustic research on these great whales from an ocean kayak in Alaska.

9. Gold, Pirates, and Treasure Fleets
Soon after Columbus discovered the New World, treasure flowing into Europe. We present the history of this exciting era as conquistadors, pirates, and privateers wrestled for the gold and silver. Centuries later treasure divers have recovered millions of dollars of treasure. Ed Sobey has dove with them and knows their stories.

10. Wings on Water
Flying fish, albatross, and amphibian airplanes share common design elements in their wings. We look at natural and man-made wings to see the similarities in flight.

11. Volcanoes and Atolls
The islands of the Pacific are borne of lava eruptions and sustained by coral growth. The succession of island types was first described by Charles Darwin and we can witness it on this voyage.

12. Neptune’s Trivia
Guests identify nautical items from their photographs in this not-a-contest fun.

13. Changing Climate – Changing Oceans
How are the oceans changing and why is it important for you to understand? New research sheds light on the impacts that are occurring and the rapid pace of these changes.

14. Ring of fire
We look at the tectonic forces that forged the boundary of the Pacific Ocean with special emphasis on what we will see during each cruise.

15. Sounds of the Sea
Listen to the sounds of whales, dolphins, and parrot fish and understand what we can learn about the ocean environment from the sea. Dr. Ed Sobey describes his most recent expedition to identify healthy reefs by listening to them.

16. Sea Turtles
70,000 Olive Ridley sea turtles come ashore while Ed’s students measure them and record how many eggs they lay on a beach in Costa Rica.

17. Panama Canal
Dr. Ed Sobey describes what you will see during your passage through this storied waterway.

18. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
You’ve heard of the Texas-sized patch of garbage floating in The North Pacific. We will cruise through it. Here is a preview to
what you will see and a separation of fact from hype.

19. Where Did Tahiti Come From?
Out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean why is there this small group of islands? We present the new science of plate tectonics and show how both Hawaii and French Polynesia formed.

20. The Equator
Before we sail over this magical line, where is it and what does it represent? How many equators are there? What will happen when we cross it?

21. The Bermuda Triangle
Airplanes have gone missing and ships have sunk within this most famous triangle. Is there a cause for these disasters? Is there a mystery to be solved?
CRUISE HISTORY / EXPERIENCE
Ed has given presentations on two dozen cruises with outstanding reviews by passengers.
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT INFORMATION
Experience speaking on more than 50 ocean voyages for a variety of lines including: Crystal, Swan Hellenic, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Viking, Seaborne, SeaDream, Regent, Celebrity, Princess, Windstar, and Semester at Sea.
RECENT PAST CRUISES COMPLETED
The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.
SHIP REF CRUISE DESCRIPTION NIGHTS SAILING FROM DEPARTURE DATE
Viking Sea SE230303 Amazon & Caribbean Adventure 12 Manaus Friday, March 3, 2023
Viking Sea SE230219 Amazon & Caribbean Adventure 12 San Juan Sunday, February 19, 2023
Viking Orion OR210720 Bermuda Escape 7 Hamilton Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Viking Orion OR210713 Bermuda Escape 7 Hamilton Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Viking Orion OR210706 Bermuda Escape 7 Hamilton Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Viking Sky SK190218 In Search of the Northern Lights 12 Bergen Monday, February 18, 2019
Viking Sky SK190206 In Search of the Northern Lights 12 Tilbury Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Crystal Symphony V7223 Holy Land & Suez Canal 18 Civitavecchia (for Rome) Saturday, November 4, 2017
Viking Sea SE170625 Into the Midnight Sun 14 Bergen Sunday, June 25, 2017
Crystal Symphony V7203 Great Barrier Reef 13 Sydney Friday, February 10, 2017
Crystal Symphony V6231 Isles of the South Pacific 11 Papeete, Tahiti Friday, December 9, 2016
Crystal Symphony V6230 Passage to Polynesia 13 San Diego, California Saturday, November 26, 2016
Viking Star ST160918 In the Wake of the Vikings 14 Bergen Sunday, September 18, 2016