MEDIA CONTACT
MJ Viederman Lindblad Expeditions (413) 549-3950 [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY (January 30, 2006) – Lindblad Expeditions, the company that pioneered travel to the South Pacific in the 1960s, returns to the region in 2006 with their renamed flagship, the National Geographic Endeavour. As part of the expedition travel company’s alliance with National Geographic, guests sailing aboard the 110-passenger ship will have the opportunity to travel with renowned National Geographic scientists, explorers and adventurers in addition to Lindblad’s core Expedition Leaders and Natural History team as they explore the remote beaches and atolls of the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island and Papua New Guinea.
Geneticist, anthropologist, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Spencer Wells will join Lindblad Expeditions’ journeys to the South Pacific this summer and share his work as director of National Geographic’s Genographic Project, a five-year initiative to map the journey of humans as they populated the planet. Travelers aboard the National Geographic Endeavour with Wells will participate first-hand by submitting their own cheek swab sample prior to traveling. They will then have the unique opportunity to talk about their individual migratory histories with Spencer while onboard.
“We see this as the moon shot of anthropology, using genetics to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of human history,” said Spencer Wells. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to decipher that story, now in danger of being lost as people migrate and mix to a greater extent than they have in the past,” he added.
Other National Geographic experts joining Lindblad’s South Pacific voyages in 2006 include Writer and Adventurer Jon Bowermaster (April 16, May 4, October 13 departures); Anthropologist and Explorer-in-Residence, studying Polynesian navigation history, Wade Davis (August 10 departure); Underwater Photographer David Doubilet (August 26 and September 11 departures); and Marine Biologist and Filmmaker Soames Summerhays (September 22 and 30 departures).
About the Genographic Project
The Genographic Project is aimed at analyzing DNA and genetic markers to trace ancient human migrations across the continents. Project Director Spencer Wells has analyzed the DNA of thousands of people living in isolated tribes around the world. His book, Journey of Man, chronicles his discovery that all humans can be traced back to a tribe of hunter- gatherers who lived in Africa 60,000 years ago. Wells will travel aboard the National Geographic Endeavour on the July 24 (Tahiti to Cook Islands) and July 30 (Cook Islands to Fiji) departures to talk about his work with travelers who have the opportunity to contribute to this real-time research project by submitting their own DNA samples.
About Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad Expeditions was founded in 1979 and operates a fleet of six ships in regions such as Galapagos, Antarctica, Arctic Norway, Alaska and Baja California, to name a few, with a focus on responsible tourism. The company has been the recipient of many environmental awards including the United Nations Environmental Programme Global 500 Award. For more information, visit: www.expeditions.com.
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