Located in front of Pier B hotel.

We are offering tours of RV Blue Heron research vessel, the University of Minnesota Duluth’s research vessel on the Great Lakes. Crew members, researchers and students will show members of the public the vessel and discuss the work that is done on board. We will have scientific gear, such as our CTD/Carousel water sampler and our multi-corer sediment sampler, on the vessel’s deck so that we can illustrate how water and sediment samples are collected for researchers. Researchers will discuss the warming of the Great Lakes, the extent of microplastics on the lakes, and the growing impact of algal blooms. We will be at the Pier B seawall by mid-morning and leave the seawall by mid-afternoon, giving members of the public roughly five hours to visit the vessel. While we will limit visitors on board the ship to 20 at a time, there will be little wait before visitors are able to board the vessel and talk to the crew, researchers, and students.