WaterWorks: A River Journey to the Sea

Captain Morgan Simmons

Director, River WaterWorks

Morgan Simmons graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with University Honors in the year 2000 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. For the past five years he has been employed as an engineer working and teaching aboard the Sea Education Association's 130' sailing vessels SSV Corwith Cramer and SSV Robert C. Seamans (http://www.sea.edu ). During that time, he taught fundamental mechanical and electrical concepts of the "way things work" to undergraduate college students while simultaneously maintaining and repairing the systems on the ships. His sailing travels have taken him throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Caribbean Sea.

Morgan currently holds a valid Captain's License issued by the United States Coast Guard for operating vessels of not more than 100 gross tons on inland waters. His medical training includes Basic CPR/First Aid and Wilderness First Responder Certification.

When not working on boats, Morgan has toured around the United States on a bicycle. His travels have included a round-trip ride from Somerset, PA to Key West, FL and a one-way cross-country trek from Woods Hole, MA to San Francisco, CA. Morgan's good physical conditioning will be of use as he helps to power the BPV Libelula downriver this fall. Morgan will be eating a lot of peanut butter, one of his favorite foods, in order to move that boat through the water.

Captain Simmons is also an avid musician who plays a range of instruments including the Accordion, Double Bass, Trumpet, and Piano. He is also an accomplished musical whistler, and participated in the 2003 International Whistling Competition held in Lewisburg, NC. His musical skills are complemented by performance skills such as juggling and riding a unicycle, a package reminiscent of an old-style vaudeville river show!

Morgan Simmons created the River WaterWorks organization in August of 2004 to have a context in which to complete a 2180 mile river journey. He looks forward to sharing his journey and educating people in schools and communities along the way about the importance of understanding just how water works.

Chief Mate Aimee Rowe

Aimee is originally from Riverside, CA. She attended Kenyon College in Gambier, OH and graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2003 with a Religious Studies Major and Environmental Biology Minor. Since then, she has worked as an apprentice at the Huasna Valley Farm in Arroyo Grande, CA and most recently as a natural history staff presenter at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, ME.

Chief Mate Rowe is no stranger to water having spent time sailing on numerous boats before, during, and after college. She is a certified SCUBA diver and has also spent time working as an Instructor Aide for the Learning Adventures Classes and Day Camps at Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, CA.

Aimee plans to be onboard for the entire duration of the WaterWorks River Journey and is excited about traveling down the river as part of an environmental education program.

Chief Scientist Milkdud

Milkdud is a very educated sea otter who holds numerous college degrees in the field of science. He is excited to be a part of the WaterWorks River Journey and is particularly curious to learn how the river environment compares to his native home in Monterey Bay, CA. In addition to the dual PhDs he has received in biology and physical oceanograpy, he is quite an adventurer and has the stitches and burn marks to prove it. The photo to the right shows Milkdud calibrating the pH sensor on the water sampling instrument that has been donated by YSI Environmental for the duration of the journey. Milkdud can often be found holding a clam between his paws and, like all sea otters do, enjoys resting it against his chest and hitting it with a rock until it cracks open so he can get to the tasty morsel inside.

Master Chef Teddy

If there is one thing that Teddy can do it is cook! Teddy is a bear managing all of the food preparation onboard the BPV Libelula, bringing with him years of culinary experience making gourmet salads for the Queen of England. He received his formal training at the famous culinary institute, Courdon Bleau, located in Paris, France. Teddy doesn't have a whole lot to say, as he lost his mouth well over twenty-five years ago, but he nevertheless makes a good shipmate. Belive it or not, Teddy has very strong legs. However the photo to the right shows they are obviously too short to pedal the bicycles we have on board, so Teddy remains content in stirring chilis and stews that he cooks up from scratch.

The Crew