Jen Martin

Jen was born and raised in the beautiful, but land-locked, state of Colorado. As a child, she spent almost every summer camping, hiking, or backpacking in the mountains, which awakened her passion for the natural world. Her love of travel originated at an early age, by parents who introduced their children to the value of exploration.  Jen started her naturalist career as a motor coach driver and nature/history guide in Alaska. She immediately fell in love with the amazing beauty and wildness of the place.  After a few years, she transitioned to small ships as a naturalist and expedition leader.

Having traveled for many years on ships, she has guided a wide array of cultural voyages in Europe, ranging from the Baltic Sea to the European Atlantic coast, to the Mediterranean.  Spending many seasons exploring the Pacific as well, Jen has led voyages in Japan and Southeast Asia, through the Bering Sea, and across the diverse South Pacific islands.  Along with a fascination for history and culture, she also still has a deep love of natural history and the natural world. 

Jen truly enjoys being able to balance travel and work in natural history-focused destinations as well as those important for their cultural and historical significance.  When not working on ships, Jen is often looking for the next travel adventure and destination to explore on her own. 

Currently, she resides in the Pacific Northwest, offering the best blend of mountains and sea she’s found so far. She takes every available opportunity to explore small corners of the world along with the abundant nature at her doorstep.