The Raven Kaster, an educational “miniboat”, has been relaunched off Mayo’s Achill island from the Marine Institute’s Celtic Explorer.

The mini boat has been upgraded with solar-powered GPS tracking and new technology since its last voyage and has been set up to collect critical ocean data, including air and water temperature, to contribute to marine science education and research.

The Raven Kaster was first launched off Newfoundland’s Grand Banks in 2018 and was swept into Achill Island in Storm Erik.

The 1.5m long miniboat was deployed into the Atlantic Ocean near the M6 Weather Buoy

It was washed up on Dookinella beach on Achill island after 102 days at sea, and found in February 2019 by local fisherman Darren Kilbane.

Canadian students Stephanie Evans and Kaitlyn Grandy of the Frank Roberts Junior High in Newfoundland who led the project back in 2018 travelled to Ireland last year, and worked with students at Coláiste Pobal Acla in Mayo to prepare it for a return to sea.

The 1.5m long miniboat was deployed into the Atlantic Ocean near the M6 Weather Buoy, during the AIMSIR (Atlantic In-situ Marine Scientific Infrastructure Replacement) survey last week.

This project is part of the non-profit organization Educational Passages, a US entity that leads the miniboat programme to provide students with hands-on learning experiences in oceanography, environmental stewardship, and global collaboration.

Congratulating the collaborative efforts of the students and the team at Educational Passages, Alan Berry, infrastructure manager at the Marine Institute said “the mini-boat project is a wonderful example of marine science literacy and citizen engagement with the oceans”.

“It supports the strategic objectives of the Marine Institute and the value of partnerships essential for sharing marine science with the wider community. For students in particular, this project provides an exciting way of seeing real life examples of how the ocean has an influence on all our lives, learning how the ocean influences our weather and climate, and the types of technology used," he said.

"Seeing the Raven Kaster relaunched by some of the same crew members that launched the Galway Sailor back in 2021, and from the same area, is a great connection for us all,” Cassie Stymiest, executive director of Educational Passages.

The Galway Sailor, a separate miniboat, was provided to Kilglass National School in County Galway, as part of Marine Institute’s Explorers education programme. It travelled 3,000 miles to the Lofoten islands where it was found in mid -2021.

. "The hard work of our students should be celebrated as they did such great work to upgrade the boat and connect with their peers," said Karen Lavelle of Scoil Pobal Acla. "Now the students can see their hard work in action and engage directly with the ocean and the technology that can truly help make a difference."

The project is supported by contributions from the Town of Conception Bay South, the Irish Embassy in Ottawa, the Marine Institute in Ireland, MakerBuoy, and other sponsors and partners.

"The relaunch of the Raven Kaster is an example of how students from Canada and Ireland can collaborate globally to learn more about our shared ocean environment," Thomas Sheppard, teacher at Frank Roberts Junior High, said.

"It is a project that shares more than just a miniboat but a history, culture and ocean,” he said."

"It is great to see the enthusiasm and dedication from students across borders working together on such an impactful project that emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in scientific endeavours," Eamonn McKee, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda, said.

Students and the public are invited and encouraged to follow the voyage in real time via the Educational Passages website (educationalpassages.org/atsea).

The Raven Kaster miniboat’s course can be tracked here

More information and data is available here

A mini-boat named Spiorad na Gaillimhe has been deployed from the icebreaker R/V Polarstern on passage between Germany and South Africa this week.

Spiorad na Gaillimhe (Spirit of Galway) was built and decorated by students from Scoil Bhríde, Lackagh, in Co Galway.

It is one of four mini-boats – the others being from schools in Spain, Germany and South Africa - that were deployed from the Alfred-Wegener Institute’s ship into the South Atlantic.

These four new vessels will join 18 “educational passages” boats currently sailing around the world’s oceans.

The project was funded by the Nippon Foundation (NF) and POGO (Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean).

Students from Scoil Bhríde, Lackagh, in Co Galway with the completed Spiorad na Gaillimhe (Spirit of Galway) mini boat

It has provided the students in Galway with an opportunity to learn more about oceanography and ocean technology, according to Professor Peter Croot and senior oceanography technician Sheena Fennell of the University of Galway.

“The students in Scoil Bhríde, Lackagh were responsible for constructing the boat, deciding on a name, decorating the sail and hull and, most importantly, had to decide what treasures to place in the hold for any lucky finder if it comes ashore,” Croot said.

Spiorad na Gaillimhe (Spirit of Galway) mini boat on passage

“Once Spiorad na Gaillimhe sets sail it will regularly send its GPS location and values of sea and air temperature. The students will be working to predict where it will sail in the ocean by looking at weather and ocean current maps, thereby learning about our oceans,” he said.

School principal Shane O’Connor and teacher Tomás Higgins supported the project, which Higgins described as “cross curricular in nature incorporating many skills and subjects such as science, maths, art and geography”.

It “ gave us the opportunity to bring the theme of the ocean and ocean literacy into the classroom in a fun and interesting way,”Higgins said, thanking Fennell, the POGO and Educational Passages programmes for their support.

Updates from Spioirad na Gallimhe can be found here 

To follow all four miniboats involved in this international NF-POGO project visit here