Sometimes a marine story comes along that brings together communities in different parts of the world, arousing a bit of emotion and pleasure. This is one such story about the successful completion of a difficult maritime rescue in Norway for a very small boat that links West Cork, New Jersey, in the USA, and the Arctic.
The miniboat, Crimson Current, has set a record for the longest world voyage in an international maritime educational project, involving West Cork marine tourist operator, Rory Jackson and his local, Barryroe National School; Morristown Beard School in New Jersey which runs the international Educational Passages Project and marine enthusiasts in Norway who rescued it from a remote, dangerous, rocky coastline in northern Norway.
The mini boat on the Norwegian shoreline
It provides an intriguing example of how currents and tides work in the world's oceans.
Crimson Current first came to attention in Cork in July 2022 when it was found by fisherman Billy McCarthy in Barry's Cove. It was taken to nearby Barryroe NS by Rory Jackson, West Cork whale watch operator and environmentalist. After contact was made with Morristown, it was given maintenance, and the name was updated as Crimson Current-Réalt na Mara, after the Barryroe school. Put back into the Atlantic with the help of container ship crew of the Independent Horizon, a regular Ringaskiddy Port caller, it arrived back Stateside.
In March, New Jersey students visited Barryroe NS, "a great international connection through a maritime educational programme," says Rory.
Refurbished once again in the USA, the unmanned vessel, about five feet long, equipped with sonar batteries and a GPS tracker, was sent off on another educational passage. Nothing was heard for a long time and it appeared to have been lost.
But then the tracker was detected and located to a remote part of the northern Norwegian shoreline, Gilbergvika, near the Arctic. Rory sought help. I put him in touch with the only Irishman on the staff of the Norwegian Sea Rescue Society, Redningsselskapet, my son Rowan. Human life was not at risk, but the story of the little boat with the educational message got the attention of marine enthusiasts in Norway. The area is so remote it is impossible to approach during winter.
In summer, ten months after it grounded, brothers Stein and Per Grov Eilertsen heard the story and launched a rescue attempt, using small boats to get into the difficult area, where Crimson Current survived the tough Arctic winter. Even in mid-July sea conditions became too rough and dangerous on their first rescue attempt. At the end of the month, they tried again, using a smaller motorboat and inflatable dinghy and succeeded in recovering the little vessel.
"It had been 196 days at sea until September 21, 2024, when it went ashore. Amazingly, it survived the Arctic Winter in Norway," said Rory. "This is a positive maritime story, a Cork-Norwegian recovery operation. I hope to go to Tromso to meet those involved. It is marvellous how this boat has connected children, schools and maritime people in West Cork, Norway and New Jersey."
You might be inclined to think – looking at the photo - 'why all the effort for a little boat? "
It has attracted media attention in Norway and the USA, described by the Educational Passages group as "the most amazing of our recovery stories about where these boats get to and the lessons they teach about ocean currents and the maritime sector."
There is always something interesting in and about the sea.
