Updates:

1st Voyage - Complete

  • December 2015 - Launched

    The mighty Crimson Voyager, another boat from the 6th grade class at the Morristown-Beard School in New Jersey, was deployed off a freighter headed to Bermuda a few days after Christmas 2015.

     

  • April 17, 2016 - Rescued

    In early April 2016, we heard from our Portuguese friends, Hilda de Pablo (Marine, Environmental and Technology Center – Instituto Superior Técnico), Rachel Costa (Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf – Ministry of the sea), and Luis Sebastião  (Institute for Systems and Robotics ISR – Instituto Superior Técnico) who reported: “we have been looking at Crimson Voyager ‘invasion’ of our territory :)”,  generated some model trajectories of where the boat might land, and prepared a rescue team.  Sure enough,  a few weeks later (17 April 2016), we were very excited to heard back from them as follows:

    It is with great enthusiasm that we share with you that Crimson Voyager was rescued this morning at the Bay of Cadiz by a Spanish wonderful team!. Shortly after knowing the last GPS position (5:50 a.m. GMT) we sent the position and just over an hour later the team rescued the little boat! Luis, Hilda and I watched Crimson since she approached the Iberian Peninsula. She passed at 20 NM near the Portuguese coast and Luís had put a rescue team in stand-by for three days, but Crimson wanted to continue her journey and explore a little bit of the Mediterranean ‘gate’…so we decided to look for someone to take care of her in Spain. Hilda activated her contacts and could easily found a great and enthusiastic team of Cadiz University. During this days Hilda used the MOHID numerical model for the Portuguese Coast to get more information. The model calculated the possible trajectory of Crimson during the periods in which we had no information. With the relative position Luís and Hilda discussed and drew the rescue plan (two times! when Crimson passed near Cascais and yesterday ). We are glad to be a part of this new story that Educational Passages promotes, as always. Once again those little boats connected new people, created new stories and Educational Passages reached another region of our planet approaching the two sides of the Atlantic. We are very happy to participate in another charming episode, this time with Crimson Voyager! We are also very excited for having another little boat to participate in the transatlantic regatta. Now it’s time to present her to Andaluzia children and engage them to take part in Crimson’s story new episode like we are doing with our little boats… it’s amazing how children embrasse this projet, we will see that happens in Andaluzia.”

    After traveling a total distance of over 10000 kilometers at an average speed of approximately 100 cm/s (~two knots), it got in the hands of the heroic rescuers, Miguel Bruno, Miriam Hampel, Marina Bolado Penagos and Juan Jesús Gomiz Pascual (Center for Marine Sciences and Technologies) with the latter two shown on the dock in the picture above. They reported their rescue at 36º 47′ 45.18” N – 6º 44′ 41.12” W at local time: 8:20 – 6:20 GMT on 17 April 2016.

  • Voyage 1: Complete

    Read above for all the details of the first voyage of the Crimson Voyager.

2nd Voyage - Complete

  • April 2016 - November 2017 Repairs

    The Crimson Voyager spent some time at the University of Cadiz where she was repaired and repainted by local students.

     

  • November 13, 2017 - Relaunched off Madeira

    Thanks to our colleagues in Portugal, the Crimson Voyager went on another adventure in November 2017. After being deployed off Madeira on 13 November 2017, she was on her way. She was deployed alongside a few other boats that have had deployments in the past, the Nada and the West.

    A broadcast of the deployment was streamed live and is now available to watch:.

    The triple deployment was arranged by “Take Portugal to the World”, an educational project coordinated by the Portuguese Directorate-General for Marine Policy in partnership with Instituto Superior Técnico (ISR – Lisbon), and with the international support of Educational Passages and NOAA. The triple launch also had the support of the Funchal Marine Biology Station, the Portuguese Navy and the Funchal Naval Club. The track of all three boats can be seen here.

     

  • November 16, 2017 - Landed and Recovered

    While the Crimson Voyager reported on schedule the first few days, she did not report after that until the morning of 16 November from a beach on the island and, with help from a rescue team, was recovered a few hours later.

     

  • Voyage 2: Complete

    Read above for all the details of the second voyage of the Crimson Voyager.

3rd Voyage - Complete

  • November 21, 2017 - Relaunched

    The Crimson Voyager was deployed again on Nov 21, 2017 thanks to Manuel Biscoito. This time she skirted around the island and headed north.

     

  • December 11, 2017 - Last reported

    The Crimson Voyager stopped reporting on December 11, 2017. We hope someday she’ll still wash up and we can see what happened.

  • April 9, 2018 - Recovered in Porto, Portugal!

    An email came in to Educational Passages from Cristina Chaves noting, “We would like to inform you that the Crimson Voyager boat was found by the Center for Environmental Education of the Ribeiras de Gaia on the beach of Miramar, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal on April 8, 2018.” We will post updates as they arise, hopefully including a picture and plans for more of the Crimson Voyager’s story!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Voyage 3: Complete

    Read above for all the details of the third voyage of the Crimson Voyager.

4th Voyage - In prep

  • June 26, 2018 - Hanging out in Portugal

    The Crimson Voyager is still in the Center for Environmental Education of the Ribeiras de Gaia on the Miramar beach, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, with Cristina. They are trying to organize transport to bring it to Lisbon, and are investigating the GPS signals. The team there noted that, “Crimson Voyager seems to be in good condition (it’s only missing the hull compartment cover), but we want to verify its condition before thinking about its new deployment.

  • November 2018 - Off to visit the Blue Schools

    We received and update from Portugal that the boat will be brought to a Blue School (click for program information) in the north of Portugal.

    Raquel Costa said: “This School will develop an educational project during the next school year, similar to what we did with other schools in Portugal. This project intends to distinguish the Portuguese schools that regularly work on ocean topics and get them to have a consistent commitment in the education of ocean literate citizens, always in agreement with the national educational agenda. On December 3, I will go ( and maybe Luís Sebastião from Instituto Superior Técnico) to this school to present the Educational Passages project and explain to students and teachers how they can explore Ocean Literacy with this wonderful project.

  • January 2019 - At the D. Pedro I School

    The students of D. Pedro I School are now starting their project to repair and relaunch Crimson Voyager. Here are some pictures of the day the students showed the rest of the school they are working in this project (the day they became a Blue School).

           

    No dia 16 de janeiro decorreu a cerimónia do hastear da bandeira azul no Agrupamento de Escolas D. Pedro I. Foram indicados os alunos embaixadores e apresentamos o nosso projeto dando a conhecer o barco “Crimson Voyager”, que depois de ser recuperado irá iniciar uma nova aventura, na esperança de ser resgatado por outras crianças!
    Tudo faremos para que esta viagem continue e chegue a bom porto! É fantástico podermos ver o mundo aos olhos de um barco. Viajar sem destino e em … See more — feeling excited with João Paulo.

    On January 16th, the Blue Flag hoisting ceremony took place in the D School Group. Peter I. The students were nominated and we presented our project making the boat known ′′ Crimson Voyager “, which after being recovered will begin a new adventure, hoping to be rescued by other children!
    We will do everything we can to keep this journey going and get to a good port! It’s fantastic to see the world in the eyes of a boat. Travel without destination and free. Bring stories to uncertain destination.

  • November 16, 2019 - Dia Nacional do Mar

    Celebrating Dia Nacional do Mar (National Day of the Sea) in 2019:

  • February 2020 - Repairs and repainting

  • July 2021 - Crimson Voyager ready for new ocean adventure

    Ms. Sousa posted the following update with pictures to social media in July of 2021.

    Os alunos da Escola Básica D. Pedro I acolheram e restauraram o veleiro Crimson Voyager, que se prepara para mais uma aventura em alto mar! O Crimson Voyager será lançado no oceano completamente à sorte dos ventos e das correntes. O veleiro dispõe de um equipamento GPS e um transmissor por satélite ligado a um sistema da agência americana NOAA. O veleiro faz parte do projeto educativo “Leva Portugal ao Mundo”, que está a ser implementado no Agrupamento, coordenado pela Direção-Geral de Política do Mar em parceria com o Instituto Superior Técnico (centro de investigação ISR-Lisboa) e apoio internacional da NOAA e da iniciativa norte-americana “Educational Passages”. É a mensagem na garrafa, versão século XXI.
    A embarcação é equipada com um GPS que transmite sinal via satélite e os alunos podem acompanhar seu trajeto na página do projeto “Educational Passages”. No casco, os alunos colocaram vários presentes, um mapa que mostra a localização da escola, cravos que simbolizam a liberdade, canções, poemas, ilustrações e mensagens. As pinturas do barco fazem alusão aos elementos do património de Vila Nova de Gaia e à história do livro “A menina do Mar” de Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen.
    O veleiro Crimson Voyager está pronto para o seu quarto lançamento e para mais uma aventura em alto mar!
    A primeira viagem foi em dezembro de 2015. O Crimson Voyager foi preparado pela turma da 6ª série da Escola Morristown-Beard em Nova Jersey e lançado a partir das Bermudas. Foi resgatado em 2016 na Baía de Cádis e entregue aos alunos da Universidade de Cádis, que o repararam e pintaram. No dia 13 de novembro foi relançado da Madeira, mas deu à costa no dia 16 de novembro e foi novamente lançado no dia 21 de novembro de 2011. Durante uns meses andou em alto mar sem transmitir sinal. No dia 8 de abril de 2018 deu à costa na praia de Miramar, em Vila Nova de Gaia, e foi recuperado pelo Centro Ambiental das Ribeiras de Gaia. O projeto Escola Azul entregou o veleiro Crimson Voyager, em janeiro de 2019, aos alunos da Escola Básica D. Pedro I para ser restaurado e preparado o quarto lançamento.
    O programa “Educational Passages” foi criado por um marinheiro do Maine que queria educar os jovens sobre os ventos e as correntes marítimas. É um projeto desafiador e muito interessante, porque a partir dele podemos ensinar várias áreas, desde ciências, ambiente, física a línguas de outros países. Este projeto permite a conexão entre alunos de todo o mundo quando o barco chega a uma costa estrangeira.
    Boa viagem Crimson Voyager!
    Crimson Voyager
    #escolaazul #literaciadooceano #escoladpedroi #levaportugalaomundo #miniboat

    D Basic School students. Pedro I welcomed and restored the Crimson Voyager sailboat, preparing for yet another adventure on the high seas! The Crimson Voyager will be thrown into the ocean completely at the draw of winds and streams. The sailboat has a GPS equipment and a satellite transmitter connected to a NOAA agency system. The sailboat is part of the educational project ′′ Leva Portugal to the World ′′ which is being implemented in the Grouping, coordinated by the Directorate-General of Sea Policy in partnership with the Instituto Superior Technical (ISR-Lisbon research centre) and international support The NOAA and the North American Initiative ′′ Educational Passages “. It’s the message in the bottle, st century version.
    The vessel is equipped with a GPS that transmits satellite signal and students can follow their path on the page of the ′′ Educational Passages ′′ project. On the hull, students have put several gifts, a map showing the location of the school, carnations that symbolize the freedom, songs, poems, illustrations and messages. The paintings of the boat allude to the elements of Vila Nova de Gaia’s heritage and the story of Sophia’s ′′ The Girl of the Sea ′′ by Mello Breyner Andresen.
    Crimson Voyager sailboat is ready for its fourth launch and yet another adventure on the high seas!
    The first trip was in December 2015. The Crimson Voyager was prepared by the class of the 6th grade of the Morristown-Beard School in New Jersey and launched from Bermuda. He was rescued in 2016 in Cadiz Bay and delivered to students at the University of Cadiz, who repaired and painted it. On November 13, it was relaunched from Madeira, but it was shore on November 16 and was again launched on November 21, 2011. For a few months, it walked on the high seas without transmitting a signal. On April 8, 2018, he shore on Miramar beach in Vila Nova de Gaia, and was recovered by the Centro Environmental das Ribeiras de Gaia. The Blue School project delivered Crimson Voyager sailboat in January 2019 to students of D Basic School. Pedro I to be restored and prepared for the fourth release.
    The ′′ Educational Passages ′′ program was created by a Maine sailor who wanted to educate young people on winds and maritime streams. It’s a challenging and very interesting project, because from it we can teach various areas, from science, environment, physics to languages of other countries. This project allows for connections between students around the world when the boat hits a foreign coast.
    Have a nice trip Crimson Voyager!
    Crimson Voyager
    #escolaazul #literaciadooceano #escoladpedroi #levaportugalaomundo #miniboat

  • Nov 2019 - Update from Portugal

    The amazing journey of the Crimson Voyager, Morristown-Beard School’s 6th Grade sailboat that was launched in 2015 through the Educational Passages program, is now enabling MBS students to connect with their peers in Portugal.

    This fall, students from the Escola Básica D. Pedro I in Canidelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal sent a video to Morristown-Beard School showing that they are repairing and planning to relaunch the boat. They are also hoping to connect with the current MBS 6th Grade Class through Skype.

     

     

    Launched a few days after Christmas in 2015, the Crimson Voyager was initially recovered off the shore of Cadiz, Spain on April 17, 2016. The boat was brought to the University of Cadiz, where it was repaired and repainted. It was later re-launched off Madeira and recovered in Porto, Portugal. It was taken to the Escola Básica D. Pedro I in northern Portugal since they are part of the “Blue School” program — a school that actively engages its community in the understanding of the ocean and its influence on our lives while not forgetting our own impact on the ocean.