Blue Heron

Aucocisco School

Updates:

1st Voyage

  • Boat Preparations and the Meaning Behind the Name

    Our school’s name, Aucocisco, comes from the Abenaki (an indigenous tribe in Maine) word meaning “resting place of herons.” We feel our students are like resting birds who rest and recover with us. Aucocisco students submitted names and voted to choose what our MiniBoat would be called, finally deciding upon Blue Heron.

  • October 21, 2020 - Launched off Cashes Ledge, Gulf of Maine

    The Blue Heron was ready for launch by October, 2020. Special thank you to Portland Yacht Services for their generous help in readying Blue Heron for its journey!

    Additional thanks to the F/V Providian for helping launch our boat, which they did on October 21, 2020 at 14:05 Eastern. Will she sail out of the Gulf of Maine or come back to shore?

  • October 26, 2020 - Landed on beach in Chatham, MA

    After less than 5 days at sea, the Blue Heron landed on a beach in Chatham, MA. Thanks to the Town of Chatham Harbormaster Stuart and Deputy Harbormaster Jason for recovering the miniboat on October 28.

    Voyage Statistics

    The Miniboat Blue Heron sailed from October 21, 2020 to October 26, 2020 (<5 days) in the Gulf of Maine for at least 369 km (199 nm). From start to finish in a straight line would be 143 km (77 nm). Her average speed was 1.77 knots.

2nd Voyage

  • December 8, 2020 - Ready for relaunch

    After its first short voyage in the Gulf of Maine, the Blue Heron miniboat will try again! Thanks to Captain Spong and the F/V Brooke C out of Point Judith, Rhode Island.

    Here is a picture of the boat aboard the Brooke C after it was delivered there on December 8. Thanks to Jim Manning of NOAA NEFSC and Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation for keeping the boat safe after its first voyage, and for arranging this deployment.

  • December 11, 2020 - Launched into the Gulf of Maine

    The Blue Heron was launched on the morning of December 11, 2020 of the F/V Brooke C south of Rhode Island. Here are some pictures thanks to Captain Spong:

     

  • December 13, 2020 - Recovered in Westport, MA

    The wind took the Blue Heron for a short period back towards New England… and landed on Horseneck Beach in Westport, MA. Perhaps the next deployment will set her across the Atlantic… third time is the charm?

    We’ll post pictures and more updates here as they develop.

3rd Voyage

  • February 17, 2021 - Delivered to the URI GSO docks

    Thanks to Kier from the Aucocisco School for driving down and bringing the Blue Heron to the docks at URI GSO.

       

  • February 18, 2021 - Secured for Transport

    We received word that the miniboat was secured for transport aboard the R/V Endeavor today.

  • February 21, 2021 - Deployed into the Gulf Stream

    The Blue Heron was relaunched thanks to the crew of the R/V Endeavor on their transit from Rhode Island to Florida. The miniboat was also launched alongside a surface current drifter from a Rhode Island school. They were both launched at 1237 UTC, 34 deg 18.6’N x 75 deg 22.7’W with “2 kts of current and a strong N wind”.

     

    Special thanks to Gabe Matthias and the entire crew for all their hard work! Here are some pictures from the deployment taken by Gabe. Oscar (the Bosun) and Kylie (Technician) are in the photos assisting with the launches.

    The students back at the school are now tracking its movements.

  • January 2023 - GPS no longer reporting

    After an incredible 686 days at sea, almost landing in the Azores a couple times, and skirting past Europe, the miniboat Blue Heron stopped reporting on January 9, 2023. All new miniboats now have solar powered GPS transmitters so they will last longer, like during these long voyages.

    We hope one day the boat will wash ashore and the finders will contact us.

Aucocisco School is a nonprofit organization and a Maine state-approved Special Purpose Private School. Since 1994, we have offered a unique learning environment, specially designed for students who learn differently. With a lower, middle, and upper school, Aucocisco provides a safe space for students of all ages to recover their confidence and enjoyment of learning. Small classes, individual attention, and a strong focus on alternative learning styles make Aucocisco a place where students learn the skills and strategies they need to succeed.

Our school’s name, Aucocisco, comes from the Abenaki (an indigenous tribe in Maine) word meaning “resting place of herons.” We feel our students are like resting birds who rest and recover with us. Aucocisco students submitted names and voted to choose what our MiniBoat would be called, finally deciding upon Blue Heron.