- April 20, 2024
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A miniature research boat on a mission to sail the Atlantic Ocean made a short pit stop in the southern shores of Ormond Beach on Sunday, Oct. 1.
The small sailboat-like vessel, named Kestrel, was sent out to sea on Sept. 26 by the Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in Bradenton as part of the International SeaKeepers Society Discovery Yachts Program. The mini-boat's GPS tracker allows students to study ocean currents and wind patterns from inside the classroom.
This is Kestrel's second voyage into the Atlantic Ocean. After four days at sea, the Kestrel found its way to Ormond Beach where it was picked up by Volusia County Beach Safety. A sign attached to the vessel asked for the boat to be brought in to a local school in case it washed ashore. Lifeguard Laura Warner contacted the Saint Stephen's Episcopal School and arranged for the boat to be brought to Seabreeze High School, where it was taken in by local teacher Dodi Gaines, who is also the school's biology department chair.
Senior Captain Tamra Marris of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue said it wasn't usual for research boats like the Kestrel to end up on the beach. She said while they've seen some messages in a bottle wash up on the sand, this is the only vessel of its kind to touch land in Volusia since she's been in the department.
According to EducationalPassages.com, the website written on the mini-boat, the Kestrel's first voyage started in May, 14, 2017, near Biscayne National Park in Homestead, Fla. It traveled through the Gulf of Mexico before arriving in an area on the eastern side of the Louisiana delta and later appearing at a dock in St. Bernards Parish, La. on June 3, 2017. It spent a total of 60 days and 22 hours at sea.
The Educational Passages program has launched over 70 boats.
