Two miniboats were found and decorated by students from two schools in Vila Nova de Gaia—the Agrupamento de Escolas D. Pedro I and the Agrupamento de Escolas Diogo de Macedo – in 2009. Since then, Crimson Voyager and The Legendary, originally launched into the sea by students from the Morristown Beard School (New Jersey, United States of America), were waiting for their next journey. On 25 February 2025, they were deployed about two-thirds of the way to Madeira, in what will be their fourth trip. The American educational project “Educational Passages” is part of the Escola Azul Programme, which aims to launch small unmanned boats, equipped with GPS, into the ocean, like 21st-century ‘messages in a bottle’, allowing their paths to be followed as they cross the sea. This latest launch is the result of a collaboration between Portuguese schools, Instituto Superior Técnico, Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-Lisboa), Transinsular and the Escola Azul programme, implemented by the Directorate General for Maritime Policy (DGPM).
The event was attended by Luís Sebastião, a researcher at Técnico / ISR-Lisboa who has been a crucial support in the technical development of the project, particularly in preparing the GPS transmitters. His team is also tasked with explaining how this innovative technology works, which enables the remote tracking of the boats’ paths.
Transinsular provided the transportation and logistical support necessary for the launch of the boats into the open sea. The Directorate-General for Maritime Policy (DGPM) was also involved in this important moment, with communication representatives present to promote the event and the project’s relevance. As the organisers emphasised, the mystery of the boats’ final destination is what makes the project so special: no one knows exactly where they will end up, but the adventure and continuous learning are the real winners of this challenge.
With the support of schools and researchers, Educational Passages continues to inspire students and communities, promoting scientific education and ocean exploration in a unique and engaging way. The boats can be tracked online via the project’s links: Crimson Voyager and The Legendary. The updates can be followed on the project’s website.
In 2017, Técnico had already been a partner in the launch of three miniboats, the WEST, the NADA and the Crimson Voyager.
*This text was written in collaboration with the Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-Lisboa)
