MBS 6th Graders' "Crimson Cyclone" Sailboat Completes Atlantic Journey to North Carolina

Part of an educational program, the miniature sailboat launched by MBS students makes landfall in North Carolina, carrying messages and mementos from New Jersey.

Morristown, NJ: The "Crimson Cyclone," a small sailboat launched by the 6th-grade class of Morristown-Beard School (MBS), completed its Atlantic voyage, landing at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina, just two days after its Christmas Eve launch.

As part of the innovative "Educational Passages" program, the "Crimson Cyclone" was set afloat into the Gulf Stream aboard a cargo ship. The swift winds guided the vessel back to shore, where it was discovered by a beachgoer. After a brief relocation, the boat made its final stop at Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina.

This intrepid little boat carried more than just the hopes of its young creators; its hull was filled with uniquely New Jersey treasures - a baseball, essays about life in the Garden State, an MBS cap, a USA jersey, and copies of the school's Crimson magazine. These items symbolize a tangible connection between the students and wherever their boat might land.

This is not the first seafaring venture for MBS. Their inaugural boat, the "Crimson Tide," launched in December 2012, found its way to a fisherman in Guernsey and later France, sparking international connections. Other MBS boats have reached as far as Spain, Florida, and the northernmost Scottish Isles.

The Educational Passages program, conceived by a Maine sailor, aims to enlighten young minds about the complexities of ocean currents and winds. According to Mrs. Swanson, the initiative extends beyond maritime education, incorporating elements of physics, world languages, and international communication. A poignant example was the Skype interaction between MBS students and their Guernsey counterparts following the recovery of the "Crimson Tide."

This project represents more than a lesson in oceanography; it's a bridge between cultures, a catalyst for global student interaction, and a testament to the adventurous spirit of learning.