Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

Since it's February, we’re talking about love — why we LOVE miniboats! Not just because they carry love letters to the world, but we will share some of the extraordinary true moments they've brought us—serendipity in Nantucket, a wedding-day connection in Australia, and the unforgettable journey of the Rye Riptides: A classroom in the middle of a pandemic launches a miniboat into the Gulf Stream. Students track it for months as the world feels uncertain and disconnected. What happens isn’t just a remarkable ocean crossing, but a powerful reminder that curiosity can anchor us, stewardship can unite us, and even the smallest boat can carry connection, resilience, and love across an entire ocean basin.

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/support to make a gift which helps these stories continue, and visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/ryeriptides/ to see pictures and the full story of the Rye Riptides that was featured in this episode.

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

Message in a Bottle 2.0 tells an extraordinary true story of chance, connection, and community. When the Crimson Cyclone, launched on Christmas Eve 2023, made an unexpectedly quick landing along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it set off a chain of events, with an unlikely connection at the heart of it all. This episode shares how curiosity sent into the ocean—whether by bottle or by boat—can return as meaningful connections, new programs, and lasting opportunities for students, reminding us that learning and community often grow from the most unexpected beginnings.

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/support to make a gift which helps these stories continue, and visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/crimsoncyclone/ to see pictures and the full story of the miniboat featured in this episode.

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

This episode tells the remarkable, ongoing story of a student-built miniboat that has connected classrooms, countries, and generations since its first launch in 2016. What began as a high school research project in Connecticut became a global journey across the Atlantic, linking students in the U.S., Ireland, the UK, the Canary Islands, the Bahamas, and then North Carolina through shared discovery, letters, data, and friendship. Relaunched again and again by new students each time, Lancer carries gifts in her cargo hold and lessons in her wake, proving that learning doesn’t end at the shoreline. This episode reflects on how one small boat became a “gift that keeps on giving” — inspiring curiosity, community, and connection year after year — and invites listeners to help keep her legacy sailing into the future.

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/support to make your gift and help keep the Lancer's story alive (https://educationalpassages.org/boats/lancer/)

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

How far can a summer project carry the dreams of a new generation of ocean explorers? Sparked by hands-on learning with the Oregon Coast STEM Hub, high school students along the Oregon coast build an uncrewed sailboat—the Yaquina Neversink—and launch it into the Pacific. What follows is an extraordinary eight-month voyage across thousands of miles. This miniboat’s resilient journey forges global connections, breaks records, and brings students closer to science, community, and the power of the ocean itself. Guided by a name rooted in hope and heritage, this tiny vessel proves just how far small beginnings can truly travel.

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/yaquinaneversink/ for more information about the boat and project - and what happened next!

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

How can one field trip spark a journey that soars far beyond the classroom? Inspired by the TMS Sea Challenger, a group of middle school students from Massachusetts build their own miniboat—DMS Anita—and send it to sea aboard the R/V Endeavor. What follows is a remarkable adventure spanning two ocean voyages, unexpected landings, global connections, and a bittersweet homecoming aboard the ship’s final cruise. Guided by a symbol of endurance and exploration, this story celebrates how one classroom’s dream grew into a global journey of ocean exploration and inspiration.

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/anita/ for more information about the boat and project, as well as https://educationalpassages.org/boats/tmsseachallenger/ and https://educationalpassages.org/boats/warrior/ for more information about the other boats mentioned in the podcast.

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

What happens when a high school marine biology class sets out to build a tiny boat and release it into the Atlantic? An extraordinary three-year odyssey ensues... It's about more than just tracking ocean currents, this project evolved into a powerful lesson about persistence, collaboration, and global connection.

Listen in for the full story and find out where it ended up!

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/seaeagle/ for more information about the boat and project, as well as https://educationalpassages.org/boats/gryphoncruiser/ and https://educationalpassages.org/boats/hope/ for more information about the other boats mentioned in the podcast.

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast is kicking off with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible.

Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.

Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:

The Crimson Current is built by students in New Jersey, USA in 2022, and first travels to Ireland. Classrooms are connected and the boat is relaunched, but unexpected things happen… and the adventure continues through 2025. Listen in for the full story and to find out the latest most exciting update from a far away place.

Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/crimsoncurrent/ for more information about the boat and project.

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

From the Cliffs of Moher to the classrooms of Galway, our trip to Ireland in March with Educational Passages highlights the magic of ocean education. This is the second part of a conversation with Juliet Fluty (click here to listen to part 1). It dives into all the details behind the visits we mentioned in our blog post: educationalpassages.org/miniboat-magic-in-ireland/.

The trip to Ireland unveiled profound connections that have been made through our miniboat program, and the impact is has had on communities involved. We explore the journeys of students, the warmth of local hospitality, and the importance of the ocean in education and our lives.

To access the special VIDEO version of this podcast, visit https://youtu.be/FTHFK8uzZ5k.

Support the show

Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.