In early 2018, Nutmeg Sailing help fund a STEM project for the Barque Eagle Division of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Mark and David instructed the Cadets on how to build what’s known as a surface drifter. On 01 August, 2018, the completed drifter was deployed in the Atlantic Ocean from the Research Vessel Endeavor from the University of Rhode Island. It will send a GPS signal to NOAA every six hours for three to four months – as long as the battery last or the transmitter fails.
You can follow the drifters daily progress here:
https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/drifter/drift_usnsc_2018_1.html
We are working on a video and photo sequence of the building and deployment of the drifter and will update the web site soon.
A drifter is made up of four sails, but instead of catching the wind, they catch the ocean currents. There is also classroom material for the Cadets to learn such as how ocean currents work, maritime navigation and more. What’s great about the project, is that after the drifter is built and deployed, the Cadets can track their drifter as it signals its GPS coordinates that they can see in real time as shown in the photo below.
A drifter is being deployed in the Atlantic ocean.
