• Students from IES Eusebio Barreto launch a small sailboat powered by the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform from the Port of Tazacorte, equipped with a GPS and a temperature sensor to analyze real-time data throughout the course
  • The event was attended by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy, the entity financing the DELTA project

Port of Tazacorte, 12 September 2024 – Students from IES Eusebio Barreto Lorenzo in Los Llanos de Aridane led the launch of the educational boat “Mar a DELTA” from the Port of Tazacorte (La Palma). The boat was named after the project that funds it and is coordinated by the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform (PLOCAN) on the island. The small sailboat, part of the international Educational Passages program, set sail equipped with a GPS and a temperature sensor powered by solar energy.

This launch marked the third milestone of this initiative coordinated by PLOCAN in La Palma, following the iFado – Buche Salado I and iFado – Buche Salado II boats. Last year, the latter traveled 5,055 kilometers to the island of Guadeloupe in the Lesser Antilles, after setting off from the same port. According to PLOCAN’s director, José Joaquín Hernández, “the goal of this activity is a continuous learning process, both in tracking the data and in interpreting it. It’s not just about the launch, as students will be working with PLOCAN’s team on the island throughout this academic year.”

The initiative also involved the participation of the Canary Islands Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy, Mariano Hernández Zapata, whose department, alongside the State Secretariat for the Environment, funds the DELTA project. During the launch, Zapata emphasized the importance of this educational project in raising environmental awareness and educating students. “This project has enabled young people to connect in a real and direct way with the natural environment, while also fostering their interest in marine studies, data analysis, ocean currents, and the impacts of climate change.”

The project is the culmination of a learning process that began in the previous academic year. The students worked on the creation and design of the boat under the coordination of teachers Paula Lorenzo and María Betancor, from the Technology and Art departments respectively, in collaboration with the school administration. “This multidisciplinary effort was integrated into various subjects at the school, sparking significant interest among the students in science, the marine world, and scientific and technical careers,” commented the teachers responsible for the activity.

Throughout the journey of “Mar a DELTA”, students will continue to analyze the real-time data transmitted by the boat, with the support of PLOCAN technicians. “This will allow them to deepen their understanding of oceanic phenomena such as marine currents,” added the CEO of PLOCAN and project coordinator. In a previous experience, the boat launched in 2022 became trapped in a vortex south of La Palma, allowing students to observe a natural phenomenon known as Canary Eddies.

A Cultural Exchange and Citizen Participation Experience

The launch of “Mar a DELTA” also aims to promote cultural exchange and international fellowship. One of the main objectives is to establish connections with the people who eventually find the boat on the other side of the Atlantic, creating an enriching cultural bond for the students. The Educational Passages program enables young people from different countries to collaborate and learn about the oceans, fostering experiential learning and discovery. “In a small compartment of about twenty centimeters, the students placed works they had created at school that detail the boat’s origin, so it can be identified when recovered,” explained the director of PLOCAN.

These types of international educational projects strengthen collaboration between different entities. In the case of the DELTA project, it facilitates the involvement of institutions focused on research in areas such as numerical modeling, remote sensing, and oceanographic campaigns. “International collaboration is key to monitoring large marine areas like the Atlantic, and working jointly with other institutions enhances the educational and scientific value of these projects,” concluded Hernández.