Sail Nauticus Academy Students Launch New Miniboat with Carnival Sunshine for Second Year of Ocean Exploration Project

Norfolk, Va. (May 21, 2026) — Students from the Sail Nauticus Academy are once again taking their learning beyond the classroom and into the open ocean through a continued partnership with Carnival Cruise Line and the global Educational Passages program.

For the second year, Sail Nauticus Academy students built and launched a custom-designed miniboat, Hollow Vessel, with help from the Carnival Sunshine during its visit to Norfolk. Equipped with GPS tracking and weather monitoring technology, the student-built vessel will travel across the ocean collecting real-time environmental data while connecting Norfolk students to a worldwide network of young ocean explorers.

The project is part of the Educational Passages initiative, which challenges students to design, build, and launch unmanned boats that drift across international waters while sharing data and stories with classrooms around the world.

“This project gives students an incredible opportunity to see science, technology, and maritime exploration come together in a very real and exciting way,” said Nate Sandel, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Nauticus. “Now in our second year participating in the program, we’ve seen firsthand how experiences like this spark curiosity, build confidence, and create lasting connections to the maritime world. We’re grateful to Carnival Cruise Line for helping make this unforgettable learning experience possible once again.”

To celebrate the launch, Sail Nauticus Academy students boarded Carnival Sunshine during its Norfolk call on Sunday, May 10 for a behind-the-scenes educational experience, including opportunities to meet with ship leadership and learn more about careers in the maritime and cruise industries.

Students participating in Sail Nauticus Academy, a year-round afterschool program serving Norfolk Public School students, played an active role in preparing the vessel for launch while learning about ocean currents, weather systems, navigation, engineering, and teamwork.

Hollow Vessel’s journey can be tracked in real time through the Educational Passages online tracking platform, allowing students, families, and the public to follow along as the vessel travels across the ocean collecting valuable environmental data. Please click here to view the real-time tracking. 

Through programs like this, Nauticus and Sail Nauticus Academy continue to create hands-on learning experiences that inspire the next generation of maritime leaders, scientists, and explorers.

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Additional Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/t9a6enj3k6oqtquzsd42y/AMrKzU-oev3hJlMkEsc8V5E?rlkey=bltwex0xafj7ej1mhntg2fhm1&st=06kcqp4o&dl=0

About Nauticus

Nauticus is a maritime discovery center located along the waterfront in downtown, Norfolk, VA, offering a unique form of experiential learning for all ages. Through interactive exhibits and STEM to Stern programming, Nauticus uses the museum, Battleship Wisconsin, sailing center, and Schooner Virginia to tell the story of the maritime environment, industry, and the military. The Nauticus Foundation is the nonprofit, 501©3 that supports the mission and activities of Nauticus. Nauticus’ mission is to benefit the community through education, impactful experiences, and sharing access to maritime resources. For more information, visit www.nauticus.org.

About Sail Nauticus

Support for Sail Nauticus directly benefits the Nauticus Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Funding provides a life-changing experience for underserved youth in our local community. Our mission is to inspire, instruct, and impact Hampton Roads kids through the use of sailing and maritime sciences.

For more information, visit https://nauticus.org/sail-nauticus/youth-programs/sail-nauticus-academy/.