Galway school’s mini sailboat found washed up 3,000km away – in Norway!

A mini sailboat made by a group of sixth class students in Ahascragh made it all the way to the Arctic Circle – to deliver Tayto crisps and other goodies to the pleasantly surprised Norwegian family who found it!

The miniature unmanned craft – called Seoltóir Na Gaillimhe (the Galway Sailor) – was given to the pupils of Kilglass NS as part of the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme.

And after travelling over 3,000km from Irish waters to Norway, the one and a half metre craft was found on the Bunes Beach – above the Arctic Circle in the Lofoten Islands – by the Bjørnsen family and friends while on holidays there over the summer.

Lars said his daughters were thrilled to discover the mini boat washed up on the remote Bunes Beach.

“Our neighbour had found the boat and my three girls were so excited to join him to open the hatch of the boat to see the Irish messages and ‘treasures’ inside,” he said.

“We were able to read most of the letters that had been written by the students at Kilglass National School in Galway, although some were a little wet.  The girls were also delighted with the Irish candy and crisps – which survived the voyage,” he added.

Lars revealed that Bunes Beach was quite isolated on the western side of Reinefjorden on Norway’s Moskenesøya island.

“You can only get there by ferry and then have to walk 3km to the beach.  It is a beautiful beach in a bay surrounded by mountains and steep ridges. However, not many people get to go there on a regular basis.

“Therefore, the fact that we found the Galway Sailor mini boat, that had made its way into the bay and then washed up on the shore with little structural damage is amazing for such a small boat,” Mr Bjørnsen added.

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