News Report

This toy boat found washed up on a Welsh beach incredibly crossed the Atlantic Ocean in one piece

The toy boat was pulled out of the sea by Helen Hinks and her three children as they walked along a beach in Borth, West Wales. The toy was found by Helen Hinks and her three children as they walked along a beach in Borth, Ceredigion. But after seeing an appeal for it, they discovered the boat, named the Caroline Dreamer, had first been released into the Atlantic Ocean in May last year by a class of nine and 10-year-old pupils in Charleston, South Carolina.

'Something special'

Helen, 30, said she noticed “something magical” about the five-foot long boat straight away and took it home.

The aromatherapist said: “It was an amazing experience.” The boat being made in the USA with school teacher Amy McMahon.

“We were looking at the waves and my son said ‘look mum there’s a boat’. We were so excited, I ran in and grabbed it. It felt quite magical really — it sailed right up to us so it felt as though there was something special about it.”

School project

Pupils at St Andrews School of Math and Science launched the Carolina Dreamer nine months ago as a project to teach the children about the world’s oceans. The 5f-long fibre glass boat was fitted with a GPS tracker so pupils at the school could monitor its journey.  American schoolchildren and members of the coastguard who helped launch the boat in the USA but the boat didn’t have an engine and lost its sail during the 3,900 mile journey, but it managed to float naturally to Wales.

Last week it transmitted its location as 10 miles north of Aberstwyth, West Wales, so teacher Amy McMahon contacted local marine officials in a bid to trace it. Helen came forward after an appeal in a local newspaper and emailed the students in America to say the boat was safe.

'Over the moon'

Teacher Amy, 40, said: “We cannot tell you how excited and elated we are to hear that our beloved boat has been recovered and has found its way to a nearby school.”

Student Paris Cash, nine, said: “I am happy that the boat has been recovered. I was scared at first but when I heard somebody found our boat I was happy. When I heard, I jumped up and down.”

The battered boat that washed up in Wales

Zahnyah Quirk, 10, added: “I heard that our boat has been saved and I hope you know that our class is relieved and excited.”

Richard Baldwin, who tracked the Carolina Dreamer’s voyage, said: “Special teachers really make this program exciting and effective.

“Every voyage is different and you never know what’s going to happen when a small boat goes to sea.

“This keeps the kids interested and I think this is what makes the marine science and international relation opportunities that make this special.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/35641001

In class children have been creating news reports based on the story Flotsam, which we have been reading.  In the story a camera full of amazing pictures washed up on the beach.  Imagine another object has washed up on the beach. Write a news report about the discovery.  Include interviews from different people.

Flotsam

For our book week topic we have been looking at the book ‘Flotsam’. In the story some mysterious photographs are found by a boy on the beach. There are lots of unusual pictures of creatures underwater such as mechanical fish, octopuses sitting on sofas and a turtle with a whole city on its back.

 

For your homework, imagine or draw your own underwater scene and then write a paragraph describing what’s in the photograph you have created. Try to use similes and metaphors in your description.