Mini sailing boat discovered by isles man in Norway

An ambitious educational initiative in the US has resulted in a chance discovery by a Burra man now living in Norway.

The unlikely find by Steven Anderson of a mini sailboat comes as a result of an educational initiative off the American east coast, and has now ended up with the promise of national media attention.

The small vessel was launched as part of the Educational Passages initiative, which allows school children in the states the chance to learn about ocean currents and the marine environment.

At one point it had been believed a mini sailboat launched as part of the initiative would land on Shetland’s shores.

In the end, the diminutive vessel missed Shetland altogether. However, it has now landed at one of the outlying islands of Øygarden.

Steven and his wife, Marie, were keen to keep an eye out for the mini-vessel after hearing it was heading to their shores. And they were quick to retrieve it when, eventually, it did.

Now, the discovery has attracted the attention of a Norwegian TV celebrity. Kenneth Bruvik hosts his own programme which discusses plastic pollution on Norway’s west coast.

He is due to meet school children tomorrow [Monday] and retrieve the boat – and explain how the vessel follows the same currents as plastic that ends up in the ocean.

Mr Anderson’s wife, Marie, said it was “an important lesson in eco-awareness”.

The chance discovery is not the first link between the Øygarden area and Shetland, however. Last year, officials from the municipality signed a new friendship agreement with Shetland during a visit to Scalloway.

They donated the equivalent of almost £50,000 towards the Prince Olav Slipway project, a restoration initiative which aims to preserve the war-time site which was instrumental in the Shetland Bus war time operation.