Floating Classes for Oban Pupils on Whale Research Yacht, Silurian.

Tomorrow, HWDT’s research vessel Silurian will set course for Dunstaffnage Marina, in preparation for a busy education week on board the floating classroom. This trip is possible thanks to generous donations gifted during the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2018, for HWDT’s education programme Hebridean Marine Explorers.  

Throughout the week, pupils from five primary schools in and around Oban will board the yacht and learn first-hand about the amazing whales, dolphins and porpoises that can be seen locally. These inspirational sessions will give children a glimpse into life onboard, and the different roles of both staff and volunteers. Packed into 90 minutes, pupils will explore the vessel and learn basic nautical terminology, as well as taking part in activities based on the acoustic and visual survey methods used by volunteers on board, including spotting with binoculars, shouting “sighting” and listening to porpoise clicks and dolphin whistles.

For those of you who are curious, the Trust are inviting people to come on board for a guided tour, which will run informally between 5pm and 7pm on Thursday 2nd May. This is a great opportunity to talk to staff and volunteers about the research work conducted every year, check out the monitoring equipment, and take a nosy around. HWDT will also be hosting a special event on the Wednesday, reserved for students and staff from The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS).

To keep up to date with photos, videos and quotes from the floating classroom follow HWDT on Instagram and Facebook.