Through an exciting collaboration between Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the Buzzards Bay Coalition, we are bringing outdoor exploration programming to New Bedford Public Schools. Starting this May, students will embark on unique sailing adventures aboard the Schooner SSV Ernestina-Morrissey, setting sail from its homeport at the New Bedford State Pier.

The Schooner SSV Ernestina-Morrissey, part of the permanent fleet of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy since 2019, was gifted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by the Republic of Cape Verde. The Ernestina was one of the last ships built in Essex that brought immigrants from the Cape Verde Islands to the United States. In 1982, the hull was completely rebuilt and she sailed to the US with a Cape Verdean and US crew.

These immersive programs will offer students hands-on experiential learning opportunities, fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills amidst the beauty of Buzzards Bay. This pilot initiative, running through June, underscores Ernestina-Morrissey’s enduring legacy as a vital educational resource for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will prepare the vessel for expanded youth programming in 2025.