Voyager Connects Schools Worldwide

Sailing around the world solo may sound like a lonely journey, but not for a man on a mission of goodwill linking American schools with sister schools in the developing world.

Eric Blackburn, 32, recently stopped in Dana Point Harbor to collect supplies and pick up pen pal letters and care packages from Richard Henry Dana Elementary School and Dana Hills High School students. He plans to distribute the material to school children on his 35,745-mile trip from Mexico and Latin America to Southeast Asia, India and Africa.

“The boat is a floating schoolhouse for hope and charity,” said Blackburn, a native of British Columbia in the midst of a three-year trip. “My goal is to bridge 2,000 schools with 2,000 North American schools by the year 2000.”

From the deck of his sailing sloop, the “Chickadee,” Blackburn greeted his new “mates” from Dana Elementary and Dana Hills High, who toured the 30-foot, 7 1/2-ton steel boat. Students explored the galley and bathroom, or “head,” in nautical parlance, examined Blackburn’s snug sleeping quarters, peeped through portholes and tested his emergency gear.

“It was cool,” Michelle Shedd, 10, said after checking out the vessel.

The head caught 8-year-old David Cessna’s eye.

“I liked the whole inside, but I really liked the bathroom,” David said.

After the tour, students presented Blackburn with custom school boxes stuffed full of letters, pens, pencils, paper and other school mementos to take on his trip. Nearly 100 North American schools from Canada, Oregon and California, including Red Hill Lutheran School in Tustin, have joined in Blackburn’s educational expedition.

Blackburn plans to communicate with schools on the Internet during his voyage, charting his progress, describing weather conditions and feeding video images back to school kids. Blackburn also has his own Web page and will answer e-mail questions each time he reaches port.

Blackburn, who built the Chickadee by himself, has financed the boat and trip mostly with his own money, with help from IBM Canada and Stargate Connections of British Columbia, who sponsored his laptop computer and Web site.

Elaine Forster, a fourth-grade teacher at Dana Elementary, said her students are fortunate to be involved in Blackburn’s global outreach. She plans to incorporate Blackburn’s voyage into her lessons throughout the school year.

“My plan is to follow him on the Internet. The kids are so excited,” Forster said.

Blackburn is impressed by the positive student reaction and interest in his mission. He hopes that it will be an ongoing learning process from which students across the world will benefit.

“It’s everyone’s voyage,” he said. “I’m just a part of it.”

To track Blackburn’s progress, log on to his Web site at www.stargate.ca/kidscare/.

His e-mail address is eblackb@ibm.net