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YANKEETOWN, Fla.— The U.S. Coast Guard teamed up with local middle schoolers to launch the first ever Gulf Coast Mini Boat Challenge, 30 miles west of Yankeetown, Friday.
Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Yankeetown traveled offshore to help launch a small unmanned sailboat, which assisted 8th grade students from Dunellon (Florida) Christian Academy.
Students constructed the sailboat and equipped it with a GPS tracker, hand-written letters and a baseball, with the hopes of watching the sailboat travel the world in an effort to learn more about weather patterns on the ocean.
"This was a great way for us to reach out to our local community," said Chief Petty Officer Robert Whitmore, officer-in-charge of Station Yankeetown. "We are always excited to take advantage of any boating education opportunity."
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