In what may be a world first, Ollie Ferguson (13) and his brother Harry (11) of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, have launched replica vessels of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror to circumnavigate Antarctica. Inspired by the 1839-43 Ross scientific expedition that discovered the Ross ice shelf, the brothers have been working on their models for two years.

According to an article from The Guardian, the models, both more than 3 feet long, will follow the circumpolar current around Antarctica. The journey is more than 12,500 nautical miles and could take two or more years to complete.

Their parents, MacNeill Ferguson, an ecological specialist, and Vicki Ferguson, a school principal, support their kids’ project. During the journey, the boats will gather data about location, air and ocean temperatures, and water pH.

According to MacNeill, the boat has a camera onboard to catch pictures of penguins and whales for Harry. Harry’s interest in climate change makes the project both fun and productive for learning about the environment.

The models are made from a 200-year-old piece of elm wood and copper. They are equipped with tracking devices from Icoteq and have a battery life of more than six years. The use of sustainable materials helps minimize litter, in the event the boats are lost to the ice and conditions of the Arctic.

The boats were sent to family friends in the Falkland Islands until they received launch approval, and were then transported on the Pharos SG, a South Georgia fisheries patrol vessel into the circumpolar current on Tuesday, July 11.

“It’s so exciting. We’ve been trying to do it for two years now and we’ve finally got them in, and it feels amazing,” said Harry. “We’re interested to collect data about climate change and also just trying to see what happens to the boats and the end result and to see if we will ever see them again.”

The brothers, who previously set the world record for the longest distance travelled at sea by a toy boat, are trying to tick off a list of 500 adventures before they turn 18.

To see where the boats are, find out more about the project, or donate to their adventures, can do so at https://www.icoteq.com/project-erebus/ and via their Facebook page. To see where the boats are, find out more about the project, or donate to their adventures, can do so at https://www.icoteq.com/project-erebus/ and via their Facebook page.

You can read more about their latest venture and some of their other adventures here.