The Voyage of the Mimi

I watched this when I was in Grade 5, and I liked it. It was interesting to see a gawky version of Ben Affleck parade around, and the films weren't just educational--they were interesting, each charactar having a story to tell. I would recommend it for kids in their early teens and below.

The other day in my Integrated Science class my teacher showed my class a taping of a TV show called "The Voyage of the Mimi" Since I have a crush on Mr. Ben Affleck, I naturally was excited to see his earlier work. I watched and was amazed at how informative and accurate the show was! After the show we had a test.......I got an A!

This was a fabulous show. I watched it as an adult with my baby sister and learned *so* much. Even today, years later I can remember lessons I learned on "Voyage of the Mimi" about whales, whale tagging and whale songs, but the show was about so much more than whales. I learned about sailing, sign language, research methods, the top of Mount Washington, hypothermia and so much more. When watching documentaries, to this day, I often see eminent scientists that I first "met" on "Voyage of the Mimi," such as Ken Balcomb and Sylvia Earle. The first part of the episode would often introduce a subject which would then be carried through to the expedition afterward. Those segments were full of information interesting to both adults and children. This show is so much more than a curiosity and a place to see a young Ben Affleck, (although I thought he was a good actor even then). If you want to learn more about the sea, whales, scientific research and even what it's like going to a college for the deaf, "Voyage of the Mimi" is a great place to get started. It certainly led to many avenues of interest and fields of inquiry for me.

I remember watching this movie when I was in fourth grade (about 15 years ago) for a part of our whale unit, and recall that I enjoyed it immensely. It was an engaging plot for a movie based around a whale research vessel, and I don't mind admitting that my nine year-old self had a bit of a crush on the then child star Ben Affleck. While it's not necessarily a great film for the adult viewer, and is by now certainly showing its age, for children who are interested in maritime experiences and whales, it's a more than a diversion, and probably a good way to spend a few afternoons. Not for the film critic (obviously), especially since the acting is definitely mediocre at best, but certainly a pleasant view for those of us under the age of 12.

This program was clearly intended for educating a young (in years) audience, not a mentally immature adult. With that in mind you should have no hesitation in watching this program with your children. My children enjoyed every episode, in spite of the less-than-quality acting. The main thrill for them (and for me) came from watching the interactions between the human researchers and the whales, which were the main research target of the Mimi scientists. A subtle, but perhaps even more important aspect of the series is the message that the discovery of our world, driven by the methods of science, can accomodate anyone, regardless of race or sex. The main requirements for such discovery are curiosity about the natural world, the courage to seek adventure, and intelligence to solve problems. If you emphasize these concepts to your children, you will have directed them along the path that the series obviously intended.