This Monday sees the much anticipated launch of the wAVE Project (AVE = Augmented and Virtual Experiences) a virtual reality immersive experience ‘Captaining the Ceres’ right here at The Castle!
The project brings together Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s coastal communities, heritage centres and academic experts to develop new and engaging virtual, augmented and immersive reality experiences within the five participating communities of Bude, Looe, St Agnes, Porthcurno and the Isles of Scilly.
wAVE has been developed by Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Cornwall Museums Partnership, and Falmouth University. It aims to use Cornwall’s distinctive heritage to support digital innovation and economic diversification in five coastal communities by maximising Cornwall’s digital infrastructure, skills, and heritage for the benefit of the local economy.
The county’s distinct history coupled with its growing immersive-tech sector, presents a unique opportunity to position Cornwall at the forefront of the transformative potential of such technology.
Bude has long had a reputation for being a very difficult port to navigate, so the experience provided an opportunity to tell this story. By wearing the virtual reality headset, users are transported onto the deck of the Ceres, one of Bude’s most well-known ketches and a regular visitor throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Great skill is then needed to navigate the ketch past the breakwater and along the narrow channel of water leading to the lock gates, with a real ships wheel adding further authenticity. Users will also discover more about Bude as a working port during the experience. The setting for the experience has been especially designed to look and feel like the deck of ship, with enhanced displays to create a fully immersive experience.
Booking is now available via Eventbrite or on our website.
