A schooner has set sail from the south coast of England on a mission to retrace the historic voyage taken by Charles Darwin nearly 200 years ago. The Dutch ship Oosterschelde departed from Plymouth and embarked on a two-year journey to inspire and train a new generation of naturalists. The aim is for future scientists to study the species discovered by Darwin and develop conservation projects to protect them.
As the vessel, which will serve as a floating laboratory, departed, it was cheered on by supporters. The project, called Darwin200, will involve approximately 200 young naturalists and conservationists from around the world. They will have the opportunity to participate in a range of activities during the voyage, both at sea and in various ports along the way.
According to the leader of the project, Stewart McPherson, this endeavor is about hope, the future, and changing the world. He expressed confidence that the group of young participants, mostly aged between 18 and 25, will do their utmost to prevent the extinction of animals and plants.
In 1831, Charles Darwin set sail aboard the HMS Beagle on a five-year journey that took him around South America and to Australia and New Zealand. The Oosterschelde will make its first landing in the Canary Islands before crossing the Atlantic towards Brazil. It will then navigate South America’s east coast, west coast, and continue on to the Galapagos Islands, where Darwin made some of his most significant discoveries.
Sarah Darwin, a botanist and the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin, fully supports the mission’s objective of using her ancestor’s voyage to highlight environmental change. She believes that Charles Darwin’s greatest legacy was his recognition of the interconnectedness between humans and the rest of the natural world. She emphasized that humans are not separate from nature but an integral part of it.
After visiting Australia and New Zealand, the schooner will return to South America and then cross the Atlantic once again to reach South Africa before finally returning to England. This ambitious journey aims to pay homage to the groundbreaking work of Charles Darwin and to inspire a new generation of scientists and conservationists to continue his important legacy.
While the voyage is primarily focused on retracing Darwin’s path, it also serves as a platform to address current environmental challenges and raise awareness about the urgent need for conservation efforts. By combining scientific exploration with a deep respect for nature, the participants in this project hope to contribute significantly to the preservation of our planet’s biodiversity.
As the schooner embarks on its historic journey, it is a reminder of the profound impact that one individual’s curiosity and passion for the natural world can have. The hope is that through this mission, future naturalists will be inspired to follow in Darwin’s footsteps and make their own discoveries that will shape our understanding of the world and drive conservation efforts forward.
