106-Year-Old Ship Tracing Back Charles Darwin's Footsteps after 200 Years (X image @Oosterscheldenl)
In South Atlantic port of Stanley lies a very special vessel getting ready to continue its special voyage, named as Darwin200 Global Voyage. “Oosterschelde”, the 106-year-old three-masted sailing ship is on a two-year long journey tracing back the footsteps of British naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin. The world famous naturalist made the journey over 200 years ago, when he embarked on his famous voyage aboard HMS Beagle, the journey which inspired the theory of evolution.
The ship departed from England’s Plymouth in last August. The ship is taking a simplified travel route of Charles Darwin, from England to Australia. It is making landfall at 32 ports around the world, including key location Charles Darwin has visited, places like Galapagos Islands and Falkland Islands. The mission of the journey is to empower young conservationists.
The voyage is cofounded by a British geographer and natural history writer, Stewart McPherson. The journey is said to be inspired by a meeting that happened 10 years ago, with Fred Burton, who is also a conservationist on the Cayman Island. “I have always loved Charles Darwin and his work, and obviously Darwin changed the world with his mind…the main message of Darwin200 is that it’s not too late. It’s still within our power to change the world of tomorrow for the better”, said Stewart McPherson, as quoted by CNN.
The Darwin200 ship carries a specialized team of eight members that include a science educator, an ornithologist, a journalist and a marine biologist. A further seven members including the sailors are also in the ship.
When the crew reach port, groups of “Darwin Leaders”, who are chose for their passion for the nature conservation and efforts to protect planet will join the crew. A total of 200 Darwin Leaders will take part in a week-long conservation leadership training program at different stops of the voyage. On November, a Darwin Leader from India’s Kerala, Joseph Roy reached the ship for a week, when it was docked at Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro
