The tall ship Pelican of London left Folkestone in May as part of a 13-week scientific voyage of discovery around the UK, and called into London in mid-August.
For the trip, which will be in three parts, 90 volunteers have been recruited, including young scientists, a science coordinator and researchers undertaking studies of plastics in UK waters, including surveying for floating macro-plastics.
In addition, they were set to record key information on whales, dolphins, bluefin tuna, sunfish and basking sharks.
This UK circumnavigation is a precursor to the wider Darwin200 voyage planned as a two-year undertaking, which will see 200 top young conservationists, each from a different country, complete an around-the-globe adventure.
The vessel is pictured arriving on the Thames on 10 August 2021 (photo by Fraser Gray). SHe is the scond tall ship on the Thames in the space of two days, following the visit of Tenacious on 9 August.
The hull of Pelican started life as a French Arctic fishing trawler in 1947. She was converted into a coaster called Kadett in 1968 and during the decade from 1995 was rebuilt at Portland.
