The historic Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde, a three-masted topsail schooner built in 1918 and meticulously restored as a monument of Dutch maritime heritage, has been on a major voyage.
From August 2023 to July 2025, it undertook the DARWIN 200 Global Voyage, a two-year, 43,000-nautical-mile expedition retracing Charles Darwin’s journey on HMS Beagle.
Covering 32 ports across four continents, the voyage aimed to train 200 young conservationists (Darwin Leaders) aged 18 to 25, who conducted research on endemic species and environmental challenges in collaboration with local NGOs.
The expedition, starting in Plymouth and concluding in Falmouth, engaged global audiences through citizen science, live educational broadcasts, and conservation projects, fostering the next generation of environmental leaders.
Report and photo by Fraser Gray
