[Image: Windseeker.org]
The historic Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde has officially arrived in after exploring the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia.
Retracing the voyage of the HMS Beagle, on which naturalist, geologist and scientist Charles Darwin spent some years, it finally docked in Cape Town to celebrate his life and legacy.
The events form part of the Darwin200 Global Voyage, which is celebrating Darwin’s legacy and promoting biodiversity conservation worldwide. Darwin200 is a planetary conservation initiative which “aims to change the world for the better”.
The Oosterschelde will be docked in Cape Town for 22 days. A range of activities will coincide with her visit, including the unveiling of the Darwin bust on Simon’s Town Jetty by the great, great granddaughter of Charles Darwin, Dr Sarah Darwin, on Sunday, April 27.
View this post on Instagram
The nineteenth-century voyage of HMS Beagle and the adventures of Charles Darwin have generated some of the richest stories in the history of science, ones filled with excitement and discovery. When the young naturalist boarded the ship in 1831 to sail around the world, neither he nor anyone else could have imagined how significant the experience would prove to be.
Darwin’s voyage seeded his theory of evolution by natural selection, which is regarded as one of the most important ideas in the history of human thinking. Yet, Darwin would be astonished by the changes to the planet that have taken place over the last two centuries and by the ongoing threats that are reshaping our world.
Clik here to view.
It is with this in mind, on 14 August 2023, the two-year Darwin200 Global Voyage began aboard the 50-metre-long Oosterschelde.
The aim of the Darwin200 Global Voyage is to create similarly transformative experience for 200 of the world’s brightest young environmentalists, who have the potential to become the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and conservation leaders of tomorrow.
By training and empowering some of the world’s top young (from 18 to 25 years of age) conservationists, the “Darwin Leaders” were all selected based on their accomplishments aimed at making the world a better place.
Clik here to view.
“Ever since the 2009 celebrations of the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth, I have been giving talks on the life and work of Charles Darwin, especially emphasizing the importance of his 19-day visit. It is also about emphasizing the value of science in today’s modern society.”
Cape Town is set to celebrate Darwin’s legacy with a spectacular series of events, which will include:
- A captivating theatrical performance of ‘Darwin. A Curious Mind’ from Monday, 7th to Sunday, 13th April
- An art exhibition, ‘Art of Evolution, Evolution of Art,’ showcasing original Darwin and evolution-themed artworks.
- The unveiling of a striking new bronze bust of Charles Darwin on the Simon’s Town Jetty on 20 April 2025.
- An open day for visitors to explore the Oosterschelde and learn about her conservation mission.
- Conservation presentations at Two Oceans Aquarium and the Simon’s Town Museum.
The celebration offers a rare opportunity to engage with Darwin’s scientific contributions, conservation efforts, and the spirit of exploration that shaped our understanding of the natural world.