Once in the Azores, we are back in Europe. Long voyages on the ocean are always a bit alienating, but in a few days, we are used to it. However, we are home yet, and the last leg of this Darwin 200 expedition takes the OOSTERSCHELDE to Falmouth in Great Britain.

Before departure, we take a good look at the weather reports, because there is one last crossing on the program in which we have no shelter. The nice thing about this route is that, even if bad weather arrives despite the summer, this always brings a westerly wind. And that is exactly the wind we need. After a week we see a strong increase in shipping traffic when we have arrived at the entrance of the English Channel. In the first week we hopefully saw sunfish, dolphins and maybe a shark. Now we see dozens of fishing vessels trying to catch as much fish as possible on the border of the continental shelf. The hundreds of seabirds around us are trying the same. Now that the water depth goes from a few thousand meters to less than 200 meters, the wave action and the color of the water are also changing. We can literally smell the land and we are almost, almost, home!

Perhaps we’ll make another stop in a French port to prepare for a major homecoming and then make the final miles to the same port as HMS Beagle once did. After a smashing party night and into the wee hours, we close the DARWIN200 Global Voyage!

Before and after your voyage leg
We strongly recommend you book a few days accommodation in the port of your embarkation (prior to your joining Oosterschelde), and a few days in the port you disembark (after your place on the voyage ends). This will allow you to recover before and after your adventure and will give you the opportunity to explore locations at your start and end points.

More than an Adventure!
By taking part in the Global Voyage, you support the DARWIN200 project. As part of your adventure, you will receive the following exclusive benefits:

1. A full color, 300-page, hardback book as a momento of your adventure on board.
2. A short video which will be filmed during each voyage leg.
3. An invitation to the Start of Voyage Party in Plymouth on 13/08/2023.
4. An invitation to the End of Voyage Party in Falmouth on 20/07/2025.
5. An invitation to the DARWIN200 Concluding Award Ceremony in London in summer, 2025. Meet environmental celebrities, the young conservationists (‘DARWIN LEADERS’) and take part in a prize-giving ceremony.
6. Acknowledgement and thanks by name on all DARWIN200 output films throughout the global voyage (although anonymity will be respected, if requested).
7. Free DARWIN200 Global Voyage branded T-shirt!

DARWIN200
Become part of DARWIN200, a planetary conservation initiative that will empower the next generation’s elite environmental leaders and engage millions of students worldwide in conservation projects. By taking part in the Global Voyage, you will be helping to make the DARWIN200 project a reality. For more information visit: www.darwin200.com.

Q & A sessions
Interested in joining? Join our live information session about the 2023-25 Global Voyage. Each Information Session is beamed via Zoom and includes an overview of the global voyage, information about each of the 32 voyage legs, a live walk around Oosterschelde (when her schedule allows) and a Questions and Answers exchange.

Join the next info session via www.darwin200.com/info.

Level 2

Level 2-voyages are suitable for anyone in good health and a reasonable level of fitness, without mobility issues. On these voyages, you can expect days with strong winds or high waves, but most of the time the conditions will be good. A harbor is not always nearby and (medical) help from shore is therefore not always available.

The shipping company would like the OOSTERSCHELDE to be accessible to the widest possible audience, but you must realize that you are making a voyage aboard a seagoing tall ship. This requires more of your physical ability than a daily walk. Some voyages are more challenging than others. With the different levels, we give an indication of how heavy the voyage can be. If you are unsure whether a voyage is suitable for you, it is important to contact shipping company OOSTERSCHELDE for advice.