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Another Beagle Voyage with another Darwin

 

 

The great great granddaughter of Charles Darwin sets of from Plymouth to follow the course of her ancestor's Beagle in the slipper Stad Amsterdam.

 

Despite the most dire weather forecast for the first day of September 2009, the sun shone brightly on this most auspicious and happy event. The Chandos founder was amongst guests asked aboard the 250 foot 'extreme clipper' Stad Amsterdam, to join the worthy collection of scientists, historians, writers and thinkers. With all good byes over, we then withdraw and watched with the film crews, as this beautiful sailing ship wade anchor and gracefully slid out of Plymouth Bay. (See Photo Gallery for photos from the day).

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th year since the publication of his book "On the Origin Of Species By Means Of Natural Selection". The year-long project is to be filmed for a new series to be broadcast for millions on Dutch and Belgian television.

The expedition will be following the route of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species" voyage and take the crew across the oceans of the world, from Brazil to Patagonia, from the Andes mountain range to the Galapagos Islands and across the Pacific to Australia and the Cape of Good Hope.

It was the founders good fortune to have been supporting Sarah Darwin with research during the hectic preparations before the voyage and he was even inspired to poetry ! 

The international crew will investigate the future of the planets' species and will also address topics such as history, language, religion and art in which Darwin's theory of evolution plays a role. They will attempt to answer a range of contemporary questions during the voyage such as "What is the true condition of the environment?" and "What will our future look like?"

 

 

The Stad Amsterdam sets off from Plymouth on its voyage around the world