{"id":121403,"date":"2023-12-10T20:29:20","date_gmt":"2023-12-10T20:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogcamlodipine.com\/?p=121403"},"modified":"2023-12-10T20:29:20","modified_gmt":"2023-12-10T20:29:20","slug":"i-spent-14-days-at-sea-without-seeing-land-once-it-was-life-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogcamlodipine.com\/world-news\/i-spent-14-days-at-sea-without-seeing-land-once-it-was-life-changing\/","title":{"rendered":"I spent 14 days at sea without seeing land once – it was life-changing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charles Darwin’s voyage in South America retraced by Emily Braeger<\/h3>\n

705 days, 32 legs, 17 countries \u2013 a global voyage chasing Charles Darwin around the world in the name of science and conservation. And I had the privilege of joining the Darwin 200 crew on the Oosterschelde Dutch tall ship on the sixth leg of its ambitious journey.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inspired by the footsteps of the renowned naturalist Charles Darwin, the ship is on a mission to explore the planet\u2019s vast oceans, all while raising awareness about the need for environmental conservation. Departing from the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on November 15, my journey took me 1,100 nautical miles south to Punta del Este in Uruguay, a stretch of the South Atlantic Ocean that would become the stage for an eye-opening and life-changing experience.<\/p>\n

From mastering nautical terms to battling the elements on choppy seas, every moment on the 105-year-old vessel proved to be a test of resilience and a lesson in the art of sailing. \u00a0<\/p>\n

As I stepped aboard the Oosterschelde, a majestic vessel that has weathered the passage of time with grace, I was immediately immersed in a world of seafaring tradition. The ship\u2019s wooden deck creaked beneath my feet, and the salty breeze carried tales of maritime exploits from a bygone era.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Trading the glamour of a Canary Wharf high-rise \u2013 where you would usually find me \u2013 for the practicality of boat shoes and a rain mac, I soon discovered the true essence of life at sea.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The heart of this maritime odyssey lay not only in the challenging seafaring but also in the breathtaking encounters with the wonders of the ocean.<\/p>\n

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As the ship cut through the waves, I marvelled at the spectacle of humpback whales breaching on the horizon. Common dolphins playfully danced in the bow wave one scorching morning, creating a mesmerising display of agility and grace which felt like a reward after a tough few days at sea.<\/p>\n

Daily bird surveys became a ritual, led by the ship\u2019s resident ornithologist Grant Terrell \u2013 a crucial part of the Darwin 200 team, working tirelessly to collect data from some of the least visited parts of our world.<\/p>\n

The vastness of the South Atlantic Ocean revealed its hidden treasures \u2013 the elusive spectacled petrel made a cameo, and three magellanic penguins \u2013 a species I did not expect to see off the coast of Uruguay.<\/p>\n

Every day was a wildlife spectacle which captured the essence of the ship\u2019s mission: to explore, document, and understand the fragile ecosystems that inhabit our planet\u2019s waters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The true heroes of this seafaring saga were the dedicated crew members who worked day in and day out to keep the historic ship afloat. Whether it be navigating the intricate dance of rigging to maintaining the ship\u2019s integrity during storms, each crew member played a vital role in ensuring the success of the ship\u2019s journey.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m not shy of a challenge and on numerous occasions, I got stuck in and helped the ship\u2019s captain, Jan Willem, to steer the ship \u2013 a task which equally confused and excited me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During my time on board, I was introduced to a group of researchers committed to unravelling the mysteries of our ocean.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These scientists, including Grant, demonstrated an unwavering dedication to sustaining life on Earth and their efforts painted a picture of hope and determination in the face of mounting environmental challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One key study being undertaken during the landmark journey is one of microplastics which will see the Darwin 200 team trawling for plastic particles in ocean waters worldwide.<\/p>\n

Each water sample is filtered, and concentrations of microplastics are then studied, classified, and recorded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Live interaction maps will reveal concentrations of plastic pollution in real time along their voyage route and data interpretation lectures are beamed from the ship at key ports, usually taken by Darwin 200 founder Stewart McPherson. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Of the Darwin200 voyage he said: \u201cThis is about hope, it\u2019s about the future and it\u2019s about changing the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can solve things if we care. If we don\u2019t care, we won\u2019t, if we care, we do. It\u2019s binary. That\u2019s the whole point of it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darwin himself was only 22 when he stepped onto the HMS Beagle in 1831. He spent five years travelling around South America and the Pacific, reaching Australia and New Zealand before returning through the Atlantic to England.<\/p>\n

It was on this journey that the theory of evolution crystallised in the naturalist\u2019s mind \u2013 seeing rainforests for the first time in Brazil and unique species on the Galapagos Islands.<\/p>\n

His discoveries formed a large part of his landmark book On The Origin Of Species, which caused a monumental shift in how people understood the processes of the natural world after it was published in 1859.<\/p>\n