New Zealand – Aotearoa. We had made it.

The country furthest from the UK that we visited on the entire DARWIN200 voyage

In New Zealand, we welcomed another group of inspiring Darwin Leaders, engaging in a variety of projects from the bird life in the wetlands to the flora and fauna of the coastal waters.

For the Oosterschelde’s crew, this was a very busy port. After over a year of sailing, crossing two oceans and more than 20,000 miles, the Oosterschelde was due for a period of extended maintenance. From painting the ship, to repairing the sails, to checking the rigging.

This work was undertaken in the port of Whangārei, located just south of the Bay of Islands and surrounded by a stunning coastline.

After nearly a month of repairs and maintenance, the ship set sail to Auckalnd, ready to begin the next leg of the global voyage:

To Sydney, Australia.

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #aotearoa #newzealand # auckland #whangarei …

After weeks of sailing through some of the world’s most remote islands, we docked in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti and the bustling heart of French Polynesia.

With a population of around 30,000, Papeete might not seem huge by global standards but for us, after nearly 3 months away from mainland South America, it felt like a metropolis.

From the Galapagos and Easter Island, to Pitcairn and Mangareva, we’d grown used to the calm rhythm of island life. Small communities. Boundless nature. Time flowing differently.

It was a privilege to immerse ourselves in these places – learning from local conservation groups, observing the wildlife, and experiencing the rich diversity of island cultures.

But our time in Papeete didn’t last long, after restocking the ship with provisions, we set sail to explore more of the Society Islands, before sailing west toward our next destination: Rarotonga..

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney …

After setting sail from the Gambier Islands, we set course for Tahiti – through a region dotted with hundreds of islands and corals reefs

While these land masses can pose challenges for navigation, they also absorb ocean energy. Which for us meant some of the calmest and most beautiful sailing conditions of the entire voyage.
In fact, the conditions were so good that we would have arrived in Tahiti too early.

So with this extra time we took a detour to explore two extraordinary islands: Fakarava and Mo’orea.

Fakarava is a massive coral atoll and home to some of the richest underwater life we’ve ever witnessed.

Here we had the chance to scuba dive several times – not just to film the vibrant marine live but also to continue Maria’s coral reef transects.

The reefs were bursting with colour, teeming with life in every direction: from crabs and tiny reef fish, to turtles and sharks.What struck us most was the sheer density of life.

After Fakarava, we sailed to Mo’orea – a different but equally stunning island with jagged green peaks rising out of the sea.

Beneath the waves, Mo’orea still held plenty of marine life, but also signs of stress. Here we observed an abundance of crown-of-thorns starfish, which feed on coral as well as patches of bleaching and algae.

It was eye opening to see this comparison – the potential for a healthy reef and some of the threats they face in today’s changing world.

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney …

We mentioned that Pitcairn Island is one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth. To put that in context – the nearest other people are over 400 miles away, or in our case, a 3 day sail to our next destination in our recap: Mangereva, in the Gambier Islands.

Mangareva is an interesting place, though the community there is small, the local industry is global – this region is one of the world’s largest producers of the elusive and highly prized black pearl.

While here, Jut Wynne concluded the fieldwork portion of his Canoe Bug Hypothesis research by collecting his final samples around the Gambier Islands.

(stay tuned – we’ll be sharing some exciting content about this soon)

As Jut’s research chapter closed, we opened a new one. We welcomed Maria Bollerup, an expert diver, renowned for her expeditions exploring new underwater caves. She joined us here in Mangerva to continue a coral survey project first launched in Fernando de Noronha by Rannvá Jørmundsson.

In Mangerva, we had the opportunity to carry out coral transects beneath one of the black pearl farms – a rare opportunity to observe and document the reef health in this area of industry .

The goal of these coral transects is to establish baseline data so that we, or future researchers, can return to the exact sites in years to come and assess how the coral ecosystems have changed over time.

During our time in French Polynesia we continued these transects throughout the region, from the remote Fakarava atoll, to Mo’orea and Tahiti.

Of course, while undertaking these transects we were also able to document the spectacular underwater life, which you will see in upcoming posts!

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #mangareva …

The next leg of our voyage was a particularly exciting one as we had the opportunity to land at one of the most remote inhabited islands on the planet: Pitcairn Island..

Famous as the refuge of the Bounty mutineers, the island today is still home to a small community.

Due to being in the middle of the Pacific, large swells are common and landing on the island is not easy. Thankfully the locals know the waters very well and were able to safely ferry us from the Oosterschelde to the shore.

After clearing immigration, and getting a very unique stamp, we set off to explore.

Some wandered the town, while others hiked around the island trails.

For expedition entomologist Jut Wynne and a few enthusiastic voyage crew, this was a unique opportunity to conduct research: collecting invertebrates as part of his ongoing fieldwork to test the Canoe Bug Hypothesis.

This is the theory that ancient Polynesians may have inadvertently transported insects between islands inside plant gourds carried in their canoes.

After 2 unforgettable days on the island, we had to say our goodbyes.

The locals were incredibly generous, sending us off with a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables – much appreciated, as we were running low on board.

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #pitcairn …

After our time in the Galápagos, we made a detour from Charles Darwin’s original route aboard the Beagle.

Darwin sailed straight to Tahiti.

We, on the other hand, decided to take the scenic route.

From the Galápagos, we journeyed south to the remote island of Rapa Nui, followed by stops in Pitcairn, Mangareva, and then finally rejoining Darwin’s path in Tahiti.

Rapa Nui – or Easter Island – is located over 2000 miles from continental Chile. It is perhaps best known for its iconic Moai statues.
Did you know that all of these statues were carved from a single volcanic outcrop in the north of the island and then trasported over great distances across rugged terrain.

How this feat was done remains part of the island’s mystery.

But like many places we’ve visited, Easter Island also faces its own unique environmental challenges.

We had three Darwin Leaders here, each researching a different topic:
– The study of local bird life
– The regeneration of soils
– Plastic pollution on the shores of the island

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #rapanui #easterisland …

We had the fortune of spending 3 weeks in the Galápagos Islands

From the very beginning of this voyage, the Galápagos had loomed large in our minds.

In life, you sometimes set your expectations so high that you can become disappointed by even the extraordinary. But in the Galápagos, this couldn’t be further from our reality.

The islands are, by definition, extraordinary.. Everywhere you look, nature takes centre stage – not only physically, but in the minds and hearts of the people who live there.

Sea lions on benches, marine iguanas basking on the shore, sharks circling the ship at night.

Every moment here felt special.

From welcoming 11 inspiring young conservationists – each working on fascinating projects with local NGOs. To hosting Galapagos schoolchildren aboard the Oosterschelde, to sailing beneath the iconic Bartolomé Island.

This was a true highlight of the voyage.

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #galápagos #evolution #wildlife #conservation …

The Galápagos Islands are perhaps the most iconic location in Charles Darwin’s journey, and arguably the most influential in shaping his theory of evolution by natural selection.

These islands captivated Darwin, and they continue to captivate the world today.

The Galápagos are the epitome of a wildlife mecca.

Nowhere else do species exist with such bold adaptations, shaped by their isolation and environment, in such close proximity and abundance.

Of course, this was one of the most anticipated destinations of the entire DARWIN200 voyage. We were retracing Darwin’s footsteps, literally, sailing into the same archipelago that help transform how humanity sees the natural world.

Darwin was astonished by the wildlife, writing:
“Extreme tameness…is common to all the terrestrial species…A gun is here superfluous; for with the muzzle I pushed a hawk off the branch of a tree.”

Rather comical, but also incredibly accurate.

Shortly after arriving we noticed an otherworldly feeling in the Galápagos, a place where, for the most part, nature rules.

And, while we didn’t go around prodding hawks, we would notice that if you were still and didn’t move, many of the animals would come up to you. They were just as curious about us.

Stayed tuned to see what we got up to in the Galápagos.

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #Galápagos #galapagosislands …

Peru is one of the most ecologically and geographically diverse countries on Earth – and it provided the perfect backdrop for one of our most epic weeks of Darwin Leader projects.

The Oosterschelde was based in the small coastal town of Ancón, near Lima. But to truly capture Peru’s stunning variety, our 6 Darwin Leaders travelled far and wide across the country.

From studying birdlife in the high-altitude region of Cusco, to researching manta rays along the northern coast, to exploring the rich plant diversity of the Amazon, each team was immersed in a completely different environment.

What made this week so unique was the sheer scope of it.

During most Darwin Leader weeks, the teams usually work in the same region. So while the conservation topic may be completely different, the environment and some challenges may be shared. But in Peru, when we all came together at the end of the week, it felt like we had travelled to six different countries.

The diversity of wildlife, climate, landscape, and conservation was astonishing.

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney #peru …

At the heart of conservation are people.

Here at DARWIN200, we talk a lot about nature, wildlife, and science. But what truly drives conservation forward – what brings hope – are the people behind it.

Everywhere we go, whether it’s Cape Verde, Fiji, or Valparaíso, we meet passionate individuals from all walks of life and cultures. Despite their differences , they share one common goal: protecting our natural world. This goes for the conservation orgnaistaions and each and evey Darwin Leader. We are always inspired by the drive and passion of these people.

We visit these places to learn about local conservation work. But one of the joys of this travel is exploring new corners of the world, experiencing landscapes, communities and cities that are entirely new to us.

Few cities have captured our imagination quite like Valparaíso, Chile.

Colourful, bustling, creative – Valparaíso pulses with energy and character. Charles Darwin himself was taken by its charm, calling it “the jewel of the Pacific”

#darwin200reflections #darwin200 #oosterschelde #charlesdarwin #worldvoyage #historicjourney …