A TEENAGER from Malvern is going on the voyage of a life time, recreating one of Charles Darwin's iconic journeys.

Ross Phipps Coltman, from Malvern, has joined the crew of the tall ship Pelican of London for the first half of a two month voyage circumnavigating the UK led by explorer Stewart McPherson.

This is in preparation for the 2021 Darwin200 global voyage to follow Charles Darwin's journey on HMS Beagle, which is aimed to mobilise passion, enthusiasm and hope to inspire greater care for the natural world.

Mr Coltman spent his 18th birthday this week on the ship. As well as stopping in the Scilly Isles, the Pelican will call into key ports along the route.

He said: "I was lucky to take part in the Tall Ships race last year from Aalborg to Fredrikstad and have a passion for Tall Ships and sailing. I am very excited to be part of this adventure of a lifetime."

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Mr Coltman, who has just left Hanley Castle High school, will receive his A-level results while on the voyage.

He will continue his love of the sea by taking up a place in the Merchant Navy on his return.

Led by members of Plymouth University, there will be projects to investigate a range of ocean health indicators from whale and dolphin watching, hydrophones and plankton trawls, to conductivity and temperature monitoring and the huge issue of ocean plastic pollution and microplastics,.

There will be a whole team of camerapeople on board who will capture all the adventures on deck, underwater, and with drones.

Follow Ross and the team on Facebook (@Darwin2002021), on Twitter and Instagram (@Darwin200_) and on YouTube (Darwin200), as well as using #Darwin200.

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The tall ship Pelican has its own website – https://www.adventureundersail.com/ – and social media pages that will also share parts of the journey.

The second voyage of HMS Beagle, from December 27, 1831 to October 2, 1836, was the second survey expedition of HMS Beagle.

At the age of 22, the young Charles Darwin hoped to see the tropics before becoming a parson, and accepted the opportunity.

By the end of the expedition, Darwin had already made his name as a geologist and fossil collector, and the publication of his journal, which became known as The Voyage of the Beagle, gave him wide renown as a writer.