Ocean mapping expedition boat to depart Cape Town

A 33M-long Swiss Fleur de Passion sail-boat will set sail tomorrow from Cape Town towards St-Helena island, Dakar and ultimately Seville as part of a four-and-a-half-years journey around the world.

The Ocean Mapping Expedition “In the Wake of Ferdinand Magellan” combines science, education, and culture. The crew has been in Cape Town for two and a half months.

The Fleur de Passion crew last visited the city in April 2015.

Geneva-based Foundation Pacifique and the crew of Fleur de Passion will hold a farewell ceremony today at 4pm at the V&A Waterfront.

“In this event to celebrate a twoand-a-half-month stopover in Cape Town, the Flag for the Oceans will be lifted up during the ceremony and proudly waved as the boat will be sailing away the next day,” said one of the foundation members, Simon Sutton.

The flag was manufactured after a 12-year-old from Cape Town, Ana, won the first prize in a contest organised in January.

This was during outreach activities proposed to the public by the expedition to raise awareness about sustainable development issues.

Ana and the other winners of the contest received their prizes from Swiss Federal Councillor (minister) for Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, who was on an official visit to South Africa at the time.

“The Ocean Mapping Expedition is aimed at getting exposure so that people can get more information about us, and what we really do.

“We’re going to have a wonderful evening,” said Sutton.