Wet, wild and wonderful
We often forget that our green and pleasant land is actually
an island and surrounded by wonderful seas, which need caring for and conserving
as much (if not more) than terra firma.
Celebrations
To celebrate all things marine The Wildlife Trusts organise
National Marine Week which to take into account tide times around the country
actually runs for 15 fun-filled days from 27 July to 11 August. The various county Wildlife Trusts are
putting on events and activities some of them are inland as well! You can go on a rockpool ramble, take a boat
cruise for some wildlife watching, go on a snorkel safari, learn to identify
dolphin and whales and so much more….
Dive in
If you decide to discover fascinating fossils (Norfolk Wildlife Trust)
look out ammonite hildoceras, named
after St Hilda who built her abbey on the cliffs above of the town of the white
(meaning pure probably), now called Whitby and just down the hill from us. It's said that, like St Patrick, she cast out
all the snakes that swarmed over her chosen abbey site turning them to stone as
they tumbled over the high cliffs, their petrified heads breaking off as they
hit the solid wave cut stone platform below, although there a few examples in
Whitby of the snakes still with their heads!
And learn a thing or two
As part of Marine Week The Wildlife Trusts are launching a
new version of their Shoresearch citizen science project with the aim of
collecting data to help experts monitor our fragile sea life and better
understand the effects of pollution, climate change and invasive alien
species. By standardising the collection
methodology species records can be compared and change can be monitored. Anyone can get involved by attending a free
Shoresearch event where they will be trained to identify and record intertidal
plants and animals and their habitats.
Find out more at www.wildlifetrusts.org/shoresearch.
Three things
Whether you're visiting the coast, live by the sea or inland
there are lots of things you do to reduce the impact of our everyday
lives. The Trusts are recommending three
simple Actions you can take:
- Pick up litter: I know it's so simple, everyone can do it wherever they are, the more that's binned properly the less likely it is to affect our wildlife or end up in the sea. For more coast related specific direct action there are often regular beach cleans run by the Trusts and others.
- Use less plastic: not always easy and annoyingly frequently more expensive than plastic free options, but the less we use, the less there is to deal with later on.
- Watch what you wash: this one's not so obvious but some cosmetics, soaps, washing-up liquids and cleaning products can be harmful to wildlife with long-lasting effects.
Check the tides!
If you miss one of the organised events (or find they're
already fully booked) and decide to strike out on your own please remember to check
the tide times. We don't want you to
have to call out the magnificent RNLI to rescue rock poolers so engrossed in
their crab and anemone discoveries that suddenly the water is lapping round
their ankles and the slipway off the beach is round the headland which is now
being battered by waves. (Can you tell we live in a seaside resort?)
The Met Office produce specialist forecasts including tide
times for most of our beaches, simply type in where you're going and the clever
site suggests which beach and then presents you with the weather predictions
and those all important high and low tide times.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/beach-forecast-and-tide-times
Help with research
If you've enjoyed your time on the beach and want to do more
for our coast and seas there are surveys (like Shoresearch and Seawatch's dolphin
and whale watches) going on all year round, see those currently needing your
records and assistance here: https://www.countryside-jobs.com/workdays/surveys/fish
Or perhaps you've been inspired (or horrified) and are thinking
of something more permanent then start here: https://www.countryside-jobs.com/marine-coastal
to see what resources are available to help your oceanographic career
aspirations.
Other useful resources:
Dive in to Scotland’s Living Seas! Scottish Wildlife Trust'ssnorkel trails.
Explore Marine Protected areas around Scotland with the
Scotland's Living Seas interactive map.