A Sea Champion Out of Water

Kay getting seaweed savvy out on the shore

Here at MCS we get approached all the time by people who live nowhere near the sea but still want to volunteer with us. Can they still become a Sea Champion, they ask? And if they did, what could they do? Well, the answer is YES you can and there's lots to do no matter how far from the sea you are. Kay one of our Bristol Sea Champions wondered those very things and here's what she's been up to. 

With a passion for the sea and all things marine, I enthusiastically signed up to become a Marine Conservation Society Sea Champion. A dose of reality then set in. I live in Bristol which is not on the coast and lacks beaches and rock pools to explore, so was this really a good idea?

I have spent the last year involved in a number of marine themed activities from dressing up at local events, to promoting MCS, to finding a dead ray on a stretch of coast one weekend.

Here are some of the things that you can do which can involve friends, your work place or simply using the power of one - you:

Find out if your Council has a ban on releases of balloons and sky lanterns on their land via this list. If not, get campaigning for a ban locally.  There is loads of useful info and resources on the MCS Don’t Let Go website, including alternative ideas for celebrations and commemorations.

With the increased awareness of plastic pollution you could link in with local environmental groups such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and animal welfare organisations such as the RSPCA. You can show your support by signing the pledge page to show your support for a local ban and then share with your friends on social media.

Set aside some time even if only once a month to spend a day at the weekend exploring your nearest bit of coast. Take part in a MCS wildlife sightings survey for jellyfish, turtles, basking sharks or alien species – all on the website. Or just wander, explore, take photos and see what you find.

Find out the  Sea Champions nearest to you from your regional Volunteer Manager and meet up to discuss what you can do locally – a great excuse for a coffee and cake or even something stronger!

Kay meeting up with some other Sea Champions in Bristol

Learning more about all things marine can give you the confidence to inform people about what is going on in our marine environment. Future Learn do a free online course on Monitoring the Oceans from Space.

Grab a coffee, sit down and listen to one of the podcasts about the sea and all things marine that are out there. Ocean currents or the BBC Blue Planet podcasts.

Why not take up the Plastic Challenge and see if you can get your workplace/local school involved.

It's also always worth checking out the current MCS campaigns page as there are lots of different ways you can get involved listed on there. 

Kay dressed as MCS's Larry the Lobster helping out at the Bristol Festival of Nature

So the answer is yes you can be a Sea Champion and get active without living near the coast but a word of warning – as you start doing things you will find you want to do more and more!