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All hail the wonderful Velvet Swimming Crab. I have to extend an apology to this fabulous scavenger species because when asked about it yesterday, despite me knowing otherwise I declared it was a filter feeder - with those claws? Silly me. But anyway, respect to you and all the bits & pieces of wildlife you nibble underwater & in rockpools around the UK!!

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Springwatch

Fabulous report on Springwatch tonight all about our marine life. Beautiful shots of the humpback whales & don't those "banana pingers" sound like a great device (electronic devices that make noises that scare dolphins & porpoises away from nets)? 💙🐳🐬🐋

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My birthday treat - diving with the magical Mantas off the Azores July 2016

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“My Marine Wildlife Experience”

Well, with a title of “My Marine Wildlife Experience” one might think I am going to just write an account of me and my connections with the marine natural world.  Well, yes I am, but part of being me Helen Mitchem, is that I love engaging and inspiring others.  Therefore this overall blog of mine, which I only started on Friday 2nd June,  already features information about campaigns, it features a new You Tube series “Seawatch” made by myself and my neighbour’s daughter; it features images from my dive club and important information about vital marine campaigns and initiatives. And for those people who don’t know me yet, hello, welcome and thanks for dropping by into Helen’s Seaworld!

So, let’s go back………….my marine wildlife experience started, like most people’s did in my childhood, with annual visits to my grandparents on the south coast.  So, in between spending my pennies in Boscombe pier I spent time rockpooling with my Granpa; exploring places like Chesil Beach and Brownsea Island and kayaking with my dad and brothers on our family holidays.   I now fully appreciate the fabulous connections I made to nature and the marine world at a young age and this helps me in my current work by understanding the need to help children who may not get out and about and explore the countryside so much nowadays.  So this is why I am a passionate Beach and Forest School leader (more about that later!).

As a child I loved drawing and here is a Father’s Day card I made for my dad about 30 years ago – I love the details I have added to this wonderful marine ecosystem -  like the basking shark about to scoop up and filter-eat the krill!!

So I rekindled my interest in the marine world when I went to Salford…………now how many other people can / will say that? Well I like being different!  But actually, my link to the sea from Salford arose because I joined a scuba-diving club, I became a member of BSAC (the British Sub Aqua Club); I learned how to jump in and never looked back!  Nearly 20 years on, I am a BSAC Advanced Diver and Open Water Instructor, with the University of Nottingham Sub Aqua Club – you can’t live much further than the sea Helen, yet you still manage to dive and help others to dive too!!

I have now spent a whole week (168 hours) of my life underwater, so I would like to officially say I am a mermaid (with the aid of SCUBA equipment!).  

Last summer I travelled to the Azores for my birthday, to dive with Blue Sharks (I am a huge shark fan).  However, sadly due to overfishing and sharks becoming by-catch, the numbers of blue sharks in the Azores has dramatically reduced over recent years.  My friends who run the Twin Peaks dive school there have witnessed this and despite their best efforts, I was unable to dive with the gorgeous blue sharks this time round.  However, I did get to dive with Manta Rays, this was my birthday treat and if you read my dive log below, you can see how excited I was and how fabulous an experience it was!  I have posted a film above this article – I know it’s not UK Sea-searching but still I wanted to share my magical experience with you via film

Beach Schools (what’s that I hear you cry?)

I became a Forest School leader back in 2012 because I worked in forestry and I realised how special it would be to bring the woods to children in for example urban areas, where they may not often get to experience the wonders of the woods.  A year or so later I hear about a less-well known but similar style of outdoor learning called Beach Schools, based around the same principles of child-led regular outdoor education sessions, on the beach. So I jumped at the chance and undertook the Beach School leader course down in Norfolk.  Here I am on the course, exactly 4 years ago this week!

I ran my trial sessions on Dunwich beach in Suffolk. then regular sessions with my Sister in law and my nieces and their friends on the beautiful beach in Tarifa, Southern Spain.  We called our club, Starfish and it is still running today in the summer! 

Within this post I have tried to demonstrate how I have used my knowledge, passion and skills to inspire and involve others in marine conservation and learning.  I have tried to briefly indicate some of the reasons I am passionate about conserving and protecting the marine environment.  I feel I have been lucky enough to be a part of this special world as a diver and I believe everyone deserves this treat and I am an active member of BSAC, organising and offering “Try Dives” to groups such as the Guides:

I believe as well as the seas being “there” for humans to enjoy; work on and in and undertake recreation in; marine ecosystems and every individual creature within the sea is special and the seas deserves a dedicated person (and team) to work diligently to save and promote them.  The Wildlife Trust’s Living Seas team does a fantastic job already and if you just need 1 final piece of the jigsaw to complete an awesome team then I believe that is me (and that would wrap up my marine experience story very well too!) thanks for reading!

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Me sailing my way to find Manta Rays in the Azores (ok I know its not the UK, sorry!)

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Been reading about the RSPB’s project puffin today, it reminded me of my visit to the Shetlands 5 years ago and how much I enjoyed spending the afternoon in the company of these wonderful birds

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Half way round the world & I've found your starry pictures on Tumblr Daniel, brilliant 👍🏼 keep posting

Location: Queensland, Australia Photo: Daniel Gaussen

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This page from the Wildlife Trust’s Living Seas page explains the pressures on the UK seas from industry, including construction; marine leisure and fossil fuel extraction. The Wildlife Trusts work incredibly hard to ensure wildlife is protected both around industrial areas and when new industry is planned.

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Welcome to Seawatch episode 2 where Helen talks about Basking Sharks (Ceterorhinus maximus)

http://saveourseas.com/project/britains-basking-sharks/

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You’ve probably heard of and watched Springwatch, well this is “Seawatch” - episode 1, with your incredible reporters Helen and Savannah. Today we are reporting on the threats the fishing industry is placing on our Living Seas and ways we can help reduce the damage. Also some shark identification!!

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I’ve been searching for who is talking / tweeting about Marine Conservation Zones and am glad to see all the discussions on Twitter about the UK’s “Blue Belt”! It’s great to know so many people care and aren’t just talking about Britain’s Got Talent!!

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Let’s bring our seas back to life!  You & your friends can sign up to become Friends of MCZs (Marine Conservation Zones).  The Wildlife Trusts have encouraged 9256 to become friends, shall we try and make this up to 10,000? Please share and like and join :-) In previous years the government have designated 50 MCZs between 2013 and 2016 and another set/tranche will be designated by 2018.  Keep aware and stay involved

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Basking sharks are the biggest fish in our (UK) seas and are absolutely incredible. I have been lucky enough to have been graced by their presence on a diving trip to the Isle of Man many years ago.  A female and young one (still enormous!) swam past our boat and we grabbed our fins and snorkels and jumped into the water and spent time with this gentle giants.  

My sighting was before the Basking Shark project set up their “sightings database” but if you are at the sea and are lucky enough to see a basker, please visit this website and record it.  As that annoying supermarket says, “Every Little Helps” - well, every sighting helps!  Basking sharks are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red list so its really useful for scientists to know where they have been spotted and you can be part of that research!

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Beachcombing = one of the best activities you can undertake as a child, with a a group of children or as an adult & with adults (why should children have all the fun?!) when you have access to a beach.  I am a BSAC Instructor and I can and will happily take groups of children out beachcombing.  

I am also a Beach School leader (following the principles of Forest school = child led learning, building self esteem & encouraging interaction with nature), so do get in contact if you would like to learn how you can inspire your children/your pupils to be the lifeboat women/men; captains; divers; fishermen / women of the future, thanks

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So I am a follower of the Shark Research Institute and even though I may not be lucky enough to be in New York this weekend I thought I would post this anyway, just in case I can inspire you to be there! 

The Ocean March sounds a great idea: 

OCEAN MARCH: A first-of-its-kind parade of large and small boats on the water in New York Harbor - A statement of unity for the ocean.

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I know this page is called UK-Seasearcher, but sometimes i’m allowed to go overseas and last july I went to the Azores which was quite like the UK in terms of wildlife, but much warmer water!! Beautiful diving, beautiful marine creatures.

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I used to work at Lush Nottingham and I loved the fact that their fabulous glitter in all their beautiful bath bombs (and other products) was not bad for any marine creatures when it went down the plughole: “Of all the glitter and lustre that flows out through your bathroom, some of which may make its way back to the ocean, it will all be harmless for the environment, and stand against child labour” Their Big Blue bath bomb is filled with sea salt and sea weed and is amazingly good for aching muscles after a hard day’s diving / working!