About the event

Marine survey days are an opportunity to learn about the wildlife that calls the Cumbrian coast its home, and to take part in vital data collection, which helps to inform researchers, decision makers, and conservationists, about the flora and fauna found on our shorelines, and flag any potential issues which could be damaging them!

From September 2023, the survey days have been led by our fantastic team of “Marine Champions”- dedicated local volunteers, who’ve been trained in the survey methods used, the species we’re likely to find and how to identify new and unknown species, and everything involved with keeping a group safe on the shore and the clifftops!

Timings for the day:

SeaWatch: 10:00 – 12:00

ShoreSearch: 13:00 – 16:00

What happens in a marine survey day?

Each survey day consists of two halves, which may take place in either order depending on the tides that day:

Shoresearch: at low tide we do a rocky shore survey, where we lay a transect and along the shore, and do 12 randomly placed quadrats recording all of the species found in each. Depending how quickly we get this part done, we can also do extra rocky shore surveys including a walkover, where we record every species we can find within a set area, and timed species searches, where we spend 10 minutes hunting for specific indicators which tell us about the health of the habitat, the impacts of climate change, and the spread of invasive species. This survey is over rough, uneven, slippy terrain, and requires a reasonable level of physical fitness and mobility.

Seawatch: at high tide (or at least when the tide is too high for us to stay on the shore), we go somewhere high up and do a land-based dolphin survey, where we look out to see and record signs of dolphins, seals, porpoises, and any other “megafauna”- or large animals, which we can see. This section is stationary, and often wheelchair accessible, but please contact the organiser in advance to let them know of your accessibility needs.

The two halves of the survey day are often in slightly different locations, but the day will usually include a break to eat some lunch, run around to warm up if it’s chilly, and travel to the next location.

What to bring:

1. Dress for the weather; if it is cold bring warm clothes, waterproofs, and plenty of layers. If it’s warm, bring sunhat, suncream, and cooler clothes to protect yourself from the heat.
2. Plenty of drinks and snacks, water or hot flasks, and packed lunch; it’s tiring out on the shore, so make sure you bring lots of fuel to keep yourself going!
3. Grippy, stable, shoes: regardless of the weather, the rocks can be very slippy. Please wear grippy shoes such as wellies, trainers, or walking boots, to help you to stay safe as you move around on them.
4. If you have your own binoculars or coastal ID resources, please bring them along. We will also have equipment and materials to give out, but extras are always useful!

Please note: these survey days are volunteer-led, so you will not receive a specific briefing email before the event. Please read all of the information provided carefully, and make sure you arrive on time at the meeting point to join in. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Cumbria Wildlife Trust and we will pass on messages to our volunteers.

See you on the shore!