Harnessing the Wind: The Revolutionary Pyxis Ocean

Wonderful news for all Ocean Ambassadors.

In a landmark moment for sustainable shipping, the Pyxis Ocean has embarked on its maiden voyage, marking a significant step towards decarbonizing maritime transport. This Mitsubishi Corporation cargo ship, managed by shipping giant Cargill, has been retrofitted with groundbreaking WindWings technology, developed by the UK's BAR Technologies and produced by Yara Marine.

These colossal wing sails, towering up to 37.5 meters, promise to slash fuel consumption by an average of 30% on new builds, potentially even more when paired with alternative fuels. Installed at China's Cosco shipyard, these WindWings are not just about fuel efficiency; they represent a bold stride in the maritime industry's quest for sustainability.

Cargill's Ocean Transportation President Jan Dieleman underscores the initiative's significance, acknowledging the challenges and excitement in the journey towards a greener future. This initiative, part of the EU-funded CHEK Horizon 2020 project, aims to provide a practical solution for reducing the carbon footprint of existing vessels, which is crucial considering that over half of the world's bulk carriers are less than a decade old.

As the Pyxis Ocean ventures through the seas, its performance will be meticulously monitored. The insights gained will be invaluable for refining the WindWings technology and promoting its wider adoption, not just within Cargill's fleet but across the global maritime industry.

This endeavor represents more than just an innovation in maritime technology. It's a revival of wind power in shipping, a sustainable leap forward fueled by modern technological advances and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions. As BAR Technologies CEO John Cooper states, wind power offers a nearly cost-free fuel alternative, opening up possibilities for significant emission reductions and operational cost savings.

As we watch the Pyxis Ocean's journey, we're witnessing a pivotal moment in maritime history, where the winds of change are powering not just sails but a sustainable future for our planet.

For more details on this groundbreaking development, check out the full article here.

The Brave Swimmer - Congratulations Felix.

Ocean Ambassadors Founder Felix completed the Salcombe Harbour Swim earlier in the year.

Felix says “I’ve just completed a long,  tough swim very early yesterday morning. Makes one proud of our Ocean and involved . “

Congratulations Felix!

"The Brave Swimmer"

In waters deep and vast,

A swimmer sets his path.

With every stroke, he shows his might,

Against the waves, a valiant fight.

Bold and strong, against the tide,

A story of courage, in every stride.

Not just a swim, but a journey true,

Where dreams are alive, and skies are blue.

For in the ocean, grand and free,

Lies the spirit of what one can be.

A swimmer's challenge, a test of will,

Shows the fire that time can't still.

It's more than water, more than a swim,

It's a tale of resilience, of going out on a limb.

So here's to the founder, with spirit so grand,

Who took to the ocean, and made his stand.

Learning and Growing: The Seaful Journey with the Ocean Ambassadors Peer to Peer Pilot

Cal and Lorna from Seaful along side Tom from North Sands Water Sports talking with pupils from Salcombe Primary School.

I'm thrilled to share our journey with the recent Ocean Ambassadors and Seaful collaboration, Peer to Peer Pilot. We ran this with Salcombe Primary School.

The goal was simple yet ambitious: to foster a deeper ocean connection among young people and identify potential Seaful Ambassadors. We had some fantastic activities, from classroom workshops to beach workshops and stand-up paddleboarding sessions. The enthusiasm of the kids, their understanding of the ocean, and their eagerness to engage were truly heartwarming.

However, as often happens in life, things didn't go exactly as planned. Despite the enthusiasm, we found that our objectives weren't fully met. But here's the twist - this 'setback' became a catalyst for something even more exciting!

We realised that while these young students had a good understanding of the ocean, their existing connection to it meant they didn't fully grasp the deeper aims of our project. This insight was invaluable. It led us to rethink our approach and audience for the Ambassador programme, shifting our focus to a slightly different demographic who might not have such direct access to the ocean.

While we didn't hit all our targets, this pilot was a stepping stone towards our new Youth Ambassador programme.

This pivot is exciting! We're now exploring partnerships with organisations to bring the beauty and importance of our oceans to a wider audience. The learnings from this pilot are shaping a programme that's more impactful and far-reaching.

So, although we didn't achieve what we initially set out to, we've gained something much more significant: knowledge, direction, and the drive to make our Youth Ambassador programme a beacon of hope and change as well as bringing to fun and education to the children of Salcombe.

A huge shoutout to everyone at Salcombe Primary School, our volunteers especially Tom at North Sands Water Sports , and the Seaful team for making this pilot a memorable one.

Assessment of locally available processed lignocellulosic biomass fibres for natural remediation of oil spillage

Project:

Assessment of locally available processed lignocellulosic biomass fibres for natural remediation of oil spillage including restoration of coastal/marine environment and reuse of the waste oil-contaminated biomass for energy production.

Overview:

Bio-based absorbent materials have recently been given focused attention for oil spill recovery application as cheap eco-friendly and effective resources compared to the use of non-biodegradable expensive oil-based synthetic polymers and less efficient mineral materials.

The overriding aim of this study is thus to assess the application of selected locally available lignocellulosic biomass fibres (Arundo Donax/Fatak compared to Sugarcane Agricultural Residues and bamboo) for absorption of oil and its contaminants in oil spilled areas/waters.

The potential application of such natural remediation technique would prospectively restore the marine environment and habitats in the oil spilled areas, while the waste oil-contaminated biomass can be suitably collected and reused for energy/electricity generation as a cheap economic means for its proper end-use disposal.

Following the MV Wakashio oil spill in Mauritius, a preliminary oil spill absorption test undertaken with Arundo Donax fibres (prepared biomass and bagged) at Vieux Grand Port (Figures 1-6) gave a promising empirical outcome of 3 kg oil sorption capacity per kg of biomass, while literature indicates that the oil sorption capacity can be as high as 5-6 kg/kg biomass with such fibres. This study is thus geared towards investigating and suitably preparing the biomass fibres (size, moisture and porous microstructures) including the biomass holding bags (or ‘pillows’) and determining the retention time in light-to-heavy contaminated oil areas for optimal oil sorption and its contaminants. The reuse of the waste biomass, enriched with the absorbed carbon from the oil, would be assessed for its energy/electricity generation potential as a simple and easy disposal cheap option at the end of the biomass lifetime.

Wakashio oil spill emergency intervention at Mauritius disaster site

Two years completed the validation research for the oil absorption solution and final report submitted to the MRIC in April 2023

Mauritius Innovative Research Council Award Ceremony in 2021

This project research was undertaken in collaboration with the University of Mauritius and the Mauritius Research Innovative Council.

The project initiative was supported by Alex Hunt, Technical Manager with ITOPF (www.itopf.org) and Pierre Fallavier of the UNDP.

View Laurent de Morelos profile here.

www.equilibregroup.com

Deepening Our Connection with Nature: A Focus on Oceans and Waterways with Gabe Hearnshaw

Gabe Hearnshaw is a distinguished nature and conservation photographer with a specific affinity for the vast expanses of our oceans. A firm believer in the transformative power of the natural world, Gabe has dedicated the last few years to the exploration and preservation of our marine environments.

He is a seasoned photographer, a proficient free diver, a PADI-certified scuba diver, and a newly trained snorkelling instructor. Inspired by Ocean Ambassador Cal Major's SUP adventures, Gabe has recently ventured into the realm of paddleboarding, further enhancing his relationship with the world's waterways.

Gabe's passion transcends the boundaries of exploration and conservation; he is also deeply committed to supporting individuals in their mental health journey. His past role as an on-call firefighter, where he served as a TRiM practitioner, has given him firsthand insight into the importance of mental well-being. Now, he uses his experiences as an Ambassador for Seaful Charity, using his mesmerising underwater photography as a therapeutic tool for managing his mental health and as a way for others to establish a deep connection with water.

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Through Seaful, Gabe provides workshops designed to introduce participants to the power of underwater photography. He creates a space for personal growth and exploration and fosters a greater appreciation for our crucial water ecosystems. By sharing his passion for the oceans, Gabe continues to inspire us all to forge a stronger bond with the natural world around us.

You can see some of Gabe’s work on the Seaful Instagram here and also we are featuring one of his images here.

Follow Gabe on Instagram: @Gabehearnshawnature

Marine Acoustic Monitoring with WhaleWise, coverage by the BBC

Over the summer Ocean Ambassador Oliver Beardon and his sailing yacht Merlin has been working with scientists from the University of Edinburgh and charity WhaleWise on a marine acoustic monitoring project in the Western Isles.

The aim of the project seeks to understand more about the diversity of species, the health of underwater ecosystems, and the impact of man made noise on them by analysing recordings from the hydrophone.

Oliver welcomed the BBC onboard who captured some of the action and covered this groundbreaking project. The coverage was aired on BBC Scotland and nationally on BBC Two recently.

Oliver says:

This is very important work and groundbreaking science, so I and Sail Britain will be supporting the project further next year as we build upon what we learnt this year.

If you would like to see the programme here is the link to the iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001cwfn/landward-2022-episode-16

For information and to find out about sailing on Merlin please visit www.sailbritain.org

1,339 nautical miles for Sail Britain's 'Merlin'

After 1,339 nautical miles sailed, the good ship Merlin and crew have arrived in Scotland!!

It’s been an eventful voyage since leaving Ipswich. We’ve seen half the UK’s stunning coastline, been surrounded by wildlife - whales, seabirds, seals, and dolphins making trails of bioluminescence, explored remote bays and bustling harbours and had some brilliant sailing.

The reason we called it Sail Britain is that there is so much to see and explore in this stunning archipelago. And this, our longest voyage yet, has totally hit that home.

Arriving back in the Western Isles has been a homecoming of sorts, as this is where our ocean-going

projects started back in 2018. Sail Britain has always pioneered interdisciplinary projects, and in particular, working with artists on ocean engagement.

This year we are particularly happy to be running the third season of the Life of Islands Residency. Led by artist and musician Laura Copsey, the residency explores ‘Islandness’, the special nature of islands, their cultural identity, and what they can teach us on the mainland about alternative societies.

Islands are of course intimately connected to the ocean. You need to cross it to access them, and again to return to the mainland. This isolation makes the limited resources available precious, and as a result, their populations highly aware of their impact. Whether this is electricity supply which may be from renewables, or issues with waste disposal, life on islands can show us how little we need to survive, not how much. In some ways this echoes what we find on the boat where power and water are precious and finite. It’s a good exercise in sustainable living!

During this week, we have been visiting people in remote communities learning about their lives, their connection with nature, and the lessons remote places can teach us about living in balance with the environment. We’ve also been learning about the unique ecology of these places, often home to species found in few other places. And of course we have the magic of travelling under sail. Our crew needs to work fluently together and learn to rely upon each other to tackle the challenge of safely navigating sometimes stormy seas, and the way this brings us together as a team never ceases to amaze. Seeing how friendships and inspiration develop as a result is a constant joy.

Merlin has four weeks left of the summer season before winter maintenance begins, and a new season of ocean engagement is planned. We are grateful and inspired by the support and encouragement from everyone we work with in our mission to inspire positive change for the oceans.

To find out more about Sail Britain visit www.sailbritain.org

Blog by Oliver Beardon

Scientists team up to explore Britain's underwater sea sounds

The underwater sounds of Britain’s coastline, from Land’s End to the Outer Hebrides, will be investigated through a collaboration between a team of experts and people on board Sail Britain’s expedition yacht Merlin, this summer.

The research, led by the University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with Sail Britain and Whale Wise will use affordable listening devices, called AudioMoths, to listen to the sounds, produced by a myriad of marine animals - which can reflect the health of an ecosystem.

Merlin’s interdisciplinary crew, captained by Oliver Beardon, will be joined by environmental, cultural and creative people to improve their ocean literacy, undertake citizen science, and explore our relationship with the sea.

Merlin is a fantastic platform for marine research as she carries scientific equipment and creates an educational space for all who come aboard, including artists. This year, the University of Edinburgh and Whale Wise - a small charity dedicated to marine mammal research - will make the most of this potential.

Coastal ecosystems are both identified and influenced by the different types and diversity of sound and an increasing human contribution to this ‘soundscape’, from boat traffic to oil and gas exploration, may limit an ecosystem’s ability to flourish or recover. For now, the aims of this exploratory project are simple. Can we use emerging acoustic technology to monitor underwater ecosystems, and what can this tell us about their health?

The research is being led by Dr Laurence De Clippele at the University of Edinburgh and PhD student Tom Grove. They said: “We will use AudioMoths to record underwater soundscapes, logging what animals we can hear, from whales to fish and crustaceans. By answering these questions, we hope to inform more long-term monitoring in the future.”

Merlin will set sail from Lymington on May 7th and make its way along the west coast of Britain, exploring the west of Scotland between July and September.

Caption: Merlin at St Austell Bay. Credit: Oliver Beardon

Contacts

Sail Britain

Email: info@sailbritain.org

Website: www.sailbritain.org

Instagram: instagram.com/sailbritain

Facebook: facebook.com/SailBritain

Twitter: twitter.com/SailBritainCP

University of Edinburgh

Email: Laurence.de.clippele@ed.ac.uk

Website:

https://changingoceans.com/

https://www.ed.ac.uk/geosciences/research/institutes-centres/institutes/global-change/oceans-past-climate

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LDeClippele

https://twitter.com/changing_oceans

Whale Wise

Email: info@whalewise.org

Website: www.whalewise.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/whalewise

Facebook:www.facebook.com/whalewise

Twitter: twitter.com/WhaleWiseLive

Wayfinding in the Westfjords—Launched!

Ocean Ambassadors would like to congratulate Henry Fletcher on the launch of his four-part, dual language guide to the Westfjords of Iceland, completed in collaboration with Jay Simpson. 

The four parts, together forming a beautiful art-ecology compendium, are as follows: 

Wayfinding in the Westfjords

Notes on Ecology

Notes on Walking

Westfjords Trails Map

This link provides an overview of each component part, and the project as a whole. 

On receiving the books from the printers in Italy, Henry had this say: 

“Words, thoughts in one’s head tend to be a little unreal until voiced, given form and molded by the medium into which they fall. Half the books we’ve printed have arrived in the UK, receiving them, ripping open the pallet and cardboard boxes they’re stored within, the first thing I notice is the smell: sandalwood mixed with resin; can I smell the pines they’re made of, that grew alongside Lake Veneto Lombardy in Italy? 

“The texture, too. As one early recipient commented, ‘These are how books should be & were in days gone by; superbly bound & produced. Something you'd want to pick up, read & then re-read simply for the joy of the tactile experience of touching them’. We, too, are delighted with the finish—a huge thanks goes to Ocean Ambassadors for the financial support in helping us get here, also to the people who pre-ordered our materials through a Kickstarter campaign in 2021. 

“Now, as I send out orders, the next steps reside with you, the reader, the viewer. You are the medium into which they fall. We look forward to hearing your impressions, the dreams they help gestate, perhaps a trip to the north, and of course any practical application you may put them to.”

Henry, Bonnie (Designer) & Jay at the printers in Italy.

If you’d like a copy, you can buy one through the website: www.wayfinding.guide

Lundy Island Film in collaboration with Seaful and Dryrobe

Lundy Island, just off the North Devon coast, is a unique marine habitat home to a whole host of creatures. Norse for "puffin island", Lundy is not only a haven for seabirds, but for its famous Atlantic Grey Seals.

Ocean Ambassadors helped to fund this beautiful and informative film in a collaboration with Seaful and Dryrobe.

The film is being used in schools and community groups across the country to raise ocean awareness and education.

The Entrepreneur Ship - Atlantic rowing challenge - “oldest pair to row any ocean”

I’m delighted to say that Ocean Ambassadors supported Guy Rigby & David Murray and their Entrepreneur Ship, a 24ft rowing boat to row from La Gomera to Antigua, they now hold the World Record as the oldest pair to row any ocean!

Their fundraising is to support social entrepreneurs who bring positive change to communities challenged by lack of opportunity or discrimination.

All the money goes to education. Our support has been matched!

Wonderful news for Ocean Ambassadors and so many who will benefit.

You can find their fundraising page here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-entrepreneur-ship

“Since the summer of 2019, Guy Rigby & David Murray joined forces to begin training to row the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.  

They set off in their 24-foot rowing boat, aptly named The Entrepreneur Ship, from La Gomera on Sunday 12 December 2021. After 53 gruelling days at sea, they arrived safely in Antigua on Thursday 3 February 2022.”

Pictured: Guy Rigby, Felix Appelbe, David Murray

BluEco - Can the economy of the oceans really be sustainable?

After the huge success of SHUSH - Noise in the Ocean, we all felt there was more to discuss and that we had scratched upon a mere drop in the ocean.

It became wildly evident that whilst economics is key in helping the world go around ocean economics was like the oceans, a largely unexplored but hugely relevant and timely subject to explore.

Prof Olivier Adam, Charlotte De Mille and Felix Appelbe set to work, utilising connections and mutual alliances a far-reaching lineup gathered for the second in the series of Webinars partnered with Ocean Ambassadors and the Sorbonne University Paris.

You can catch up with the webinar HERE

UCL Students Help Shape Ocean Ambassadors Primary Curriculum

Ocean Ambassadors partnered with UCL's The Knowledge Economy: Student Consultantship to learn from final year undergraduate students under the supervision of Professor Tim Jordan.

Ocean Ambassadors project brief for the group was to advise on how to develop the Ocean Ambassadors Primary Curriculum, with a special emphasis on marketing and fundraising. Irene Facchin, Louise Hottinguer, Amber Shaw and Millie Stimpson produced a thorough and professional report which we will be implementing in the coming months. Thanks!

Here is some words about their experiences so far:

“I instantly knew that it would be my top choice – combining education and marine conservation!”

— Irene Facchin

My name is Irene and I am a finalist in the BASc Arts and Sciences degree. I am a Societies major and am focusing my degree on studying the issue of educational inequality through modules in education studies, development, public policy and economics. Next year I’ll be starting teacher training with Teach First. As a hobby I love watching nature documentaries, especially about marine life so when I saw Ocean Ambassadors as one of the consultancy project options I instantly knew that it would be my top choice – combining education and marine conservation! I did not know exactly what to expect from this project, however, I have learned so much about developing an education curriculum – from the content side, but also from the delivery, funding and marketing sides. Besides that, developing a relationship with our “clients” (Charlotte and Henry) has been excellent. From initially working together to define the project aims to then, throughout the whole project, presenting our findings and progress to Charlotte and Henry, the whole project has been such a positive learning experience. I have also really enjoyed working with my team mates and learning to manage our individual strengths and weaknesses.

Irene Facchin

I chose Ocean Ambassadors to acquire a concrete experience in the field of education.

Louise Hottinguer

I’m currently a final year undergraduate studying Arts and Sciences (BASc) at UCL. I'm mainly interested in philosophy and public policy. Specifically keen to learn more on the practical aspect of shaping impactful public policies, I chose Ocean Ambassadors to acquire a concrete experience in the field of education. Precisely, I wanted to investigate the potential strategies to develop in order to deliver and spread such a curriculum efficiently. Ocean Ambassadors was, also, an evident choice to me as I am particularly concerned with marine conservation. 

Louise Hottinguer

Ocean Ambassadors Youngest Members, Betsey & Edith.

We, Betsey and Edith Gostling aged 6 and 3 years old are sisters.

Our favourite hobby is fossil hunting.

We love and learn about Dinosaurs and Ammonites when we go to the seaside with our Daddy.

This is teaching us a lot about the sea and all its creatures, because many of these animals lived under or by the Oceans and teach us about climates a long time ago . We are now going to Lyme Regis to hunt for more.

We are pleased to be Ocean Ambassador Friends

Why Sharks Walter?

You’ll remember we previously shared the details of young Ocean Ambassador Walter Silk and his initiative to pick up litter in the streets of Oxford in aid of a charity called Bite Back.

Ocean Ambassador founder Felix Appelbe recently caught up with Walter to find out why he loves sharks so much.

Hello, my name is Walter Silk. I’m 7 years old and I love sharks.

I love them for 3 reasons:

First, they are beautiful and majestic.

Second, sharks are not as dangerous as you think: did you know that more people die each year taking selfies than from shark attacks?

Third, sharks maintain balance within our ecosystems and protect vital ocean habitats.

A rather impressive drawing of sharks by Walter Silk (7 yo)

Thank you for sharing with us Walter.

Photos curtesy of Walters mum.

Exploring the Anthroposea: Taking Marine Social Sciences to the Waves

At the end of May 2021, as the U.K. emerged from months of lockdown, six master’s students at the Oxford School of Geography and the Environment embarked on a two week-long sailing expedition along the southwestern coast of the U.K with Ocean Ambassador & Sail Britain Skipper Oliver Beardon aboard Merlin a Sigma 41 offshore cruiser racer.

Arzu Askin, Andrea Vale, Louise de la Rubia, Michelle Sanders, Sarah Seaberg, Steph Barker alongside skipper Oliver Beardon

The objective of the expedition was to take our learning outside of the ‘virtual classroom’ in order to understand how social science disciplines can shed valuable light on marine issues. Today, these include global problems like noise and plastic pollution, overfishing, loss of native species, ocean acidification, and ecosystem damage.

By exploring the coastline from Southampton to Falmouth, we hoped to highlight how global marine issues are affecting the U.K.’s local shores and to show how human and ocean systems are deeply interconnected — for better and for worse. 

‘Anthroposea’ means human ocean — a call to address the social side of ocean issues. The emerging disciplines of the marine social sciences encompassing law, geography, anthropology, and economics, among others, can be put to work to help resolve the pressing ocean challenges of our age. Examining the social side of ocean issues allows us to recognize how we govern the sea, how we economically utilise the sea, the history we have with it, and how we relate to it socially, culturally, and emotionally. By taking social scientists into the field through sailing, we hoped to showcase the vital importance of the social sciences to marine issues, and call for more social scientists to consider careers that encompass the human side of the ocean. 

Sail Britian’s Oliver Beardon says

'Anthroposea is supported by Sail Britain with whom the team shares an ethos of widening marine study and discourse, and inspiring positive change for the ocean. Learning to sail was a key element of bringing the team together, both with each other and in developing a close personal connection with the natural world.'

All of us were craving in-person experience.

Being able to spend two weeks at sea in close quarters was a welcome opportunity after a tumultuous year spent pursuing master’s degrees through the COVID-19 pandemic.

After months of online classes and desk-based dissertation research, all of us were craving in-person experience. Furthermore, after spending a year reading and discussing marine and conservation issues in an academic setting, all of us felt a familiar sense of urgency and impatience: the need to not just talk about ocean questions, but to go out into the field and explore them for ourselves, hands-on.

The Anthroposea Expedition was invaluable in introducing us to the real faces and grassroots stories that comprise ocean issues today. We were able to speak with Chris in Falmouth and see his oyster restoration lab; to listen to local townspeople on the Isle of Wight describe how the sea has shaped their lives; to pull up seaweed from the ship’s anchor chain, cook and eat it ourselves; and to watch debris float by us in even the most remote areas we sailed. All of these experiences gave a real-world dimension to the theories and statistics we’ve studied, and imparted on us a vital truth to always remember: when examining the ocean, it is never enough to study theory at a desk. Whenever possible, we should always strive to see the waves roll and touch the salty water ourselves. 

The Oxford team is made up of: Arzu Askin, Andrea Vale, Louise de la Rubia, Michelle Sanders, Sarah Seaberg, Steph Barker

For further details or to find out how to charter an expedition with Sail Britain please visit the website www.sailbritain.org

Blog post and photos supplied and written collectively by ~ Arzu Askin, Andrea Vale, Louise de la Rubia, Michelle Sanders, Sarah Seaberg, Steph Barker

Commercial Cargo Ships adopt Sail Power!!

I’m delighted to read that Bar Technologies in Hampshire are to fit sails "Wind Wings" to a cargo ship belonging to Cargill , a giant US shipping company.

The prototype of first vessel to be on the water by 2022!

They say in their sustainabitity report:

Partnering with BAR Technologies to combine worldclass yacht racing design and technology to use wind propulsion to reduce CO2 emissions from commercial shipping by as much as 30%.

Presumably, they will also generate either own apparent wind, the faster they go?

This is Great News!!

The use of free direct power. Fewer emissions and less "Noise in the Oceans".

I suspect that the next stage will be hull design to reduce drag and lessen noise even further

We have an up and coming series of talks which will be directly focusing on “Noise In the Ocean” with Dr Olivier Adam of the Sorbonne and experts in most effected fields. - details to follow.

Ocean Ambassador Cal Major finds dead Humpback Whale calf.

Ocean Ambassador Cal Major has come across a dead humpback whale calf a mile off the coast of Lybster, Caithness whilst on her charity expedition Stand Up Paddleboarding the Coast of Scotland.

The whale calf, believed to be less than a year old according to its size, was found with ropes and a lobster pot severely entangled in its tail, with ropes and buoys extending off the pot. The body was already partially decayed, suggesting it had been dead for 1-2 weeks. The suspected cause of death is drowning as a result of entanglement. In some species of whale, entanglement is considered the primary cause of death in Scottish waters.

Footage of the entangled whale calf on social media has garnered emotional responses from thousands of people both within the marine conservation community and fishing industry and the general public at large, shocked by this discovery. Although this is not an isolated incidence, it is unusual to find a whale carcass still at sea with the fishing gear attached.

Cal Major, a vet and world record stand up paddleboarder, is currently SUP-ing around the Scottish coast, having set off from Glasgow in mid May. Her expedition is raising money for Seaful, the charity connecting more people to the sea. She is visiting local people and communities along the way, exploring our human connection to the ocean.

She is also investigating the crucial role that our ocean plays in the climate and biodiversity crisis ahead of COP26, which is being held in Glasgow this November, and our need to properly protect the ocean from destructive human activity.

“The ocean is our planet’s life force, creating the oxygen in every second breath we breathe. In that regard we are all connected to it, and all have a stake in its health, which in turn is inextricably linked to our health. And yet out of sight and out of mind, the importance of our ocean is often overlooked, and devastating harm is being done without us being able to see it.

“This whale is just the tip of the iceberg - a truly shocking sight and one which is a very stark and visual reminder of how vulnerable wild animals, even some of the largest in the world, are to man’s actions. Ocean ecosystems have been over-exploited and devastated over decades of destructive

fishing practices and pollution, and this destruction is allowed to continue despite all we now know about how vital a healthy ocean is for our planet, and the ecosystem collapse that we are directing it to.

“I’ve heard the stats about the vast number of marine mammals dying every year as a result of entanglement, but seeing it for myself has been truly heartbreaking. Entanglement is just one issue facing whales and dolphins; overfishing, bycatch, dredging and trawling (which are hugely damaging to the seabed) and pollution are all unbalancing the ecosystem and killing marine life.

“When will the Scottish and UK government sit up and take action to properly protect our seas? When will they take the health of our planet seriously? Our ocean has incredible power to rejuvenate, but it needs to be given real protection - not the current status quo of Marine Protected Areas within which destructive practices are often still allowed, but enforced and properly managed marine parks where nature is allowed to recover and thrive. This is of benefit to every person living on this planet, and we all have a right to demand it” says Cal.

Cal hopes that ocean health will be brought higher on the agenda for COP26, and ambitious protection measures enacted urgently. She hopes that the climate and nature crises will be treated as crises. She also, through the charity Seaful, hopes to help reconnect more people to our seas, for the mental health benefits that being there can bring, and to encourage stewardship of our blue spaces.

PLEASE NOTE: Experts and organisations locally have been consulted. For legal reasons, we have to point out that finding this cetacean entangled in such a manner does not constitute proof that it died that way.

Images with thanks to James Appleton Photography

Lily Wilder and her dinosaur footprint

“Lily Wilder aged 4 should be hailed as a new Ambassador of the Oceans for discovering in South Wales, the ‘best ever find ‘ of a fossilised dinosaur’s footprint 220 million years old “.

Discoveries such as hers and those of Mary Anning (died 1847) are important for those studying and caring for our planet.

Speed networking event focussing on bioacoustic sound.

Together with Oxford Centre for Life Writing, and as part of our 'Beyond Words' series Ocean Ambassadors hosted a speed networking event on 8th July, focussing on bioacoustic sound.

This led to discussions about non-human perception, and the limits of human knowledge. How do we relate unknowing or the unperceived experience of life?

The plan is that all this research will eventually aid recovery programmes in the Oceans and also link in with our planned conference series on Noise in the Oceans with the Sorbonne in Paris.

E.M. Forster said:-

" We must be willing to let go of the life that we had planned , so as to have the life that is waiting for us ".