Let’s Celebrate World Oceans Day in Plymouth

8th June 2023

Everyone who loves Plymouth is being encouraged to celebrate its unique links with the sea by marking World Oceans Day in a suitably maritime way.

Britain’s Ocean City has been working, exploring and living on and around the sea for centuries but June 8 is the officially designated day to champion the ocean and unite the world in protecting and restoring all our shared seas.

Plymothians and visitors can support this growing global movement by taking part in various activities around the city highlighting its special connection to the sea.

The Ocean Conservation Trust which runs Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium is celebrating World Ocean Day with a number of events but Plymouth also has a range of wonderful maritime opportunities to be enjoyed by anyone who loves living, working or playing on, in or by the ocean.

The Ocean Conservation Trust, is launching its I Can See The Sea And The Sea Sees Me campaign, encouraging people to engage with the sea and share their images of this special stretch of water around Plymouth. People can take a photo from where they can see the sea, then share the image, tagging the location and using the hashtag #ISeeTheSea23.

Those who don’t live by the sea can share a photo of their favourite Ocean memory or a picture of an Ocean scene. Because the campaign isn’t just about seeing the sea but also about recognising that the sea sees you too, contributors will be asked to include details on how the image makes them feel and how those feelings help them connect with the Ocean. They will also be encouraged to take part in the Think Ocean Challenge.

The Trust is also a founding partner of World Ocean Day for Schools, a free, digital resource tool for educators and parents. This year the trust will be hosting a surf-themed fitness class from its base at the incredible The National Marine Aquarium, with its over 4,000 animals to meet. ‘Surf Fit’ will be filmed and shared to the platform for schools and groups across the UK to engage with.

Other World Ocean Day events taking place at The National Marine Aquarium in June include special Workshops, World Ocean Day badge making, Yoga sessions, Ocean Conservations events, a competition as well as various snorkelling and boat trips. More information will be available on their website.

Nicola Bridge, Head of Ocean Advocacy and Engagement at the Trust says: “We’re all connected to the ocean – even in the city – and Plymouth has many places to see the ocean from. We’re looking for people to share different ways in which we can connect with the ocean every day. Seeing their views of the sea on World Ocean Day will be amazing but we’re also keen to encourage people to take the Think Ocean Challenge, a fun quiz to identify your #thinkoceanpersonality.”

Plymouth Sound’s National Marine Park (NMP) the UK’s first and only marine park also have a range of bookable experiences available, including the chance to spend a morning with one of the PSNMP Rangers and find out all about how they are helping businesses and communities connect with the sea and natural environment. 

Elaine Hayes, interim CEO of the NMP says: “Our oceans are the lungs of the planet and, as such, are vitally important. At the National Marine Park, we’re dedicated to helping our own swathe of the ocean and everyone can do something to contribute to the protection of our oceans. Our amazing Sound is a fabulous place to enjoy the sea and we’re inviting people to come and walk alongside the ocean, paddle, swim or just soak in its majesty.”

There are also myriad ways to connect with the sea across Plymouth and its coastline, including:

The Mountbatten Watersports and Activities Centre – open all year around – welcomes families, friends, individuals, businesses and schools to participate in many water and land-based activities. From sailing to stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking to school holiday activities, the Centre commands stunning views looking out towards Plymouth’s historic Barbican area, the Hoe and across to Mount Edgcumbe.

The Centre also hosts Kayak Tours – explore Plymouth Sound from the water and see the city’s historical and picturesque waterfront from a different perspective.

The South West Coast Path National Trail is the longest of England’s National Trails and connects visitors to the waterfront via a coastal walkway across the National Marine Park. Download the walk and make a donation to help the South West Coast Path Association look after the longest of England’s National Trails which connects you with 630 miles of coastal walking across the South West.

Devil’s Point Park forms part of the path, offering spectacular views from the southern tip of the Stonehouse peninsula across the dramatic Plymouth Sound to Drake's Island and beyond. The park is of great historical, ecological and geological interest, and rich with wildlife.

Tinside Lido is an Art Deco, Grade II listed gem. Overlooking the sea at the tip of Plymouth Hoe and voted one of the top 10 best outdoor pools in Europe, this incredible outdoor salt water swimming pool is one of the best places in Plymouth to soak up the sun.

The best range of paddleboarding activities is available to enjoy with South West SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding): adventure, top-quality equipment and highly qualified instructors combine to offer a wide choice of lessons, from beginners to more experienced groups or individuals.

An integral part of the National Marine Park’s bookable experiences, The Bounty Project allows for unique heritage tours and experiences with a focus to create ‘living history’ in Plymouth (home to some remarkable heritage assets including Europe’s largest Naval Base, Devonport Royal Dockyard and the incredible Royal William Yard, formerly the Royal Navy’s victualling yard), from their Centre at Mount Batten – a beautiful peninsula projecting from the south-east into The Sound.

And, with conservation at the core of their philosophy, – they only harvest enough fish to satisfy your needs, the rest are released – Plymouth Boat Trips offer private boat fishing trips (also part of the bookable activities available for the new National Marine Park) – among other exciting options to travel by sea with them. After the trip, you’ll return back to the Royal William Yard and visit The Hook and Line to cook what you have caught. After all, Plymouth is one of the best fishing ports in the UK, if not in Europe, enjoying the deep waters of the English Channel only a 35-minute sailing from its doorstep.

Whichever way you look at it, Plymouth offers unrivalled opportunities to visit, work or simply relax and enjoy its maritime attractions.

For more information on World Oceans Day visit https://unworldoceansday.org