Laura Barrett
As an aspiring conservationist, I spent 4 days at Wembury Marine Centre on a work experience placement.
The stunning views I met when I arrived immediately made me feel very lucky to be able to spend time there, but it was thanks to Coral, Matt and the lovely volunteers that I felt welcome and had an awesome, inspiring and fun time.
Wembury Marine Centre
Over the four days, I took part in two Snorkel Safaris- once as shore cover, getting to know the process and the second getting stuck in myself! We caught a glimpse of a Lobster, two Spider crabs, a Sea cucumber and much more. It was beautiful to see all of the different types of seaweed floating in the water as well as the animals that called it their home.
Apart from this, I got involved with a Toddler Rockpool Safari, a Beach Clean and Strandline walk and a Night-time Rockpool Safari. The night-time safari was one of my favourite activities because the UV lights revealed a whole new perspective to the creatures we found, lighting them up in fantastic neon colours and prompting me to wonder how they see each other. I didn’t believe that fish could survive out of the water until I passed my torch over a ‘Shanny in a cranny’ hiding in a crevice and surviving due to the moisture on its skin.
It was eye-opening to discover the huge variety of wildlife at Wembury and be offered an insight into the breadth of knowledge of the team and available at the centre. I can only express my gratitude for having been given such an exciting opportunity in the most beautiful location with the coolest people! Now more motivated than ever, I plan to pursue my dreams to discover and protect our natural world, and I hope to return to Wembury soon.
