September 2023 Events & News
Welcome to the September 2023 newsletter
Events – Marine Conservation Society beach cleans & surveys, microplastic surveys
Have your say – your voice is important
Young Strandliners – Saturday September 23rd
CAT course – revised and updated for 2023
Past Events
Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat Open Day
It was glorious day with many visitors supporting this great event to raise funds for PLIRB. Thank you to all those who stopped by the Strandliners stand to chat.
Big Seaweed Search at Pett Level
A rather damp evening, but a lovely low tide for our seaweed search and intertidal exploration. The Big Seaweed Search is a citizen science project for the Natural History Museum and Marine Conservation Society and contributes real scientific research. Thank you to everyone who braved the elements to join us.
News and Views
Your voice is important
We would love to know how you see the present position of Strandliners and how you would like us to develop. How would you like to be involved? There are many ways to support Strandliners.
We are open to all suggestions, and these can be anonymous, so please don’t be frightened to say what you feel. All ideas will be considered, and even if they are not achievable right now, they may direct our future growth and development. We have put together a short survey and would love as many people as possible to take part. You can find the survey here.
Look out for Transatlantic items
An American buoy, from a company called SOFAR, has been mapped drifting in the English channel for months without stranding. What else is out there just moving back and forth with the tides? Will it come our way?
Global Plastics Treaty
The UN released a zero draft for a Global Plastics Treaty this week. This will be negotiated at the upcoming INC-3 meeting in Nairobi in November.
Sewage in the News
Sewage has once more in the news, with the shocking revelation that three major water companies, including Southern Water, have been illegally spilling on dry days. We were interested to see that Rye Bay was used as an example in the explanation of the methodology.
Shellfish Times
Shellfish Times (Song for Ruby) is the latest single from Thee Shamoozers, a lament about the climate crisis. Kim and Henry have generously shared this link with us and offered to donate all proceeds to Strandliners: theeshamoozers.bandcamp.com
Future Events
Young Strandliners
Strandliners is running a ‘Young Strandliners’ group for 10- to 18-year-olds. Meeting once a month, we aim to create a young team who are passionate about our environment, and willing to learn new skills. In our first session at Pett Level we witnessed the mass stranding of whitebait along the beach. Our next session will be on 23rd September. Click here for more details.
Great British Beach Clean
Clean-up & survey (identification & recording) around 2 hrs apart from Dungeness, which takes up to 4 hrs due to the walk to/from the survey site.
Register for each event through the Marine Conservation Society website.
Hastings, Rock-a-Nore – Friday 15th Sept, 4.00 to 6.00 pm
Register here
Dungeness – Saturday 16th Sept, 9.30 am to 1.30 pm
Register here
Bexhill, Glyne Gap – Tuesday 19th Sept, 9.30 to 11.30 am
Register here
Pett Level – Saturday 23rd Sept, 9.30 to 11.30 am (with The Beach Club @ Pett Level)
Register here
Community Action Team course
Strandliners is pleased to announce the start of a brand new CAT course, revised and updated for 2023. We are looking for people to undertake a course comprised of two x 2-hour classroom sessions plus a practical session and survey. The classroom sessions will include topics such as:Background to the plastic crisisThe sources of plastic pollutionIdentification of important beach/river pollutionThe importance of recording and how it can lead to changeThe links between plastic pollution & climate changeHow does recycling fit in?The different types of surveysMicroplasticsEveryone who completes the free course will receive a certificate.
The course will take place in Rye, with classroom sessions on:
Saturday 21st October 2.30 to 4.30 pm and
Saturday 28th October 2.30 to 4.30 pm.
Date of the practical session to be confirmed.
If you are interested in registering for the course or finding out more, please email.
Microplastic Surveys
The Great Nurdle Hunt is a citizen science project that takes place each October. Microplastics can be mistaken for food by marine wildlife and pose a threat to wildlife and habitats. We lead regular microplastic surveys at Camber and submit our findings to Fidra. Treasure has been found at these events!
Camber Sands Friday 27th October 2.30 pm (register here to take part)
Social Media presence
We appreciate your support through subscribing to this newsletter, please share with friends and family.
Another way to help Strandliners reach a greater audience is through our social media presence. We are notoriously not amazing at keeping up with letting everyone know what we do but if all subscribers were able to support through “liking”, “sharing” and/or reposting it would really helpful!
Facebook – Strandliners
Instagram – Strandliners
Twitter – @StrandlinersCIC
Membership of Strandliners
Benefits of becoming a member include a quarterly online magazine, The Fulmar, a monthly raffle to win a sea heart, and opportunities to join beach, marine & citizen science workshops.