New wildlife tours by glass-bottomed kayak

New glass-bottomed kayak trips are on offer in Kimmeridge Bay with Dorset Wildlife Trust. Led by qualified kayak instructors from Secondwind Watersports, the trips will use clear-bottomed kayaks and purpose-made ‘goggle-viewers’ to open a window into the underwater world, revealing the secrets of the seabed, such as snakelocks anemone gardens, seaweed forests and rocky reef inhabitants.

What wildlife could I see?

Julie Hatcher, Marine Awareness Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “Kayaking is a great way to encounter wildlife such as seabirds, seals and dolphins and now you can see all the amazing marine life beneath the surface too, with our glass-bottomed kayaks and goggle viewers. We want to show people what amazing and colourful wildlife Dorset has to offer and with no noise or carbon emissions, this is a top way to see wildlife with the least impact on the environment.” 

Can I kayak with wildlife safely?

Wildlife that can be seen in Kimmeridge Bay includes shoals of silvery sand eels, large fish such as ballan wrasse, mullet and bass, diving cormorants, spider crabs, blennies and shore crabs as well as many colourful seaweeds. Dorset Wildlife Trust is keen to encourage more people to enjoy and appreciate their local marine wildlife, which is among the best in Europe. Earlier this month they launched a unique self-guided kayak trail in Studland Bay, in partnership with National Trust and Studland Sea School and a Kayaking With Wildlife Code of Conduct has been published to minimise disturbance of marine life.

How can I get involved?

Glass-bottomed kayak trips in Kimmeridge Bay will run on Tuesdays from 12th July until the beginning of September 2011 at a cost of £25 per person for a 2-hour session, including classroom presentation and 1 hour on the water. Minimum age 12 and under 18s must be accompanied by a parent. Suitable for beginners. Safety equipment provided. To book your place phone 01929 481044 or email Kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk.

For more information about kayaking with wildlife or for your copy of the Kayaking With Wildlife code, visit click here
 

-ENDS-
Notes to Editor

For more information please contact Nicky Hoar at Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 264620.

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About Dorset Wildlife Trust www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Working for a secure future for Dorset’s wildlife enriching the quality of life Dorset Wildlife Trust works to champion wildlife and natural places, to engage and inspire people and to promote sustainable living. Founded in 1961, DWT is now the largest voluntary nature conservation organisation in Dorset, with over 25,000 members and over 40 nature reserves. Most are open daily and there are visitor centres providing a wealth of wildlife information at Brooklands Farm, Lorton Meadows, Kingcombe Meadows and Brownsea Island Nature Reserves, The Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve and the Urban Wildlife Centre at Upton Heath Nature Reserve. DWT plays a key role in dealing with local environmental issues and leads the way in establishing the practices of sustainable development and engaging new audiences in conservation, particularly in the urban areas.

Read our Blog "Wildlife Matters"

The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) www.wildlifetrusts.org

There are 47 individual Wildlife Trusts covering the whole of the UK and the Isle of Man and Alderney. All are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. We have more than 800,000 members including 150,000 members of our junior branch Wildlife Watch. Our vision is to create A Living Landscape and secure Living Seas. We manage around 2,300 nature reserves and every year we advise thousands of landowners and organisations on how to manage their land for wildlife. We also run marine conservation projects around the UK, collecting vital data on the state of our seas and celebrating our amazing marine wildlife. Every year we work with thousands of schools and our nature reserves and visitor centres receive millions of visitors. Each Wildlife Trust is working within its local communities to inspire people about the future of their area: their own Living Landscapes and Living Seas.

Kimmeridge above and below the water - Andy Pearson, Dorset Wildlife Trust

 Snakelocks anemone - P Tinsley