People always ask me: isn’t it too cold to snorkel in Scotland? And I reply that while it’s obviously much cooler than it would be in Spain, the sea does warm up from May, when the temperature rises from about 9C to as high as 12-15C by August and September.
I go snorkelling in Scotland all year round. I work for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, developing snorkel trails on the Scottish coast and creating guides to the places you can go to enjoy snorkelling in a particular area. But even so, the Wildlife Trust always recommends wearing a wetsuit.
In the UK, we sometimes think that to connect with nature you have to go to really exotic, faraway places and spend a lot of money. But actually, it can be more effective to connect with the local marine life on your doorstep.
Snorkelling doesn’t cost much money or require a great deal of training. It’s one of the most accessible sports to enjoy in the sea: some of the best snorkelling I’ve ever done has been in water I could stand up in. It’s also a very sociable activity because you should never snorkel alone. You should always have a buddy (and ideally a mug of hot chocolate waiting for you afterwards).
One of my favourite snorkelling experiences is swimming over a kelp forest, which are prevalent around Scotland. You see these beautiful, golden fronds of kelp undulating with the waves, which are home to an incredible amount of small fish, colourful beadlet and dahlia anemones, starfish and brittle stars. Sometimes, you can even see them catching prey.
Another time, I saw a huge show of sand eels beneath me. Then I put my head up and saw some seals on the beach and a pod of dolphins in the sea, coming over to say hello – right at that moment, some sea eagles flew low over our heads.
When I talk to my colleagues in other European countries about snorkelling, they often talk about the overcrowding caused by tourism and how that is a hugely challenging part of their job. I feel very fortunate that in Scotland, we don’t have that same strain on many of our natural places.
Having said that, I’ve noticed snorkelling in Scotland has increased a lot in popularity since the pandemic, and coastal communities are leading the way in championing that. I think people are realising that it’s an amazing thing to do for yourself for health reasons – mental and physical – but also for society, because it can remind you that the sea is an extraordinary place where nature is in decline. Hopefully that inspires more people to protect it.
Research also suggests that cold water immersion can have physiological and emotional benefits. I find, when I get into the water, the coolness takes away all my worries and anything that was niggling away at me in my mind.
Finally, there’s so much cultural history in Scotland tied to the sea and coastal communities. Sometimes, you might be snorkelling below a castle or through sea caves or a harbour – you gain an understanding of the connection between people and the sea over time.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s latest project, Sea the connection, aims to reduce barriers some people face when connecting with the sea. As told to Donna Ferguson
