LifeinourVan’s Budding Marine Biologists Explore Scarborough’s Sea Life Centre
Our Roadschooling Adventures keeps offering plenty of varied and exciting opportunities across Europe, but one thing that really excites the girls is any chance to develop their growing passion for marine biology. So Scarborough’s Sea Life Centre seemed a perfect fit. Easily accessible by motorhome (see pic), it’s located close to the North Bay Promenade overlooking the crashing waves of the North Sea.
Although every SeaLife Centre we’ve visited is different (London, Birmingham, Porto), Scarborough’s efforts to try to ‘reduce the barriers‘ certainly helps you feel part of the animals environment…..especially their ingenious ‘penguin walk’ that sees you cross a bridge with 20+ penguins chattering away by your feet…. (Another ‘up close and personal’ encounter to add to our ‘penguin feeding encounter‘ at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire.)
These chances to experience the ocean’s hidden marvels always inspires our girls to want to find out more during one of our road schooling lessons in the van… but it’s always great when this can be added to by expert staff who are dedicated to, and passionate about conservation. And it’s for this reason that we keep heading back to SeaLife Centres whose brilliant staff seem genuinely passionate about their roles… which in turn inspires our girls!
Although it’s great to grab a glimpse under the oceans, our girls were equally happy finding out more about Scarborough’s conservation programmes, seal rescue sanctuary and it’s new ‘plastic initiatives (like the one we discovered at the Kia Oval earlier this year with Sky’s Ocean Rescue).
Just like the Den Blaa Planet in Copenhagen , the Sea Life Centre seems to have a clear focus on marine life conservation & the ocean’s welfare so we leapt at the chance to learn more about the ‘Breed | Rescue | Protect’ programme run by the Sea Life Trust. A trust aimed at developing and implementing new solutions to protect our oceans and balance human impacts on them.
We’ve been fortunate to see some of Europe’s best campsites over the past 2 years, and each have had something to remember them by. For instance, Tiroler Zugspitze’s Cable Car or Camping Krk Resort’s ‘infinity pool’ takes some beating…. not to mention Aufenfeld’s panoramic ‘natural alpine lake’ …. But for Playa Montroig, you have to look no further than the palm fringed water slides or perhaps the fantastically comfortable ‘astroturf’ sunbathing area that wraps itself around the vast array of pools.
To help show this, the whole centre is packed full of information boards with interesting conservation facts/figures that genuinely amaze (like this infographic). These are then added to by the regular programme of talks through the centre (we took in Otters, Seals, Native Sharks Feeding and Penguins) which are again a great source of information and also a chance to get interactive (like the native shark fishing above)
It’s always reassuring to see the monies gained from each visitor going towards further conservation/ preservation (each rescued seal here costs £2,000/month…. so it’s certainly a costly business!) So what does a visit to Scarborough Sea Life cost? Well, a family visit costs £44 (under 3 are free) but there are opportunities to experience ‘young marine biologist day”s too if you want more (11+ only)
But it’s hard not to be amazed at the kaleidoscopic colours that surround you…… from ethereal jellyfish to colourful coral…. It’s a place our girls relish visiting….. But it’s not just the coral seas or tropical tanks, they love the variety of differing marine environments on show including their favourite turtles (and the interesting Nautilus below)
But this well located Sea Life Centre also manages to create a vivid and imaginative scene for children to fully immerse themselves in the ‘ocean’ whilst offering chances to rest’n’play too!!
Our girls particularly like stamping the booklet across the centre or following the useful media presentations like ‘Ant’s Octopus Zone’… finding out facts they didn’t know before!!! For example, did you know Turtles can survive for 5hrs underwater between breaths, or that female Octopus can lay up to 500,000 eggs!!!!
If you’re looking to visit for a day, then it’s worth either packing a picnic to enjoy on the seafront… Or you can use the onsite restaurant and if your kids get a little restless, there’s always the onsite mini golf or playground to burn off some excess energy!!!!
scarborough sealife centre
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