“The seashore is the most splendid playground in the world. There is so much to do and so much to see that we never grow tired of being there. No matter how long a time we may spend at the seaside, there are always new treasures to seek, fresh discoveries to make – always something more to interest or amuse us.”                                                                                      
                                                                                                           The Sea Shore by F. Martin Duncan

Those words were written over a hundred years ago in a book for children but they are still true today, and just as true for adults as for kids – in my case anyway! You will find me exploring the marine environment at every possible opportunity, snorkelling, diving, turning over boulders on the seashore and peering into rockpools.  My home patch is the north east coast of England from Yorkshire to Northumberland. This is a beautiful and extremely varied coastline; highlights include the iconic and ever-changing Spurn Point, Flamborough’s chalk headland and sea caves, the rugged limestone cliffs and reefs of the Durham Heritage Coast, and Northumberland with its sand dunes, castles and islands.