Welcome back to the watery depths of Anglesea Sea Zoo! The fish all look happy today…
But Paddy and Plunkett were in a bit of a pickle when we left them last week!
Fortunately, I was getting all alarmed over nothing… Turns out that this rather large octopus is a big fan of the boys, and couldn’t wait to snatch them up for a hug and a photo!
Look, here they are… Safe and sound, climbing aboard the wreck of the Seven Sisters pirate ship.
Anything else lurking in the shadows? The Sea Zoo website said to look out for conger eels!
“Nope, just a few crabs here!”
And further on… Look what Plunkett’s found!
He’s wandered into the Seahorse Nursery, another of the Sea Zoo’s ongoing conservation projects.
And it’s an important one, because these strangely beautiful little creatures are feeling the pinch all over the world. They’re put into traditional Chinese remedies for everything from skin complaints to heart disease, dried and sold as souvenirs, and kept as pets (which they really don’t like). Luckily, the Sea Zoo is part of a Europe-wide collaboration between aquaria, universities and conservation organisations, all of them working together to share research findings, improve captive breeding, and campaign to protect wild seahorses in the future.
The Sea Zoo have another seahorsey claim to fame too – they’re one of the only places in the world where short-snouted seahorses have successfully bred in captivity! Short-snouted seahorses, and their long-snouted cousins, are both native to British waters… And you see both at the Sea Zoo.
Sadly, despite the best efforts of the Sea Zoo and their partners, the boys saw a lot of this as they walked around the aquarium.
Pollution of the world’s oceans with plastic is already having a serious impact on marine life… And unless we fix this plastic problem, all of the fantastic creatures Paddy and Plunkett met here could vanish from the seas forever! They don’t want to see this any more than I do, so they asked me to wrap up this post by sharing a few little things we can all do to bin the plastic… For good.
On your lunch break…
Don’t take away – bring it with you! With the UK planning to introduce a 25p tax on disposable coffee cups, and many coffee shops actually offering a discount on your drink if you show up with your own takeaway mug, it’s probably a good time to pick up a reusable coffee cup and get into the habit of using it. I love my one… It keeps my tea toasty for at least 3 hours!
I’m also very fond of my Snack Attack lunchbox for strategic sandwich and nibbles transportation… Or I’ll pack a home-made salad in a washed-out takeaway container or ice cream tub. Don’t forget to bring your own cutlery too!
And finally, say no to straws. Very few of us need to use a straw… But then again, if you like to, bring one with you! Reusable metal and bamboo ones are available for anyone who likes to noisily slurp up the last dregs of their milkshake.
In the supermarket…
Of course, bring your own reusable shopping bag with you! I keep mine well stocked with smaller bags for loose fruit and veg or bakery items, so that I never need to take one of the store’s plastic bags.
You can also avoid the huuuuuge amount of packaging that comes with fragile tasties like biscuits and crackers by making your own – check out this recent post from The Snail of Happiness for inspiration!
In the bathroom…
I was really shocked a couple of years ago when I bought a pack of “cotton wool” pads… Only to discover later on that they were 100% polyester! And it turns out that it’s not uncommon for things that look like cotton wool to actually contain a blend of fibres, some of which are man-made and not biodegradable. This prompted me to switch to washable, plastic-free alternatives – I got my reusable cotton face pads from Kindly Island and they’ve been great!
I was also really impressed to see that my local Boots chemists have started stocking toothbrushes with bamboo handles. They’re not perfect – the bristles are still nylon – but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
(PS Any links in this section are only here because I own these things, use them and love them! Rest assured that I am not being paid by any companies to hawk their wares)
I imagine many of you are probably doing these things already, but if not… Pick one and give it a try! Little changes can make a big difference when everyone joins in. And if you have any suggestions of your own, be sure and share them in the comments!
We’ll be back next week, with a new Beastie for you all to meet. See you then!
The Menai Strait is the narrow stretch of water that separates the island of Anglesey from the Welsh mainland. It looks calm enough here, doesn’t it? But strong and ever-changing tidal currents make it highly unpredictable and tricky to cross. In the past, this served the locals well – Anglesey was one of the last refuges of the Druids, at a time when they were being displaced all over Britain by the arrival of the Romans.
The Lobster Hatchery is one of several conservation projects based here in Anglesey Sea Zoo. Overfishing in the 1980s meant that local wild lobster populations took a huge hit, so the Hatchery is here to help them get back on their spiny little feet. The main focus of their work is a captive breeding programme, but research and education are also important aspects of what they do.
Well, moon jellies, if you’re going to be particular about it… But they do have an otherworldly look to them, don’t they? He could have watched them for hours – which is unusual for Paddy!
And although Paddy was momentarily distracted by the starfish that was taking a stroll across the front of the tank…
… It wasn’t long before he found a new way to pass the time – playing hide and seek with the fish!
But what’s that stirring in the hidden depths of the aquarium? Uh-oh!
Hmmm… There is a lot of water around. It’s coming down from the sky too, by the looks of things. Hopefully it won’t rain for their entire trip!
… And were soon speeding along the road to their next port of call – Glasgow!
They might have hung out in the square a little longer than planned… Quick, get to the train station!
The boys got a few funny looks as they navigated the turnstile – honestly, you’d think people had never seen a Beastie before. But luckily they got to their seats just in time.
Well, I say seats – they find they get a much better view when they stand on the table.
“This is the life, Plunkett!”
The lads do enjoy a nice trip on the train.
Um, Cullywherenow?
And it doesn’t stop with leprechauns, either. Look out, Plunkett… Here be dragons!
Oh, and unicorns and fairies too!
But you might be surprised to learn that these wondrous creatures are not the reason Paddy and Plunkett took the train to Cullybackey. Well, not the only reason.
Ta-daaaaaah! Bluebells galore!
This incredible display is in 
So, where’s he got to?
And on the other side… It’s a Beastie-sized cabin!
You’d better get the kettle on, Paddy… I think Plunkett will need a big cup of tea when he eventually tracks you down!
And with the warming temperatures and gradually lengthening days, activity levels have been picking up a little too! Today I wanted to share some of the extra-curricular activities that have been keeping me and the Beasties busy this past while.
But this year, I decided enough was enough. Let’s master those sewing machine demons! So I signed up for a class with 
You see, a lot of students want to take on the challenge of making a jumper quite early on… But even the simplest-looking designs often have next-level knitting skills lurking in the pattern. And while some new knitters thrive on being thrown in at the deep end, more than a few are put off by the idea of fancy shaping techniques, decorative seams and the alphabet soup of abbreviations that crop up in many “beginner” patterns.
… And I couldn’t resist leaving a monster behind on one of the beaches, just to prove I’d passed through!
We also had a delicious lunch at 
… And look, I’ve finally caught up with them – in the vegetable garden!
Meanwhile, Plunkett is checking out his rhubarb for signs of life. Hmmm, looks like we could almost have an early harvest soon!
But, pleasant as the thought of hot summer days spent munching juicy raspberries may be, that’s not going to fill any Beastie bellies today! And the first rumblings of Paddy’s stomach add a sudden note of urgency to this vegetable garden foray… What can the boys find to eat right now? Surely there has to be something better on the menu than parsley and baby rhubarb stew?
Hurray for kale! Super tasty, and super good for you… And very much in season, even right now! YUM!
But then Paddy popped up, and suggested that it might be nice to take a wander outside.
Turns out he’s pretty persuasive.
… Although some of these places are easier to get to than others.
Still, if it’s winter colour you’re after, this cheerful display of berries certainly fits the bill!
The view’s not bad either. Look how green everything is!
And when the boys spotted some long grass on the other side of the hedge, they knew exactly what to do next…
There’s always time for a quick game of hide and seek!
