A special series of marine-themed events will celebrate Aberdeen’s Dolphinwatch festival.
The 2020 season of Dolphinwatch at Torry Battery did not go ahead this summer as planned.
However, with changes in restrictions making small outdoor activities possible, organiers are launching a series of bookable marine-themed activities to run throughout September.
Kicking off on Saturday 5 September and running almost every weekend throughout the month, the activities will bring people closer to the marine environment on their doorstep.
Activities include a Dolphinwatch tour, rockpool explorers, family-focused wildlife activity walks and mini beach cleans.
Sadie Gorvett, Dolphinwatch community events officer, said: “2020 has been a challenging and scary year for many people, with so much uncertainty and concern over safety and the change in working routines and family life. Many people have turned to nature to find some form of comfort and peace.
“Now that outdoor activities are permitted, I think it is important to continue that connection with nature and really make the most and appreciate the incredible array of wildlife and natural environments we have right on our doorstep here in Aberdeen.
“The activities we have planned will enable people to get closer to that wildlife, with the ever popular rockpooling, our child friendly take on wildlife walks and the new Dolphinwatch tour bringing together the best visitor experience opportunities usually afforded during viewing but in a mini walk and talk package.
“And of course, we will continue doing our regular beach cleans to try to help keep the area clean and safe for all who use it. With single use items being used more than ever at the moment, the opportunity to run beach cleans, even small-scale ones, is especially important.”
In order to run these activities, the team have gone through a strict planning process to ensure they are following all Scottish Government guidelines.
· Every activity will be bookable, allowing a maximum of 12 people from three separate households to book onto each along with two activity leaders.
· A strict hygiene procedure will be in place including a sanitizing station or pack will be present throughout every activity, with visitors and staff instructed to sanitise hands before and after every activity,
· There will be two-metre distancing between households,
· Individual family resource packs provided will be cleaned before and after activities and stored for one week before reuse,
· Contact details will be collected, in line with GDPR, to support the NHS Test and Protect programme.
Ms Gorvett added: “Ensuring everyone’s safety during the activities is our top priority. We have gone through a stringent planning process to ensure all the safety measures we can implement are in place and the activities are COVID secure.
“We ask everyone booking onto the activities to adhere to these safety measures to help ensure we can all have a safe and enjoyable experience.”
Activities will run from 5 September with a Dolphinwatch tour, followed by rockpool explorers on Sunday 6 September.
Then returning on 19 September for a beach clean and a family wildlife walk on Sunday 20 September. The final weekend of activities on 26 and 27 September will see another Dolphinwatch tour and family wildlife walk take place.
To book onto an activity or to find out more email dolphinwatch@rspb.org.uk or go to
facebook.com/RSPBNorthEastScotland
