Up River Yacht Club Education Night

On March 27, 2026, The International SeaKeepers Society led an education evening at Up River Yacht Club in Hullbridge, Essex. The session introduced the organisation and our mission to advance oceanographic research, conservation and education by engaging the global yachting community, and showed how this community can get involved in hands-on marine science and ocean conservation. SeaKeepers further engaged the club by leading two interactive activities focused on plastic pollution and marine debris, encouraging discussion around marine conservation and ocean stewardship. The first activity explored how long common household items take to degrade in the ocean and asked the group to consider sustainable alternatives and responsible disposal. The second activity looked at how different types of plastic either sink or float, and how this affects the ocean in different ways, including the impact on marine life at the surface and on the seafloor.

The International SeaKeepers Society delivered the session to share its mission and engage the local sailing community in the DISCOVERY Programme, with the aim of raising awareness of ocean conservation and how boaters can contribute to improving ocean health. The session welcomed 29 attendees across a wide range of ages and created a strong sense of community, reflecting SeaKeepers’ aim to engage local sailing communities and encourage participation in ocean conservation and hands-on marine science. SeaKeepers thanks Up River Yacht Club for their hospitality and engagement in the session. It was a pleasure to meet the club members and SeaKeepers looks forward to working with the club again during their Cadet Week in August, where a clean up will be hosted as part of the programme.