Diving into the Sea right on your Doorstep

This year, around 400 schoolchildren from Kiel and surrounding areas will once again have the chance to enjoy the impressive experience of snorkelling in the sea for the first time – and to see with their own eyes the animals and plants that live right off the quayside in the Kiel Fjord. Equipped with snorkels and masks, 22 school classes will head straight from the Düsternbrook bathing area into the Baltic Sea, exploring an underwater world of seagrass meadows, jellyfish, shrimp and starfish.

Experience the sea – protect nature

“We only want to protect what we know and love,” says Dr. Mark Lenz, a marine biologist at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel. He initiated the project last year and is delighted that it is continuing this year. “Once you have seen with your own eyes how diverse life is just below the surface of the water, you will never look at the Baltic Sea with indifference again. That's exactly the experience we want to offer children and young people through ‘Snorkeling.City’.

This is made possible by the association Pro Ocean and funding from the BINGO! Environmental Lottery. The BUND-Umwelthaus in Neustadt, BUND SH and the Tourism Agency Lübecker Bucht are providing the snorkeling equipment. Dr Henry Göhlich, a marine biologist at GEOMAR, is coordinating and managing the project on a voluntary basis. The success of the programme also relies on the support of teams from Ocean Summit, the Heinrich Böll Foundation SH, Kiel Marketing, the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund SH, and freediving instructor Kjell Wassermann.

School classes and students take the plunge

From 2 June to 4 July, school classes will go snorkelling almost every weekday. Each course lasts around three hours. Before entering the water, participants receive an introduction to the unique characteristics of the Baltic Sea and its marine life, followed by a debrief and discussion after the snorkelling session. The groups are guided by students from Kiel University (CAU) and GEOMAR who have been trained in environmental education, first aid, lifeguarding and snorkelling instruction.

On 12 June, 25 biology students from Kiel University (CAU) will join the ‘Snorkeling.City’ team for a day-long excursion, organised by Dr Kim Wagner and Dr Daniela Winkler. The trip is supported by the CAU Alumni and Friends Association.

Vision for the future: Every child living on the Baltic Sea coast should have the opportunity to explore the underwater world

The organisers have an ambitious goal: every child living along the Baltic Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein should one day have the opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Baltic Sea. To realise this vision, the project needs additional partners and long-term funding. It’s a goal worth pursuing – because both Lenz and Göhlich are convinced that anyone who has experienced a seagrass meadow up close will understand the vital role that each animal and plant plays in the marine ecosystem, and be motivated to help protect them.