Something Blue: Love Letters To The Ocean

In today's episode, I'm joined by Howard Wood OBE, Co-Founder of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST), Coastal Communities Network (CCN) and the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT). In the year that COAST celebrates its 30th year, Howard reflects on a lifelong journey campaigning for Scotland's seas, the establishment of the Lamlash Bay No Take Zone in Arran's coastal waters, and the people in marine conservation that have made it all possible. In this episode we delve deep into the legislation that limits seabed protection, what communities around the globe can teach us about marine protection and the political actions we must take to honour our love of the sea. Something Old: Playing and taking an interest in the trout in a stream in the garden. Annual visits to Arran as a child, fishing from a rowing boat on the sea Something New: Advancing technology to better image the seabed. Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Drop Down Cameras making the seabed accessible to allSomething Borrowed: The inspiring underwater films of Hans Hass and Jacques Cousteau; David Attenborough documentaries allowing the public to see what's underwater. Support for COAST from Professor Rupert Allman, Director at Millport; Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation at University of Exeter; Dr Bryce Stewart, Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association; and David Bailey, Reader in Marine Ecology at University of Glasgow; all esteemed academics encouraging us to follow the right path Something Blue: Being underwater diving. 'I'm never happier than sat on the seabed, with my camera, taking some pictures.' Exploring and documenting monkey puzzle bryozoan in the seas around Arran Howard on Instagram - @howardlwoodHoward's podcast - @theincomingtides Something Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearthIf you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

In today's episode, I'm chatting with Mrs Meg Avon, Writer, Campaigner and River Wife. Meg is a remarkable human. Acting out of love for her beloved Avon, Meg married the river in June 2023. Now living in Bristol, she is a passionate guardian for our waterways; bringing joy and courage by the bucketful to rewrite the story of our rivers. Something Old: Splashing in streams in Wales as a child, building dams and bodyboarding with cousins and brothers; feeling a sense of timelessness in the waterSomething New: Guardianship and grassroots activism for the water. The pursuit of legal personhood for bodies of water, inspired by Phoebe Tickell's 'Moral Imaginations' movement to create new possibilities and new action to make the world better for everyone Something Borrowed: The creative art of storytelling and puppet making; journeying with 'Avona' puppet along the river to speak for water's rightsSomething Blue: Conham Steps, BristolMeg on Instagram - @mrs_meg_avonSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearthIf you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

In today's episode, I'm chatting with Kirsty Cox, Actress, Seal Advocate and Scottish Island Wanderer. Born in London, based in Bristol and growing up between Edinburgh, Glasgow and the sea, Kirsty first fell in love with the Isle of Arran as a child, and its island charms have kept her returning ever since. Reflecting on her draw to small islands and life on tour as an actress, in this episode we explore the beautiful ways that water follows Kirsty wherever in the world she goes. Something Old: The summer of turning 5 on the Isle of Arran, swimming in the sea at Blackwaterfoot, barbecues on the beach with cousins and sand in the bathtubSomething New: Seeing young people inspired by the wonders of the ocean; seagrass replanting initiatives, ocean recovery when fishing pressures are removed, exploring kelp as a sustainable food source and packagingSomething Borrowed: 'Sea Fever' by John Masefield. Seeing the work of COAST (Community of Arran Seabed Trust) and how communities can make a difference on a global scaleSomething Blue: Island water - 'You feel like you're being hugged by the water, because it's all around you' Kirsty's website - www.kirstycoxactor.co.ukSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearthIf you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

This episode is a little different to usual! To celebrate 1 year of Something Blue, I'm catching up with my good friend Liv, research assistant in health psychology at the University of Nottingham. I loved this conversation with Liv: it felt like such a candid chat - proving that everyone can show their love and care for the ocean. Something Old: Childhood picnics on the beach in St Ives with family Something New: A holistic approach to making the link between environmental causes, and how they each connect us to the oceanSomething Borrowed: Starting to view life from an ocean-centric perspective, harsh lessons from Seaspiracy, seeing healthcare professionals prescribe the healing power of going outdoorsSomething Blue: A glass of water in the morning, memories of the lakes & sunsets in St Ives Liv on Instagram - @livsvegantreatsSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearth If you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

In today's episode, I'm catching up with Kate Roberts, leadership coach and lover of sea dips in Plymouth's turquoise waters. Founder of The Coastal Coach Ltd, Kate recognises the transformative power of taking her clients to the sea, to build stronger teams and unlock each individual's performance and potential. "There’s something incredibly powerful about being near the ocean — the vastness, the rhythm, the clarity. It’s a reminder of how small actions can ripple into something much larger. That’s why leadership coaching by the coast offers a unique opportunity for growth and transformation."Something Old: Rame Peninsula, Cornwall and childhood picnics playing on the beach at Whitsand Bay and Portwrinkle Something New: Collective power to our voices in advocating for the true protection of our marine protected areas. Inspired by the work of Oceana and their campaign to end harmful bottom trawling and seabed dredging Something Borrowed: Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols, the work of Lizzi Larbalestier in continuing J's legacy and inspiring deeper connection to the ocean Something Blue: Firestone Bay and Whitsand Bay, Plymouth and Penwith, Cornwall Together with our Blue Health Coach community, between 26th May and 2nd September you’re invited to connect with water in all its forms. 100 days of blue is a campaign to encourage everyone to consciously connect with water (near and on it, in and under it). Use the hashtag #100daysofblue to share your blue moments.Kate on Instagram - @the.coastal.coachSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearth If you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

In today's episode, I'm chatting with Jane Woods, emotional well-being coach/facilitator and appreciative inquiry practitioner with a deep personal connection to the sea. Based in Purbeck on the beautiful South Coast of the UK, Jane works in partnership with blue space to empower healthcare professionals, the outdoor industry and those living with ADHD or cancer to ride the waves of life."For me, it’s about making a difference, adding value, constant learning, staying curious, acting out of love and not fear and having the courage to be true to ourselves". Something Old: Happy memories at Durdle Door, mesmerised by a woman swimming in the ocean on a sunny summer morning Something New: Inviting the sea into a mental health practice as early health intervention. Exploring the work of Mark Harper, author of 'Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure' Something Borrowed: Ocean with David Attenborough: "If we save the sea, we save our world". 'Motion for the Ocean' local initiative, modern radio adaptation of Local Hero, My Octopus Teacher, Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols, Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.Something Blue: Studland Beach, Dorset Together with our Blue Health Coach community, between 26th May and 2nd September you’re invited to connect with water in all its forms. 100 days of blue is a campaign to encourage everyone to consciously connect with water (near and on it, in and under it). Use the hashtag #100daysofblue to share your blue moments.Jane on Instagram - @jane_woods_coachingSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearth If you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

In today's episode, I'm chatting with Lizzi Larbalestier, Blue Health Coach, Trainer, Writer and event Speaker. Working in partnership with the coast to facilitate insight and change, Lizzi is passionate about nature-connectedness and embodying the tools of yoga and breathwork for inner alignment.Deeply connected to the waters around Cornwall, Lizzi brings her love of blue to her work outdoors as a coach, marine mammal medic and passionate ocean advocate. Bringing a sense of playfulness to understand the relationship between our inner and outer landscapes, Lizzi encourages us all to look to blue spaces to bring deep insight that leads to meaningful action.Something Old: Exploring the coast of North Devon as a child, feeling safe and free to build a connection and fall in love with blue spaceSomething New: Campaigns that offer a message of hope and love - Surfers Against Sewage 'The Creature'Something Borrowed: Remembering from yoga that 'Everything is your teacher'...and when challenge arises 'This is an adventure...' Sasha. Sharing Wallace J. Nichols' heart-led approach to communicating science. 'Nature doesn't do waste and neither should we' - Dr Sylvia Earle. Something Blue: Treyarnon Bay, North Cornwall Together with our Blue Health Coach community, between 26th May and 2nd September you’re invited to connect with water in all its forms. 100 days of blue is a campaign to encourage everyone to consciously connect with water (near and on it, in and under it). Use the hashtag #100daysofblue to share your blue moments. Lizzi on Instagram - @lizzi_lSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearth If you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx

In today's episode, I'm chatting with Bryony Redgrave, Blue Health Coach and Founder and Director of Vesta Sustainable Living.Bryony is a passionate ocean advocate, with her deep affinity for blue space flowing into all areas of her work, as a UK-based social entrepreneur and recently qualified Blue Health Coach. From the moment that Blue Planet II spurred her to start her sustainable homeware business in 2018, Bryony has been on a mission to save our seas. In this episode, we discuss how to connect with blue space as inland water lovers, Bryony's big ambitions as a small business owner and the power of tiny actions to make huge change, and the life-changing wisdom of Blue Health Coaching..."Small changes make a big difference when we're all doing them together. We don't need perfect sustainability, small everyday changes create ripples that turn into waves...We do this to keep plastic off the beaches and the sea."Something Old: The magic of wild childhood trips to the Cornish seasideSomething New: The reintroduction of beavers as a milestone for river and wetland restoration in the UKSomething Borrowed: The heart-wrenching image of a whale eating a blue plastic bucket in the BBC's Blue Planet II series (2018)Something Blue: Fistral Beach, NewquayBryony on Instagram - @vesta_sustainable_livingFor creative collaborations: @vesta_hearthandhomemagSomething Blue on Instagram - @somethingbluepodcastLily on Instagram - @usourearthIf you enjoyed the episode and are able to share with a friend or leave a review, I'd be super grateful.The hope with this podcast is to bring a tiny dose of blue wherever in the world you're listening...to remind ourselves as a global community of ocean lovers that there is hope for the future of our waterways.Sending you all the ocean love,Lily xx