Shows
Our OceanThe Ocean Citizens Award - a Fintastic Summer on the West Coast of ScotlandWe are delighted to be joined today by Megan Hamill, one of the recipient's of Seaful's inaugaral Ocean Citizens Award in 2025. This monetary award was created with Felix Appelbe, founder of Ocean Ambassadors, to support young people in their journey to becoming Ocean Citizens, and applications for the 2026 award are open until the end of February.It was a joy to catch up with Megan - an ocean advocate from the Isle of Arran, and hear all about her Fintastic summer on the West Coast of Scotland with the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, British Divers Marine...
2026-02-1134 minOur OceanSeals, seals, seals - pupping season at St Abb's HeadWelcome back to Our Ocean! We've had a bit of a break, but are delighted to be back at St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve, with the amazing head ranger Ciaran Hatsell and his colleagues, from The National Trust for Scotland, just in time for seal pupping season!Every year, St Abb's goes through incredible seasonal transformations. We were last here in June (check out our episode 'Seabird Spectacle' if you haven't already!) when the cliffs were lined with noisy seabirds. The cliffs might be empty now, but the beaches are COVERED in newly born grey seal...
2025-12-101h 09Our OceanSeagulls - Menace or Marvel?Seagulls seem to divide opinion more than most wildlife! For some, they're a nostalgic sight and sound of the seaside. For others, they're a nuisance, and even a threat. In this episode, we're diving deep into why these birds, which, perhaps surprisingly, are actually made up of several endangered species, are living in more urban settings, and what can be done to navigate their curious and sometimes challenging ways and live harmoniously alongside them.We're joined by two seabird experts from the National Trust for Scotland - Senior Seabird Officer Ellie Owen, and St Abbs Head National...
2025-08-0839 minOur OceanSeabird Spectacle - Guillemot JumplingsThis is an extra special episode, recorded mid-seabird season at St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve where we are treated to one of nature's most wonderful spectacles - guillemot chicks of only 15 days old taking a leap of faith into the ocean for the first time. The 'Jumplings' can't fly, yet leap off cliffs around the UK for a couple of weeks every year to begin their lives out at sea.We're guided on our adventure in St Abbs by the Head Ranger, Ciaran Hatsell, who is passionate, inspiring and full of knowledge about birds and nature...
2025-07-311h 13Our OceanOcean Witness - Eyes UnderwaterImagine being able to fly through the water, over a magnificent seabed, at depths of up to 200 metres, without even having to get wet! The Ocean Witness report by the charity Open Seas has done exactly that, by sending an ROV, a remote operated vehicle with a camera, down into the depths over 300 times around the coast of Scotland to show us exactly what's out of sight and out of mind.This episode of Our Ocean is with Phil Taylor from Open Seas. We dive into our ocean's amazing ecosystems, what can be found inside and outside...
2025-07-1757 minOur OceanOcean News - July 2025This is a short and sweet round up of what's been happening in the Ocean World! We start with an update on Seaful's Vitamin Sea Project - transformative ocean experiences from the UK charity dedicated to connecting people to the ocean, followed by a quick look at the recent UN Ocean Conference. We finish up with some ideas of how you can be an Ocean Citizen this month.This is a new style of episode to complement our longer form conversations. Let us know what you think, and if you have any suggestions of what to include...
2025-07-0413 min
If I Ruled the World by Gillian Burke39: I would END IMPUNITY with Cal MajorIn episode 39 of the 'If I Ruled The World' podcast, host Gillian Burke records an impromptu episode as she engages in a raw and heartfelt discussion with ocean activist Cal Major. Responding to an Instagram post about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the escalation of war in the Middle East in general, Cal Major opens up about her feelings of helplessness and the challenges of speaking out.Together, they explore why the nature & environmental sector remains largely silent on issues of war, the interconnectedness of environmental destruction and military conflict and more nuanced barriers t...
2025-06-271h 04Our OceanWar, System Change, and Speaking UpThis is a "podcast share" with 'If I Ruled The World' - a show all about system change, with the brilliant Gillian Burke. What that means is that we've recorded this episode together, to sit on both of our platforms. It's a slightly different format to what you might be used to on Our Ocean - a little bit longer, and less of an interview, more of a conversation. Less facts and figures, and more exploring concepts.It's by far the most challenging episode we've recorded so far - stepping into the realm of the impacts of...
2025-06-271h 04Our OceanNoel's Story - a life intertwined with the seaWe head out onto the ocean to search for wildlife with Noel Hawkins on the Shearwater tour boat in Ullapool, Northwest Scotland. Amongst some very exciting sightings, we discuss how the ocean here has changed over the years that Noel has been working at sea, in various roles from fisherman to marine animal rescuer and now wildlife tour guide, and the impacts of fishing and marine protected areas on wildlife numbers. We also touch on tourism and what wildlife lovers can do to help protect the animals they care about.This was a really fun episode to...
2025-06-1850 minOur OceanBeluga FeverWhen a Beluga Whale was sighted in a loch in Scotland, whale and dolphin enthusiasts from around the coast took to the water, headlands, and in Anthony Rigell's case, the sky to see if they could get a glimpse. In this episode, we meet the drone pilot and cetacean spotter who is feeding his sightings into conservation efforts.Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust - Whale Track app for recording and observing sightings: https://www.hwdt.org/whale-trackThe Our Ocean Podcast is brought to you by Seaful - the UK charity dedicated to connecting people to our ocean.For more information about Seaful, please visit our Website, Instagra...
2025-06-1137 minOur OceanSolving Whale EntanglementIn March, a sperm whale washed up on a beach near the Isle of Skye wrapped up in rope. In this episode, we delve into entanglement of large ocean creatures with Ellie Maclennan of the Scottish Entanglement Alliance. This is a difficult topic, but one with a very simple solution currently being trialled which could massively reduce the incidence of entanglement overnight.Scottish Entanglement Alliance: https://scottishentanglement.orgFind and contact your MSP (Member of Scottish Parliament): https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-mspsThe Our Ocean Podcast is brought to you by Seaful - the UK charity dedicated to connecting people to our ocean.For more inform...
2025-06-0457 minOur OceanCan Fishing truly be Sustainable?In this very unique episode, we head out into the beautiful Sound of Skye on a creel fishing boat with Bally Philp - a fisherman in Northwest Scotland known for his dedication to sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation. He is the chair of the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation, and one of the founding members of the Scottish Entanglement Alliance, with a passion for cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and advancing fishing practices to protect them from harm.We talk about what sustainability in fishing actually means, advances in technology, and whether or not they can prevent marine mammal entanglement in Scotland's fishing fleet.Scottish Entanglement Alliance: ht...
2025-05-2853 minOur OceanSharks, Skates and Scotland's Incredible Underwater WorldWhat do you imagine when thinking of scuba diving in Scotland? Chris Rickard takes us on an exciting journey underwater and shares the good, the bad and the ugly from thousands of dives around Scotland. Through decades of diving he has made some amazing and terrible discoveries. He's experienced everything from the smallest molluscs engineering entire seabeds, to the largest apex predators, which inspired him to set up Shark and Skate Scotland, to the hidden destruction befalling the seabed. In this episode, Chris takes us for a deep dive into Scotland's underwater world, and explains why he...
2025-05-211h 00Our OceanSwimming around Iceland - Ross Edgley shares his 'Why'"Your reasons to continue have to be bigger than your reasons to stop." Ross recounts some truly amazing ocean experiences, and what kept him going on his world-record circumnavigation of the UK in 2018, swimming for up to 12 hours a day for 157 days (spoiler alert, there were some incredible animal encounters!).His next challenge is difficult to imagine: In his words, it isn't a sprint, it isn't even a marathon - it's a migration. Swimming around Iceland. This time, in the search of eDNA to show us exactly what's living in Iceland's seas...You can read...
2025-05-1439 minOur OceanNative Oysters - Ecosystem EngineersThis is about a tiny but mighty creature creating entire underwater ecosystems! We get hands on with Native Scottish Oysters in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, with Ailsa Mclellan of Seawilding. Ailsa is an amazing marine scientist and ocean campaigner, and explains how Marine Habitat Restoration could be the antidote to the destruction of the seabed, and a boost for people's hopefulness...This is our second episode with Ailsa, and we're delighted to welcome her back to the podcast today. We head to Ullapool harbour to check our the native Scottish oysters she is nurturing as part...
2025-05-1431 minOur OceanRewilding Scotland's Sea - The SeabedEver wondered what's actually growing on Scotland's seabed? Turns out it's more important than many of us may imagine! And there are big waves being made to protect and restore degraded habitats. Ailsa Mclellan talks us through how and why we need to create better protection for Scotland's seabed, who has the right to have a say in this, and introduces us to a tiny but mighty species which can play a part in doing just that.Ailsa is a marine scientist and ocean campaigner living in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. She works for the charity...
2025-05-1451 minOur OceanIntroducing The Our Ocean PodcastWelcome to Our Ocean: the lungs of our blue planet, one ocean which connects us all, and which we all have the right to understand and care about. In this podcast, we'll be delving into what's out of sight in our magnificent ocean, diving deep into the incredible, life-giving ecosystems and their inhabitants, and hearing from the amazing Ocean People standing up for their protection.We're so delighted your here, and can't wait to go on a journey together as we explore, connect to, and protect Our Ocean.This podcast is brought to you by...
2025-05-1401 min
SUPfm The International Stand Up Paddle Board Podcast104 : Scotland: Ocean Nation - With Cal MajorThis bonus episode features the return of Cal Major to the show. Cal's epic three part series Scotland: Ocean Nation is now available to stream for FREE through STV Player until March 2024Cal takes us through the making of the series which shows her 800 mile journey around the Scottish coastline, and her encounters with the beautiful and threatened marine wildlife that exists in this stunning and relentless environment.This series is highly recommended as a positive, optimistic yet honest representation of the Scottish coast, the incredible creatures who live there and the people who are...
2023-04-171h 18
Conduit ConversationsDo Something For Nothing with Joshua Coombes and Dr. Ebony EscalonaWelcome to this ‘Do Something For Nothing’ podcast takeover for The Conduit. I am Joshua Coombes - hairdresser to the homeless and an amplifier of kindness. Join me and Conduit community member, Dr Ebony Escalona, as we interview some really interesting people who are doing things outside of the box to benefit their communities and our planet.
In this episode we are joined by Cal Major. Cal reminds us how important our own personal connection to nature is in establishing our internal motivation to protect it. This is precisely what Seaful, her charity does. Cal is a vet, pro paddl...
2022-12-1649 min
The Joy of SUP - The Paddleboarding Sunshine PodcastLinn van der Zanden - Scottish SUP camping adventures, Seaful, Five Islands Challenge and Kelly Kettle beach cookingI am so thrilled to welcome Linn van der Zanden to The Joy of SUP Podcast today. I met Linn in the summer of 2021 researching my book and we spent the most wonderful time paddleboarding along the south west coast of Scotland, cooking supper on the beach and camping on our boards overnight. I think you are going to love the helpful information Linn shares with us!A little more about her: Linn van der Zanden is a SUP adventurer and instructor based on the South West Coast of Scotland. She loves exploring th...
2022-03-0442 min
The Joy of SUP - The Paddleboarding Sunshine PodcastSteph Barnicoat - SUP with Steph, Seaful Adventure, Paddling with Percy and SealsI'm thrilled to welcome Steph Barnicoat to The Joy of SUP Podcast today!Steph lives in Cornwall with her beautiful dog and SUP companion Percy. She works in marine mammal acoustics and also runs a bespoke SUP business called SUP with Steph on The Gannel, Newquay. In this episode, we talk about:Her 95 km paddleboarding adventure along the Cornish coast raising money for Seaful Charity founded by Cal MajorHer business SUP with Steph sharing the beauty of sunrise and sunset SUPs in CornwallPaddling with PercyHer work in marine mammal acousticsBeing a Team R...
2022-01-2142 min
Something For The Weekend - The Oban TimesSomething For The Weekend 13th August 2021The something for the Weekend Team have decided to take a wee break over the summer to enjoy the rain/midges/sun/downpours please delete as appropriate – It not that there is nothing to podcast about far from it – but it’s a busy time with people off on holiday and its difficult to get the whole gang together even from their remote locations to record the weekly show. That’s not to say they havn’t been busy and recorded a few things in advance – This week's podcast takes you on a Calmac...
2021-08-1316 min