This course is aimed at young people aged 16 and 18 years old who are interested in learning more about marine life.
Explore UK waters on our Snorkelling for Marine Biology residential. The UK’s waters are full of amazing marine life but, are often under-appreciated. This course will give you a taste of our fascinating underwater world and will qualify you as a Scuba Schools International (SSI) snorkel diver at Millport Field Centre and a British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) snorkel diver at Dale Fort Field Centre.

Snorkelling for Marine Biology is aimed at beginners, this progressive course will cover practical skills and theory sessions.
Time out of the water will be spent learning about marine habitats and species, marine conservation and current threats to our oceans. Talks will be from centre staff and guest speakers.

This course is suitable for the residential section of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. Always check with your leader before booking.

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Please take a look at the example timetables on this page as the course content will differ slightly depending on location.

Our residentials also give you the chance to develop a range of transferable skills. These types of skills help across many areas of life and are particularly good for including in job or education applications. Here are some of the transferable skills that are likely to be covered in this residential:

  • Communicating with others
  • Working as a team
  • Managing your time
  • Taking the lead
  • Resilience
  • Reliability
  • Keeping focused
  • Problem solving
  • Decision making

We want to ensure participants get to share in their experience with those of a similar age. Please consider what age the attendee will be on the course date you choose and check they fit in the age category for that date when booking. (Please see each individual course at the bottom of this page for age ranges) 

If the attendee is under 18, the booking must be made by a parent/guardian. When you book, it is essential that you enter the age and attendees name in the Order Notes at the checkout.

When attending the residential dates which welcome 16-18 year olds, all participants will be expected to follow the behaviour and conduct rules which will be in place to safeguard young people.

See our Residential FAQs page if you’d like to know the answers to our most frequently asked questions.

If these course dates do not suit you, we run similar courses at many of our other centres.

Marine Biological Association Membership

Field Studies Council has partnered with The Marine Biological Association (MBA) to offer participants attending our snorkelling for marine biology course at Dale Fort Field Centre a free years membership to the MBA.*

The MBA is one of the world’s longest-running societies dedicated to promoting research into our oceans and the life they support.  The MBA is the voice of Marine Biology and supports Marine Biologists throughout their journey, from those just starting out, to professionals and those who are leading the way forward in this dynamic field.

* All members will gain access to The Marine Biologist Magazine, have the opportunity to attend events and talks both in person and online, discounts and much more. Excludes residentials taking place at Millport Field Centre.  For full details visit Our Membership | Marine Biological Association.  

The category of membership will be determined by individual circumstances, existing members will get a year added to their subscription.

Are you looking to complete your gold Duke of Edinburgh Award? Do you want to explore possible career paths? Or do you want to expand your knowledge of nature and the natural world? Discover our range of opportunities for young people.

  • Children jumping on a beach
  • Sea life under water
  • People looking out at sea with binoculars

Example Timetable

Example Timetable

Our Snorkelling for Marine Biology course take place at Dale Fort and Millport Field Centres. They vary from 5 to 6 day courses. Wildlife availability, weather, location and season can affect activities which is why these are example timetables.

Millport Field Centre

Day 1
Arrive-before 12:00
Welcome to the Centre and Introduction to snorkelling equipment, get kitted out with wetsuits and masks. The first snorkel session will be at SSI Kames Bay, a short walk away from the field centre. This first snorkel is a chance to get used to the water, and check equipment all fits correctly we observe hermit crabs, plaice & Co. in their natural habitat.

Evening - Marine Species ID Workshop
An introduction to the main marine phyla, and a workshops on identifying commonly found rocky shore animals and seaweeds, as well as an overview of the scientific importance of the rocky shore.

Day 2
White Bay Snorkel - The second snorkel session aims to improve comfort in the water and buoyancy. We do this at White Bay, a site great for sea urchins, starfish, dogfish, and a good chance a seal is visiting the group.

White Bay BioBlitz - In the afternoon we will be learning about adaptations to life between the tides and begin to hone our taxonomic and identification skills. These will be used during a practical session on the rocky shore, before putting them to the test in the afternoon snorkel session, along with learning more snorkelling techniques.

Evening - Creative Marine Conservation. How can sharing conservation messages help influence change in our marine environments? Participants consider the impact of raising awareness before creating their own messaging to engage audiences to marine issues.

Day 3
Wishing Well Snorkel - The morning session is planned at the Wishing Well, another location of rich biodiversity due to rock terraces under water. Another location of rich biodiversity due to its underwater geology and oceanography. We will discuss how currents, geology and climate can affect the biodiversity of the coast and begin to consider the implications this has with global warming.
RV Actinia Trip - In the afternoon session participants leave the coast with an opportunity to snorkel deeper waters from aboard the Research Vessel Actinia.  We will also learn how to study the behaviour of marine organisms in the lab or field.

Day 4
Bell Bay Snorkel 
We will head to Sheriff’s Bay to apply our snorkelling skills to surveying and start to collect data on the organisms in the Clyde. This site is a diverse area with rocky outcrops, small sandy beaches, and kelp. Fantastic views on isle of Arran and Bute are guaranteed. After snorkelling we will analyse our data to understand how marine communities are adapted to survive in the coastal underwater environment.
Sandy Shores 
After lunch we will head back to Kames Bay, and discover the organisms which live in this habitat. Then we will conduct some citizen science surveys on marine litter, looking at the macro and micro plastics that wash up on our shores.

Evening - Campfire. Sitting around a roaring campfire, we will exchange memories of the week, toasting marshmallows and making s’mores.

Day 5
Snorkel to the Eileans 
A final morning snorkel session at a location of your choice, it could be a site you haven’t been before, or you want to return. Alternatively, those participants who would like a challenge can a snorkel across Millport Bay to the Eileans, islands where common seals regularly haul out.

Megafauna 
In the afternoon we will consider the larger inhabitants of the Clyde, especially the mammals and seabirds. After a short introduction to identifying animals at sea, we will embark on a walk around the island to try and spot some charismatic megafauna.

Depart 3pm

Dale Fort Field Centre

Day 1
Arrival 4pm
Welcome to the Centre and Introduction.
Meet the other participants and hear more on what to expect over the next few days.

Day 2
BSAC theory lesson 1 – Our BSAC Centre and snorkel diver training.
BSAC theory lesson 2 – Snorkeling equipment and signals.
Talk on rocky shore ecosystems.
BSAC Practical Lessons 1 and 2  - Snorkel session at Castle Beach, a sandy and rocky bay next door to the field centre followed by a talk by a guest speaker in the evening.

Day 3
BSAC Theory Lesson 3 – Snorkeling science.
Investigating the crab populations around Dale Pontoon and Plankton sampling.
BSAC Practical Lesson 3 - A snorkel session at St. Brides, a sheltered bay with rocky platforms and sandy followed by a talk on plankton in the evening with time in lab to view samples with the microscopes.

Day 4
BSAC Practical Lessons 5 and 6 - Snorkel session at Martins Haven.
Coastal walk spotting seabirds, seals and cetaceans.
BSAC Practical Lesson 4 - Snorkel session around the local pontoon/jetty, practicing entry techniques.
Followed by a film/quiz night.

Day 5
Skills review and using all of your knowledge and skills gained from the last few days, you will help plan and lead your own guided snorkel session.
A long lunch at Broad Haven with beach games.
A further skills review on leading a snorkel session at St Brides Bay followed by an evening campfire.

Day 6
Review of the course and presentation of certificates. A talk on opportunities that can further your interests in the marine environment.

Depart 12pm

Please note: to ensure safe and quality learning experiences for participants, the timetable may alter depending on weather conditions and local factors at centres.

What's Included

  • Expert Tuition
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Full Board Accommodation
  • Hot and Cold Drinks
  • In Course Transport
  • Lunch
  • Expert guidance by fully trained Field Studies Council staff
  • Rigorous health and safety procedures including 24-hour emergency cover
  • Full board accommodation including a cooked breakfast, lunch,  and an evening meal
  • All activities and transport during the course

Before You Attend

A full kit list will be sent to you prior to the course.

This residential is only open to young people who will be aged 16 or 24 years old at the time of attending.   

We want to ensure participants get to share in their experience with those of a similar age. Please consider what age the attendee will be on the course date you choose and check they fit in the age category for that date when booking. (Please see each individual course at the bottom of this page for age ranges)

If the attendee is under 18, the booking must be made by a parent/guardian. When you book, it is essential that you enter the age and attendees name in the Order Notes at the checkout.

When attending the residential dates which welcome 16-18 year olds, all participants will be expected to follow the behaviour and conduct rules which will be in place to safeguard young people.

Opportunities to attend this course

  • Mon 30, June 2025 12:00 - Fri 04, July 2025 15:00

    This residential is only open to young people who will be aged 16 - 18 years old at the time of attending. Please note, that this course at Millport does not include MBA (Marine Biological Association) membership.

    Location
    Millport
    Price
    £626.00
    Tutor
    Field Studies Council Staff
    Pay a deposit of £100.00 per item
  • Mon 07, July 2025 12:00 - Fri 11, July 2025 15:00

    This residential is only open to young people who will be aged 16 - 18 years old at the time of attending. Please note, that this course at Millport does not include MBA (Marine Biological Association) membership.

    Location
    Millport
    Price
    £626.00
    Tutor
    Field Studies Council Staff
    Pay a deposit of £100.00 per item
  • Mon 21, July 2025 16:00 - Sat 26, July 2025 12:00

    This residential is only open to young people who will be aged 16 or 17 years old at the time of attending.

    Location
    Dale Fort
    Price
    £626.00
    Tutor
    Field Studies Council Staff
    Pay a deposit of £100.00 per item