Marine Institute Celebrates New 2021 Ocean of Learning Series

The launch of the 2021 Ocean of Learning series is being celebrated for our seas by the Marine Institute and partners.

Oceans of Learning

The Oceans of Learning which was recently made available on the Marine Institute’s website offers services like a new podcast series, educational videos, short films, and the latest news about our ocean.

The series encourages and enables people to engage with our ocean from anywhere, and explores all aspects of our marine resource.

Mick Gillooly, the Interim CEO of the Marine Institute said, ‘Through our Oceans of Leaning series we have explored how important the ocean is to our lives and our livelihoods.’

‘The ocean is our greatest natural resource, and by working together we can further understand our ocean in order to sustainably manage it for future generations.

Marine and Sea Life

The resources available convey the ocean through a variety of media resources, allowing a full perspective on marine and ocean life.

The short film, Marine Life is a collaboration between the Irish Chamber Orchestra, underwater filmmaker Vincent Hyland and the Marine Institute.

The film premiered during Oceans of Learning and takes a dive beneath Ireland’s wild Atlantic waves to explore the variety of sea life found in Irish waters.

Dive Deep with ROV Holland 1, another short film grants viewers the opportunity to explore the deep sea as a marine scientist by discovering cold-water corals, shipwrecks, and a rare shark nursery in Irish waters.

Another resource is the Sea Science Series with Mark Langtry, ‘The Science Guy’, which brings the wonders of sea science to the screen with his entertaining and educational sea science shows.

The four-part Oceans of Learning podcast series invites ocean experts and leaders around the world to share their stories and solutions to the challenges the ocean is facing.

The podcast is hosted by Finn van der Aar and he talks to a range of guests including Simon Coveney, Minister for Foreign Affairs and John Bell, the Director of Healthy Planet, DG Research and Innovation at the European Commission, wave surfer Dr. Easkey Britton, Tracey Ryan, Managing Director for Codex Beauty Ireland and the first Irish Female Navy Diver Tahlia Britton and more.

The #SeaToMe social media competition has been created to encourage people across Ireland to share what the sea means to them for the chance to win weekly prizes.

Over 300 people responded to this online initiative, sharing photos of their favorite places and activities along the Irish coast, including artwork inspired by our ocean.

‘By raising awareness of the opportunities and benefits provided by our ocean, the people of Ireland will be inspired to safeguard and harness this valuable marine resource.’ said Gillooly.

‘Galway Sailor’

The Marine Institute also as part of their Explorers Education Programme deployed a 1.5 metre unmanned mini sailboat called ‘Seoltóir Na Gaillimhe – the Galway Sailor’.

The ‘Galway Sailor’ was set off at the Institute’s RV Celtic Explorer into the Atlantic Ocean near the M6 Weather Buoy, during the AIMSIR (Atlantic In-situ Marine Scientific Infrastructure Replacement) survey.

The mini-boat is equipped with a sail and a satellite tracker, which allows the students from Kilglass National school who painted and decorated the ‘Galway Sailor’ to track it as it sails across the ocean.