Accessible Marine Wildlife Adventures off Scarborough Coast

Offering inclusive and accessible boat tours for the local community to witness the captivating marine wildlife off the coast of Scarborough this collaboration not only opens the wonders of Yorkshire’s marine environment to everyone but also pioneers innovative methods to capture and share marine wildlife footage for conservation and education.

Wetwheels, a leading charity providing safe and accessible powerboat trips for disabled people, including those with complex needs, organises wildlife tours along Scarborough’s waters. With more than 400 sightings in the last year, Scarborough’s coastline is one of the best places on the English coast to see dolphins and porpoises. These tours offer unique opportunities to spot incredible marine life such as minke whales, bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, and grey seals, while ensuring minimal disturbance to the wildlife.

Through the partnership, Wild Eye and Wetwheels Yorkshire utilise state-of-the-art equipment, including a high-definition camera, hydrophone for capturing cetacean sounds, and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to film beneath the waves. This technology enables the recording and sharing of marine wildlife encounters on platforms like social media.

As part of the collaboration, in 2024 Wetwheels Yorkshire offered bespoke wildlife viewing trips for local community groups with additional access needs, giving people who may have never had the opportunity to explore marine environments a chance to experience the natural wonders of the Yorkshire coastline. For individuals with visual impairments, hydrophone technology provides a remarkable sensory experience, allowing them to hear cetacean songs and fostering greater inclusion in marine wildlife exploration.

This partnership also continues a five-year-long collaboration between Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Wetwheels Yorkshire, with the joint aim of surveying and increasing understanding of cetacean populations in Yorkshire’s waters. Wetwheels Yorkshire's experienced crew is specially trained to operate safely around marine life, following all necessary licensing and insurance requirements, making them a trusted partner in conservation efforts.

“Our goal with Wild Eye is to make the rich marine life of Yorkshire accessible to everyone, and this partnership with Wetwheels Yorkshire aligns perfectly with that mission,” said Caroline Hill, Wild Eye Project Manager at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. “By combining their expertise in accessible marine experiences with our commitment to conservation, we’re not only opening up the marine environment to a broader audience, but we’re also enhancing our understanding and protection of these amazing species.”

Peter Richardson, Skipper of Wetwheels Yorkshire said, "By removing the barriers to participation, through the use of our specially adapted vessel and assistive technology, our disabled participants can share the wonder of our local marine environment like never before."

Wild Eye is delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, a regional environmental charity, Invisible Dust, a UK-based art-science organisation and North Yorkshire Council. The Wild Eye project was allocated £1.4m under the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Towns Fund, which is administered by North Yorkshire Council, to deliver long‐term sustainable economic growth for Scarborough’s nature-culture tourism market and support reconnection with the environment.

As part of this exciting venture, Wild Eye and Wetwheels Yorkshire will collect and showcase the sights and sounds of Scarborough’s marine wildlife through innovative technology. This initiative will provide educational content, assist with ongoing conservation monitoring and emphasise the importance of marine conservation in this stunning area of the UK.

For more information about Wild Eye, visit www.wildeye.org.uk.