Award-winning author, explorer and marine conservationist Lisa Drewe is embarking on an ambitious paddleboard tour of the British coastline – and hopes to meet up with some of BSAC’s Marine Champions and clubs along the way!
As a Royal Geographical Society’s Neville Shulman Challenge Award 2026 recipient, Lisa recently set off on her ‘Attention All Shipping: Journeys Along Britain’s Fragile Island Edges’ expedition. Over the next 10 months, she will be paddleboarding around 17 British islands, each representing one of the Shipping Forecast regions that frame our shores. Her aim is to explore visible indicators of ocean change and how these shifts are affecting coastlines, ecosystems and communities.
During her expedition, she will be recording the presence of seagrass meadows as part of BSAC’s Great Seagrass Survey. She will also be observing kelp forests and other natural coastal buffers, alongside two other shoreline citizen science surveys: the Marine Conservation Society’s Beachwatch and the Great Seaweed Search.
Lisa, who is also Chair of Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), has now released her itinerary as an invitation for BSAC members to meet up with her on route and support her Great Seagrass Survey work.
Lisa explained:
It would be wonderful to meet up with just some of BSAC’s Marine Champions and BSAC clubs to gather their first-hand observations.
One of the most valuable perspectives so far has come from local scuba divers, whose long-term knowledge of underwater species, habitats and ecological change offers important insights into how these marine environments are changing. Connecting with BSAC Marine Champions and members enroute will be an invaluable experience.
In May, Lisa paddled her way around Holy Isle (Arran), and Kerrera, Berneray (Outer Hebrides).
Between June 2026 and April 2027, Lisa will be taking her paddleboard to:
June Innis Mhor (Dornoch), Isle of May (Firth of Forth), Lindisfarne (Northumberland)
July Thorney (Sussex), Portland (Dorset)
August Lundy (Devon), Drakes (Plymouth)
September Holy Isle (Anglesey), St Mary’s (Scilly)
October Mersea (Essex), Scolt Head (Norfolk)
April 27 Foula (Shetland), Fair Isle (Shetland), North Ronaldsay (Orkney)
BSAC’s Environment Chair Katherine Knight said the chance to meet up with Lisa during her ambitious project was a fantastic citizen science opportunity. She said:
I am delighted that Lisa is incorporating our Great Seagrass Survey into her paddling plans and I wish her the very best of luck for her expedition. And, if any of our Marine Champions or BSAC clubs are able to meet up with Lisa on her journey, I am sure it will be a rewarding experience.
If you and/or your club would like to meet up with Lisa during her island tour, please email her directly at lisa@islandeering.com
For more information on Lisa and her work, go to www.islandeering.com
Supported by:
