ANOTHER INTERN BLOG POST

By Megan Gaskin

When I first arrived I was nervous, it felt like starting college again. All I could think was a new place, new people, new life. The Sea Synergy employees were very welcoming, on the second night here we went to eat Seaweed with John and Kerry-Anne Fitzgerald Atlantic Irish Seaweed. I was apprehensive but it was actually delicious. It was definitely a strange start to my internship, but I was beginning to enjoying it!

Over the next few weeks I had so many insanely cool experiences;

We did a Sea Search Course which really helped my Irish Marine Identification skills, I had 0 to start with. After the course we went snorkeling in Derrynane, next to the ruins of an old graveyard, it was incredible. We saw so many cool creatures and were able to help Biodiversity Ireland through this citizen science initiative.

We went to SeaFest 2019 (Ireland’s biggest Maritime Festival) on behalf of Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish State agency responsible for developing the Irish seafood industry. We even got to go on a tour of the Celtic Explorer while there!

Another intern and I were also able to go to the Carnival of Science in Cork to help with the Marine Explorers Education tent and got to work with some very lovely people from Galway Atlantiquaria. Marine Explorers is funded by the Marine Institute, through this, we were able to teach people about Irish Marine life and how long it takes for litter to degrade through a Leave No Trace Game.

We’ve also done a course in Stand Up Paddleboarding! It’s so much fun! We meet at Lough Currane at 7 am on Mondays to do SUP Fit, which is kind of like Pilates on a Paddleboard. It’s actually not as hard as it sounds, but it’s definitely a workout!

We also went SUPing to Carraig Eanna (A small rock formation just off the coast of Waterville) and saw about 10 seals and a seal pup!

You learn quickly to throw fashion out the window as sock at sandals become comfort clothing after being in a wetsuit!

If you’re interested in marine life, the environment, adventure, water sports and getting to know lots of new people this is definitely an internship worth applying for.

And it’s only July! Roll on the rest of the summer!