47 swimmers took on the 3K Along the Bay charity swim on Sunday 13^th July, navigating three kilometres of the coastline from St Mawes to St Just in Roseland. Their fundraising secured donations for Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Ocean Emergency Fund, which supports crucial marine projects in the county.

Matt Slater, Marine Conservation Officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust said: 

“The new route has enabled participants to swim the length of our most precious marine habitat, England’s largest and healthiest maerl bed.

“The seabed is carpeted with nodules of purple coralline seaweed, which have been aged at over 4,000 years old, forming a rare habitat which extends from the entrance of St Mawes Harbour and all the way to the entrance to St Just in Roseland creek. 

“It’s a truly remarkable stretch of coastline and we are extremely grateful to all the swimmers who raised money to help us protect it.”

The route also took the swimmers over dense seagrass beds and kelp forests, with all three habitats rare yet essential for a huge diversity of life including bass and bream, lobsters and crabs, and rarer species such as seahorses, cuttlefish, and pipefish.

Swimmer Susan Goldsworthy, one of the highest individual fundraisers, said: 

“I am delighted to have combined my love for open water swimming with my passion for these precious marine spaces.

“It was wonderful to view the underwater world as I completed my swim.”

Participants received training tips, and on-the-day support from Sureswim Kernow alongside a fantastic volunteer team of experienced surf life savers.

Sureswim Kernow’s founder Clare Lewis said: 

“Congratulations to every swimmer for their dedication in training for the event and the fabulous fundraising total.

“The conditions on the day were favourable, with slack water and a following wind and tide aiding the swimmers’ progress.

“We can’t say thank you enough for their effort, while we would also like to thank our event supporters; English Heritage, Pasco’s Boatyard, Fal River Cornwall ferries, Trewithen Estate, Da Bara Bakery, Fourth Element, the on-water volunteer safety crew, St John’s Ambulance, and one of the original instigators of these swim challenges for his continued encouragement, Nick Battersby.”

The money donated will support Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s ocean-related activities such as its Marine Strandings Network which records and monitors marine wildlife strandings and trains and supports hundreds of Network volunteers. 

To find out more about open water swimming, visit sureswimkernow.co.uk and to learn about the Ocean Emergency Fund and how you can help, visit cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/appeals/ocean-emergency-fund.