Mini Bioluminescence - Intertidal Walk

Mini Bioluminescence Walk

This walk is shorter and more suitable for younger children than the late night walks, and will still introduce you to some of the amazing creatures that venture out under the cover of darkness. We will cross the beach and head into the intertidal as we walk on the seabed around La Rocque. The south east coast of Jersey is situated within the internationally recognised and protected wetland that forms one of several designated Ramsar Sites, and stretches from La Collette in the west, to Gorey in the east.

No dogs are permitted.

Start and finish at La Rocque Harbour – Meet near the yellow phone box, keep an eye open for an orange high visibility tabard, that'll be your guide.

Please arrive 10-15 mins early, so that we can sort the basics out and start on time.

Dress appropriately for the weather and wear wellies or your feet will get wet. Rain will not stop a walk so please bring waterproofs if wet weather is forecast.

Photography

There will be photo opportunities throughout the walk. Please make it very clear to me and the others in the group, if you do not want to be included in any photographs, and every effort will be made to exclude you.

Images captured on the walk may be published on social media, including Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to tag us @intertidal_walks or @seaharephotography.

Safety Guidance

Due to the nature of the event, we will encounter rocks, seaweed, sand, gravel, low lying pools and other areas of water. It will also be dark, so be aware of your surroundings, take care where you place your feet and be mindful of where other people are in relation to you. Please stay close to the group and do not wander off, it is very easy to become disorientated and despite being relatively close to the shore, it is possible to get lost.

To participate in this walk, you will need to be reasonably fit, able to walk unassisted and prepared to be responsible for your own safety.

Noise travels further at night without the background sounds of the day to dampen it. Let’s not upset the local residents, (animal and human), or anyone else who may be out enjoying the beach after dark, this includes the people who may be on the walk with us.

I carry a first aid kit and have basic first aid training. The Coastguard will also be informed before the walk starts and ends.

Walking is an inherently low risk activity. However, anyone walking around La Rocque in the dark needs to be aware that there are a few things to watch out for apart from bioluminescence, including to but not limited to:

Slips, trips and falls – on or over rocks, uneven ground, slippery surfaces and mud, seaweed, mooring buoys and lines.

Incoming tide – anyone unfamiliar with the tides around Jersey may be unaware of the speed at which an incoming tide moves, especially along the south east coast.

UV Torch Safety

A limited number of low powered UV torches will be available for your use free of charge, which may need to be shared when there is a large group, or adults with small children. There is a small risk from the glare of the UV light, similar to spending time in bright sunlight without sunglasses, so if you do use one, please do so responsibly and do not look directly into the light, or shine it into anyone else’s eyes. Please be aware of where the beam from your torch is pointing at all times.

True ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, and at night our eyes don’t react the same way to light, as they do during the day. In other words, we need to remember to blink more when using the UV torches, to help our eyes to adjust in the low light.

Host or Publisher Lou Wagstaffe