Shake off the January blues and start the new year with some fresh sea air and hands-on discovery at Shoebury East Beach.
The Big Rock Pool Challenge, run by the Rock Pool Project, invites people across the UK to become citizen scientists by exploring a local rock pool. It’s an enjoyable and welcoming way to reconnect with nature after the winter break, meet others in the community, and learn more about our coastal environment.
The Challenge combines hands-on discovery with digital engagement. Participants use the iNaturalist app during a 90-minute BioBlitz to record what they find, helping to build valuable, accessible biodiversity data while learning to identify species along the way. Each species also carries a rarity score based on UK records, and at the end of the BioBlitz we’ll see who has achieved the highest score.
Bring some warm layers and plenty of curiosity!