A NEW swim challenge event organised by Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Sureswim Kernow raised more than £11,000 to help protect Cornwall’s vulnerable marine habitats.

The 3K Along the Bay charity swim on Sunday, July 13 saw 47 swimmers navigate three kilometres of 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.

The route took the swimmers over England’s largest and healthiest maerl bed, as well as dense seagrass beds and kelp forests. All three habitats are 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.

Matt Slater, Marine Conservation Officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: “The new route enabled participants to swim the length of our most precious marine habitat.

“The seabed is carpeted with nodules of purple coralline seaweed which have been aged at over 4,000 years old. 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.”

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.”

Conditions on the day were favourable, with slack water and a following wind and tide aiding progress. Participants received training tips and on-the-day support from Sureswim Kernow alongside a fantastic volunteer team of experienced surf life savers and mariners.

Donations will support Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s ocean-related activities including monitoring marine wildlife strandings and training hundreds of network volunteers.