MONSTER MESSAGE
20-metre creature touring beaches to highlight plastic waste danger
WE’RE going to need a bigger beach! A giant 20-metrelong sea monster is currently touring the Welsh coast and appearing on beaches.
Made entirely from plastic waste found in our oceans, this giant 20 metre-long sea-faring monster is the creation of the Cardigan-based Small World Theatre company to raise awareness of the harm singleuse plastic is having on our marine life.
This weekend marks the launch of the Coasts Alive summer campaign for Visit Wales as part of 2018’s Year of the Sea.
Beach-goers in Aberporth were among the first in Wales to catch a glimpse of the Welsh sea monster, on the first leg of its Clean Seas tour around the Welsh coast.
Plastic is a massive issue in all oceans now. Last month, WalesOnline reported that Wales’ only community of killer whales, known as the West Coast Community, face extinction “in our lifetimes” due to plastic.
So, where can you see the monster? Funded through the Welsh Government Tourism Product Innovation Fund (TPIF), this mythological creature and its clean seas message will be visiting another six locations across Wales as part of the Visit Wales Coasts Alive campaign:
July 27– Tenby North Beach, Pembrokeshire
August 3 – Pembrokeshire
August 12 – Aberystwyth Sea to Shore Festival
August 17 – The Parrog, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire
August 19 – Newquay, Ceredigion
September 2 – Beaumaris, Isle of Anglesey
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Lord Elis-Thomas said: “In 2018 we’re celebrating Wales’ outstanding coastline and the Visit Wales Coasts Alive campaign offers Stackpole Quay, a summer-long programme of special events and attractions to encourage visitors to discover exciting new experiences around our shores.
“Our 230 beaches boast more Blue Flags per mile than anywhere else in Britain which together with our 870-mile Wales Coastal Path and reputation for outdoor pursuits makes Wales a world-class destination. The Cragen Sea Monster tour is an opportunity to celebrate our coastal communities as well as highlight the duty we all have to protect our marine life for future generations to enjoy.”
Steve Bunston witnessed the beast coming ashore in Aberporth. He said: “Today we finally got the proof we needed that there really are dragons in Cardigan Bay – sorry Nessie!
“Following the plastic-free campaign in Aberporth, the waters were clean enough for the mythical Cragen to return. Many knew the stories but no-one knew anyone who’d actually seen it before. It was fair to say many people were somewhat doubtful it would ever return, but the hard work removing the plastic from the beaches at Aberporth over the past few months was finally repaid today.”
Full details of the Coasts Alive programme of summer events taking place around Wales can be found at visitwales.com/ coastsalive