We approached Kim after finding out she had won the underwater art prize issued by Dorset Wildlife Trust. After a brief dip in and chat on the beach in June 2016, Snŵdling was born.

Snŵdling’s bare bones is a short introduction to some snorkel techniques after kitting up (all equipment is provided), then a few thoughts from Kim about the art. After a quick snorkel to get used to the kit, we head out for a good look and sketch. After up to an hour in the water, we get out, get dressed, have a hot chocolate and then settle down with Kim as a guide to create a piece of art, based on our in-water sketches – your unique souvenir.

We, of course, tested it out on our wonderful volunteers first. They’ve since been queueing to come along and help. They’re in the water with us looking for species to point out, but also there for safety support (checking for boats and helping with snorkel masks etc).

That all sounds exciting enough, but what else is snŵdling about?  Let’s hear from our Snŵdling Wildlife Artist, Kim Atkinson: “Snwdling- drawing while snorkeling- seems an unlikely notion, but I find its perfect to both calm any jitters I may have and to provide focus. The underwater landscape is fluid beautiful and complicated so it can help to fix on one little part of it for a few minutes and try to draw the shape of fronds of kelp, the waving swaying leaves of seagrass, the lovely patterns of light flickering on a sandy bed, darting wrasse and the scuttling spider crab. I don’t take photos but only because I prefer drawing, and using a plywood board primed with white acrylic gesso and pencil and oil pastels, enjoy the challenge of drawing underwater in exactly the same way that I would draw by a hedgerow or cliffy place. Except of course that there’s the thrilling feeling of being in the same element as fish, seals and otters. Magical.”

To sketch something, you need to have a good look at its shape, colour, movement etc. This helps you to concentrate; see through new eyes, perhaps; paying attention to the more miniature underwater world, often. An unbelievable world of swaying colour and patterns with glimpses (or longer) of life in crevices, on algae, in seagrass or over rock and sand. The light under the water surface can be tantalizing and might be the sole focus; to capture that in art. Some have become enthralled at the size and shape of sugar kelp fronds and mesmerized at their sway. Others find a shoal of sand eels, chameleon shrimp or a single wrasse and quickly try to take in their movement before they disappear. Others still, are taken by the colours and forms found on one patch of rock. We don’t move far on our outings. There are plenty of interactions, but also many moments of quiet, as undersea sights are being taken in.

Our historical home for Snŵdling has been the amazing seagrass meadow at Porth dinllaen, a bay well-protected from the bulk of our weather - shelter for North Wales’ best example of this important, protected habitat. Here the underwater seascape is very much based on greens and this is clearly depicted in the artwork created during the sessions and may well be hung up as souvenirs of the day in the homes of those having attended by now. Much of the work of our Seagrass Ocean Rescue project is also at Porth dinllaen (seed collecting, planting, public and community engagement and liaison). Our snorkel art trips here have been enhanced by anemones and stalked jellies, lobsters and cat sharks and the light at times has been like fireworks shooting skywards from along the thongweed fronds or sparklers darting over the seagrass. When the sun’s been out and seagrass photosynthesises you can see the bubbles of oxygen bejeweling the sides of the seagrass blades, making the scene even more enchanting (see Kim’s thoughts on Snŵdling on our YouTube Channel).

However, like the Seagrass project, Snŵdling does venture outside of the bay and we’ve taken snŵdling to Porth Ysgaden in previous years. Along a rocky side were wrasse emerging from crevices and the swell’s effects on the kelp was almost soothing. In 2023 we’ll be Snŵdling at Cricieth and at Rhoscolyn, on Ynys Môn and, as always, we’re investigating other sites for future events. We will be keeping an eye out for seagrass; it has been seen growing in small patches in areas across North Wales additional to Porth dinllaen. Our choice of Snŵdling sites represents those areas, so we’ll make sure to introduce it and point it out, if seen, during the sessions and beyond. 

Want to go Snŵdling?