Murphy’s Law did not apply in this case. Weather in which it would have been suicidal to go diving turned out to be a favour to NSAC. Although we had planned to dive, everyone agreed that this course benefited from not diving.

We met at the Fine Foundation Centre at Kimmeridge, Dorset bright and early for an intensive day when Marine Biologist, Warden of Purbeck Marine Nature Reserve and Seasearch Co-ordinator Peter Tinsley tried to cram a 3 year degree course into a day. Needless to say he only managed a fraction of that, but introducing the families of marine life and teaching us how to begin to identify some of the creatures of the deep was a great step forward.

We later took a stroll on the rocks and brought back some creatures to identify. Using individual microscopes and computerised microscopes (for class viewing) we were able to see some of the details Peter had earlier only described. He then taught us how to use a biological key to lead us to a correct identification of a seaweed which we would have been unable to do when we arrived.