The SHIPS Project lecture series Tales of The Sea is a selection of inspirational and informative talks about the sea; how we work, play and interact with the sea and how our actions or lack of action affect the marine environment. The talks are on important subjects we should be discussing about our seas and oceans. 

Our speakers are pushing boundaries and are leaders in their field, they will talk about their passions and their work related to the sea. These talks are designed to raise awareness and create a narrative about maritime subjects and how they relate to you, bringing people together in an environment that allows inquisitive discussion.

The first series of Tales of the Sea is now finished, but please look out for more talks starting in November 2026.

2025 - 2026 Lecture Series 2 - Previous Talks

Mr Shipwreck - Receiver of Wreck - Steve White

Tuesday 7th April 2026

Steve White

Tickets - FREE, sponsored by The SHIPS Project

The UK seabed is home to an intriguing world of captivating finds, and they’re all in the care of one Government official – the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Receiver of Wreck.

As early as the 12th century, wreck and salvage laws allowed for the legal recovery of wreck materials. During King Edward II’s reign in 1322, a Royal Fish Prerogative came into effect, which established the monarch’s ownership of “wreck of the sea”, which included whales and sturgeon – and later, porpoises and dolphins. Since the number of vessels in UK waters has grown, so too has the unfortunate number of shipwrecks. It’s currently thought that around 37,000 vessel wrecks lie on the seabed, with more than 200 now being designated protected sites – numbers that consistently change over time.

Since 1993, the duties of the Receiver of Wreck have been assumed by a single civil servant with HM Coastguard, ably assisted by a team of deputies at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Steve White is the Receiver of Wreck for the UK, a single post that has been in existence since 1854 and created at the time to prevent the plundering of wrecks on the UK coastline. All items of wreck are required by law to be declared, and Steve will provide fascinating insight into the work he does, as well as educate divers on the simple process of reporting finds.

Steve will also talk to us about the new Armed Forces Bill - Clause 47, concerning what it means for his office and divers when declaring finds.

Armed Forced Bill, Clause 47: What does it mean for divers?

Tuesday 24th March 2026

Prof. Mike Williams

Tickets - FREE, sponsored by The SHIPS Project.

The Armed Services Bill, currently before Parliament, if enacted, will change the law relating to diving on military remains (shipwrecks) in UK territorial waters and on UK military remains beyond UK waters for UK nationals and UK vessels.

This talk will briefly cover the existing law and explain what the proposed changes are.

Balchin's HMS Victory (1744)

Tuesday 24th February 2026

Dom Robinson

Dominic Robinson is a former Army Officer and military helicopter pilot; he is better known on social media as Deep Wreck Diver.  An experienced technical diving instructor, Dom was previously Head of Diving and Training for the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) and, after that, a senior manager at Babcock International, delivering projects for the UK Special Forces.

The lives of 1,100 sailors were lost when HMS Victory, sank in 1744. The 100-gun ship was launched in 1737, and seven years later it was the flagship of a fleet led by Admiral Sir John Balchin. Victory sank on 5 October 1744 and its sinking is considered the worst single British naval disaster in the English Channel. Organising a dive to HMS Victory proved to be a significant challenge for the team of divers, as the site is mid-Channel at a depth of 70 metres.  The team spent just over three hours in the water observing and photographing the shipwreck, including the huge 42 pdr bronze guns which are a feature of this site. 

Dom’s YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/@D33pUK

Romance Beneath the Waves

Tuesday 10th February 2026

Paul Naylor

As Valentine’s Day approaches… marine biologist and underwater photographer Paul Naylor’s talk will focus on the amazing variety of ways that the animals of our local seas go about romance and producing their next generation. Cuttlefish signal their intentions, worms go to pieces, crabs show a surprisingly tender side, fish (even in the same species) vary their approach from conscientious to underhand, sea slugs show ultimate equality, starfish have remote relationships while dog-whelks keep it local and sea anemones often do it without sex at all. Some of the strategies appear bizarre but they all work, ‘the proof of the pudding…’ as they say!

Paul is Plymouth-trained and based, and passionate about showing the wonders of UK marine life to a wide audience through books, articles, talks, films, social media and TV.

Paul’s website: https://marinephoto.co.uk/

A History of Devonport Dockyard

Tuesday 27th January 2026

Ray O'Donnell

Devonport Royal Dockyard (HMNB Devonport) in Plymouth is the UK's largest naval base in Western Europe. It has been a vital operational base for the Royal Navy since 1691, serving as a key support hub for surface ships and the sole base for refitting nuclear submarines. The base began as a Royal Navy Dockyard in the late 17th century, designed and built on open ground by Edmund Drummer as an integrated facility for the repair and maintenance of warships, centred on his pioneering stone dry dock (one of the earliest stepped docks in the world). Over the next two centuries, it expanded, reaching its present extent in the 20th century.

Ray O’Donnell joined the Royal Navy in 1975 at the age of 19, his first ship was the 42,000 ton aircraft carrier Ark Royal, after which he joined the Submarine Service. A hugely talented marine artist, Ray left the Navy after 14 years service, to concentrate on private commissions for his art works. An enthusiastic Naval Historian, Ray joined the Devonport Naval Heritage Centre in 2011 as a volunteer tour guide. His particular area of expertise is the Great War and, in particular, the Battle of Jutland. He has painted many detailed pictures of particular incidents during the Battle and many can be seen on display at the Heritage Centre. Ray has also studied the history and development of Plymouth “Dock”/Devonport Dockyard over the past 300 odd years and has given acclaimed talks on the subject to many groups.

The Devonport Naval Heritage Centre (Devonport Naval Heritage Centre) reopens for public open days on March 25th.

The Cattewater Wreck

Tuesday 6th January 2026

Peter Holt, The SHIPS Project CIC

Peter is a marine technologist and archaeologist who has designed underwater navigation systems, built small submarines for the US Navy, built robot submarines and robot boats, has been a lecturer at Plymouth University, and is a director of The SHIPS Project. Peter is currently applying technology to marine habitat mapping for Sonardyne, and has recently written a book on Plymouth Castle and the early military defences of Plymouth.

Peter will be talking about the Cattewater Wreck, a medieval armed merchant ship sunk in the Cattewater. The wreck was found accidentally by a dredger in the 1970s, it was investigated by underwater archaeologists in the 1980s, and now lies buried in the seabed.

Octopus Bloom!

Tuesday 9th December 2025

Dr. Keith Hiscock

Keith has studied shore and seabed communities in Great Britain and various parts of the northern hemisphere, whilst also maintaining a broad interest in marine ecosystems throughout the world for over 40 years.

In 1998, he established, along with others, the Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) at the Marine Biological Association, supporting marine environment management, protection and education in Britain and Ireland via the Internet. From November 2010 to February 2012, he served on the Government’s Marine Protected Areas Science Advisory Panel. Now partly retired, he continues to contribute to the work of the MBA but has more time to pursue my passions for photography, marine biology and diving.

Recent Dives and Discoveries

Tuesday 25th November 2025

Dominic Robinson

Dominic Robinson is a former Army Officer and military helicopter pilot; he is better known on social media as Deep Wreck Diver.  An experienced technical diving instructor, Dom was previously Head of Diving and Training for the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) and, after that, a senior manager at Babcock International, delivering projects for the UK Special Forces.

Dom Robinson is back again, this time talking about his recent dives and discoveries, including visits to the SS The Greek, MV Ingrid Green and SS Boduognat.

Dom’s passion for diving, love of history, and desire to tell tales of lost shipwrecks come together in this talk where you can hear about lost vessels in deep water explored by local divers.

Dom’s YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/@D33pUK

2025 Lecture Series 1 - Previous Talks

Plymouth as a Busy Commercial Port

Tuesday 6th May 2025

Richard Allan, Cattewater Harbour Master

Richard joined the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners as Deputy Harbour Master in 2017, becoming Harbour Master and Chief Executive in 2020. Following a successful career at sea as a Master Mariner, Richard is pleased to be working in his home port of Plymouth. Richard is an affiliated Member of the Nautical Institute.

Richard will be talking about the challenges of operating Plymouth as a busy commercial port, with over 2 million tonnes of cargo imported and exported through the Cattewater in 2024.

The Amazing Underwater World in Plymouth Sound

Tuesday 28th January 2025

Paul Naylor

Paul Naylor is a Plymouth-trained and based marine biologist and underwater photographer with a passion for showing people what beautiful and fascinating animals live around the British coast, through articles, talks, films, social media and TV, as well as his book – Great British Marine Animals. The creatures’ intriguing behaviour and colourful life stories are the particular focus of his still photography and video, both for scientific research and engaging audiences. His footage has appeared on the BBC’s One Show, Blue Planet UK, Countryfile and Autumnwatch.

He will share some of his recent images from our local waters around Plymouth, showing fish that build nests and lead complicated social lives, crabs that decorate themselves, sea slugs that recycle weapons and many more. Come along and be entertained by some of the unusual, rare and intriguing animals that lead their lives in our local waters.

Paul’s website: https://marinephoto.co.uk/

The Tale of the Metta Catharina Shipwreck

Tuesday 4th February 2025

Jon Parlour

Jon has been diving for more than 50 years, his enthusiasm for exploration and sharing his experiences with others has never waned. His interest in maritime history and archaeology grew during his time in the Royal Navy and subsequently as a diving instructor at Fort Bovisand Underwater Centre in Plymouth during the 1970s and 80s.

An avocational archaeologist, Jon has been a member of the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) since 1990 and has assisted on a variety of archaeological sites in the UK and Northern Europe. As a NAS Tutor since 1995, he shares his passion for discovery, recording and interpretation of underwater sites through the delivery of a broad range of events.

Die Frau Metta Catharina von Flensburg was a brigantine, built in 1782 at Rønshoved on the north shore of Flensburg Fjord, now in Denmark.  In December 1786 the Catharina was carrying a cargo of hemp and reindeer hide to Genoa from Saint Petersburg when she took shelter from a storm in Plymouth Sound, unfortunately she dragged her anchors and sank in the Barn Pool. The wreck lay forgotten for nearly 200 years before the chance discovery of a bronze bell on the seabed by members of Plymouth Sound BSAC in October 1973. Under the leadership of Ian Skelton, the team excavated the wreck between October 1973 and the end of the project in 2006. In this talk, Jon tells the story of the Metta Catharina and her pioneering archaeological excavation under difficult conditions by a team of avocational divers from Plymouth.

Marine Protected Areas

Tuesday 18th February 2025

Dr Jean-Luc Solandt, Blue Marine Foundation

Jean-Luc has a background in marine biology and is fascinated by the interactions of marine species and habitats. After training in the UK, Australia and Jamaica, he has worked with scientists, policymakers and regulators to deliver well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) throughout Britain and the EU. He is a visiting research fellow at the University of Plymouth, providing knowledge at the policy/science interface. Jean-Luc has an established background in providing technical and policy advice on all matters related to the UK and overseas MPAs, including designations.

Jean-Luc will give us a talk on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), he will explain the background on how MPAs came to be created and what they do. In recent years, MPAs have had some great successes and challenges so Jean-Luc will tell us about some specific examples of MPAs like Plymouth Sound. Jean-Luc will also tell us about future plans for MPAs and how the public can participate in protecting our oceans.

What's in Plymouth Sound?

Tuesday 11th March 2025

Mallory Haas

Plymouth is a large natural harbour with a long history of human involvement with the sea, people travelled here in the Bronze Age, the Romans lived here and the Vikings came to visit. Plymouth has been an important and busy port for at least 5000 years and evidence of this trade has left its mark on the maritime landscape of Plymouth, from ancient shipwrecks and WWII crashed aircraft to marine rubbish and pollutants. Some of these man-made items have become artificial reefs which provide a habitat for marine life. However, not all materials left by man underwater are helpful so we must protect the sea and clean it up.  The Plymouth Sound Marine Protected Area has more than 1000 shipwrecks, 1000 marine species and more than 1000 polluting tyres, just what other curious things can you find in Plymouth Sound?

Mallory Rachel Haas is an archaeologist who started her career working in public archaeology and is now a Director of The SHIPS Project CIC.  She managed several seasons of field schools in the inner city of Cleveland, Ohio, engaging underprivileged youth in historical archaeology, using archaeology as a way to create an interest in science and history. Mallory got involved in diving and maritime archaeology in the Great Lakes in the USA and is now a commercial diver and mixed gas technical diver.   Mallory is an adviser on maritime heritage for the Port of Plymouth Maritime Liaison Committee (PPMLC) and sits on the board of IMASS, the organising committee for the International Shipwreck Conference.

Plymouth Castle and Barbican Rediscovered

Tuesday 1st April 2025

Peter Holt, The SHIPS Project CIC

Peter is a marine technologist and archaeologist who has recently written a book on Plymouth Castle and the early military defences of Plymouth.

Peter will be talking about Plymouth's castle, known as the Castle Quadrate, which was built on Lambhay Hill around 1377 and the Barbican and chain boom below that the castle was built to protect. Very little is known about these early defences because the town records were destroyed by arson in 1549 during an uprising. But there are clues about the precise location of the castle, how and why it was built and what it looked like in a few old documents, court and church records and in the landscape itself. In the process, a much older fort was discovered in the Barbican area, one destroyed in an attack by the French during the Hundred Years' War. This is the first time this new research into Plymouth Castle has been presented to the public.

Plymouth Sound National Marine Park

Tuesday 15th April 2025

Sam Balderson, Head Ranger PSNMP

Sam is the Head Ranger at the National Marine Park. Sam graduated from university, learned to SCUBA dive then worked on marine conservation projects in Mexico, Indonesia and the Seychelles. After working in the Falkland Islands, he returned to the Seychelles where he managed a conservation and activities centre for 6 years.  After that, Sam took on the role of Government Officer of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Sam arrived in Plymouth in 2022 and continued pursuing his passion for the marine environment through SCUBA diving and he is also an active crew member of the Plymouth RNLI lifeboat team.

Sam will be talking about the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, the UK's first National Marine Park which is a collaboration between the ocean, heritage, and the city of Plymouth.

Marine Science Research in Plymouth

Tuesday 29th April 2025

Prof. Martin Attrill, Professor of Marine Ecology, University of Plymouth

Professor Martin Attrill is a marine ecologist whose primary research interest is long-term change and patterns in marine fish and invertebrate populations.

Martin has published over 160 papers primarily on fish and benthic habitats such as seagrass.  In recent years he has been involved in projects investigating the roles of Marine Protected Areas and their interaction with fishing. He helped develop the concept for National Marine Parks in the UK, supporting the first declared NMP in Plymouth.  From 2009-2018, Martin was Director of the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth.

Martin will start his talk on the history of science research in Plymouth which has been globally important for marine research since the Marine Biological Association (MBA) opened in 1884.  The MBA is still going strong and a broad range of research is undertaken at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth.  The talk goes on to highlight current groundbreaking research into seagrass habitats and carbon sequestration in the sea around Plymouth.

Exploring the Deep Shipwrecks off Plymouth

Tuesday 14th January 2025

Dominic Robinson

Dominic Robinson is a former Army Officer and military helicopter pilot. An experienced technical diving instructor, Dom was previously Head of Diving and Training for the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) and he is now a senior manager at Babcock International, delivering specialist craft for the MOD.  

Dom has been exploring deep shipwrecks for more than 15 years, many in the English Channel off Plymouth, and has been involved in several projects that successfully identified wrecks laying in over 100m depth.  This kind of diving is challenging as the wrecks lie in deep, dark and cold water, so for divers to explore these sites safely requires extensive training and experience.  Dom’s underwater videos of these shipwrecks have helped to engage a new generation of divers with the many maritime losses around Plymouth from two World Wars.  

Dom’s passion for diving, love of history, and desire to tell tales of lost shipwrecks come together in this talk where you can hear about lost vessels in deep water explored by local divers.

Dom’s YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/@D33pUK