Meeting Local Communities for Global Impact: LandSeaLot at The Ocean Race, Portsmouth
LandSeaLot and TransEurope Marinas brought hands-on citizen science to The Ocean Race Europe stopover in Portsmouth (14-16 August, 2025), inviting attendees to discover the crucial role of local communities in coastal observation.
TransEurope Marinas’ Melanie Symes was on the ground to showcase LandSeaLot and talk to local families and visitors about how they can get involved in citizen science. They also discussed the project’s missions to improve international efforts to observe the land-sea interface across Europe. The land-sea interface describes areas of the world where the land meets the sea, including coasts, estuaries, river mouths and bays. LandSeaLot seeks to improve observation efforts by integrating and enhancing different observation methods like satellite observation, computer modelling, and in situ observation. The project is also scaling up international observation efforts by testing and deploying emerging observation technology that is more affordable and easy to use than traditional methods. Finally, LandSeaLot is building capacity among citizen scientists and local communities to participate in observation efforts.
These interlinked aspects of LandSeaLot’s mission – the deployment of accessible, cost-effective observation technology, and the engagement of citizen scientists and local communities in this effort – dovetail with The Ocean Race’s mission to grow collective marine knowledge and contribute to a healthy ocean. Ocean Race attendees had the chance to test out low-cost sensors for themselves, which allow everyday citizens to play a greater role in gathering coastal data on crucial factors like water temperature or salinity levels. These activities do not require scientific expertise, but they are critical for filling critical data gaps and providing real-time insights that enable more rapid responses to environmental threats. “This is citizen science in action”, says Symes, “everyday people contributing to global knowledge.”
The Ocean Race’s collaboration with the science community offers a world-class platform for advancing ocean literacy through data collection and conservation messaging. Beyond the on-the-water action, the event’s shore-based activation programme, spearheaded by the Learning and Science pillars of the Race, created opportunities to network and engage with major players in ocean governance and research. Attendees were able to chat with figures like Pierre Failler, from the University of Portsmouth, who currently holds the UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance, as well as a growing crowd of PhD students conducting blue economy research. A STEM Clinic was co-hosted with The Magenta Project and supported by The University of Portsmouth- Centre for Blue Governance.
An inspiring example of citizen science at the Portsmouth stopover, was Bianca Carr’s Last Straw foundation, currently employing sensors in local waters to detect harmful pollutants, encourage beach cleans and educate young people about circular economy practices. Other meetings offered interesting insights as to how low-cost sensors might best be integrated in youth sail-training centres or more widely in sports-based sailing.
At the Science and Sailing panel, award-winning sailor Pip Hare emphasised the need for more effective integration of ocean observation efforts. This objective is at the heart of the LandSeaLot project, and the event provided a valuable opportunity to connect researchers and citizen science groups. By bringing together otherwise disparate fields, this Ocean Race Europe stopover showcased how many of the most powerful solutions for ocean protection bridge the gap between scientific inquiry and public engagement.
The Ocean Race Europe is a fast-paced offshore sailing regatta featuring mixed-gender crews on cutting-edge IMOCA 60 foiling yachts. Covering 4,500 nautical miles, the 2025 route starts in Kiel, Germany, and stops in Portsmouth, UK, Matosinhos, Portugal (fly-by), Cartagena, Spain, Nice, France, and Genoa, Italy before finishing in Boka Bay, Montenegro.
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