A few of the wild things I saw in the sea this year 🌊🦑

In 2025 I was lucky to share joyful times with many friends, old and new. Here are glimpses of the moments I will hold tightly as we step into 2026. Sending love to friends I didn't see this time around the sun. I hope our paths will cross again soon Happy new year everyone 💙

Russia and China threaten the Antarctic marine environment and jail a Ukrainian scientist for high treason because he studies endangered Krill. 👁️ #ocean #habitat #whales #law

Krill fishing has just got even more political and horrifying Ukrainian scientist, Leonid Pshenichnov, has been arrested by Russia for his work in Antarctica towards protecting krill from overexploitation He faces life in prison for "high treason" 🦑🌊🧪 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

New book out today!! My latest collaboration with the amazing art duo Good Wives and Warriors Join us on a journey around the ocean, from icy poles, to kelp forests, coral reefs and the mysterious deep, meeting all sorts of amazing animals along the way 🌊🐠🦭🦑🐋🦀🦈 www.laurenceking.com/products/oce...

So proud to stand alongside my amazing sister @krhendry.bsky.social at the Week Junior book awards Our book Scientists in the Wild, Antarctica, illustrated by fabulous Rômolo D’Hipólito, was shortlisted for STEM book of the year Huge thanks to @flyingeyebooks.bsky.social for cheering us on! 🐟🐧🦈🦭🐋

The North Cornwall Coast has frankly been showing off this week. I’ve been visiting favourite spots, surfing, hiking and star gazing. Tomorrow (Saturday 27th) I’ll be at North Cornwall Book Festival talking about the ocean and my book What the Wild Sea Can Be 🌊 endelienta.org.uk/whats-on/ncb...

New Books & Arts 👇 Marine muses: Rene Martin @lampichthys.bsky.social reviews "Ocean Art: From the Shore to the Deep" by @helenscales.bsky.social "This book is a must-read for art enthusiasts and ocean lovers" www.nature.com/articles/s41... Free to read: rdcu.be/eGpor

It was a joy to be on stage last night with the other shortlisters for the @wainwrightprize.bsky.social for Conservation Writing and have a chance to bring the sea all the way to the Cotswolds 🌊 Congrats to @guyshrubsole.bsky.social for winning again! @atlanticbooks.bsky.social #whatthewildseacanbe

@bengoldfarb.bsky.social When I first heard about sea otter bones turning purple from eating sea urchins I though maybe they might be a hint of lilac but noooope - they can be REALLY purple!

I've launched a new science writing course at Cambridge University exploring creative ways to generate ideas for short form writing +podcasts +videos 📚🧪🎤📹 Spaces available for next class: Online 6 weeks Starts 8 Sept For writers of all levels anywhere in the world www.pace.cam.ac.uk/courses/crea...

Today was an octopus day in Brittany. Not 1 but 2 in a secret spot nearby (as featured in What the Wild Sea Can Be), including a female carefully guarding her eggs, tucked deep under a rock. It’s heartbreaking knowing she doesn’t have long to live, but joyous knowing this is an octopus nursery 🐙 🐙

“It has a presence about it. My heart carries this heart with it. It is important to protect it and be kind to the mangroves inside.” www.theguardian.com/environment/...

🌊Good ocean news🌊 A federal court has rejected the US administration's rollback of fishing protections in the culturally rich and biologically vital waters of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument Fishing there is illegal and must now be blocked www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Happy National Marine Week! 🌊🦑🐬🐙🦭🦈🦀🐟🐋 To celebrate, I've written a blog for @reaktionbooks.bsky.social about my new book Ocean Art, about my love of the sea and how artists have long been helping people to care about this hidden realm reaktionbooks.co.uk/the-hidden-r...

I’m over the moon that What the Wild Sea Can Be has been shortlisted for @wainwrightprize.bsky.social It’s a thrill and an honour to see my book alongside these 6 amazing titles and their fabulous authors 🌊💙

There's something of Totoro/Studio Ghibli in this lobster from the new book by @helenscales.bsky.social

I'm thrilled to feature an image from @legolostatsea.bsky.social in by new book Ocean Art, in a chapter about art of the coastlines, and how our view of the sea has changed over the years 🌊🦑🎨

There's a glimpse of my new book, Ocean Art, in this week's @newscientist.com www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...

In Sept my paperback tour for What the Wild Sea Can Be continues and I’m coming to Cornwall and Devon Appledore Book Festival 16 Sept Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival 17 Sept North Cornwall Book Festival 27 Sept 🌊🦑🦈🦈🐙 Hope to see lots of you there More details: helenscales.com/portfolio/au...

🌊Good ocean news! 🌊 Seahorses are returning to UK waters Years ago I was spotted a seahorse in Studland Bay - seeing just one was a big deal. Now, thanks to eco-friendly boat moorings the seagrass meadow is recovering and seahorse sightings are increasing 🌊🦑 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

It's thrilling to see an angelshark swim past a camera in Cardigan Bay, Wales. First sighting in years! As I wrote in What the Wild Sea Can Be, angelsharks are critically endangered but they are certainly not gone. There's so much to fight for in our ocean 💙🌊🦑🦈 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Introducing Ocean Art, my new illustrated book. Out in August. Featuring some of the most striking and meaningful images of sea creatures from ancient times to modern and from the coasts to the deepest abyss, I reflect on how art shapes our view of marine life 🦑🐟🐙🦈 reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/ocean-art

Pre-orders make a huge difference for new books, boosting the first week’s sales which can help a book take flight @waterstones.bsky.social has an amazing pre-order summer sale on, including 2 of mine. So if you love books and want to support authors pre-order!📚 www.waterstones.com/campaign/jul...

5pm today: Free event at #BantryLibrary with author & marine biologist @helenscales.bsky.social. She'll be in conversation with Siobhan Cronin about her @wainwrightprize.bsky.social nominated book What The Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean 🌊🐠🪼🪸 www.westcorkmusic.ie/events/2025/...

Here are some of my favourites of the official photos of @womensprize.bsky.social in June. It has been the most uplifting, joyful experience every single step of the way. To stand alongside these amazing women and celebrate together were incredibly special and important moments that I will treasure

I’m over the moon to get my first longlisting for the @wainwrightprize.bsky.social and honoured to be among these amazing authors and their brilliant books about our beautiful, troubled planet. Thank you everyone who has bought, borrowed and read What the Wild Sea Can Be 💙🌊🌅 #savethesea

Angel Shark Day was created to highlight the plight of this group, which has suffered steep declines. Angel sharks risk extinction: over 50% of the 23 known species are in a threat category on the IUCN Red List. Illustration by Kelsey Manners Dickson #AngelSharkDay #IASD25 #saveourseasfoundation

“Angelsharks almost slipped away from the ocean decades ago, but now they are making a comeback, thanks in large part to the everyday people who are spotting them in the wild and becoming their champions...” Words from WHAT THE WILD SEA CAN BE, art by Aaron John Gregory #angelsharkday

Thanks so much for coming Annie, and for you kind words. It was a great evening! 💙🌅🌊

Can’t wait to chat with brilliant writer, fierce advocate for all the animals and dear friend @keggiec.bsky.social

One of my favourite photos from this week’s @womensprize.bsky.social awards. It’s been an absolute joy and honour to be shortlisted and share a stage alongside these brilliant women

I wrote my first film review! 🎦🍿 Here are my thoughts on Ocean with David Attenborough for @thetls.bsky.social 🌊 www.the-tls.co.uk/arts/film/oc...

New update on our changing planet 🌊 the ocean is getting darker - and in some parts brighter In darkening seas, sunlight reaches shallower depths than it used to with big implications for sea life Possible causes are global heating and shifting ocean currents 🦑🧪 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This #worldoceanday I’ll be by the sea in Margate hosted by the Margate Bookshop talking about the wonders and future of our seas with @rebeccadouglas.bsky.social 🌊 Join us: 8 June 5pm Fort Hope Bar, Margate Reserve free tickets here ⬇️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/what-the-w...

Another fascinating ocean story from @theguardian.com Indigenous Mexican Mixtec people are the last people to extract dye ink from a rare species of rock snail. They carefully milk the snails' colourful toxic secretions, then put them back where they found them 🌊🦑 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

My top three in this year's Environmental Photography Award winners: seabed mini-volcanoes stirred by polychaete worms, a shadowy sea dragon and a salp-riding argonaut. Beautiful! 🦑 www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Fascinating read from @lisabachelor.bsky.social about the women freedivers of South Korea who want to reclaim their stories to inspire a new generation 🌊 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Lovely to see all the @womensprize.bsky.social shortlisted books discussed by chair of judges Kavita Puri on @fivebooks.com

People sometimes think of Antarctica as being barren and devoid of life, but the ocean surrounding the continent is incredibly rich with wildlife and biodiversity. Photos of new discoveries and insights from our wonderful Australian colleagues… 🧪🥼❄️🌊🦑 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Pleased to see Phoebe Waller-Bridge using some of her $100 mill to bring the wonders of cephalopods to mainstream audiences. Bit of a hand break turn, but why not? 🦑🐙🌊 I likely won't see it (that would break my boycott of Amazon) but I hope millions of people do www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

What a beautiful spot (coffee looks amazing too!). I am so thrilled you’ve taken my book to the sea! Thank you, again, for reading 💙🌊

Fab to hear @jackdashby.bsky.social chat with @cerysmatthews.bsky.social on 6 music this morning. I especially enjoyed hearing about the role of natural history museums preserving specimens for EVER and the often untold stories of who collected them. Can’t wait to read your new book Jack! 🪲🦋🦟🐠🦎🪱🦤🐢🕷️🪳

Very excited for this 💙 Join us all online or in person June 11 Bedford Sq Gardens, London #Womensprize

Free reading guides available for all the @womensprize.bsky.social shortlisted books 📚 womensprize.com/prizes/women...

Unknown Territory, Uncharted Waters 🌊 I'll be in Copenhagen for Bloom, the biggest science and nature festival in Denmark In conversation with philosopher Anders Dunker, we will dive into the last Wild West: the ocean Friday May 23 Free entrance 8pm Followed by book signing www.bloom.ooo/english

I'm mentoring an environmental reporter from Sri Lanka. She's got a prestigious place to study data journalism in the US. Her scholarship only covers 75% of her fees. If you can please consider supporting her. Or get in touch with me if you know any funding sources 💚 www.gofundme.com/f/dimuthu-st...

Flamboyant cuttlefish get my vote for invertebrate of the year at @theguardian.com What's not to love about their colourful patterns? But watch out. Just because they're small, doesn't mean they are sweet. This is the only known species of toxic cuttlefish! 🦑💀 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Meta have stolen my books along with the work of millions of authors to train their AI because it was cheaper and easier than respecting copyright law. Theft is not a valid alternative #MetaBookThieves #Payup #booksky #dothewritething @societyofauthors.bsky.social

The wonder of new life... from seahorses to turtles and puffins, how marine animals welcome in the next generation 🐟🐬🦈 My first time writing for the Marine Conservation Society www.mcsuk.org/your-ocean-m... 🦑🧪🌊