Have you had a busy week? Need time out but don't have time to go to the coast?

Enjoy the latest in our occasional series of sounds from the Bay.

Take two mins to enjoy the incoming tide recorded this morning close to the boats moored not far from Morecambe town hall.

There's treasure to be found on our beaches if you know where to look!

Sea glass, the remains of bottles and other objects discarded sometimes decades ago is polished and weathered by the continual action of the sea.

Jacqueline Kendall from Manchester comes to Morecambe to hunt for the glass which she uses to decorate bottles and other artefacts.

We met on the beach by the Midland Hotel.

I was out recording something a bit special that I'll share with you soon and was on the beach close to the Platform in Morecambe today. Overlooked by the famous Midland Hotel the beach there is made up of shingle. I was there just about high tide and the sound of the sea running through the shingle really brightened a fairly overcast Sunday. The sound is mesmerising!

Work by fellow podcasters Radio Lento (check them out for some stunning soundscapes) inspired me to share this with you.

It's only three minutes long and you can almost smell the salty air.

I hope it helps while away a bit of the commute or morning rush - enjoy!

Winter has certainly arrived!

Already this month icy conditions gave way to rain and now gale force winds.

And battling it all are the birds.

Morecambe Bay is famous for being home to a wide range of species and this weekend the annual Big Garden Birdwatch.

Kath Smith from the RSPB at Leighton Moss has been showing us what's around at the moment and explaining how birds cope with what nature throws at them.

We may be shivering at the moment as winter hits home but what if your home is floating on an ice-covered canal?

The Lancaster canal is home to a community who live all year around aboard narrow and other types of boats.

You might be surprised that for some, becoming ice-bound is a good opportunity to carry out essential maintenance work and that far from being cold, the craft are as snug and welcoming as any cottage.

I met up with David Ashdown and boat crew cat Sherlock!

As you'll hear, his third boat has given him access to some amazing parts of the network in an association with canals that goes back to the 1980s.

He's researched and written about the network and is a self-confessed canal fan.

2 mins - Where his interest in canals began

4 mins- What is life like aboard when the temperatures fall

7 mins - Lancaster canal connections

12 mins- Why a boat beats a campervan

14 mins - Plans for the future

Morecambe Bay Podcast, January 2025

Over 500 members, 170 tonnes of surplus food saved from going to waste, 250 volunteering hours a week; just some of the impressive statistics shared by Eggcup, a charity with more than one function. As well as saving food from going to waste, they also provide real life experience for catering students at Lancaster and Morecambe College who use ingredients supplied to make ready meals which are distributed in Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth. Local farms benefit too thanks to links to the gleaning network.

Yet financial challenges mean the long term future of the venture is uncertain and a fundraising campaign is underway. Unless support can be found it could close next month.

https://www.eggcup.org/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/saving-eggcup?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=customer&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_ft&attribution_id=sl:0867b27d-47ac-46e8-9ae7-815d82d8330e

Notes:

Eggcup stops surplus food from going to waste and gets it to people instead. The low-cost, weekly food scheme helps members to save money on food, and that makes life more affordable for thoseon a tight budget.

There are three Community Food Outlets for members in Lancaster the West End of Morecambe and a pop-up in Carnforth.

Thousands make a bee-line to it every year and since it opened in the 1920s Happy Mount Park in Morecambe has been a 'must-see' attraction for visitors of all ages.

It's certainly changed over the years; the Radio 1 roadshow, illuminations and Mr Blobby are part of the park's rich history.

Helping city council staff maintain it are a group of keen volunteers who give their time every Monday morning come rain or shine. They often bring bulbs and plants to help add colour to the park.

The Friends of Happy Mount Park 2023 committee were formed with the support of Lancaster City Council and have tackled overgrown gardens to bring a splash of colour back to the park.

And more volunteers are always welcome!

Search "Friends of Happy Mount Park 2023" on Facebook.

From music and film to poetry and dance, a successful arts event with a difference has come to a close in Morecambe.

The idea of the Morecambe People's Biennial was to reclaim the term "local artist" as one of pride and, organisers say, 'remove the prejudice of yokel from the local. '

92 artists were inspired to get involved and funding from Lancashire County Council was distributed equally between the creatives.

The event concluded on the beach at Morecambe this weekend and the podcast was there.

You may have seen them (you might have missed them) but how much do you know about the natural phemomena that is the northern lights?

The skies above the Bay were amazing again last night as countless pictures on social media prove.

Is it happening more often? Have we now seen the best of the lights? And can we predict when we will see them again?

Jim Wild is a professor of space physics at Lancaster University and spoke to the podcast today.

Follow Prof Wild @jim_wild on X and check out https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/

Rarely seen artefacts, the sights and sounds of a working shipyard and QR codes which allow spectacular access to gems from over the years are just some of the new developments in Barrow's Dock Museum.

The Heritage Lottery Fund, Westmorland and Furness Council, BAE Systems and the Sir John Fisher Foundation have paid for the transformation of The Shipyard Gallery.

The Morecambe Bay Podcast was delighted to be shown around the museum for a preview of the development and an insight into how the collection may expand further.