Many people think that when winter hits nature, that the animal kingdom goes into hibernation and waits for the warmer months. This is the case with some species, but a lot of marine species come alive in the winter.  

For grey seals (halichoerus grypus) for example, the autumn and winter are the months when female grey seals haul themselves ashore to give birth. While this might seem strange for the mothers to choose the harshness of winter, experts believe they choose to do this after a summer of good fishing and feeding, when their energy is at a high and they are in a good condition to feed their young. Seals are actually perfectly adapted to wintery water conditions; seals have a layer of fat under their fur known as blubber, which is as thick as a human's middle finger is long. This layer of blubber allows seals to stay under the cold water for 8 minutes approximately. Pupping season for the North East of England and Scotland is usually November and December.

Plankton is the start of the food chain for all marine life, not just in Northumberland but in every ocean and sea all over the world. The cold upwelling of water and the stronger currents bring a great quantity plankton. Much marine life rely on the colder months to provide vital nutrients.

Another species that thrives in the winter seas around Northumberland is the lions mane jellyfish (cyanea capillata): sometimes known as the winter jellyfish. This species simply cannot survive in warm waters. They are a shallow water species who feed on plankton, small fish, invertebrates and sometimes other jellyfish. The winter jellyfish is known to sting but remember that they play a vital role in the ocean ecosystem. By feeding on plankton and other species, they keep the numbers in check allowing everything to work in balance and harmony. 

A great species that can be identified in Northumbrian waters during winter time is the rock gunnel sometimes known as the butterfish (pholis gunnellus). During the winter this bony fish can be found guarding their eggs. The eggs are rounded clumps, sticky and only a few centimetres in diameter. Butterfish can be found on the shore under rocks, amongst seaweed and in rock pools! They are super identifiable due to their unmistakable markings.

One of my personal favourite species the small-spotted catshark (scyliorhinus canicular) can also be spotted during winter. Usually the females, as the cold months are the best time for them to lay their eggs. Catsharks tend to live on the seabed and rocky reefs, usually at a depth of 3m or deeper.

The ocean in winter is beautiful. For divers and snorkellers, winter is the time when the ocean is the clearest and most serene. There is no better experience then wading into the crisp water, dipping your head beneath the glassy surface, and playing witness to the hustle and bustle of marine life.

So during the longer nights and the colder days, maybe your mind will wander and you’ll dream of the new life, and the incredible life cycle going on beneath the waves of the ocean.

Katarina Martin (@katiediddiscover)