Life Beneath the Surface, Right in the Middle of the City
by Ulrika LARSSON
OP's Director of Operations
OP's Director of Operations
For many people living near the Öresund, the sea is a familiar backdrop, something you pass on the way to work or dip into on a hot day, without ever really knowing what's beneath the surface. For many, it can feel like a big black hole rather than a thriving ecosystem.
Hamnfest Helsingborg was Öresund Patrol's first opportunity to change that perception; helped by warm summer weather, a steady stream of curious visitors of all ages turned up to have a look for themselves.
At Öresund Patrol, we are working to make the Öresund a livelier and more sustainable sea by combining research, education, and hands-on activities to show how fascinating life beneath the surface really is. At Hamnfest, that mission moved from the water and into the middle of the festival crowd, as we took part as a public educator alongside the local food, boat trips, various water activities and local music that filled the city's waterfront from Kajpromenaden, Ångfärjeparken, and Parapeten over the two festival days.
At Öresund Patrol, we are working to make the Öresund a livelier and more sustainable sea by combining research, education, and hands-on activities to show how fascinating life beneath the surface really is. At Hamnfest, that mission moved from the water and into the middle of the festival crowd, as we took part as a public educator alongside the local food, boat trips, various water activities and local music that filled the city's waterfront from Kajpromenaden, Ångfärjeparken, and Parapeten over the two festival days.
DISCOVERY ZONE vs CREATIVE ZONE
Öresund Patrol's presence at the festival was divided into two connected experiential areas, combining hands-on experiences for the public with creative visual storytelling and a food experience.
In the Ocean Discovery Zone, visitors of all ages got to explore the sea through multiple senses and perspectives:
- Snorkelling sessions gave newcomers a first introduction to life beneath the surface.
- Underwater binoculars let visitors spot marine animals and plants in their natural habitat.
- Knowledge stations shared insights into the Öresund's ecosystem, its eelgrass meadows and seaweed, and its biodiversity.
- A porpoise expert shared her knowledge about the biology and behaviour of the world's smallest whale.
Right next to it, on land, the Ocean Creative Zone brought the same themes to life through art, food, and storytelling:
- A photo exhibition showcased visual stories from life under the surface.
- An ocean chef offered cooking and tastings of seaweed food.
- Visitors got to meet an underwater photographer and learned more about underwater macro photography.
The activities were designed to be accessible and engaging for everyone, and drew a wide mix of visitors: children and families, young people, those who already care about nature and sustainability, and plenty of festival-goers who were simply curious about the sea and its inhabitants. Over the two days, a warm, welcoming atmosphere settled over both zones, with a steady flow of curious visitors of every age stopping by to look, taste, and ask questions.
By combining hands-on, experience-based learning with direct contact with the marine environment, Öresund Patrol's participation aimed to raise awareness of Öresund's ecosystem, build a stronger bond between people and the sea, encourage more sustainable behaviour in and around the water, and spark lasting curiosity about marine life.
The project also connected to several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, quality education (Goal 4), through interactive learning for all ages; responsible consumption and production (Goal 12), through activities highlighting local and sustainable ocean resources; life below water (Goal 14), through a direct focus on species like porpoises and eelgrass meadows; and partnerships for the goals (Goal 17), through collaboration with universities, municipalities, organizations, and businesses.
With this year's Hamnfest behind us, Öresund Patrol hopes the event marks the start of a recurring presence at the festival, building, year after year, on the connection they started with visitors between people and their closest neighbour: the Öresund.
In the Ocean Discovery Zone, visitors of all ages got to explore the sea through multiple senses and perspectives:
- Snorkelling sessions gave newcomers a first introduction to life beneath the surface.
- Underwater binoculars let visitors spot marine animals and plants in their natural habitat.
- Knowledge stations shared insights into the Öresund's ecosystem, its eelgrass meadows and seaweed, and its biodiversity.
- A porpoise expert shared her knowledge about the biology and behaviour of the world's smallest whale.
Right next to it, on land, the Ocean Creative Zone brought the same themes to life through art, food, and storytelling:
- A photo exhibition showcased visual stories from life under the surface.
- An ocean chef offered cooking and tastings of seaweed food.
- Visitors got to meet an underwater photographer and learned more about underwater macro photography.
The activities were designed to be accessible and engaging for everyone, and drew a wide mix of visitors: children and families, young people, those who already care about nature and sustainability, and plenty of festival-goers who were simply curious about the sea and its inhabitants. Over the two days, a warm, welcoming atmosphere settled over both zones, with a steady flow of curious visitors of every age stopping by to look, taste, and ask questions.
By combining hands-on, experience-based learning with direct contact with the marine environment, Öresund Patrol's participation aimed to raise awareness of Öresund's ecosystem, build a stronger bond between people and the sea, encourage more sustainable behaviour in and around the water, and spark lasting curiosity about marine life.
The project also connected to several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, quality education (Goal 4), through interactive learning for all ages; responsible consumption and production (Goal 12), through activities highlighting local and sustainable ocean resources; life below water (Goal 14), through a direct focus on species like porpoises and eelgrass meadows; and partnerships for the goals (Goal 17), through collaboration with universities, municipalities, organizations, and businesses.
With this year's Hamnfest behind us, Öresund Patrol hopes the event marks the start of a recurring presence at the festival, building, year after year, on the connection they started with visitors between people and their closest neighbour: the Öresund.
The participation was made possible by Swedbank's Ägarstiftelse Skåne and Helsingborgs stad.
We hope to be back next year.
We hope to be back next year.
