How to search for sea creatures with a telescope

London Marathon this Sunday

Cutty Sark will be closed on Sunday 27 April until 2pm due to the London Marathon. All other sites are open to visitors and spectators as normal, but please check road closures before you travel and allow extra time as the area will be busy. Parking at the National Maritime Museum is unavailable all day.

Imagine a sea creature

The crew on board Cutty Sark would have been away at sea for months at a time. On their voyages they came across strange and wonderful lands and discovered many new and exciting things.

As one apprentice wrote on his first visit to Australia:

‘In my next letter I will give you a full account of this delightful country... and I will send a description of the strange houses, flowers, trees, bids, fish, sunsets...’

What will you see on your adventure today?

First you need a telescope. Telescopes were used on board Cutty Sark to see things far away.

A speaking trumpet, telescope, barometer and a chronometer that all belonged to Captain Woodget

You will need

- A4 piece of paper

- Scissors

- Pens/crayons

- Some tape

- Glue

- Scraps to decorate – stickers, ribbon, paper/card/foil from your recycling box

Step 1

Decorate your telescope. Make sure to only decorate the middle of the paper as the edges won’t be seen once the paper is rolled up.

Step 2

Roll the paper up to form a telescope shape. Secure with tape.

Step 3

Turn it over, and you have your telescope!

Step 4

Take your telescope out on an adventure! Walking around your local area, or perhaps the outdoor spaces at Royal Museums Greenwich, what can you spot through your telescope?

Step 4

Imagine you’re an apprentice onboard Cutty Sark and you spot a sea creature! What do they look like? What do they sound like?

Step 5

What colour is your sea creature? What colours can you see around you?

What do they look/feel like? Are they spikey like a branch?

What is their body covered in? Moss or grass? feathers? leaves?

What is your creature called? Can you spot any signs? shop names/road signs?

What noise does it make? What can you hear around you?

What does it smell like? What can you smell?

Step 6

Now you have created your own sea creature, can you create a story? What happened next when the apprentice spotted the creature through their telescope?

Further ideas for when you get home:

- Draw a picture of your sea creature

- Create a puppet show to act out your story. You could use lolly sticks or make sock puppets

Next time you go for a walk, use all your senses to discover what’s around you. Could every journey be an adventure?