Finding Colorful Penguins at Waddle-On-Sea

The weather has been fantastic lately, so we have been by the seaside! We went with our whole family on Friday, but our focus was collecting sea glass, having a picnic, and exploring arcades. While there, Dann and I spotted a few colorful penguins, so decided to come back on our own at the weekend so that we could find some more. We came along with one of our friends, as there was a Pokemon event on, so we could collect some seaside Pokemon and spot some penguins! This penguin trail was Waddle-On-Sea, a yearly event that takes place from the start of July until the start of September, providing a trail of Penguins throughout Southend-on-Sea and Leigh-on-Sea!

Waddle-On-Sea isn’t just at the seafront – there are a bunch of penguins dotted around the Highstreet. For £1.99, you can purchase a digital app that shows you were the other Penguins are, allows you to track your steps, documents the penguins you have found, and gives you the chance to vote for your favorite penguin in a few categories. This year, there are 31 large penguins along with 72 baby penguin sculptures, so there are a lot to find! If the app isn’t you’re thing, you can also pop into a Haven shop nearby and purchase a physical map, which can show you where the penguins are, but it’s normally windy by the seaside, so we found this to be kind of hard to use.

Each of the penguins and baby penguins in Waddle-On-Sea have their own description, talking about the design behind each one, along with a description of the author who has designed and decorated this specific penguin. It’s neat to read about the artists and inspiration behind the design! This is a charity event, so there is also information on Haven Hospice, which is where the donations are going, and a raffle QR code, where you can donate £5 to enter a raffle to win a Penguin.

Waddle-On-Sea provides a lovely way to walk around and explore the seaside. The penguins that we spotted were fantastic, with so many different art styles and designs. It’s a very unique way to support a charity and enjoy a sunny day by the sea. Dann and I really enjoyed the Sunny Southpole-on-sea penguin which had a bunch of painted iconic images from Southend-on-Sea. Our friend’s favorite penguin was the bubble bath one, as it had a bunch of rubber ducks! There are so many different designs – it’s just a fun little adventure.

You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!