Britain and the Sea

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Britain and the Sea is a British documentary series about the country’s maritime heritage. Written and hosted by David Dimbleby, it first aired on BBC One on 17 November 2013. The four-episode series, each about an hour long, was made in partnership with the National Maritime Museum.

In the show, Dimbleby sails around Britain aboard his 28-foot boat Rocket, visiting ports and tracing the island’s links to the sea. The filming included a stop at the Falmouth Aquarium.

During the first episode’s filming, Dimbleby had his first tattoo—a scorpion on his shoulder—sparking media discussion.

Routes covered in the series include Helford to Dartmouth, Lymington to Dover, Craobh Haven to Glasgow, and Gorleston to London.

Viewing figures for the debut episode reached about 2.7 million viewers (10.1% audience share). Critics gave mixed reviews: some praised the broad, multi-disciplinary approach, while others felt the first episode lacked a clear focus or relied too much on publicity around the tattoo.

Overall, the show combined history, art and culture with maritime travel, offering an inclusive tour of Britain’s relationship with the sea.