Making A Splash At Half-Term: 10 Top Watery Tips

Sail of the centuries

Sail of the centuries

Get nostalgic at the Barrow Festival of Sail on 4-5 June, when you can see five tall ships, including the Grand Turk. Admission is £3 for adults, £2 for under 16s.Trips on the tall ships on 3 June cost £30 for adults, £20 for under 16s, departing from Belfast Birth, Ramsden Dock Road, Barrow Island, Town Quay, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (01229 894784; www.barrowbc.gov.uk; www.seabritain2005.com)

Tattoo you

Hear the story of "tattowing" at Skin Deep - A History of Tattooing until 31 October. Admission is £3 for adults, £2 for under 16s. Family tickets (two adults, two children) cost £8.50. Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Grape Lane, Whitby, North Yorks (01947 601900; www.cookmuseum whitby.co.uk; www.seabritain 2005.com).

The swimming pool theatre

Watch the Little Mermaid Magical Water Theatre. The Big Telly theatre company tells the story of "The Little Mermaid" in a swimming pool, from 2-4 June. For prices and times contact Coleraine Leisure Centre, Railway Road, Coleraine, Co Derry, Northern Ireland (0287 035 6432).

Pebble dash

Help break the unofficial world record for the longest line of painted pebbles at Westword Ho! Potwalloping Festival, 28-30 May. Free. Seafront, Westward Ho, Devon (0798 0420 754; www.pot walloping.org, www.sea britain2005.com).

Smuggling up

Hunt for contraband at Sandgrounders & Smugglers: SeaBritain Treasure Trail on 4 and 5 June, through woods and over the dunes on Formby seashore. Admission free; parking £3.20. Formby, Liverpool (01704 878591; www.nationaltrust.org.uk).

Here's roping

Get knotted at Mumbles Navy Days' demonstrations of ship bottling, knots and rope work on 28-30 May. Admission is free. Southend Gardens, Mumbles, Swansea, Wales, (01792 363598; www.seabritain2005.co.uk).

Race that trawler

Cheer on your favourite trawler at the Weymouth Trawler Race on 30 May. Admission is free. The Harbour, Weymouth, Dorset (01305 785 747; www.weymouth.gov.uk).

Kipper time

Eat hot kippers at St Monans Sea Queen Day on 4 June from 1pm to 4pm, when the Sea Queen sails into harbour. Admission is free. Harbour, St Monans, Fife, Scotland. (01333 311552; www.seabritain2005.co.uk).

Gift of the gaffer

Watch 100 decorated yachts sail by at the Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival, 3-5 June, celebrating the bicentenary of Trafalgar. Admission free 7am-6pm, then £5 for dancing on the quay, 3-4 June. Free Sunday. Yarmouth, Isle of Wight (01983 761704; www. yarmoutholdgaffers festival. co.uk)

Heroes of D-Day

Commemorate D-Day Week on HMS Belfast from 28 May to 5 June, one of the first ships to fire on the Normandy beaches. Admission is £8 for adults, free for under 16s. Between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. (020-7940 6300; www.iwm.org.uk).

Anna Goldrein works for whatsonwhen.com