Amazing sea birds diving for food, surfacing whales, colonies of penguins, vast shoals of fish, a bait ball feeding frenzy ... Whether you have come face to face with a seal while enjoying a dip off Norfolk, had your fish and chips stolen by a diving herring gull or been surrounded by orcas on a ferry somewhere more exotic, please share details of your favourite encounters with wild marine life.

Last week, a kayaker came across a humpback whale off Penzance. Your tip doesn’t have to be quite so spectacular, as long as you can capture the moment and convey how memorable your experience was.

Please don’t include aquariums or scuba diving on this occasion – although snorkelling stories are welcome. Tell us any relevant details about the location and how people can get there. For any special excursions please include price and website details.

Send tips from all parts of the world by filling in the form below, with as much detail as you can in around 100 words. We are sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

Photographs are welcome if they are high-quality and you are happy to share, but it is the text that our judges will consider. If you do send photographs please ensure you are the copyright holder.

The best tips will appear on the Guardian Travel website and may also appear in print in Guardian Travel. The winner, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet, will receive a £200 hotel voucher from UK.hotels.com.

Competition closes Tuesday 13 August 2019, 10am BST

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