Cornwall / Lizard

[Tim Ingmire]

Ok folks, it seems I'm going to be down into the far reaches of southerly-ness for the last week of May (half-term donchaknow!).  Whilst there it would be very rude not to get in some quality wetness and bubble-blowing (and by that I DO mean diving - that's scuba diving!!).  

So anybody have any experience of the dive centres / clubs in the area?  I won't be far from Porthkerris where a seemingly decent dive centre is based - any experience of those?  Also, what are the chances of seeing basking sharks that time of year?  Anybody live around that area and can buddy-up during the week?

Cheers

Tim

[Rob Evans]

Hello mate,
I've done Porthkerris a couple of times and my club does a trip there every year.  They've got a good beach for launching RIBs from, but also run a very nice and efficient service themselves.  They've got a mucking great big hardboat and a couple of fast RIBs.  From experience, they're very friendly, efficient and knowledgeable about local dive sites.  There's everything from nice shallow (but totally smashed to bits) wrecks such as the Mohegan and Volnay to the deeper stuff farther offshore.  A particularly good dive is the 'Wedding cake', a superb scenic dive on this enormous pinnacle of rocks where you can pick your depth from 20-40m and see lots of wildlife.  Lots of kelp about the place, lots of fish.  We even caught a large crayfish a couple of years ago. When we brought him to the surface the skipper of the RIB was pretty startled as they are very rare since the population was decimated in the 70s.  So back in the water he went.  You can also do some good shore dives from the beach - there's a couple of big rocks poking out of the water just off the beach which you can circle at around 6-8m and enjoy the scenery.  Makes a nice night dive too - last time we were there it was crawling with John Dories.  Also try the local river mouth, where you can drop down and have your fill of Scallops cos the local Scallop boats can't get in there.  Barbie on the beach?  Lovely.
They do Nitrox, have a small dive shop on site that stocks all the necessities as well as a good few 'must have' toys Fills are taken care of by a 'token' system  - you buy a tenner's worth at a time.  At the end of a dive, you leave your bottles at a mustering point and the staff take them up to the shop on a trailer, fill them and cross off what you've used on the token sheet.  Great idea.
Vis is generally pretty good, but can be changeable.
Accommodation is in nearby St. Keverne where there are lots of locals offering cheap, clean, comfortable rooms in their homes. Porthkerris can arrange this for you.  Couple of decent pubs too.  
Recommend it.

Rob

[Steve S]

Hi Tim,
I have been with porthkerris divers a few times and have found them to be very good if you can get on the catamarran.

I am there the week before you so I will post some info on the board on my return, with regard to the basking sharks that is a time when they are in the area so hopefully you will get lucky.

Safe diving,
Steve.

[Mr T.]

Tim mate,

If you're gonna be diving with Basking & Robbins Sharks, any chance you might take a camera and possible get some photies of the beasts?

Largest thing I've dived with were Pilot Whales off Meerufenfushi in Maldives, or Bull Sharks and Bronze-Whalers off Protea Banks in South Africa, so anything the size of BS has gotta be a result mate.

Pretty please?  

[John Holmes]

<font color='#008080'>
Hi Tim,
I think Rob Beale lives that part of the country and has posted asking for buddies - perhaps you could mail him

Cheers
John

[SolentDiver]

Yep, I can add my vote for PK divers - I think they've been pretty well summed up already; we were last down there  early last November..!  
Two other outfits locally are Dive Action in St Keverne itself (Gary Fox I think is the guy; RB trainer, etc..) and also &quot;The Lizard Diver&quot;  Rob, who is based at the Sea Acres caravan site at nearby Kuggar - right down the bottom of the Lizard (within earshot of foghorn at the lighthouse..!)  
Lizard Diver
They have a hardboat, the Shiralee which runs out of Porthoustock or other suitable local points..

Can't vouch for the Basking Sharks as I've not yet been down there at the right time of year; but I believe May/June is a favourable time...

Enjoy..!

Solentdiver

[Lou]

I can recommend Dive Action. &nbsp;They have a unit on the edge of St Keverne and launch out of Porthoustock. &nbsp;The two RIB skipers are great guys and Gary himself is a laugh - in a dry, piss-taking type of way! &nbsp;Don't go with him if you are easily offended. &nbsp;His timekeeping is also atrocious (Cornish time, not GMT) but he will drop a shot on a penny just by eye. &nbsp;He dives the area extensively himself and is also, as mentioned, an Inspiration instructor (the one Chris Boardman did his course with).

The come down with the van at lunchtime to take the tanks for filling, and eveyone normally heads to the organic dairy/ice-cream makers and purveyors of cornish pasties up the road for SI.

We went with him twice last year and had some lovely dives.

If you do see Basking sharks then I want a bleeper and I'll be down like a shot!!

[MATTBIN]

Basking sharks - where? Count me in bigtime.
Matt

[Paul Oliver]

Hi

Dived at Porthkerris in Sept 01, very good set up with a quality crew.

Used the sheltered bay to get some training completed and did a night dive. Lots of wrecks and good vis.

A day to remember 1 Sept 2001, 2 top quality wrecks in 12m Vis followed in the Pub that night by watching England stuff Germany 5-1. How good can it get.

Regards

Paul

[Dr Stevil]

<font color='#0000FF'>Good call Tim, I had &nbsp;a a weekend diving the Manacles a couple of years ago, not that impressed with the Mohegan and Volnay but the pinnacles festooned with jewel anemones are superb

We used Dive Action for our fills but took our own RIBs down and launched from Porthoustock. We stayed at a caravan site nearby but offhand I can'r remember the details.

I sure you'll enjoy the scenery, I'll be jealous as hell if you get up close to some Basking Sharks &nbsp;

Chee-az
Steve