Falmouth's shore dives

Falmouth's Shore Dives

A simple guide to Falmouth's popular shore dives.

Mark Milburn January, 2012

Falmouth's Shore Dives, Page !1Mark Milburn

Good Selection

Wrecks and Reefs Falmouth Bay is protected from the predominant south westerly winds by the Lizard Peninsula. This makes it likely that you can go diving, even in a force 6 SW. The worst time to try and shore dive around Falmouth, is during an easterly or southerly wind. The winds will bring waves, they have also brought many wrecks. There are three German WWI U-Boats, a 5,000 ton oil tanker and a 422 ton fishing trawler on the shore. The coast shelves slowly here, you will have to swim a long way out to get much deeper than 10m. Visibility varies from 1m to up to 10m. Marine life is varied and you may see a range of things from Nudibranchs to Seals. We'll start at the most northerly site and work south. There are always variations to the dives, these are the most common ones or not to be missed ones. Most dives are only suitable at high water, I will note ones that are do-able at low water.


Falmouth's most popular shore dive is the 'Silver Steps'. The Silver Steps relate to the bright granite steps going down to the sea off of Pendennis Point. To get there head along Castle Drive, the one way system around Pendennis headland. The first landmark on the left is the dockyard, then a little further around there is a car park. A few hundred metres more, just before the road becomes two way, there is a lay-by on the left. Park there, it’s free. A photo of the lay-by is below.


The path to the steps is just to the left of the lay-by looking out to sea. The path splits into two. It is possible to enter the water from the left hand path and steps.

Although it is far easier and much more sensible, to enter from the well trodden right hand path and steps. There are quite a few steps down, for most of the way there is a heavy duty handrail. The handrail is especially useful on the way back up.

Once at the bottom of the steps you can put your fins on while leaning against the wall. The rocks are reasonably flat but there are a few rocky pools to avoid. The rocks step down onto the sand which can catch you out mid tide. Once in the water follow the gully out onto the flat sand. There are now several options. To the left you can follow the reef along until the first gully, in this gully are the remains of UB-97 (possibly). The UB-97 is a German WWI U-Boat that was part of a consignment to Falmouth, in payment for war reparations after the end of WWI. The U-Boats were moored in Falmouth Bay, when a southerly gale made them part their moorings and crash onto the rocks.


UB-97 is one of three submarine remains left around Falmouth's shore. The most noticeable part of the submarine remaining is the large three pronged fork, possibly part of the hydro-vane hinge or rudder assembly. Back out onto the sand and along to the next gully, there the remains of UB-86 (possibly) lie. There is much more left of UB-86 than of UB-97. At low water part of it even breaks the surface.

Circled above is part of one of UB-86's structural ribs showing at low water.


Back out onto the sand and into the next gully, which is narrow and has steep walls. It's an interesting gully with a tiny cave at the end, within the cave are the remains of a small motorbike. The bike does get buried in sand now and then. That is one possible route. Another option, when you get to the sand, is to turn right and swim along the reef. There are lots of small rocky outcrops which make it an interesting dive. Another option is to head straight out, past the coarse sand and onto a stoney area. Within this area you can find the odd scallop. On the coarse sand there is a boiler from a steam fishing trawler, it sank around 1849 and can easily be missed. The Silver Steps is not really recommended at low water, mainly because of the entry point.

The next shore dive is off of Castle Beach. Castle Beach is in front of the Falmouth Hotel just a little further along from the 'Silver Steps'. It is the location of another German submarine. It is a little walk down a couple of slopes, even worse on the way back up laden with wet gear.

The submarine is not far offshore, it's around 100m to the far end of the U-Boat. At high water you can swim over the reef straight to the wreck. At lower states of the tide it is best to head about 20m south of the lower slope, there is a sandy gap in the reef which makes for an easy entry. You can find the U-Boat by swimming along the reef, it is usually covered in kelp and can be hard to spot.


The wreck lies at 90 degrees to the shore. If you line up the left hand edge of the Falmouth Hotel, with the left hand side of the ice cream hut and swim out, you will come across the wreck. At low water springs the highest part just breaks the surface, the deepest is around 8m at high water. Parking is usually available

along the roadside above the ice cream hut.

Along the coast another 1/2 mile and Gyllyngvase beach is our next shore dive location. The best dive off of Gylly is from the south end of the beach, just in front of the wall that supports the cliff path to Swanpool. The reef is interesting enough but a little further along there is the remains of a wreck, the 5,077 ton oil tanker, the Ponus.


The wreck is well broken and spread over a huge area. The largest piece stands around 2m high. To find it you need a straight line between the last tall tree in the car park and the red and white beach safety sign.

Keep the tree and sign lined up and you will come across the biggest piece. The only other line of sight (transit), is the white wall besides the restaurant at Swanpool becoming visible around the point.

Once you find the wreck you can swim around for quite a while finding more and more of it. It is spread over at least 50m with steel plates, pipes and ribs exposed, or half buried in the sand. The sands can shift and parts of the wreck get covered and uncovered, from time to time. The wreck is just 0.5m deep at low water springs and is still dive-able, maximum depth is 8m at high water. The best place to park is on the road just behind Victoria Gardens. You can then walk around the southern end of the gardens to the beach. There is a wall by the beach, just as you get onto the sand, it is an ideal place for putting your kit on before entering the water.


Next along is Swanpool Beach, Swanpool is a very easy, lazy dive. Especially at high tide. From the car park to the water can be as little as a 25m flat walk. At low tide it is a much longer walk and just too shallow. The southern reef is plain and simple, usually with quite a bit of life. The north reef is shallower, at high water there is a very shallow arch to swim through. At low water you can walk through the arch.


Maenporth Beach also has a wreck, a 422 ton fishing trawler sunk in 1978, it is very shallow and a long swim out. It is an excellent snorkel and a good dive at high water. The wreck is around 300m from the beach and it is a long swim. It lies behind rocks along the left hand side, north side, of the cove and is not visible from the beach. At low water you can climb across the rocks to get to the wreck, then walk around the remains of the Ben Asdale.

The car park on the beach makes easy access to the water. You can walk along the cliff path to see the wreck from above. You have to make your way through some bushes, to get to the ledge above it though.


The last two dives I'll group together as they are almost one. Grebe Beach and Durgan are just a couple of hundred metres apart, on the north side of the Helford River. Just off Durgan Beach there is a lot of moorings to swim around whilst, Grebe has no moorings at all. They both have Sea Grass beds with a wide variety of life.

The Helford River is a voluntary area of conservation, mainly because of this variety of life. It is best to dive at slack water, around one hour after high or low water. Then head into the opposite direction of the next tide, so you can swim back with the tide when it turns. If you don't you may struggle to get back to where you started. The maximum depth is around 6m off of either beach.

Parking isn't easy, as the free car park is at the top of the hill. Don't park anywhere else, especially the passing places, as the police patrol the area and give tickets out. Drop your gear off, park up and walk back. The diving is worth it, if you like marine life.

Visibility is usually better at high water on all shore dives. The rivers won't be so good after heavy rain. The visibility will take a few days to clear after southerly or easterly winds. It is worth the wait.


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Falmouth's shore dives