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When doing boat dives from
Porthkerris non-divers are allowed to come on if there is room, and
either watch divers go down or look for Basking Sharks, Dolphins
or Seals. Basking Sharks are seen from about April till July,
August and September is less likely. Dolphins are often seen in
June and Seals all year round.
Currents are usually strong and there are waves some of the time, so don't expect it to be easy. There certainly are a lot of interesting dives around the area - really good abundance of wrecks for those who especially like wrecks and impressive reefs for the divers who prefer to look at the marine life. Porthkerris is usually a favourite for underwater photographers because of the clear water and good marine life. When taking my pictures I used a very straight forward Sea & Sea MX-5 Camera. It may be a basic camera, but the pictures it produced were excellent.
Getting
there: I got to Penzance (a town 11 miles away) by motor rail, a service
leaving from Paddington in London. Alternatively you can drive.
If you are from abroad, Exeter is a good airport to fly to or
there is one at Newquay in North Cornwall.
Porthkerris is aproximately 1.5 miles from the local small town
St Keverne; which is near the larger and more well known town of
Helston. Consult a decent road map for the main route, but a good
tip is to watch carefully for the sign posts when leaving Helston
to get there.
For Non-Divers: For the non-diver there is plenty to do. The walking is good, and a route near Porthkerris is from The Lizard to Kynance Cove; which really is amazing. Windsurfing is a very enjoyable watersport and there is a windsurfing centre at Coverack. Surfing takes place at Sennen and is quite easy to pick up, so turn up and ask for a 2 hour lesson costing about £25 if you are new to the sport. The shops are generally quite interesting and there is plenty of art, so don't think for a second that Cornwall lacks art! Penzance and St Ives are full of different styles of artwork and the talent really is good. I recommend checking out St Michael's Mount near Penzance. The tidal island is very interesting, but can get busy with lots of tourists.