The eastern side of the Lizard Peninsula is home to some of the best diving in Cornwall, with a wide range of shore and boat dive sites suitable for all experience levels.
From shallow reefs filled with marine life to dramatic wrecks scattered across the seabed, the waters around Porthkerris offer excellent diving throughout the season.
Porthkerris itself is best known for its famous shore dive at Drawna Rock. Accessible directly from the beach, the site provides an easy entry into a network of rocky reefs, gullies and kelp-covered ledges. The area is ideal for training, underwater photography and relaxed exploration dives, with plenty of marine life found in relatively shallow water. Visibility can often be excellent during calmer periods, particularly in spring and early summer.
Just offshore lies The Manacles, one of Cornwall’s most well-known dive areas. The reef system extends across a large section of coastline and has claimed many ships over the centuries, creating a fascinating mix of natural reef and historic wreck dives. The area is now recognised for both its underwater scenery and its abundance of marine life.
One of the most popular wreck dives in the area is the Mohegan. This American liner sank on The Manacles in 1898 and remains one of Cornwall’s most famous maritime disasters. Today, parts of the wreck are spread across the seabed amongst rocky reef systems, attracting large numbers of fish, crustaceans and marine growth.
The Volnay is another well-known wreck site nearby. The cargo ship sank during the First World War after striking a mine, and sections of the wreck can still be explored by divers. The site is popular for its mix of wreckage, reef and marine biodiversity.
For divers looking for dramatic underwater scenery, the reefs around The Vase and Raglan Reef offer impressive rock formations, swim-throughs and kelp forests. These sites are ideal for spotting wrasse, pollack, spider crabs, conger eels and seasonal visitors such as cuttlefish.
The sheltered nature of Porthkerris Bay also makes it a reliable option when weather conditions affect other parts of the Cornish coastline. Its location on the eastern side of the Lizard Peninsula often provides calmer sea conditions and protection from prevailing south-westerly winds, allowing for more consistent diving opportunities throughout the year.
Local dive sites around Porthkerris cater for a wide range of divers, from complete beginners taking their first breaths underwater to experienced divers exploring deeper wrecks and offshore reefs. Combined with the rich marine life and varied underwater landscapes found around the Lizard coast, it is easy to see why the area remains one of the UK’s most popular diving destinations.
