October 15, 2026

Swim Planning - West Cornwall

October 15, 2026/ Tom Foreman

We’re focusing on the highlighted area of west Cornwall…from roughly Penzance

Harbour to Mullion. I’ll take you through the conditions you want to look for and

avoid, in terms of swimming. Below, represents the area we’re looking at.

Now obviously the whole stretch is exposed to a southerly wind….especially a SW

wind! If you look at the second image (below), it demonstrates how many 100s of km of open

sea this coastline is exposed to, if a strong southwest wind is blowing. It has a

fantastic opportunity to create chop and swell, so even a moderate wind strength can

produce unfavourable swimming conditions. Fairly similar with a straight south wind

and a westerly wind, to an extent…as wind, swell and chop will wrap around the

headland that offers a little bit of protection.

Best wind direction along this stretch is a NE or straight north wind. It’s nearly

directly off-shore and as the wind hits the water on the waters edge…has very little

opportunity to create any chop/swell or influence the conditions. Some people worry

about an off-shore wind, which would be fully justified if you were on an inflatable or

something like a SUP but when you’re swimming, there’s very little surface area

above the water, so doesn’t do a great deal to swimmers.

Wind strength : depends which direction it blows from but… 0-10 kmph creates very

little chop and is ideal in any direction, 10-20 kmph tends to create ripples and small

chop (in most directions), 20-30 kmph can create decent sized chop (if it’s onshore

or cross-shore), 30kmph+ you start to experience big chop and potentially swell

(unless of course, you find the shelter of cliffs etc and it’s in an offshore direction).

Wind can bring swell…particularly strong wind but this isn’t always the case.

You’ll occasionally get swell from one direction and wind from another…particularly

in the colder months. So it’s always worth checking the swell direction and size. In this

example, a big south or SW swell (2m+) isn’t great and will produce surf and

swell….as will a large SE swell. Swell has the ability to wrap around headland and

come back on itself. On the map, typically the Mounts Bay Area (around St Michael’s

Mount), will get good protection from the shape of the land/headland. Once you get a km or so

to the east, this swell has far more of an influence. It’s also worth noting the wind direction and strength for the 24 hours before you swim. If the wind direction and strength was ideal for your swim BUT it was howling in from the south the day before, you may still get chop and swell coming from yesterdays conditions. So, as good as forecasts are, it’s always worth checking the conditions again, when you get to your swim destination.

June 09, 2025

2025 Activity & Suitability

June 09, 2025/ Tom Foreman

At this stage, lots of our swimming activity has booked up BUT we still have availability on a number of activities and swims.

Below, we’ll highlight different swimming abilities and which activities will be suitable. We go over 3 categories of swimmers, from ‘bobbers and plodders’, slow swimming middle distance & middle and longer distance swims.

BOBBER, PLODDER, SHORT DISTANCE, NOVICE…

These activities will be suitable for people looking to have a good old social, bit of a dip with water safety, in very favourable conditions, looking at beautiful surrounding and areas a bit off the main drag.

JUNE 21 : St Anthony’s Lighthouse leisurely and short(er) swim (flexible distance). Stunning location, with multiple members on the water safety team. Option to swim again later in St Mawes. Bit of coastal path walking and steps to access. CLICK HERE for more info.

JULY 4 : Leisurely Crantock double. Two dips, one at Polly Joke and one on the Gannel Estuary (bit of a swoosh). Again, a certain degree of choice to distance. Beautiful part of Cornwall. Coastal path access. CLICK HERE for additional information.

JULY 8 : Slow Swimming Holiday, West Cornwall. This one also includes the option of a vineyard tour, at the award winning Polgoon Vineyard. Swims picked from a number of stunning west Cornwall options. Swims completed at a slow(er) pace, distances of around 800-1500m…depending on the swimmer. CLICK HERE to view the booking page.

JULY 16 : St Mawes Double. Very casual, leisurely shorter distance swims. Swimming in stunning, sheltered conditions. This would be ideal for a lovely day out. Fairly easy access, either down some steps or down a slipway. To find out more, CLICK HERE.

AUG 6 : Shorter swim at Porthcurno, swimming out to the point and getting a great sea side view of the Minack Theatre. We’ll then swim across the beach. Optional distance swim, to a degree. Access to the beach across a 250m coastal path and then 200m over a sandy beach. Bucketlist worthy swim in the right conditions…CLICK HERE for more.

SEPT 20 : Sunset and night swim opportunity to swim in a lake that rarely has public access. An event for all and has the option of a lake side sauna. CLICK HERE.

SEPT 21 : Rare opportunity to swim in a lake with very limited access. Lake is positioned near Falmouth. You’ll also have the opportunity to pop into the lake-side sauna post-swim. Perfect for swimmers of any ability. Fairly easy access across a slightly uneven woodland path. CLICK HERE for additional info.

OCT 4 : Full moon swimming event, on the Lizard Peninsula. Ideal for anyone that can swim. Appropriate for all swimming abilities. A large degree of choice when it comes to how long you’re in the water and how far you swim. Great activity to do with a group of friends. Very easy access into the water. Get more info, CLICK HERE.

SLOWER SWIMMING MIDDLE DISTANCE

JUNE 21 : Meander up the Percuil River. Approx 3km up and back down the Percuil. A stunning river and should be a stunning swim. Aimed at the middle lane of your average public swimming session. Faster swimmers can attend but may well need to double back occasionally. Read on, CLICK HERE.

JULY 19 : Lantic Bay Double. A rare opportunity to try out a couple of swims right up the county. A lovely beach and beautiful surrounds. Find out further info - CLICK HERE.

AUG 2 : St Mawes / Roseland 5K Day. A series of swims over the course of the day…equating to 5km. We’ll pick the best swims for that days conditions. We’ll also plan them, to minimise travel and problem parking. CLICK HERE and find out more.

AUG 6 : Longer swim at Porthcurno, swimming out to Logan Rock and back. Perfect swim in the right conditions. Access to the beach across a 250m coastal path and then 200m over a sandy beach. Bucketlist worthy swim in the right conditions…CLICK HERE for more.

SEPT 2 : these holidays always book very well. The Lizard Peninsula offers so many world class swims! Access to most swims are fairly straight forward but do require some walking over coastal paths, beaches, the odd rock hop… CLICK HERE to view options.

SEPT 19 : Our ‘End of season’ swimming holiday covers a huge range of swims, with a central base for the swimming holiday. As part of the holiday you also get entry to our night swimming event. It’s a great way to see out the season. Swims will cover a range of speeds and offer variable distances. CLICK HERE to read more…

SEPT 20 : Sunset and night swim opportunity to swim in a lake that rarely has public access. An event for all and has the option of a lake side sauna. CLICK HERE.

MIDDLE & LONGER DISTANCE SWIMS

JULY 19 : Lantic Bay Double. A rare opportunity to try out a couple of swims right up the county. A lovely beach and beautiful surrounds. Find out further info - CLICK HERE.

SEPT 19 : Our ‘End of season’ swimming holiday covers a huge range of potential swims, with a central base for the swimming holiday. As part of the holiday you also get entry to our night swimming event. It’s a great way to see out the season. Swims will cover a range of speeds and offer variable distances. CLICK HERE to read more…

SEPT 20 : Sunset and night swim opportunity to swim in a lake that rarely has public access. An event for all and has the option of a lake side sauna. CLICK HERE.

May 30, 2023

Wild Swimming Days Out

May 30, 2023/ Tom Foreman

We’re running a number of ‘Wild Swimming Days Out’ in 2023 and annually. These are swimming days that are designed for all-comers. We have swimmers that turn up and do head up breaststroke, all the way through to swimmers that’ll cover 3-4km. The day is designed to take in 3-4 swims, with minimal travel between swims. Our West Cornwall day out in 2023 saw us park up and manage 4 swims without moving vehicles. We typically set a rough area and then get in touch 2-3 days before the event, once we’ve seen an accurate forecast and announce the exact swim locations. This ensures that you swim in flat and enjoyable conditions.

Our west Cornwall Wild Swimming Days Out saw us swim from 2 secluded beaches to the west of Perranuthnoe, one beach swim from Perranuthnoe and another glorious swim towards Cuddon Point.

January 29, 2020

Sea Swim Cornwall - Safe Swimming Guide, the Island, St Ives

January 29, 2020/ Tom Foreman

Get the conditions right and you’ll be talking about this swim for years to come!

November 15, 2019

Sea Swim Cornwall's Safe Swimming Guide - St Just-in-Roseland

November 15, 2019/ Tom Foreman

This one is an absolute stunner! A little remote and slightly tricky to find but well worth the effort. The tiny harbour at St Just-in-Roseland offers one of the most stunning starts and finishes to a swim that you could imagine! Finishing in a quaint little harbour, in the shadow of a stunning church and gardens. I’d go as far as to say that this could be a bucket-lister.

November 14, 2019

Bucket List Swim?

November 14, 2019/ Tom Foreman

As much as we try and explore new waters, make every holiday different, constantly keep pushing to make our swimming holidays exciting and new there are certain swims we’ll come back to time and time again. Even if we know some of our swimmers have done this swim before we’ll do it again!

Mousehole Harbour is one of those swims. You get it on the right day there are few swims that will beat it. Crystal clear waters, stunning backdrop, minimal boat traffic, you swim through the dramatic harbour mouth…we love it! You have the option of swimming around Mousehole Island (St Clement’s Isle). Well, well worth a visit.

Our open water swimming guide to Mousehole.

October 17, 2019

Sea Swim Cornwall's Safe Swimming Guide - Portscatho / Porthcurnick Beach

October 17, 2019/ Tom Foreman

After a fantastically successful swimming holiday in St Mawes / River Fal we thought we’d start sharing some of the swims…and there are so many!

First off the docks is Porthcurnick Beach to Portscatho and back, although you could get out at Portscatho harbour and walk back. Approx 2km.

October 09, 2019

World Record Attempt

October 09, 2019/ Tom Foreman

We’d like to thank everyone that turned up to our first body surfing world record attempt. We had well over 60 people turn up and had great weather and swell for body surfing…even if the water was a tad chilly.

We attempted to get 25+ people body surfing the same wave, for 5 seconds or more.

Sadly, we only managed 14. Whilst around 35 people caught the busiest wave, around 10 held it the whole way to the beach, 4-5 held it for 5 seconds plus and the rest didn’t quite make the 5 seconds.

The attempt, although unsuccessful, has given us the info and experience we need to make a few practical and logistically changes and come back and comfortably break/set the record.

A massive thank you to everyone that took the time to attend. From what I’ve heard everyone had a great time. We’ll also look to add a post-attempt social to the event next year. This was something we had in place for the original date that we cancelled (due to a lack of surf).

August 26, 2019

Sometimes work is a real drag!

August 26, 2019/ Tom Foreman

Working on a Sunday! Whatever next. This Sunday we decided to conduct a little recce and find a new beach that we’d heard about. Bit of a scramble down the valley, through what was described as the ‘jungle’ but if I can do it in flip-flops with a 14kg toddler strapped to my back….I’m sure most can.

With smaller groups and 1-2-1s we like to get off the beaten track and find secret, tucked-away beaches that you’d never find by yourself. This is one of those beaches. Had the whole beach to ourself, in Cornwall in August…with the sun out!

Photos courtesy of www.saltwaterimages.co.uk