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Beach Activities

Beach Activities

Old salt or aspiring crew member; weekend jetski or competitive sailing enthusiasts; wreck divers, surfers of wind and wave or simple ankle paddler - everyone who enjoys watersport will find ideal conditions along the South Devon coast.

Dartmouth, Salcombe and Newton Ferrers enjoy international reputations as great sailing ports in famously beautiful surroundings. Although they are not large, you'll meet seaborne tourists from all corners of the globe when you stop at any of these fabled havens.

If you want to join the fun, several businesses run Royal Yachting Association approved courses for aspiring sailors so you can make your holiday part of a bigger personal plan.

The breezy southwest facing beaches between Hope Cove and Mothecombe are all year playgrounds for astute wind surfers, who enjoy perfect sailboard conditions without the kind of crowding that is characteristic of the more widely known surfing venues on the north of the peninsula.

Surfers will tell you if you haven't surfed, you haven't lived, so if you're keen to have a go, try the local surf schools. Bigbury has one and there's another in Salcombe. Plenty of space for waterskiing too, with training at Teignmouth if you want to get the hang of it.

Diving and sub aqua is gaining in profile too, with popular dive sites at Dawlish, Thurlestone, Hope Cove, Challaborough Bay and Burgh Island. Training is available at Teignmouth. Wreck diving is also a popular past time, with dozens of shipwrecks to be discovered.

However, training is needed for this activity and can be done through a diving school in Totnes. For more info on wrecks try www.submerged.co.uk or www.totnes-bsac.co.uk/wrecks.html