Readymoney Cove
Readymoney Cove is adjacent to the popular harbour town of Fowey. It feels like a secret little cove and is popular with swimmers early in the morning. Later in the day, the beach is popular with families as it provide safe and easy access to the water, with facilities close by.
It’s also one of the best beach dive locations in the area and a firm favourite with Scuba 2000 students and club members. It’s perfect for courses, pleasure diving and snorkelling.
Scuba 2000 Trip – May 2021
Check out this short reel from our trip back in May 2021. We were blessed with good visibility, although a slight bloom in the water.
When to Dive Ready Money Cove
Like Portmellon, Readymoney is a sheltered cove, so can be dived frequently. Divers should check local forecasts and avoid diving during high winds. It’s best avoided when there are strong easterly winds.
The site is also best dived on a high tide. Entries and exists are directly from the beach. We prefer to swim out on the left or right side, as there’s much more to see, with various rock formations underwater.
The one thing to watch here is boat traffic coming in and out. There is a line attached to a buoy, which separates the bay from the main harbour traffic. If diving on the right side, it is possible to pass this but only if you have a surface marker buoy deployed. We recommend you stay close to the wall on your right shoulder. Also watch out that your line doesn’t get caught with the harbour marker buoy and line – if you stay close to the wall there is a gap, which allows you to pass through without entanglement.
What to See at Readymoney Cove
There’s so much to see here, whether you’re snorkelling or scuba diving. Depending on the time of year, you are almost guaranteed to see wrasse, spider crabs, jellyfish, starfish and different types of anemones. Other creatures you may spot are gobies (including the rare giant red goby), pipefish, cuttlefish and perhaps even a seal.
Facilities at Portmellon
The main challenge at Readymoney Cove is the access and parking. There is restricted access to the cove, with only enough room for 1 vehicle at a time to offload equipment, without upsetting the residents. Once equipment is dropped off, you must use the car park at the top of the hill and walk back down. However, the diving here is worth the effort!
There are toilets and a small café for take away and a gift shop. Personally speaking, the pasties are not as good as other locations but I can recommend the ice cream here!
After your dives, it’s also possible to stay parked up and walk down into Fowey harbour. There’s a few nice things to do here, including a self-hire boat trip. This makes for a great afternoon activity.
Scuba 2000 Dives
This is one of our two most favourite spots in this area (the other being Portmellon). The main reason, is that it offers sheltered diving, with lots to see and facilities close by. We have run several trips here in the past year and use the location for courses as well as club pleasure diving.
If you’d like to dive with us, why not get in touch. We can arrange private 1:1 / small group trips on request too.
