Sail and Wild Swim in Plymouth Sound

You'll sail to Plymouth Sound's hidden coves aboard Bounty for a wild swim in clear water, in secluded spots that are hard to reach from shore. Optional paddleboarding can be added when conditions suit.

📌 Key Details

• Duration: Approximately 3.5 hours
• Group size: Up to 7 guests
• Swimming: Wild swimming in open water - please be a confident swimmer; spots are chosen for shelter and conditions
• Children: Under-16s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian; children's lifejackets suit ages 8-16 and we can't accommodate infants
• Weather: Alternative date or full refund if we cancel for bad weather
• Optional extras: Paddleboard hire; Wetsuit hire (please enquire); Photography package

🌊 What to Expect

Plymouth Sound has some wonderful places to swim, and aboard Bounty we can reach off-the-beaten-track spots most people never see from the beach. With sails, oars and a whisper-quiet electric motor, we can approach wildlife closely without startling it, then drop anchor in a sheltered cove for a swim. Conrad Humphreys or a member of the crew skippers the replica Mutiny launch with up to seven guests. Spots are chosen on the day for shelter and conditions, so the swim is part of a real voyage rather than a fixed pool stop.

Bring your swim kit and a towel; a changing robe is useful if you have one, and wetsuit hire is available if you ask us in advance. Paddleboards can be hired on the day when we find sheltered water, provided you're comfortable swimming 50m in open water. The outing is about 3.5 hours, with Spinlock lifejackets and a safety briefing before we leave Mount Batten. You can take the helm on the way out and back, or sit on deck and watch the coves appear.

📍 Location

Swim sails leave from the Mount Batten Centre in Plymouth, with free parking next to the pontoon. Exact directions and a what3words location are sent ahead of your trip. Please arrive in good time for your safety briefing and lifejacket fitting. Look for the grey container on the south-west coast path by the northern slipway, about 50m from Mount Batten Watersports Centre, and register your vehicle on arrival.

Plymouth Sound's sheltered bays and clear water make wild swimming from Bounty a highlight of being on this National Marine Park. Your skipper picks the best spot on the day for conditions and views, which is why we don't pin the swim to a single named beach. Seals, dolphins and rich birdlife share these waters, and the quiet motor helps us close in without fuss.

✅ Prerequisites

You don't need to be a sailor to join the swim outing. Conrad or the crew handles Bounty while you helm on the way out if you like. Please be a confident swimmer, as this is open water in spots chosen for shelter on the day. Lifejackets and a briefing come before we leave.

Paddleboarding, if you add it, needs you comfortable swimming 50m in open water. Under-16s need a parent or guardian; jackets suit ages 8-16, and infants cannot come. Unsafe weather means another date or a full refund.

⭐ Why Choose Us

Hidden coves you cannot easily reach from shore are why we take Bounty out for a swim. Conrad Humphreys skippers the Mutiny replica with sails, oars and a whisper-quiet electric motor, so wildlife is not startled on the way in. Groups stay at seven, which leaves room to swim without a crowd on deck.

Spots are chosen for the day's shelter, not a fixed beach name, and paddleboard hire is there when the water suits. MCA Category 4 licensing and Spinlock Deckvests cover the sail. You can take the helm between coves or stay on deck with a towel ready.