About Marine Discovery Penzance
Marine Discovery Penzance is Cornwall's longest continually operating sea life watching company, running wildlife observation cruises from Penzance Harbour since 2005. Operating the purpose-built catamaran Shearwater II — originally constructed by record-breaking French yachtsman Francis Joyon — they offer a uniquely stable and comfortable platform for spotting dolphins, seals, basking sharks, ocean sunfish, and occasionally whales in the waters of Mount's Bay and beyond.
Three distinct tour formats cater to different interests and time budgets: the two-hour Bay Discovery cruise explores Mount's Bay and its resident wildlife, the three-hour Ocean Discovery ventures further offshore to pelagic feeding grounds, and the four-hour Ultimate Discovery covers the widest range and offers the best chances of encountering rarer species like bluefin tuna and blue sharks. All trips double as citizen science expeditions, with the crew collecting marine wildlife sighting data that feeds into ongoing research projects with marine biology organisations.
The scientific dimension sets Marine Discovery apart from typical tourist boat trips. Their skippers and guides are passionate marine naturalists who provide expert commentary on the ecology of everything encountered, and the knowledge that your ticket contributes to genuine conservation research adds a meaningful dimension to the experience. Their consistently high TripAdvisor ratings reflect the quality of both the wildlife encounters and the educational content.
