Coverack: Above and below the surface
Filmmaker and photographer Lewis Jefferies has spent the past eight years capturing Cornwall’s wild coastline. We join him at Coverack beach to discover what lies along its shores and beneath the waves.
Play Video For Lewis, the sea has always held a certain magic. A keen scuba diver and snorkeller, his passion for the marine world eventually led him back to education. “It was always a hobby and a passion through my whole life”, he explains. “So I went back to university as a mature student and studied a course called Marine and Natural History Photography in Falmouth… I graduated from there in 2020 and started freelancing as a camera operator.”
Now, Lewis combines his skills as a visual storyteller with his love of the natural world. “I’ve done a lot of work with scientists, NGOs and conservationists. I’ll document conservation work that’s going on and try to tell a visual story to support [their work].
“It feeds into my scuba diving stuff as well, because I capture a lot of marine life. I capture the work that’s going on to protect the marine environment as well as the animals that live there.”
“There’s the Manacles Marine Conservation Zone that extends out from here… the area in general is very special for marine life so it’s good for people to protect it.”
Spring underwater
Today we’re with Lewis at Coverack Harbour on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, where we’re met with a small pocket of smooth sand and perfect turquoise waters. Lewis is capturing a time lapse of the shoreline and is looking forward to freediving with his camera. “[Coverack] is on the edge of a marine protected area”, he explains. “There’s the Manacles Marine Conservation Zone that extends out from here… the area in general is very special for marine life so it’s good for people to protect it.”
This stretch of coast is teeming with life and the waters around Coverack are particularly pretty – now that it’s April. When we ask Lewis what he’s expecting to see he tells us: “Hopefully lots of kelp, lots of different seaweeds. Maybe some spider crabs, shoals of fish. We’ve got all of the life starting to come back now at the beginning of spring. It’s the same that you get on land really – with all of the flowers and insects coming back… So hopefully [there will be] lots of life around.”
How to explore
Lewis’ photography offers glimpses into this vibrant underwater world – often missed by those walking above it. Curious to explore this underwater world? He has a few tips. “Make sure you’ve got a decent wetsuit so you stay warm enough. Explore around the rocky areas and look in crevices for marine life – and have fun.”
“It’s a beautiful place. There’s lots of lovely snorkelling right on the doorstep here, clear waters, a beautiful golden beach”
It’s also important to be mindful of your impact, to protect these precious environments. “Don’t leave anything behind, take all your rubbish with you and even pick up after other people – if you see a bit of litter on the beach collect that and put it in the bin”, Lewis advises. “Just try and minimise your own personal impact it’s the biggest thing you can do as an individual.”
Along a stretch of coastline that offers both tranquillity and biodiversity, Lewis believes Coverack is a perfect place to explore. “It’s a beautiful place. There’s lots of lovely snorkelling right on the doorstep here, clear waters, a beautiful golden beach and not too busy either.”
Whether you’re diving beneath the surface or admiring the sea from the shore, Coverack’s somewhere that offers a deep connection to oceanic worlds. Discover The Croft, our Coverack retreat seconds from the shoreline with private beach access.
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