You'll find the Mountbatten Centre right on the harbour-front: this is your first stop for watersport enquiries.

If canoeing 's your thing, join the activities arranged by the Plymouth Canoe Club, which include introductory sessions as well as sea kayaking and sessions for children and disabled people.

The relatively new sport of Sea Rowing is popular in Plymouth . The renowned 'Eddystone Challenge' takes place once a year, where teams are invited to row from the Mountbatten Centre out to the Eddystone outcrop. But there are also sessions for the less confident - and the Mayflower Open Rowing Club hopes to attract many more people into the sport as it grows.

The Plymouth Water Ski Club maintains a slalom course in Plymouth Sound and runs instruction courses for beginners and families, as well as trick tuition and social events for more experienced water-skiers.

New to the Mountbatten Centre is a Climbing Wall , which you can try if you have the courage! There are introductory routes as well as intermediate and expert routes (with less holds!) You can try your hand (and foot) on the Wall during one of the public sessions, which are always supervised by trained instructors. You can also book a course, should you wish to take this exciting sport further.

Plymouth Sailing School is also based at the Mountbatten Centre. It's one of the UK 's oldest sailing clubs and today offers bespoke and scheduled training, as well as 'get-to-know-your-colleagues-on-a-boat' events. Contact them to talk about your needs before arriving - out of season courses are often discounted. You can find comprehensive information on their website: www.plymsail.co.uk

Thrill-seekers should join the queue for one of South West RIB Rides' white-knuckled boat trips. One of their rigid, inflatable boats will take you out on the waves for a high-speed, scenic tour of the Sound and its coast. Needless to say, this activity is very popular with children and - although it's fast and wet - it's suitable for all ages. You can choose the half-hour Breakwater Blast, which heads straight out into Plymouth Sound, taking in views of Kingsands and Looe; or the Coast Adventure, which includes a visit to Wembury Beach . The boat company also offers bespoke trips for groups wishing to go for lunch in Cornwall , or spend a day in a secluded cove - just contact them directly.

www.south-west-rib-rides.co.uk

In 2004 the HMS Scylla was brought into Plymouth Sound. and blown up. She is the National Marine Aquarium's project: Europe 's very first artificial diving reef, and new habitat for hundreds of marine species.

Scylla is an exciting location for qualified divers, who can explore the captain's cabin, galley, living accommodation and the engine room. It is anticipated that sea bass, mackerel, John Dory and eels will be attracted to the wreck, and the National Marine Aquarium is monitoring progress. From the Aquarium, you can watch live webcam footage of the wreck, divers and marine life.

Non-divers can also enjoy Scylla by taking a glass-bottomed boat out to the site. If you're interested in a taster course on diving, try the Plymouth-based Aquanauts .

Setting out from the Mayflower Steps in the Barbican, Plymouth Boat Cruises take you on a historical tour of the Harbour and up the river Tamar. Choose from a one-hour tour that takes in the Hoe, Smeaton's Lighthouse, and the nuclear submarine base on the River Tamar; or a four-hour tour that continues right up the River, passing old ports, Pentille and Cotehele, and stopping for an hour in the charming Cornish village of Calstock.

Brittany Ferries operates daily routes from Plymouth . You can take a bargain day-trip to France or take the car across to Spain to get a tan. Daytrip prices start at £20pp*.

*Correct March 2006; contact Brittany Ferries for information.