Access Cardiff Bay

Hi All

Just to let you all know that there is a pilot scheme allowing
canoeing in Cardiff Bay, you must be at least 2 star.
The Bay is a very large area of water and winds can be a problem.
It's a great place for sailing with lots of pubs and restaurants along
the edge of the old Cardiff Docks

The put in is a slip way near Channel View leisure centre, if the
gate is locked just go to the enter and they will unlock it for you,
there is a small car park next to the slip way. There is a £5
returnable deposit payable and a medical questionnaire to be filled in

Cardiff Bay is fed by the rivers Ely and Taff. Go up the Ely and you
go through a wooded area where you would think you were miles from a
city, I have often lit a fire on the banks for a brew, it fact it
was on the Ely that I chopped my thumb.

Go up the Taff and you pass the new stadium, then through the castle
grounds, it can be a bit shallow so you may have get out, it should be
a good place for polling. If you continue you will come to Black Weir,
the water is fast flowing and a good place to practice ferrying and
surfing.I haven't done it yet this year but will get there next week
some time and tell you all how I get on

Last week I was in the Bay practising self rescue and high and low
bracing and had great fun, still can't roll the thing

Below is a email from Ben Longhurst, Canoeing Development Facilities
Officer,


John O'Connell
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O C Outdoor
Web page www.occuk.co.uk/outdoor
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----- Original Message -----
From: Longhurst, Ben
To: John (E-mail)
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 10:53 AM
Subject: Access


John,
Thank you for passing on the information this morning, any information
like this is useful to us.
There is development planned for the Channel View slipway in the near
future, thus access at this point will probably be effected. We are
looking at an alternative access point and I will endeavor to let you
know about this when we have further details.

As discussed yesterday, canoeing on the Bay is currently run under a
pilot scheme (£5 deposit for permit) and in return we only require a
medical questionnaire form, this is all delivered through Channel
View. The insurance issue should be covered through the 3rd Party
insurance that accompanies the WCA or BCU membership

I am very interested in meeting with your group to possibly discuss
arranging future events in the Bay and its waterways. I am currently
planning a large canoeing festival for June 2005 and would like as
many disciplines involved as possible, would you be interested ? I
will also be contacting the Open Canoe Association.

It was great to see canoeing on the Bay yesterday. Please call or
email me if you have any problems or enquiries in the future.

Regards

Ben Longhurst
Canoeing Development Facilities Officer


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O C Outdoor
www.occuk.co.uk/outdoor
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