We made a mental note at the time to return in more clement weather to explore the Bay properly. The forecast on Saturday was good so we set off for the Riverside Leisure Centre in Cardiff which (we’ve discovered) is an excellent place to launch and park for the day for only £6.
Our only challenge on Saturday was the large fleet of kayakers – those in the water were no problem but the empty ones covering the entire jetty made it tricky to bring Winsome alongside after launching.
The map of the Bay below shows our passage marked in red.
Half an hour after arrival, we were afloat and pedalling up the River Taff (away from the Bay) in order to view the Millennium Stadium from a novel angle.
Wales’s football team were playing the Czech Republic which meant we got heckled by large numbers of seriously inebriated red-shirted soccer fans (“Oi, the sea’s the other way mate!”) and peered at suspiciously by the police and security guards parading the Millennium terrace.
Unfortunately, the height of the stadium terrace above the water means that Winsome would probably not be a good alternative for attending International rugby matches. But the novelty of the idea was briefly appealing.
Having exercised a languid U-turn at the main road bridge above the stadium, we had the added treat of hearing the strains of “Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” as we pedalled our way back past the stadium at precisely 3pm.
Next we headed out of the Taff and round towards Mermaid Quay skirting the outer moorings of the Cardiff Yacht Club. In the Force 4 conditions in February, this stretch of water was memorably rough but we were surprised at the amount of swell across this same stretch on Saturday when the wind was only 2 or 3 at most. At first we blamed the washes of passing Aqua buses and trip boats but the swell persisted for about ½ mile until we rounded the corner towards St David’s Hotel. We wondered if it’s some effect of the current out of the River Taff meeting the still (supposedly) waters of the Bay?
Our hope to impress the patrons of the St David’s Hotel (seated on the balcony for afternoon tea) was slightly dented due to a piloting oversight which meant we grounded briefly next to the wetlands just short of the hotel. A judicious spot of paddling (rather than pedalling) and a slightly heated exchange between helmswoman and crew put this event behind us and we pedalled gracefully into a berth at Mermaid Quay’s very fine ‘Pay&Display’ jetties.
We were particularly delighted to find ourselves alongside a very old wooden Wayfarer complete with rowlock fixed on the stern for sculling. Unfortunately, there was no sign of her crew.
Having paid at the ‘parking’ meter, we enjoyed a brief trip ashore to sample the benefits of city centre life (toilets and ice creams in our case). Mermaid Quay was heaving with city folk enjoying the sun and water and, after 10 minutes of city living, we were glad to escape back to the boat.
After executing a neat stern board exit from our pontoon (which, unlike our grounding, was probably witnessed by nobody), we headed back out into the Bay.
Crossing the main part of the Bay to the barrage was uneventful apart from a couple of bright yellow, high speed RIBs stacked with paying punters screeching with delight at each high speed circuit executed rather closer to us than we would have liked. Watching Winsome bobbing around in their (repeated) wake was probably considered part of the entertainment for the punters. It was less entertaining for us and we guessed that the few small boats sailing found them as irritating as we did. It made us wonder, on such a small stretch of water, how the various very different water-based interests can be amicably (and safely) accommodated. Fortunately, as long as we kept up a good cruising speed and turned bow into the worst of the washes, Winsome took it all in her ladylike stride.
There were plenty of navigational disincentives to inspecting the barrier close up but we enjoyed watching the gates and road bridge open and numerous boats entering and (best of all) the two high speed RIBs boats disappearing through them and out to sea.
Pedalling past the barrier, we entered the River Ely and passed a Drascombe Lugger drifting lazily in the light and variable winds. The helpful crew told us that we would be fine to explore up the River Ely for several miles until we reached a weir. So, on we went. Either side of the river are new executive riverside apartments – we were hailed with a question by one resident from his balcony high above us but couldn’t identify which balcony it was (there were so many) so the question went unanswered.
We noted (with regret) that the apartments offer fantastic balconies overlooking the river but no means for residents to land or keep boats. What a shame.
Leaving the housing developments behind, the contrast of the quiet, almost rural river, after the hustle and bustle of the Bay was delightful. We encountered only two other boats and spotted herons and grebes. You start to feel you are miles into the country until the next bend reveals a deserted gasworks or dual carriageway flyover droning overhead.
An unexpected treat was a line of 5 classic old sailing boats (an original Cardiff Bay racing fleet we wondered?). They were in a poor state of repair but had beautiful, old fashioned lines and we just hoped that someone has the funds and plans to renovate them.
Although the upper reaches of the Ely beckoned (“let’s just see what’s round the next bend?”), we had to keep an eye on the clock and reluctantly turned for home. The Channel View leisure centre had been anxious to point out that they close up shop (and slipway presumably) at 7.30pm.
We made fast progress back down the Ely and the final leg back up the Bay into the Taff and back to our launch point. 3 or 4 cruising boats returning from a day out beyond the barrage motored home past us and commented on Winsome. A friendly steam launch also chugged by and waved. It was nice to chat to passers by not in narrow boats for a change!
Back at the leisure centre we quickly recovered Winsome, stripped her and had her on the roofrack and ready to drive home in under half an hour.
So, another area of Britain’s intriguing waterways has now been “Winsomed”. Bring on some more.
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