Water Sports

Radio Pembrokeshire

CLEDDAU WATERWAY – WATERSPORTS

The Cleddau Waterway is the largest estuary in Wales, its sheltered, tidal waters surrounded by over 200 miles of coastline. The sheltered waterway provides a valuable source for a vast range of water-based activities, but it also requires great care in ensuring the many and varied waterway interests can co-exist in a safe and effective manner.

To ensure that the users of the Waterway can be sure to co-exist a number of organizations form part of the Recreation Working Group, and a list of these bodies is provided below:-

Milford Haven Port Authority.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Pembrokeshire County Council.

Countryside Council for Wales.

Environment Agency – Wales.

Maritime Volunteer Service.

Milford Haven Harbour Users Association.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Crown Estate Commisioners.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum.

Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Relevant Authorities Group.

Pembrokeshire Biodiversity Partnership.

Other maritime partners include the Atlantic Challenge Association, Pembrokeshire College’s Marine Technology Centre, the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society and the Tall Ships (Wales) Trust.

The Milford Haven Waterway is experiencing an ever increasing demand for moorings, with 994 registered in 2004. Neyland and Milford Marinas are both operating at full capacity, with a waiting list in excess of 140 for Neyland Marina.

Sailing

Yachts are the greatest number of craft on the Waterway, with activity primarily taking place below the Cleddau Bridge as far as the Islands offshore.

There are four yacht clubs, each providing their own unique training programmes:-

Pembrokeshire Yacht Club (PYC) – located at Gelliswick

Neyland Yacht Club (NYC) – located at Neyland.

Pembroke Haven Yacht Club (PHYC) – located at Hobbs Point

Dale Yacht Club – located at Dale.

Powered Craft

Motor Cruisers tend to use the lower reaches of the Waterway out to the islands, although the occasional do travel upstream to Lawrenny and Llangwm. Small high powered craft tend to be used for water-skiing.

Water Skiing

This tends to take place between the Cleddau Bridge and Lawrenny, with some also in Dale Bay.

Personal Watercraft

There is an increasing use of jet-skis and wet bikes, but these are generally confined to designated parts of the waterway

Pembrokeshire Long-Boats

Diving

Many recreational divers visit the Waterway and offshore islands, with easily accessible dive sites, spectacular marine life and abundant wrecks.

There are four commercial dive trip businesses operating on the Waterway, at Neyland, and Milford Haven.

Hovercraft

Small craft are now starting to appear on the Waterway, which are expected in ever increasing numbers in the future. These have to compatible with the wildlife which need to co-exist on the Waterway.

Windsurfing/Kitesurfing.

The main centre for both activities centre around the sheltered waters of Dale Bay, but windsurfing also takes place between Hazelbeach and Neyland, and at Llangwm and Lawrenny.

Canoeing/Kayaking/Rowing.

Most canoeing takes place in the upper reaches, apart from the Pembroke Dock Watersports Centre and in the moat at Pembroke Castle. Princes Trust instructors, based at Neyland are often seen on the river at Lawrenny. Longboat rowing has been increasingly popular in recent years including clubs at Neyland and Hazelbeach. The ‘Return of the Cleddau’ race between Haverfordwest and Neyland is being increasingly popular each year, and with its sheltered water attracts visitors throughout the year.

Swimming

Due to strong currents and extensive mudflats, the Waterway is not ideal for swimmers. The exception are areas around Dale, Watwick Bay and West Angle Bay.

Angling

Angling in groups with charter boats regularly use the Waterway. Many charter boats operate out of both Neyland and Milford Haven Marina, and those available can be contacted as follows:-

Watersports Training Providers and Trip Operators

There are two main providers, namely Pembrokeshire Watersports, at Cosheston Pill and West Wales Windsurf and Sail in Dale Bay.

Courses vary between beginner to expert levels.

A number of commercial power boat operators offer dive trips and wildlife cruises, both inside and outside the Waterway, as far as Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm. Puffins, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Manx Shearwaters and Gannets apart from Harbour Porpoise and Grey seals can all be seen on these trips.

Companies operating on the Waterway include:-

Moorings

Most moorings are privately owned, and licences need to be renewed annually, managed by Voluntary Control Bodies (VCB), through the Port Authority. During the 2004 season there were almost 1000 moorings. There are two commercial mooring areas on the Waterway at Rudders Boatyard (40) and Lawrenny Yacht Station (100)

Marinas

Two marinas currently operate on the Waterway, Milford Haven which has 250 berths, and Neyland with 400 berths.

Full information on each marina can be found on their web-site:-

Slipways

Angle (Point House)

Access in Angle Bay on gently sloping foreshore of shingle and mud. The only facilities are at the Point House pub and restaurant nearby.

West Angle

Steep shelving cobble slipway There is a large car park, café and toilet facilities at top of the slip

Gelliswick

A gentle shelving concrete slipway with a PCC toilet block across the road. Pembrokeshire Yacht Club (PYC) is situated at top of the slip.

Further information can be found on Website:-

Milford Marina

The marina has two slipways, the first owned by Milford marina, the second to the east of Milford marina and allows direct access to the Waterway. Further information can be found on the web-site:-

Parking is available at the top of the slip.

Neyland Yacht Club

This wide slipway is publicly owned and can accommodate almost any craft that can be placed on a trailer. A PCC toilet is situated close by. In the season, a small pontoon is deployed a small distance to the west of the slip. Car parking facilities available. Further inrmation can be found on Neyland Yacht Club’s web-site:-

Hobbs Point

This is a steep concrete slip, adjacent to Pembroke Haven Yacht Club (PHYC). Available for use of small boats and small yachts, with a PCC toilet block close by. Also used by anglers.

Further information the Yacht Club can be found on its web-site:-

Slipways (Continued)

Front Street

There are three concrete slipways, one near the Martello Tower, the second by a small boat storage yard in the middle of Font Street and the third accessed from Western Way car park. There are no facilities onshore.

East Llanion (Pembrokeshire Watersports

The East Llanion slipway has three concrete ramps, providing access through the tidal cycle, and frequently used by Pembrokeshire Watersports for launching and recovering their fleet of sailing boats and rescue craft.

It has a large car park, with the whole site owned by Pembrokeshire C C. Further information can be found on its web-site:-

Rudders

The slipway at Rudders Boatyard is only available to clients, with lifting, storage and maintenance facilities available on site.

Lawrenny

The Yacht Station has a concrete slipway, with a small levy charged to users. Car parking, toilet facilities, with café and pub close by. There are also two floating pontoons.

Landshipping

Limited facilities, with compacted gravel leading onto mud – launch and recovery only recommended at three hours either side of high water. No car park.

Pontoons

These are deployed by Pembrokeshire C. C. close to slipways at Dale, Neyland, Hazelbeach, Hobbs Point and Burton, between 1^st April and 1^st October.

Commonly used by locals and visitors, where they are also used to visit waterside pubs and restaurants at the Griffin Dale, Ferry Inn at Hazelbeach, Jolly Sailor at Burton and the Lawrenny Arms.

Dale Bay also has a floating pontoon moored all the year around, which many craft traveling down river use, before a rest and returning up river. Gelliswick has a floating pontoon of two sections.

Rudders Boatyard has a pontoon for clients only, and the Lawrenny Yacht Station has three pontoons for clients only.

Pembrokeshire Watersports has a small floating pontoon by the slipway at Llanion for use by trainees and instructors.

Byelaws, Policing and Enforcement.

The Habours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act, 1847 empowers harbour authorities to create bye-laws as a management tool. The MHPA has a wide range of bye-laws to deal with management of both commercial shipping and recreational craft, and more detailed information can be found on Website

Bye-law 55 states that the organizer of any boat race, regatta or any other occasion when a number of vessels is expected to assemble on the waters of the Haven shall give not less than seven days notice thereof to the Harbourmaster.All races and similar events shall be conducted on courses and at times previously approved by the Harbourmaster.

Recreational Web-site

A web-site set up by the Port Authority in 2003 provides a considerable amount o information including Launch Sites, Weather, Tide Tables, Events Diary, News, Activities, Courses and Gallery. – simply log on to Website for further information.

Contacts

Countryside Council for Wales

Llanion House

Llanion Park

Pembroke Dock

Pembrokeshire

SA72 6DY

Tel No: 01646 624000

E Mail:

Web-Site:

Crown Estates Commission

16 Carlton House Terrace