waterblogged - sea kayak trips: Cardiff Bay

Launched at Channel View Pontoon on a lovely fresh sunny Sunday Morning

It wasn't long before we rounded by Cardiff Bay Yaught Club, passing by some impressive boats and heading down the River Ely

The river is about 24 miles, or 39 kilometres, long. Its source lies in the mountains to the south of Tonypandy, near the town of Tonyrefail. The river's numerous sources rise in the eastern slopes of Mynydd Penygraig (Penygraig) and Mynydd y Gilfach (Penrhiwfer), and the western slopes of Mynydd Dinas (Williamstown), whose eastern slopes feed the Rhondda by Porth. The source of the Ogwr Fach lies just to the west.

The Ely flows through Tonyrefail, and then through the grounds of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital at Ynysmaerdy, following the main A4119 (Tonypandy to Cardiff Bay (Welsh: Bae Caerdydd)) route through the valley pass formed between Mynydd Garthmaetwg (Llantrisant Forest), to the west and Llantrisant, to the east. Flowing through Talbot Green (Welsh: Tonysguboriau), the Ely is joined by the Afon Clun at Pontyclun, before heading east to Miskin (Welsh: Meisgyn). Although numerous smaller streams join the river, the Clun is its only large tributary.

After turning south once more, the Ely reaches the western edge of the rural lowlands of City and County of Cardiff (Welsh: Dinas a Sir Caerdydd) immediately south of Junction 34 of the M4 motorway. It passes the Museum of Welsh Life at St. Fagans and then continues through residential Cardiff suburbs such as Pentrebane and Caerau and Ely (Welsh: Trelai) before flowing into Cardiff Bay, by Penarth Marina.
Despite it being close to these densely populated settlements, major roads like the M4 motorway, and the busy South Wales Main Line, it still retains a rural feel.

Bannana Man in his Yellow Venture Easky

Me in the more subtle, cooler looking Easky

Heading away from Cardiff bay having just passed the Foot Bridge which is giving host to hundreds of runners from the Cardiff Half Marathon. We are getting waves and shouts from some of the runners above!!

Fisherman making the most of the fine weather and preparing their gear for a days fishing

Rounding the bend of the Ely and you can now hear the barking from the Cardiff Dog Rescue Centre

Approaching the Penarth Road Fly-Over we paddle through a large family of Swans

Dad makes a sharp turn to avoid getting his arm broke by an angry Swan

We arrive at the boat hoist at Cardiff Marine Village and here we turn around and decide to head for Cardiff Bay

The River is very still today with hardly a breath of wind, Dad looks like he could be on the Amazon!

The boats moored up seem to get more impressive every time....Maybe One Day!!

Heading back towards the bay all the joggers have gone and we are just in time for a rare site, the footbridge linking Penarth and Cardiff Bay is about to open to let a large fishing boat through. The Gateway/footbridge over the River Ely has a length of 135m with an opening section of bridge over the navigation channel.