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Cardiff Bay
Courtesy Flag
Flag, Red EnsignWaypoint
Entrance to Wrach Channel, near Outer Wrach W.Cardinal Buoy 51:26'.1N 003:09'.47WCharts
Admiralty, 1182, 1152, 1179, SC5608Rules & Regulations
UnknownHazards
Strong Tides off Lavernock Point in the Approach, Shipping in Wrach Dredged ChannelTidal Data Times & Range
HW Penarth=Dover -0430 MHWS 12.2m, MHWN 9.4m, MLWN 3.6m, MLWS 0.9mThis site is designed for slower, roaming broadband connections, like you would get at sea, so it needs JavaScript enabled to expand the text. Click here to show the fully expanded version
General Description
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and its commercial docks have long been busy with the export of coal. ABP run the commercial port, which is of little interest to the small craft Mariner..... other than that you will have to share the Wrach Channel with port shipping in your approaches to the Barrage Locks.
The Cardiff Bay Barrage Project was a huge civil engineering undertaking, that involved building a dam over a kilometre long between Cardiff and Penarth docks. The net result is that from the millennium onwards a huge freshwater lake of more than 500 acres was formed in a previously somewhat ugly and muddy area.From the small craft skipper's point of view this has opened up a huge area that was previously untenably tidal, with the net result that the numbers of craft moored within has mushroomed, as have facilities (more details in the history section). ... read more
Approach
If making your approach from the North East you will need to be aware of the drying Cardiff Grounds banks (they dry 4m at CD). An inshore passage is available (not shown on our charts) if coming from Newport for example.
Apart from strong tides that can reach up to 5 kn, the Cardiff Grounds banks are the main danger.
If coming from the South or the West, the best plan is to make towards Lavernock Point, and give it a good offing. The red can buoy Raine (Fl(2)R.5s) should be left well on your port side, and the southerly Cardinal buoy S.Cardiff (Q(6)+LFl.15s) is left to starboard. These can be seen on the Wrach Channel chart provided. From here, making good a northerly course with a touch of west will bring you to the dredged Wrach Channel. ... read more
Berthing, Mooring & Anchoring
Once you are through the locks and into this vast expanse of freshwater, visiting yachtsmen or motorboaters have the following mooring options: Penarth Marina, Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, Cardiff Marina, Mermaid Quay and Cardiff Yacht Club. Full details are now provided, including visitors prices.
Anchoring looks tempting on studying the chart, but is not an option (see further berthing section.) ... read more
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