Has anyone seen the opening times for Cardiff Bay?
According to the website the rumours are true; It will only be open to paddlers for 2 hours in the evening, 4 days a week. The rest of the time will be for rafting only. What the #### is this about?
The problem with pumped courses is that no one seems to comprehend the costs involved to pump the water. I cant ever see it being open daily because there is no chance of covering the pumping costs unless they charge a ridiculous amount to paddle there.
I was all up for checking Cardiff out when it opens this saturday, but the first session is only open to 20 paddlers, what the ####?????
With a set up like that, its not even worth asking the question about getting some gates hung there.
Im also wondering what will happen to Broxbourne after the games. I know someone overseeing the construction phase of the works and they are well behind, but how will the costs of the pumping be covered after the olympics. I reacon its going to be a complete flop!
CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL WHITE WATER - Opening times
The guys running Cardiff have made it clear that they have restricted the sessions for the first weekend as they anticipate a lot of paddlers wanting to give it a go. This seems reasonable to me.
They have also said that they will be increasing sessions over time once they know what demand is like etc. Again, this seems reasonable to me.
My main concern about both Cardiff and Broxborne will be the cost. HPP is a reasonable cost, the Nene isn't. Let's hope they follow the Nene's example.
They have also said that they will be increasing sessions over time once they know what demand is like etc. Again, this seems reasonable to me.
My main concern about both Cardiff and Broxborne will be the cost. HPP is a reasonable cost, the Nene isn't. Let's hope they follow the Nene's example.
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roodthomas
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:33 pm
- Location: Barnsley
I just returned from the 2nd meeting that I have attended with the Envirinment Agency, local council, local MP, local councillor and others regarding the establishment of formal white water venues here in Bedford.
The first meeting was in September 2008 and, in the intervening period, Rescue 3 have undertaken inspections of several local water features (at changes of river levels) at low, medium and high water levels and provided risk assessments as required by the EA.
Call us crazy here but we see the benefits of natural (also manmade weirs) changes in water levels and see no sense in artificially creating downhill sections of water that require significant costs for pumping. If you have seen the stated pumping costs for Cardiff then you will know exactly what sort of saving that is!
Mother Nature (AKA God) has done a pretty good job of designing water to flow downhill. Seems sensible to go with that particular flow I reckon. If you have a change in water level, it might be a good plan to spend significantly smaller sums of money improving and altering the environment at that location to best suit a particular sport or discipline. Thus far we have singled out a dedicated slalom site and a dedicated freestyle site. Yes, the availability of water is an issue but, with controlled/managed water releases in agreement with the EA, it is looking possible to provide daily training and also competition venues
Yay Bedford!
A small group of people have been working on this a long while and the fruits will hopefully soon be seen. The areas have been given the stamp of approval for being safe and that was the first hurdle. In due course it is quite likely that Bedford will be back on the Slalom calendar and be a welcome addition to the freestyle calendar too. I personally consider that the slalom venue would be good enough to very adequately test Div 1 competitors, add a further site to the not-very-large-choice and become a popular daily training venue. Floodlit for winter, permanent gates for slalom, related facilities on site....both venues would attract users and spectators, the latter due to the "arena" style venues selected, and make full use of currently underused sections of the river.
The two locations currently have flow rates of 13cumecs at the slalom site and 28cumecs at the freestyle site (that should be enough!).
I see plenty of changes in river levels where there is no sign of a white water slalom course yet one could be constructed. I recall (as some here doubtless will) the salmon ladder at Linton. Sudden drop in river level (vertical weir) with an adjacent manmade rapid that made a brilliant div 2 course (but a bit short in length if memory serves?). Weirs are such dull solutions to changes in river levels (and also far more dangerous at times in comparrison to a decent stretch of white water) and so much more could be made of the water at such locations. River levels can be controlled by gates above white water sections easily enough and, aside from the actual construction costs, the supply of water via gravity would be free for evermore. We have a further location that such a venue could be created but the costs involved would be significantly higher and it may well not materialise as a result. The change of levels at that location is also less than ideal so maybe another venue is needed as a test site for the EA to invest in. The EA now has strategy plans for more use to be made of our waterways so if you have a suitable location near you to create a better white water venue than already exists, get in touch with them and get the ball rolling. Paddlers will need FREE training venues when pumped course costs become prohibitive and when they doubless become the sole domain of the rafters! These things take years to put together so start meeting the authorities now for the paddlers of tomorrow.
The first meeting was in September 2008 and, in the intervening period, Rescue 3 have undertaken inspections of several local water features (at changes of river levels) at low, medium and high water levels and provided risk assessments as required by the EA.
Call us crazy here but we see the benefits of natural (also manmade weirs) changes in water levels and see no sense in artificially creating downhill sections of water that require significant costs for pumping. If you have seen the stated pumping costs for Cardiff then you will know exactly what sort of saving that is!
Mother Nature (AKA God) has done a pretty good job of designing water to flow downhill. Seems sensible to go with that particular flow I reckon. If you have a change in water level, it might be a good plan to spend significantly smaller sums of money improving and altering the environment at that location to best suit a particular sport or discipline. Thus far we have singled out a dedicated slalom site and a dedicated freestyle site. Yes, the availability of water is an issue but, with controlled/managed water releases in agreement with the EA, it is looking possible to provide daily training and also competition venues
Yay Bedford! A small group of people have been working on this a long while and the fruits will hopefully soon be seen. The areas have been given the stamp of approval for being safe and that was the first hurdle. In due course it is quite likely that Bedford will be back on the Slalom calendar and be a welcome addition to the freestyle calendar too. I personally consider that the slalom venue would be good enough to very adequately test Div 1 competitors, add a further site to the not-very-large-choice and become a popular daily training venue. Floodlit for winter, permanent gates for slalom, related facilities on site....both venues would attract users and spectators, the latter due to the "arena" style venues selected, and make full use of currently underused sections of the river.
The two locations currently have flow rates of 13cumecs at the slalom site and 28cumecs at the freestyle site (that should be enough!).
I see plenty of changes in river levels where there is no sign of a white water slalom course yet one could be constructed. I recall (as some here doubtless will) the salmon ladder at Linton. Sudden drop in river level (vertical weir) with an adjacent manmade rapid that made a brilliant div 2 course (but a bit short in length if memory serves?). Weirs are such dull solutions to changes in river levels (and also far more dangerous at times in comparrison to a decent stretch of white water) and so much more could be made of the water at such locations. River levels can be controlled by gates above white water sections easily enough and, aside from the actual construction costs, the supply of water via gravity would be free for evermore. We have a further location that such a venue could be created but the costs involved would be significantly higher and it may well not materialise as a result. The change of levels at that location is also less than ideal so maybe another venue is needed as a test site for the EA to invest in. The EA now has strategy plans for more use to be made of our waterways so if you have a suitable location near you to create a better white water venue than already exists, get in touch with them and get the ball rolling. Paddlers will need FREE training venues when pumped course costs become prohibitive and when they doubless become the sole domain of the rafters! These things take years to put together so start meeting the authorities now for the paddlers of tomorrow.
Peter Parker - 12 gate courses are plenty long enough!
http://www.ciww.com/kayaking-park-and-play/
Pump Time will be available weekly:
Wednesdays - 18:00 - 20:00
Friday - 18:00 - 20:00
Saturday 11:00 - 18:00
Sunday 11:00 - 17:00
Extra pump time will be added weekly however please make that call to confirm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLUB SUMMER SESSIONS
Cardiff International White Water will be running a reduced cumec rate on the advertised dates. The sessions are for clubs who wish to develop their paddlers in moving water skills.
Club's must remember that it is a hazardous environment and that they must run their sessions in accordance with their club procedures for moving water.
Clubs MUST provide 2 persons in addition to their coaches to monitor paddlers from the island. These members must wear buoyancy aids.
The sessions are £10 per person (ADULTS 16 years +) and £5 for juniors.
CIWW would remind clubs that is their responsibility to ensure the safety of their paddlers!
18:00 - 20:00
5th of May
9th of June
7th of July
4th of August
8th of September
6th of October
10th of November
Flat water Park and Play is available at £4 pp
For further information please contact info@ciww.com - 02920829970
I rang up and all I have to do is sign a form to say I am competent to be on the water. £10 seems reasonable to me.
They had 80 people on the course last weekend, and haven't had to restrict numbers yet, but if they did you could wait until it was quieter. Apparently they had one slalom paddler who asked for a few gates to be left up in areas where the rafts wouldn't hit them - the two people I spoke to were really friendly. See you there...
Pump Time will be available weekly:
Wednesdays - 18:00 - 20:00
Friday - 18:00 - 20:00
Saturday 11:00 - 18:00
Sunday 11:00 - 17:00
Extra pump time will be added weekly however please make that call to confirm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLUB SUMMER SESSIONS
Cardiff International White Water will be running a reduced cumec rate on the advertised dates. The sessions are for clubs who wish to develop their paddlers in moving water skills.
Club's must remember that it is a hazardous environment and that they must run their sessions in accordance with their club procedures for moving water.
Clubs MUST provide 2 persons in addition to their coaches to monitor paddlers from the island. These members must wear buoyancy aids.
The sessions are £10 per person (ADULTS 16 years +) and £5 for juniors.
CIWW would remind clubs that is their responsibility to ensure the safety of their paddlers!
18:00 - 20:00
5th of May
9th of June
7th of July
4th of August
8th of September
6th of October
10th of November
Flat water Park and Play is available at £4 pp
For further information please contact info@ciww.com - 02920829970
I rang up and all I have to do is sign a form to say I am competent to be on the water. £10 seems reasonable to me.
They had 80 people on the course last weekend, and haven't had to restrict numbers yet, but if they did you could wait until it was quieter. Apparently they had one slalom paddler who asked for a few gates to be left up in areas where the rafts wouldn't hit them - the two people I spoke to were really friendly. See you there...
Really enjoyed my first visit yesterday. It was such luxury to take the conveyer back up to the start. I think it was probably running around 8-9 cumecs (usual leisure level) making it far more forgiving than when the pumps are turned right up (max 16cumecs). It was shallow, making it possible for many of the numerous swimmers I saw to stand up in the eddies and climb out with ease. Its a fantastic technical, yet forgiving place to paddle. The thought of 16 cumecs is a bit terrifying though...
For the adventurous, it might be worth ringing to see if there are any planned high cumec releases.
For the first 2 hours there were numerous gates, which were put aside for rafting in the afternoon. Playboaters and slalom paddlers paddled side by side, chatting, and it was a very friendly atmosphere. The gate system looks amazingly quick and easy to adjust with cables running parallel to the course.
Its also quite easy to hide in the eddies from the rafts once the rafts start.
There were times when the course was almost empty. Playboaters tended to come in groups, so were easy to avoid if you wanted.
Safe for children, with barriers between spectators and the water, nice cafe with balcony overlooking the course, equipment shop, ice rink 300 metres away, swimming pool complex with 3 giant flumes 200m away (I think it was about £11-12 for a family of 4).
Parking was free. There were some cycle routes, but I'm not sure if these all link up to give you an easy cycle to the rest of the harbour.
At times, there were lots of beginners on sit on top kayaks in the pool where you get in/finish the course/take the conveyer (you don't get the sun in your eyes if you go up backwards) up to the start.
The only downsides I could see were being unable to walk around the course in a continuous loop - no-one allowed on the inner circle, or inner island for safety reasons / no stands for spectators/ no giant scoreboard like at HPP/ small changing rooms / filling out 2 pages of forms each time (I forgot to take one home to complete and photocopy - acceptable if you sign on the day).
http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum....=469673
For the adventurous, it might be worth ringing to see if there are any planned high cumec releases.
For the first 2 hours there were numerous gates, which were put aside for rafting in the afternoon. Playboaters and slalom paddlers paddled side by side, chatting, and it was a very friendly atmosphere. The gate system looks amazingly quick and easy to adjust with cables running parallel to the course.
Its also quite easy to hide in the eddies from the rafts once the rafts start.
There were times when the course was almost empty. Playboaters tended to come in groups, so were easy to avoid if you wanted.
Safe for children, with barriers between spectators and the water, nice cafe with balcony overlooking the course, equipment shop, ice rink 300 metres away, swimming pool complex with 3 giant flumes 200m away (I think it was about £11-12 for a family of 4).
Parking was free. There were some cycle routes, but I'm not sure if these all link up to give you an easy cycle to the rest of the harbour.
At times, there were lots of beginners on sit on top kayaks in the pool where you get in/finish the course/take the conveyer (you don't get the sun in your eyes if you go up backwards) up to the start.
The only downsides I could see were being unable to walk around the course in a continuous loop - no-one allowed on the inner circle, or inner island for safety reasons / no stands for spectators/ no giant scoreboard like at HPP/ small changing rooms / filling out 2 pages of forms each time (I forgot to take one home to complete and photocopy - acceptable if you sign on the day).
http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum....=469673
Having paddled the course today I've got to say it's excellent. I was told before I went you needed to have the skills to run the upper Trywern and I think that holds true as even on 8 cummecs the flow is fast and some of the stoppers are quite meaty though I was in a small play boat. It is also a continuous section of grade 3 with small and recirculating eddies.
There were only 4 slalom boats on all day and only 2 gates out on the water this morning but I asked at the desk and they said they were happy for people to move the gates out as long as they weren't in the main flow. You do need to be careful with the depth as you could easily damage the bottom of a slalom boat in some places (2 spring to mind) and in fact one of the slalom paddlers did so today.
The ladies changing rooms are the biggest most spacious changing rooms of all the white water centres dare I say combined.
There were only 4 slalom boats on all day and only 2 gates out on the water this morning but I asked at the desk and they said they were happy for people to move the gates out as long as they weren't in the main flow. You do need to be careful with the depth as you could easily damage the bottom of a slalom boat in some places (2 spring to mind) and in fact one of the slalom paddlers did so today.
The ladies changing rooms are the biggest most spacious changing rooms of all the white water centres dare I say combined.
Youtube
?12 cumecs
Campbell Walsh's thoughts
?12 cumecs
Campbell Walsh's thoughts
Went again yesterday for 3 hours paddling following by 3hours of going down flumes at the pool next door with my munchkins (no offence Munchkin, but thats what I call them).
My wife quickly noticed that all you had to do was open a little gate to walk round the course. I never have been much good at negotiating gates... I took a sideways crunch on a plastic 'thingy' in the centre of the flow and cracked open my hull - doesn't look too hard to repair though. There were no other slalom boats on the course (probably all at Bala). In fact, there were very few boats on the course which I found amazing considering how great it is. I didn't bother asking if I could place some gates in the eddies as I was enjoying the features enough.
My wife quickly noticed that all you had to do was open a little gate to walk round the course. I never have been much good at negotiating gates... I took a sideways crunch on a plastic 'thingy' in the centre of the flow and cracked open my hull - doesn't look too hard to repair though. There were no other slalom boats on the course (probably all at Bala). In fact, there were very few boats on the course which I found amazing considering how great it is. I didn't bother asking if I could place some gates in the eddies as I was enjoying the features enough.