Cardiff Sea Safari, Wales – a fast trip around the bay
It’s not often I sneak away without my daughter – the last time was to Ljubljana last autumn. So when I do, I like to make the most of it. Because there are some things you really can’t do with a three-year-old… and a high-speed boat ride around Cardiff Bay is one of them.
review visit*
With the sun shining, I headed down to Mermaid Quay, pulled on the hugely flattering yellow waterproofs (which I was very quickly glad of) and hopped into one of the two Ribcraft powerboats belonging to Cardiff Sea Safaris.
In the end our plan to zip out to the Cardiff Barrage and into the Bristol Channel until we reached Flat Holm Island, had to be abandoned due to high winds and the fact none of us wanted to get absolutely drenched head to toe.
But just because we had to stay in the bay didn’t mean we missed out. The boat has a top speed of 45-50mph, and while we didn’t go quite that fast, it definitely felt like it as we whizzed around corners.
In between high speed manoeuvres which had us shrieking with exhilaration while clinging on, the guides threw in a bit of history about the area. For starters, I now know the words ‘taff’ and ‘ely’ both mean river – I’ll leave you to translate River Taff and River Ely…
Add in some coal mining history, tips on where to spot art around the bay, the reason Norway gets its own church on the harbourfront, where to spot dolphins and a look at the high-tech barrage itself with the locks controlling the water levels, and it’s a great introduction to the city.
With the wind threatening to blow my sunglasses off my face, soggy feet and split second reactions when it came to stuffing my phone back into my pocket before our wake caught up with us (I must get a waterproof case), it’s also huge, hilarious, adrenline-fuelled fun.
And if my video stops every time the speed went up, check out this fantastic taste from Geoff at The Travel Trunk who came armed with a Go Pro. I told you I was grinning…
Need to know: Cardiff Sea Safari
The one-hour Island and Coastal Shock tour costs £32.50 for adults and children aged 5+.
There’s also a 25-minute Bay Waves blast priced £13, if you just want a quick (high-speed) taste of what the boats can do. Kids have to be 1.1m to come on board, and need to sit in their own seats for safety reasons.
There are also various children’s party options and private tours.
Disclosure: My trip was courtesy of Traverse Events, Visit Wales and Cardiff Sea Safaris. All opinions, manic grins and soggy socks remain my own.
Images/video copyright MummyTravels
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Ooh that looks fun! I also had a friend who did this when she studied abroad in England! I will need to fit this in on our next time! #citytripping
So much fun – the 15-minute bay blast is a good idea if you’re pushed for time I think (plus 15 minutes getting dried off, I suspect!)
Often when you view a city or town from the sea it’s like you see it properly, as it was built around a fishing community or an important harbour. I love seeing this as it gives you a whole new take on a place, even a desperately familiar place. What a great introduction to Cardiff.
#citytripping
Absolutely, I always feel that about the Thames in London, and the water is such a big part of so many cities.
That looks like absolutely brilliant fun! I would really like to visit Cardiff, I have never actually been and it looks beautiful! 🙂
It was lovely – so easy to walk around too, it became a standing joke that everywhere was 10-15 minutes from everywhere else.
Looks like heaps of fun, not something i would generally associate with Cardiff but diversity in options is great #citytrippin
There was a lot more to Cardiff than I’d realised – definitely a city to explore more, I think.
This looks like great fun and I am sure my hubby and boys would love it. I probably wouldn’t thought as I am not very good on boats.
It really was – I’m better on fast boats like this than ferries sometimes where the swell doesn’t agree with me as much.
I live in Cardiff and I still haven’t done this. It looks great. Will have to do it x
It was SO much fun – I thought the 15-minute Bay Blast was a good idea as well if you wanted a quick try without signing up for an hour.
That looks like a lovely mother-daughter date. Would love to be able to do something like this with T and I’ve never been to Cardiff! Looks great. x
I think older kids would love it – there were quite a few boatloads while we were there in fact.
Look at that sunshine! Whenever I have been to Cardiff it has rained. Ah well, now I know it is only 2 hours on the train from London I will definitely look into a return visit. I need to know about that Norwegian church and have liked those super fast boats since I first tried them in New Zealand #citytripping
We were so lucky – there was definitely enough rain over the weekend as well, but fabulous blue skies in the morning. I’ve always fancied going on one of these boats, as I know they have them on the Thames too, but it was the first time I’d managed to try it.
Woooo – this looks amazing, I love things like this! And it seems good value to me too. You look like you had a fab time!
It was fantastic – and absolutely, seemed really good value to me as well, especially the bay blast.
That looks like a lot of fun! Love your video – and your photos. It’s always great to see a city from the river… I STILL need to do a boat trip on the Thames. #citytripping
Thanks! I did wish I had a waterproof camera (and a third arm to hold it while I held on…) – perhaps we should try to arrange a child-free day and whizz along the Thames together at some point 🙂
Wow that looks fab! I would love to have a go at the high speeds. Great value too and I love Cardiff x
One for your next visit 🙂
very adrenaline of you!:) #city tripping
I do like a bit of adrenaline now and then!
Sounds like a great way to see the coast. x
Definitely – would have been lovely to do the full trip if the waves had let us.
That looks like a lot of fun. I have always wanted to have a sea safari trip it would be an adrenaline rush.
It definitely was!
Wow what a fun activity. I think my 6 year old would love this. Sounds like you both had lots of fun!! Super brave using your phone!!
I did wonder if I was going to regret that – glad I managed to snatch some video though.
This sounds like a fantastic tour! I love going fast on speed boatsI’ve been lucky that I have done this several times over the years in different parts of Europe 🙂 I love learning about the history of the place, and its local culture, the fact that you are doing it alongside an exhilarating ride makes it all the more fun! 🙂 glad you had a good day, and some quality you time! Xxx
Exactly – the perfect combination for me (and a bit of me time with added excitement is always good!)
This looks like so much fun Cathy, although I can’t say I’m a fan of wet socks 🙂 The smiles on all your faces in Geoff’s video are infectious! #citytripping
It was huge fun – somehow I didn’t seem to notice the wet socks that much. And we are all grinning madly, aren’t we!
This looks like wonderful fun! I don’t know if it would be for me but I know my son would LOVE it! h x
It really was great.
This looks like a lot of fun! I took a fast boat in Portugal and on each turn I was afraid I would fall in the water, haha. The views however were incredible so I don’t regret a thing 😀
That sounds really fun – I felt unexpectedly safe, and definitely worth it for the views.
The boat trip looks like lots of fun. I love stuff like that. Reminds me of my honeymoon in Mexico. I took charge of our boat and my hubby was holding on for dear life.
Thanks for sharing
Very fun – glad I wasn’t driving this time though!
The waterfront area looked very nice – didn’t get to enjoy it as much as possible as the rain was pouring down 🙁
Ah that’s a shame!
Not sure if I will want to do something like that . On my last whale watching trip, the boat was going pretty fast and jumping quite a lot. I felt like we were going to tip at any moment. At the end, we were ok but it got me thinking if a high speed or jet boat is faster than that (it probably is). I may try it one day to see how it feels.
It actually felt surprisingly controlled – I wonder if it’s because the boat is designed to do that rather than unintentionally bouncing over the waves? Maybe worth a try with a short trip?
This looks like loads of fun. You may have left your young daughter at home but my 12-year-old daughter would be furious I went and didn’t take her. 😉 Will have to check it out next time I’m in Cardiff.
It was fantastic – and definitely, give it a few years and hopefully she’ll be sitting next to me grinning.
Wow! We were just in Cardiff but we never made it to the bay. Definitely will have to try that out next time we’re in Wales!
Definitely worth it next time you’re there.
It’s nice to get away from the kids to do some grown-up stuff occassionally! #CityTripping
Definitely – I always try to sneak in a few things I couldn’t do with her as well.