I am sure Alan P and John K will correct me if I am wrong, they are both online as I write this...the send off will be from the specially "put down for us" pontoons just off the Oval Basin / Roald Dahl Basin to some of us. The time of the wave off will be 12 noon, then the SOC and all the escorting boats, including any media on boats, will make their way to the Barrage locks for the 12:30 lock out.
The Barrage locks out on the half and full hour and locks in on the quarter to and quarter past the hour, for any boats that are following SOC partly down the Bristol Channel and then returning to the Bay for another night in Cardiff or back to home by road.
More than likely two locks will be in operation then, will try and get as many boats into the one lock and also use the other one.
Both are 8 metres wide and 40 metres long.
High water that day is 09:46 at13.2 and low water at 15:54 at0.1 metres. These times take into account the clocks going back one hour that morning - so one less hour sleep for everyone.
I will be putting together an info pack which I can snail mail to all interested, addresses needed.
As mentioned before looks like we will use Penarth Marina as a base for visiting boats, including the P of B. By the way, Jools, Town Quay in the Marina is vacant, and I have enquired as to whether you would be able to berth there as before - no problem.
The good thing about the Marina is that it is 24 hrs!! and hassle free. Although they do not have a slipway, they are happy to hoist boats in. If that is a problem for anyone, let me know and I will have a rethink. Will have a plan B anyway.
More news soon....any comments?