Afon Tywi Caerfyrddin

[siencyn]

Hi just wondering if anyone has navigated to Carmarthen Quay from Llanstefan? It was once a thriving port I understand. Definitely not suitable for sailing boats but could motor boats get to the quay? Seems a bit of a waste of an opportunity if you can’t.

 

[WoodyP]

Try asking here.
The Tywi Boat Club | Llansteffan

 

[siencyn]

Try asking here.
The Tywi Boat Club | Llansteffan

Thanks Woody. I’ll do that.

 

[Tremyporth]

Yes you can. Yes I have. Not only that, but back in the nineteen seventies when much younger and dafter I and a mate once took his speedboat from Carmarthen Quay upriver as far as Nantgaredig Bridge on afternoon when the Towy was in spate. At which point, seeing the way the water was sluicing through the arches, plus the lack of headroom, we chickened out and turned around.
Carmarthen Boat Club has a slipway and boat compound on the quay at Carmarthen. Boating and rowing can be done there when the tide is in, and as you suspect, powered boats can get up the estuary to Carmarthen Quay as long as their air draft is low enough to pass under the railway bridge just south of the town. Also, suitably shallow draft sailing boats can get quite a way upriver from Llanstephan or Ferryside - as far as that bridge if you are lucky with wind and tide. According to the chart, the supergrid powerlines part way upriver are high enough for most small boats with masts to pass safely under, even if they do not look so to the pessimist.
The several miles of estuary between Llanstephan and Carmarthen are quite unusual in that there is little or no legal public access to the waterside, which has encouraged a variety of flora and fauna to thrive. That in turn has attracted a number of protective nature conservation designations. So a boat trip in a suitably quiet vessel may offer views of a variety of wildlife. I did'nt say that. You would'nt like it, please do not bring your jetski.

 

[siencyn]

Yes you can. Yes I have. Not only that, but back in the nineteen seventies when much younger and dafter I and a mate once took his speedboat from Carmarthen Quay upriver as far as Nantgaredig Bridge on afternoon when the Towy was in spate. At which point, seeing the way the water was sluicing through the arches, plus the lack of headroom, we chickened out and turned around.
Carmarthen Boat Club has a slipway and boat compound on the quay at Carmarthen. Boating and rowing can be done there when the tide is in, and as you suspect, powered boats can get up the estuary to Carmarthen Quay as long as their air draft is low enough to pass under the railway bridge just south of the town. Also, suitably shallow draft sailing boats can get quite a way upriver from Llanstephan or Ferryside - as far as that bridge if you are lucky with wind and tide. According to the chart, the supergrid powerlines part way upriver are high enough for most small boats with masts to pass safely under, even if they do not look so to the pessimist.
The several miles of estuary between Llanstephan and Carmarthen are quite unusual in that there is little or no legal public access to the waterside, which has encouraged a variety of flora and fauna to thrive. That in turn has attracted a number of protective nature conservation designations. So a boat trip in a suitably quiet vessel may offer views of a variety of wildlife. I did'nt say that. You would'nt like it, please do not bring your jetski.

That’s superb information. Diolch! As I thought, it sounds like a great trip to try for . Thanks for taking the time to pass this info on. You don’t happen to know where I could find info on the air draft of the Railway bridge? Diollgar iawn!

 

[Tremyporth]

That’s superb information. Diolch! As I thought, it sounds like a great trip to try for . Thanks for taking the time to pass this info on. You don’t happen to know where I could find info on the air draft of the Railway bridge? Diollgar iawn!

Croeso. I have no answer to that. The height of water under the bridge is quite variable depending on the amount of rain in the catchment as well as the tides, but there seems to be adequate room for most smallish motor or rowing boats. Similarly for pedestrians on the riverside path. For a visual indication, there are various pictures and videos showing the bridge on the publically accessible Carmarthen Boat Club Facebook site, and indeed on other websites about railways or listed buildings etc. I hope this helps.