Self-Drive Boat Hire
Open motorboats from four to eight seats, hired by the hour, half day, day or week, with fuel, safety equipment, chart and briefing included. No licence is required for the smaller engines under local rules, and our handover covers everything needed to use them confidently. Boats can be taken upstream through the channels, along the sheltered coast within an agreed area, or to two islands with landing beaches. A picnic pack, cool box, fishing rods and a parasol can be added, and a mechanic is on call throughout the day.
Skippered Charters
For those who would rather not drive, a licensed skipper takes the wheel for a half or full day, on a route agreed with you: a run up the river to the old locks, a coastal trip to the seal banks, an evening cruise with the light behind the headland, or simply a taxi to a beach with a pick-up time. Larger boats carry up to twelve passengers with a covered cabin, toilet and cool storage. Catering can be arranged from the village kitchen, and skippers will happily stop wherever something interesting appears.
Guided Nature and Fishing Trips
Scheduled departures with a naturalist or a fishing guide, running most days in season. Nature trips visit the seal haul-out, the tern colony at a respectful distance and the creeks where otters and kingfishers are regular, with binoculars and a telescope supplied. Fishing trips target whatever is running, with rods, bait, permits and instruction included and a strict catch-and-release policy above the agreed limits. Both run at capped group sizes, include refreshments, and are timed to the tide rather than to the clock.
Kayaks, Paddleboards and Wetsuits
Sit-on-top kayaks, touring kayaks, paddleboards and a small sailing dinghy are available by the hour or the day, with wetsuits, buoyancy aids, helmets and dry bags supplied at no extra cost. A marked route card shows the sheltered loop suitable for beginners and the longer paddles for those with experience, including where the current runs hard on the ebb. Instruction is available for first-timers, guided paddles run twice a week, and a safety boat shadows any group of more than six people.
Courses and Certification
Two-day powerboat handling courses, day courses in navigation and tidal planning, radio operator certification and first aid at sea, all taught by instructors who work these waters daily rather than in a classroom on the coast. Class sizes stay at four per boat, theory is taught in the base's meeting room and practice takes place in the estuary and out through the entrance. Courses run year-round, and returning students can book refresher sessions of a single morning before taking their own boat out again after winter.
Support, Transfers and Group Logistics
We handle the awkward jobs: transfers to and from campsites and landings, delivery of kayaks upriver so a group can paddle downstream, luggage transport for multi-day trips, safety cover for swims and races, and support boats for film crews and surveyors. Trailer parking, slipway access, fresh water, fuel and a workshop are available to visiting boat owners. For events we provide marshals, radios and a briefing plan, and we have worked with local clubs on the same annual races for more than a decade.
