Holy Island, off Anglesey, North Wales has some of the world’s best tidal races. This is due to its prominent position in the Irish Sea, its tidal range, its geology and its exposure to the elements. These pages looks at how, where and when to play in the races formed off the island however it does not cover all the safety aspects involved with tidal races. As well as being great fun tidal races can be very dangerous, if you are at all unsure of your own abilities or the conditions on the water leave it for another day or get experienced assistance. All tide information is in relation to Holyhead. The information is opinion and not necessarily accurate. Some of the information differs to that of other sources. Don’t rely solely on this article, check the local charts, tide stream atlas’s, cruising guides and pilots.

Safety in races
Having the judgement to know if it is safe or not to go into a tide race is vital and this article cannot cover all the safety aspects of paddling in races but here are a few key points: All the Welsh races listed can be viewed from the land. To help you get to know them have a look at them in a variety of conditions. Check the tide times and range; wind strength and direction; and swell size and direction. You can arrive at a race early before it gets to big, or wait till it slows down and is smaller. If you are dropping down with the flow to a tide race, stop safely above it to make sure it is ok before you drop into it. Be aware once the flow gets too fast you won’t be able to paddle up against it untill it slows down again. If the swell makes the eddies unusable the race is unusable. Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to paddle into a tidal race. You or someone in your group needs to be able to recover yourself and all the other members of the group from any foreseeable situation.

All photographs by Jeff Allen of Sea Kayaking Cornwall.

Warning: Kayaking can be dangerous. Tidal races can kill and we recommend that paddlers should avoid them. KAYAK.im, or any third parties mentioned on this page cannot and will not accept liability for death or injury which may occur to those visiting the locations described on this page. Non of the information provided here should be used to plan paddles by inexperienced kayakers, and without expert help and appropriate equipment. In no way should any person assume that any information contained on this site is a recommendation of the safety of the location, facility or professionalism of the instructing personnel.

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