09/07/2026
🚢 An Update on our Flatholm Island Trips 🚢
Today, we officially said goodbye to Lansio 2, our landing craft that has transported so many of you to Flatholm Island over the last two seasons.
Our journey with Flatholm started back in 2020. We originally bought the Lewis Alexander from Cardiff Council. Despite a low purchase price, it required over £50,000 in repairs just to get it seaworthy. Combined with strict regulations limiting us to 12 passengers and tidal restrictions allowing only one trip a day, the route was heavily loss-making.
To solve this, we invested in a landing craft. By landing right on the beach, we bypassed the island's short jetty. This luckily coincided with the island’s lottery grant in 2025 and made for a much more fun experience!
So, what changed?
Running a seasonal boat business comes down to money, and unfortunately, the numbers no longer add up:
We requested just under 400 time slots for visitors this year. However, due to increased conservation closures and council staffing limitations, our available slots were slashed to just over 100.
Factoring in a standard 20% cancellation rate due to bad weather, our maximum potential revenue dropped to £28,000—before even deducting staff costs, let alone repairs, Cardiff council licenses, insurance and mooring fees.
Rising fuel costs since February made the route completely unsustainable.
The last four months have been incredibly tough, and at times, it really felt like the world was against us. Personally, I’ve loved getting to know the Cardiff coast and taking you all out there, but we have to make the right choice for the business.
We gave it our absolute best shot, but the phrase "use it or lose it" has never felt more real. Reluctantly, for now at least, this is the end of our chapter with Flatholm.
Thank you to everyone who supported us on these trips!
Note: If you still want to visit Flatholm this year, you can book via Bay Island Voyages—just be aware that the island's landing fees have recently doubled.
