The Bitches
Encyclopedia
The Bitches are a tidal race
and set of rocks between Ramsey Island
and the west Welsh
coastline near St. Davids. It is a popular tourist destination and playspot
for extreme sports enthusiasts such as whitewater
kayakers and surfers.
and broken waves (also known as stoppers).
s which have sunk boats in the past.
Tidal race
Tidal race is a natural occurrence whereby a fast moving tide passes through a constriction resulting in the formation of waves, eddies and hazardous currents...
and set of rocks between Ramsey Island
Ramsey Island
Ramsey Island is an island about 1 km off the coast of the St David's peninsula in Pembrokeshire on the northern side of St Brides Bay, in southwest Wales....
and the west Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
coastline near St. Davids. It is a popular tourist destination and playspot
Playspot
A playspot is a term used by kayakers and canoeists to describe favorable stationary features on rivers, in particular standing waves , 'holes' and 'stoppers', where water flows back on itself creating a retentive feature , or eddy lines A playspot is a term used by kayakers and canoeists to...
for extreme sports enthusiasts such as whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
kayakers and surfers.
Formation
Water between Ramsey Island and the Welsh coastline along is squeezed over a sea bed that changes height dramatically. During the change of tides this causes the water to flow at a rate of up to 7 knots (13km/h). A set of rocks further constricts the water, especially during higher tides, and this causes hydraulics to form in the shape of glassy standing wavesWAVES
The WAVES were a World War II-era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women. The name of this group is an acronym for "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service" ; the word "emergency" implied that the acceptance of women was due to the unusual circumstances of the war and...
and broken waves (also known as stoppers).
Access
Numerous guidebooks detail the route to The Bitches, but it is not for the inexperienced or unprepared. Not only are the fast flows and hydraulics a danger, but a large underwater spire known as Horse rock causes boils and whirlpoolWhirlpool
A whirlpool is a swirling body of water usually produced by ocean tides. The vast majority of whirlpools are not very powerful. More powerful ones are more properly termed maelstroms. Vortex is the proper term for any whirlpool that has a downdraft...
s which have sunk boats in the past.