OUT AND ABOUT Messing about a sound reaction on the water...

The summer months are fast approaching and what better way of enjoying the sunshine than with a boat trip.

While most of us wait until we’re on holiday to do this, with so many coastal areas and rivers in Wales there are plenty of opportunities for us to take to the water whenever we have some spare time.

So here are some places where you can hire a boat for a day out with your family and friends that you’ll always remember... Seawake Trips Explore the beautiful coastline of Anglesey and the Menai Straits on one of these powerboat trips.

Charter one of the speed boats for your own tailor-made cruise, whether that’s for friends, family, work colleagues or even a wedding party.

You can decide with the skipper where you want to go - from a day on a secluded beach or exploring an area of the coastline you’ve never seen before.

They can take a maximum of nine people on each boat and Anglesey Boat Seawake Anglesey Boats there’s a small fleet to enable even larger groups to share the experience.

Half a day from £295 and a full day £495 per boat. Details: www.angleseyboattrips.com Gower Coast Adventures Gower Coast Adventures has been running wildlife boat trips along the Gower Coast for over 13 years and you can hire the 12-capacity boat with an experienced skipper and crew for a trip tailored to your needs.

One of the most popular ready-made tours is the twohour trip from Oxwich to Worms Head which offers the most impressive views of Gower and the best opportunities for spotting wildlife. Details: www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk Zego Marine Fancy bobbing about on the water in Cardiff Bay?

You can hire and skipper one of these easy to drive boats, giving you the chance to leisurely and safely get afloat out on Cardiff Bay’s tranquil waters.

The boats can take up to six people but it’s a limit of four adults two children aboard.

There are three routes to choose from - a 30-minute, selfdrive circumnavigation, an extended self-drive exploring the Zego Marine Rovers Ely and Taff and an hourlong eight-mile self-drive excursion. Details: uk www.zegomarine.co. Beacon Park Boats There are two different electric boats for hire - an eight-seater and a six-seater - for a day on the canal in the Brecon Beacons.

The environmentally-friendly boats have very quiet engines and are simple to drive. No experience is necessary as those hiring the boats will be given tuition before setting off.

Dogs are also welcome on board. Details: beaconparkboats.com Swansea Community Boat - Copper Jack The Swansea Community Boat ‘Copper Jack’ will take you on a trip up the historic River Tawe and it is available for private hire.

The trip includes an audio-visual presentation pointing out the remains of ‘Copperopolis’, the industrial heart of industrial Swansea which was once the centre of worldwide copper pro-