Dear All,
Here is the latest CAA word on operations of aircraft on water.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%201...Aerodromes.pdf
Having read it a couple of times it does not exclude or prohibit operations but the 440 odd pages does need a lot of reading. As a previous post stated the UK guru on this subject is David West of Loch Lomond.
My contribution to this thread is based on a combination of inland canoeing, floatplane rating and hovercraft pilot experience. Every trip should be heavily planned and prepared whilst exercising the maximum amount of courtesy possible.
In my View
1) As long as you do not trespass on any banks of a waterway, river or lake that is privately owned it is legal to navigate that body of water.
In addition to normal flight planning many additional factors apply to water operations. This includes being able to identify public access points near the place of landing. I always undertake a fly past and check there are no persons vessels or debris in the water and that landing and take off runs are as straight as possible and into wind and there is a car park or road nearby.
As we all know you can never prepare enough and one of my stories is not highlighting the close proximity of a minefield. Even in a hovercraft at 50 knots a minefield is a minefield.
On a more cultural note I think it is a national shame that of the 23 odd water aerodromes in the UK there is only one left.
Regards