Editing River Cam (section)

==Use for recreation==
[[File:Mathematical Bridge from Silver Street.jpg|thumb|Mathematical Bridge connects [[Queens' College, Cambridge|Queens’ College]] with the President's Lodge at [[Cambridge]].]]
[[File:cam-ouse 19.3.05.jpg|thumb|left|The confluence of the Cam (left) and the Great Ouse at Pope's Corner]]Like many rivers, the Cam is extensively used for several forms of recreational activity. These include angling, swimming and various kinds of boating.
[[File:Suicide Sunday 2012 cardboard boat race.jpg|thumb|Some participants of the annual [[cardboard boat race]] on [[Suicide Sunday]] 2012.]]

===Angling===
The water is not murky and is clean enough from its source to its confluence with the Great Ouse to support fish. The fishing rights on the west bank are leased annually to the Cambridge Fish Preservation and Angling Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.camconservators.co.uk/fishing.html|title=Conservators of the River Cam|website=Conservators of the River Cam|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614162627/http://www.camconservators.co.uk/fishing.html|archive-date=14 June 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Cam below Bottisham Sluice may still hold [[burbot]], a fish thought to be extinct in English waters since the early 1970s.<ref>[http://www.ukbap.org.uk/UKPlans.aspx?ID=423 UK Biodiversity Action Plan, ''Burbot''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028110819/http://www.ukbap.org.uk/UKPlans.aspx?ID=423 |date=28 October 2007 }}, accessed 10 January 2009</ref> The last known burbot caught in Britain was in 1969, on the Cam, and in 2010 a fisherman reported spotting two in the Great Ouse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/July-2010/Extinct-burbot-spotted-in-River-Eden-and-Great-Ouse/|title='Extinct' burbot spotted in River Eden and Great Ouse|website=gofishing.co.uk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308115722/http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/July-2010/Extinct-burbot-spotted-in-River-Eden-and-Great-Ouse/|archive-date=8 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Above Hinxton and Great Chesterford the river holds a stock of wild brown trout, though it is also stocked by the Audley Fly Fishers club and other angling societies who own the rights.

===Boating===
All boats require a navigation licence<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.camconservators.co.uk/registration.html|title=Conservators of the River Cam|website=Conservators of the River Cam|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607142839/http://www.camconservators.co.uk/registration.html|archive-date=7 June 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref> from either the Conservators of the River Cam or the Environment Agency.

There are public moorings just below Jesus Lock on both sides of the river and on the western bank just north of the bridge at Clayhithe (both with a maximum stay of 48 hours), and unofficial moorings on the railings adjoining Riverside in Cambridge (unlimited stay, but usually fully occupied) which are under review by [[Cambridge City Council]] and likely to be reduced to eight or nine formalised residential moorings, or removed altogether.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/documents/s25013/Update%20on%20Riverside%20Moorings%20-%20Final.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-07-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035153/http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/documents/s25013/Update%20on%20Riverside%20Moorings%20-%20Final.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The moorings on the commons in Cambridge (Jesus Green, [[Midsummer Common]]{{ref|map 5|map 5}} and Stourbridge Common) are reserved by the City Council for holders of its long-term mooring permits. There are also some privately owned moorings.

There is a public [[slipway]] next to the garden of the Green Dragon pub in Water Street, [[Chesterton, Cambridge|Chesterton]].{{ref|map 4|map 4}} This is occasionally used for launching small boats.

====Punting====
[[File:Cambridge Olympic torch on punt.jpg|thumb|The Olympic torch punted down the Cam during the [[2012 Summer Olympics torch relay]] ]]
[[Punt (boat)#Punting in Cambridge|Punting]] is the most popular form of boating on the stretch of the river between Jesus Lock and Grantchester. Several of the colleges own punts, and they can also be hired from various companies, either with or without a person to operate them. The colleges and at least one private operator also own punts which are available for members of the public to travel on.

====Canoeing====
[[Canoeing]] and [[kayaking]], both recreational and competitive, are popular at all times of year, especially on the section above the Mill Pond towards Grantchester. Both Cambridge Canoe Club (on [[Coe Fen|Sheep's Green]]{{ref|map 13|map 13}}) and Cambridge University Canoe Club (just upstream from [[Newnham, Cambridgeshire|Newnham]]) are based here.

====Powered boating====
Powered boats may navigate as far upstream as La Mimosa restaurant (next to Jesus Green) all year round, and as far as the Mill Pool between 1 October and 31 March.<ref>See official guidance note: {{cite web |url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/79067b_54a28aa23ea14549ad8c8888eacc1d44.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-11-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114913/http://media.wix.com/ugd/79067b_54a28aa23ea14549ad8c8888eacc1d44.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

====Rowing====
The lower river between Jesus Lock and Baits Bite Lock is the training and racing home of the [[Cambridge University Combined Boat Clubs]]' university and college, and the [[Cambridgeshire Rowing Association]]'s town, rowing teams. The Cambridge [[Lent Bumps|Lent]], [[May Bumps|May]] and Town [[Bumps race|Bumps]] rowing races, where boats set off at regular intervals, and the object is to catch and touch (that is, 'bump') the boat in front, are held here.<ref name=blair/>

====Sailing====
The Cam Sailing Club was founded in 1899. It is based at Clayhithe near [[Waterbeach]] and organises sailing races most weekends between March and November.<ref>[http://www.cam.net.uk/~aaa049/ Cam Sailing Club] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517182848/http://www.cam.net.uk/~aaa049/ |date=17 May 2008 }}</ref>

===Swimming===
[[File:River Cam Swimming 4 Aug 08.jpg|thumb|Swimming in the River Cam near Grantchester Meadows]]
Swimming on the upper reaches, between Byron's Pool and King's Mill Weir, is popular in the summer, and people bathe at Grantchester Meadows all year round. Hardy bathers take part in the New Year's Day swim.