Former marine police officer Meredith Stapff has gone back to sea with the launch of a new kayak hire business at Admiralty House Park, in Pembroke.

And Ms Stapff’s business also includes a water see-saw and a volleyball court to boost the attraction of the park and Clarence Cove.

She said: “It’s a well-known local spot. Most of the locals from the area come here and a lot of visitors come because of the videos of people jumping off the cliffs.

“But all there was here was a toilet and a few benches.”

The business was set up three weeks ago under the umbrella name of the Admiralty Cove Association, which also includes a separate company hiring zayaks — surfboard-style craft with a large glass viewing panel so users can lie on them and watch the sea-life.

Ms Stapff said that she had been thinking about boosting the attraction of the park with activities since 2007.

“I’m a bit of a business-minded person and I knew something like this would go down well here.

“I’ve done a lot of travelling to different places and this is a great spot.”

She added: “We got together and formed an association and got permission from the department of parks to operate here.

“We didn’t get everything we wanted — we wanted a few concessions down here, which we didn’t get.”

Ms Stapff said that the association had lined up Taste of Bermuda to provide food and she was in discussions with the parks department to get final approval.

The park also features live entertainment on Tuesdays and Fridays, provided with the support of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

And she has also lined up Destiny Tours, which operates a 100-capacity tourist boat, to transport visitors to the cove.

Ms Stapff added: “We are looking at adding a few things in the future.

“We’ve also got people interested in renting for private parties.”

Ms Stapff operates six kayaks from the cove, with two more soon to be licensed.

She has also operated a small traditional-style boat bought by her late father in the 1970s as a water taxi for the past six years, and now uses it to bring groups of tourists on the seven-minute journey from Dockyard to Admiralty House.

Ms Stapff, who retired from the police in the late 1990s, formerly operated a sail boat as a tourist venture.

She said that the association was formed to promote owner-operated businesses, rather than large companies.

She explained: “I really want to get to where other people have their own businesses and take care of their own families.

“This is all going to be owned by individual operators who come together as an association.”

The facilities are open from 10am to 4pm Mondays to Fridays.