flares

Extreme sports and 100% safety are incompatible. When you go to sea in gale-force downwind conditions, sometimes shit will happen. And it’s then that your safety gear and your preparedness in using it become vital…

On Saturday, 17 Feb 2007,  a cryptic comment appeared on Surfski.info: "SWIM TRAINING: WOULD LOVE OSCARS COMMENTS ON SWIM TRAINING AFTER HIS EPIC TRAINING PADDLE ON FRIDAY". 

Here's the story behind the comment.

 

Sunday 6th February 2006: Gordon's Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
(by Rob Mousley)

The Sunday race was cancelled because a gale force southeaster was blasting False Bay at 40kts or more. Undaunted, Daantjie Malan and Clifford Binedell decided to do the 18km Gordon's Bay to Monwabisi downwind run in their Fenn Millennium double ski instead. They were joined by friends in another two double skis.

The pair had come prepared: lifejackets, body leashes, flares and a fair bit of experience: Daantjie, a 45 year-old from Strand, has just done the 2005 Men's Health Cape Point Challenge, a 56km paddle known as the toughest ski race in the world, finishing third in the Veterans category. Clifford (also 45) from Stellenbosch, has done several Cape Points and with Matthew van Heerden won the 2004 Discovery Men's Health Doubles Series. These are strong, experienced paddlers.

They arrived on the beach at Gordon's Bay at about 10h00. The bay itself was flat but the wind was so strong it was lifting spray off the water and the sea was covered with a smoky haze. Further out, False Bay was a maelstrom of white water, the tops of the 3 to 4m swells being blown off in streamers of spume.

 

The safety rules for the Cape Point Challenge state that "all competitors shall carry flares or a cell phone in a waterproof pouch..."  SAMSA also mandates that all small craft should carry them.

But where can you buy them and do they really work?

The Aquapac range of waterproof pouches are ideal for carrying keys, cell phones and whatever else you want to keep safe while you paddle.  They're available from Paddlers.co.za, Coastal Kayaks, Brian's Kayaks and other boating shops in Cape Town.

For more information see: http://www.aquapac.net/  

by Rob Mousley - 10 October 2004

I had a minor adventure this morning involving wind, waves & flares.

A friend and I went out in Hout Bay for a paddle on our surf skis.  The Northwester was blowing, and usually in such conditions I wouldn’t have gone downwind across the bay – especially as my paddling companion is not very paddling fit at the moment.  However…  we went along the western edge of the bay towards The Sentinel and then (and the wind really didn’t seem all that bad) we cut across the bay downwind.  The waves got bigger and we had some small runs, and then my paddling companion said that he wanted to turn back.

And that’s where the fun started.