Rob Mousley

Cape Argus, 9 Dec 2005 

One man's passion and drive for his sport made it so popular that his concept is now being copied in several countries, reports Staff Writer Murray Williams.

It's only 6am on a Saturday and my cellphone starts beeping. "Wake Up Williams!" says the SMS. And across greater Cape Town and the winelands almost 1 000 others are being woken too.

"The Race is on! Get your butt out of bed Williams!"
It's Billy Harker.

With Christmas around the corner, and summer sizzling in South Africa, let's spare a thought for our paddling friends in the Northern Hemisphere.

Marek Uliasz from Colorado posted this pic on his blog, check it out, there's some beautiful photography.

Now, if you think this is extreme, read on.....

(by Rob Mousley) 

The Discovery Men's Health Single Ski Series in Cape Town ended on Sunday with the William Simpson Peter Creese Lighthouse race...  (What a mouthful!)  What an awesome race.

For many in the field, it was the also the last hard paddle before the Cape Point Challenge, the 56km race being run on Saturday 17th December.

Exciting times are with us...

I've been talking to a number of manufacturers (Epic, Fenn, Red 7, Knysna Kayaks) and it seems that there's a wave of new model skis just around the corner.

Look out for articles on each of these manufacturers in the coming weeks, here's a snippet on each of them...

For those planning a long weekend in Plettenberg Bay (South Africa), take note of the following warning, published on News24:

Great Whites patrolling Plett

13/04/2006 19:46 - (SA)

Cape Town -Great White sharks appear to be flocking to Plettenberg Bay along with the Easter holidaymakers, according to the National Sea Rescue Institute.

Station commander Ray Farnham said on Thursday the bay was experiencing "a visible presence of Great White sharks in what we believe may be greater-than-normal numbers".

• Make surfski information centralised and accessible
• Build an online community of surf-ski enthusiasts
• Welcome and guide newcomers to the sport
• Provide useful and credible content
• Have fun
• Paddle a lot

Alain Jaques

The New Zealand King of the Harbour results have been published on www.surfski.co.nz.

*** Full race report and pics at: Sportzhub. ***

*** Great article on the race and more pics at: Epic Kayaks ***

Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesman, said that three paddlers who were in the area at the time of the initial report called the NSRI on Tuesday as soon as they heard about this story.  

The three paddlers were all on single skis.  Conditions at the time were rough, but they were not in trouble at any time.  

The original story follows:

The NSRI were activated yesterday (Sunday 26th March) when observers on shore near Oudekraal here in Cape Town reported a double ski or kayak in trouble. 

(By Rob Mousley)

KIA Motors have raised sponsorship of surfski to a new level with their giveaway of a KIA Picanto at the KIA Motors Marine Surfski Series in Durban.

The vehicle, valued at R73,000, will be given away to a lucky paddler at the final race of the series in March 2006.

The rules are simple: race in at least three events, test drive a KIA vehicle, turn up at the prizegiving. (Special arrangements are being made for paddlers under 18 years of age.)

10/02/2006 08:00  - (SA)

Mariska Petzer , Die Burger

Cape St Francis - Initially he sprinted to the surf for a juicy, fat fish in the shallow water and then he suddenly became a dolphin rescuer.

This, briefly, was the drama in which Dave Hall, an engineer in this tiny coastal resort, played the leading role, saving the life of a baby dolphin not longer than a woman's arm.

The little dolphin, probably not older than five days, was floundering in the shallow water of Cape St Francis.

Beach strollers saw the struggling dolphin and told Hall, as well as Trudi Malan of Aubatis, a marine and wildlife rescue service.