robs tales

[Editor: Paul Rosenquist took part in the recent Dubai Shamaal race.  He's from Sweden and is one of a small but rapidly expanding group of Swedish surfski enthusiasts.]

After Dubai I headed home with even higher levels of enthusiasm for the sport of Surfski Paddling - the game of using superior strength to catch waves which gives one even more superior speed.

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[Editor: Steve Price from Hobart, Tasmania contributed this salutory tale of a less than pleasant experience.  I know of at least three paddles that have broken in the last couple of weeks - are you prepared for this?]

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[Editor: I've paddled across False Bay twice.   Both times it was with a group, yet we all agreed how lonely and far from shore we felt in the middle of the bay...  As far as anyone I've spoken to knows, this was the first ever solo crossing of False Bay by a surfski paddler.]

Murray Williams contemplates the sea at the beginning of the 40km crossing.

Hurricane Alley was living up to its name - the 30kt NNW wind was ricocheting off the cliffs and mini-tornados were swirling clouds of spray across the surface of sea...  and I knew that the cameras were out of memory!

Reverse Buffels surfing...

Over the weekend of 30/31 August Cape Town was hit by the biggest, nastiest storm in a decade...  Gale force north-westerly winds combined with 30-40ft waves...  Sensible people stayed in bed on Saturday morning but...

Reverse Millers Run - 30 Aug 2008

(Click on the pic or here to view the video)

[Editor: WildRich sent us this with "Here's something to put up between all the Molokai Hype, something refreshing, you are going to absolutely love the channel!"]

Bloukrans River Bridge

I've been fortunate enough to play in some very strong winds recently - and on Saturday I had another chance to experience a downwind paddle in a gale. 

At speed - downwind paddling at its best!

While most SA paddlers were either resting their tired limbs after an exhausting Cape Point Challenge or catching waves at their favourite holiday beach, six intrepid paddlers from Durban decided to dodge the crowds and head for the Transkei Wild Coast. The plan: to paddle 27 kilometres of the Pondoland Marine Reserve between Port Edward and Mkambati Nature Reserve, to camp overnight at Mtentu River Camp and return by ski or horse, depending on the winds of the following day. Our seconds would undertake a 2 and a half hour drive from Port Edward on potholed unnamed tracks to the overnight rendezvous with the navigational assistance of a Pondo guide.

Paddling the beautiful Pondoland coast

Sunday 3^rd December, 18h00, 4km west of Steenbras Point, False Bay, South Africa

The big Oryx helicopter hovered over Casper Kruger as he lay semi-conscious on his surf ski.  "It was flying only about two ski-lengths above the water, about twelve metres." he said, "It flew past about 200 metres.  Then I saw it turn and I knew I had another chance at life."

By the time he was found, Casper had been in the water for nearly seven hours.

2^nd July 2006 dawned a beautiful day - for the beach!  Not for what was supposed to be a 30km downwind run for the Surf Ski World Cup...  There was very little swell, and no wind at all.

The race was run from Westbrook Beach to a buoy off the Umhlanga Rocks lighthouse and then across the bay to the Bay of Plenty Beach on the Durban beachfront.  The distance as measured by my GPS was 31.4km.