Alex Matthews is a Sea Kayak instructor from British Columbia.  Bob Putnam lent him a Think Eze surfski for the winter (eeek - that's cold!).  Bob said that Alex "had been resistant, almost anti-surfski."  Clearly though, sea kayakers are a tough breed and Alex is now hooked on surfski and has been playing in a tidal race called Baynes Channel.  The first thing he had to do though, was practise remounting the ski.

Chasing 3m breaking waves in 35kt gusts is the best fun you can have outside of tangled sheets – but gear failure can be a much bigger issue.  You have to be mentally and physically prepared for things to go wrong…

30 August 2012 Porto, Portugal: In the lead up to the Nelo Summer Challenge, a host of international paddlers have gathered in Porto, Portugal, amoung them Sean Rice (SA), Jasper Mocke (SA) and Bill Bain (Aus).  Yesterday, they went out in "serious" downwind conditions, to find two paddlers in serious trouble.

Monday, 1st March, 2010 saw one of the strongest southeasters of the season hit Cape Town.  Cape Point was registering an average of 40kt, gusting to 46kt.  Roman Rock lighthouse showed an average of 39kt.

Ever tried to look for a surfski from a helicopter?  Or from a rescue craft on the water?  Here's the story of our exercise with the South African National Sea Rescue Institute.

'Spirit of Safmarine III' - Simonstown NSRI

Remounting your ski is an essential skill.  Fall off in cold water offshore - you need to get back on that ski immediately before you get cold.  Fall off in the surf zone - you need to get back on fast before the next set comes in.

And yet, how to remount is one of the commonest questions - especially from beginners.  What's the "straddle" method?  How does it differ from the "sidesaddle" method? 

Here are some answers...

I watched the ski roll downwind, and knew that I'd blown it - big time.  Not only was I faced with a 300m swim to the beach but the wind was blowing it offshore - with my paddle and my GPS.  And I'd just started advertising the ski for sale.  DAMNATION!

The GPS track showing the ski's last moments as it dived for the rocks at 15kph

Having had one or two close scrapes in my time I've had opportunity to reflect on them (with relief) and learn something (like not repeating said stints again), but my most recent (repeat act) has bothered me sufficiently to feel the need to share it with you. Who knows, it might help prevent someone from being as complacent (stupid) as I was recently...

Anthony Allen - PFD next time?

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.

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.