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

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)

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!

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.

The Paddler

Christmas night 2005 - Alan Witherden lay awake listening to the howling wind.  The southeaster had been blowing hard for several days and thoughts of the resulting rough seas were preying on Alan's mind.  In Cape Town on holiday, he had arranged to join his friend John Rhynes for an early morning paddle the next day.  They were to do the famous "Millers Run" from Millers Point near Simonstown, across the bay to Fish Hoek.

A black southeaster hit Cape Town this weekend and the 30kt wind on Saturday afternoon was perfect for a downwind.  

Two unidentified paddlers were spotted leaving Milnerton beach, clearly for a Milnerton to Big Bay run...  Elsa Lourens took the photos.

...happy, sunny harbinger of fun - the summer southeaster

“Very windy with large seas. Small craft advisory. Large long period swell. Winds: SE 21 to 28 knots Seas: SW 14 feet at 14 sec.”

Interpretation:

“Millers Run calling all surf skis. Awesome run predicted.”

(by Wayne Borchardt)

After weeks of trying to coordinate a downwind paddle, Rob and I eventually manage to align our plans. Miller’s Point to Fishhoek for a classic downwind paddle is on the cards for 1pm.