Buffells to Simon's Town

SUN 8am. And that's how quickly it changes. No rain now but a shower in the northerly distance. Let's meet at the shop and make the call there.


SUN tam. Conditions are wet and chilly with a light north easter. Not great but do-able however rain is still forecast for most of the day. Trips meeting time delayed until 9am to make a later call.


Forecast conditions for this Sunday the 20th look good although possible rain showers.  There may be a small wave to get through at the launch as well.

The plan if we go ahead is to meet at the shop at 8.30am to car pool down to the reserve.
As usual we will update here on the blog with new forecasts as they change. The go ahead will be given here and also on this Twitter account which is easier to update and more reliable. You don't need to join or follow if you don't want, just go to this web page.

Kayak Capetown

Sunset paddle pics

Awesome is a somewhat overused and thus devalued word but it does capture the paddle from last night. As pleasing as these pictures are, they don't come close to catching the wonder of the evening on the water. Only thing that could improve it would be the full moon rising - hopefully we will have an equally good evening for the next Full Moon Paddle on June 4th.

The white dot in the sky on the next three pictures is Venus

Peninsula Paddle Sunday 3 June 2012

Last year a group of sea kayakers from Paddlers in Simon's Town accompanied the full route from the start of the 2011 Peninsula Paddle at Zandvlei to Marina da Gama.  This created a great spectacle as an ‘armada’ of paddlers headed out together. 

If you would like to show your support for   ‘Take back the City’s waterways’ then join in by first going to their web site for more info.

Buffels to Simon's Town Paddle

UPDATE SATURDAY: Impossible to call this now. Phone 082 501 8930 Sunday 7 to 7.30am to hear if we are going.

This Sunday the 22nd April is scheduled for a Buffels to Simon's Town Paddle - weather permitting as usual. The forecast currently is for quite a bit of wind and as it's to be windy for two days either side of Sunday it's unlikely to change. But we live in hope. (In fact it's a strongish South Easter for over 10 solid days on the actual and forecast - not something I can remember in autumn)

The plan if we go ahead is to meet at the shop at 8.30am to car pool down to the reserve.

Here is a video of one of our previous trips to Buffels if you can't make it.

Robben Island Paddle Pictures

This was a really excellent paddle. Weather for the outward leg was perfect as you can tell from the pics. We saw much wildlife - although as we were widely spaced not everyone saw everything. Apart from the usual bird life of gulls, cormorants, terns and penguins we also spotted a petrel. In the water were seals, dolphins, 2 sunfish and some lucky paddlers swear they saw a whale shark.
The wind picked up for the return journey and we had a stiff headwind of 10 to 15 knots the whole way back. Especially those who chose the longer journey by going round the island before heading home.
Click on the pictures for a larger version.

A reef rears up a couple of kms off the island

Robben Island paddle Wed 21st March

UPDATE Tuesday 4pm: The trip is going ahead.

As it's Human Rights day it's appropriate we think to paddle to Robben Island and back. We will launch from 3 Anchor Bay at 9am,.

Minimum requirements to join this paddle are:

Ability to perform a T rescue,

A sea kayak of minimum 4 metres length

Experience of paddling at least 15 kms non stop

Penguin rescuers

On our regular Sunday paddle the kayakers came across this struggling baby African Penguin. Pictured is David Parry-Davies rescuing it and taking it back to the Boulders Beach penguin colony for rehabilitation. Literally "p..p..pick up a penguin" (for those familiar with the British sweet advert).

We are famous!!!!

A friend in London sent me this picture taken on the underground.

Dolphin Pictures

It's been a while since we have had anything interesting trip reports to post so I though I would share these dolphins pictures. Who doesn't love dolphins after all, and dolphins and kayaks, well....

These above three were taken by me from up the mountainside a little at Murdoch Valley
Simon's Town of a passing surfskier who had a fantastic time with these dolphins,
who played alongside him for 15 minutes or so. A very lucky man.

These next three pictures were also taken by me while paddling off Seapoint

ZANDVLEI - OVERLOOKED?

I was told long ago that this is the last functioning Estuary in The Peninsula - maybe that that's the Western Cape - I hope not.

Be that as it may I may appreciate this water body more as it is accessible from my garden by Kayak, Sursfski, Rowing Boat - anything with a shallow enough draft to enter Zandvlei proper from The Westlake River. I use my Plastic Perception sit - on - top or The Ski.

Zandvlei is the perfect locale for a bit of fitness straining when the weather has you nervously looking at The Bay. It is completely safe and the biggest danger is the odd errant Kite or Windsurfer crossing the main body of The Vlei from the Sailing Club and back. The area inside Marina Da Gama is completely sheltered and as flat as a pancake even in a gale. An added advantage is a friend with a well stocked bar and a sundeck on route.

The water is (nowadays) regularly cleaned of the dreaded pond weed which can make paddling difficult especially for the Surf Skis and, to a lesser extent, the K1's, 2's and Kayaks but impossible for those paddle boats. Then again you want to own one of those ridiculous craft then that is your fault- its a bit like owning a Honda (car that is).

For Land Rover owners none of this is a problem. The Water in the main Vlei has a decent swell in a Gale and the birdlife is prolific with The Zandvlei/Tokai Fish Eagles usually in residence.The Carp do tend to jump into your boat though. Land Rover owners eat them alive there and then.

There is plenty of parking and decent launching spots in The Marina and adjacent to The Sailing Club.

As for Toyota Owners - well they'll probably get lost and wont' find any of it.  Volvo owners (I only know of one) will shrivel at the idea of water that may not be pristine and will find the trip from Simonstown beyond them and the car. (O dear - gave it away).

Come and join some time.

best regards

Buffels to Simon's Town paddle

The weather for this Sunday looks great but potentially the 5 to 6 meter swells may be the problem. A possible alternative is to launch at the north slip at Millers and head to Smitswinkel Bay and then run back with the swells to Simons Town.
I will not be able to make this paddle as I am working. If you want to do it please call the shop 786 2626 to let us know so we can plan.

Derek

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This paddle scheduled for Sunday 23rd is postponed to the next Sunday due to the windy weather forecast. Also means if you are a rugby fan you can watch the World Cup Final and not miss the paddle :)

Whale Watching from Kayaks

I agree with Paul, Langebaan is a lovely place to paddle and it's actually not too far away. But what it does not have, and which our home base of Simon's Town has, is this...



There can't be many towns in the world where you can watch whales breaching while paddling in the harbour! Are there?