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.