Club Paddle - Sunday 17 December - Report back

Dave (beard and long pants), Sir Derek (competent and shark repellant ) , Estelle (with her Kayak), Ian (nervous), Barbara (chatty) and another guy (?) (yellow kayak - apologies!) and I (under the weather) pitched for the paddle.

The wind was blowing South Easterly - I would guess about 30 -35 km/h.

I think Ian is still a bit apprehensive with his boat and did not venture past the Bullnose. He messed about in Simons Bay.

Quite a lot of clapotis off the harbour wall.

We paddled the normal route towards Seaforth and Ark Rock. Barbara and I weren't feeling up to the upwind paddle so we pulled into Boulders and sat it out while the others went as far as Steve's house. We picked them up on the way back. Quite a few Penguins. The swell was smallish but you could get a reasonable surf with a bit of effort. Derek took the wide route back in and the rest of us stuck fairly close inshore. All in all a good paddle.

The wind dropped to virtually nothing after we landed. Estelle, Barbs, Dave and I had a few drinks and enjoyed a skinder about quite a few of the other paddlers in our esteemed circle. Deposit money in my bank account if you want to know what was said. I have another secret Blog for that purpose.

Best regards to you all and a peaceful and safe Christmas to you and your families.

Paul

Saturday 16th Public Holiday

Ndorfin Paddle Race
Margaret is organising the paddling race at 11am on the 16th. There is a kayak and surfski category so it will be similar to the winter series kayak races. Hopefully everyone can take part?

Wednesday 13/12/06 - Paddle Club - Report Back

Margaret, Derek, Estelle, Gary, Dave, Kim, Basil,Geoff and I paddled at Simonstown.

Their was another member of the group who hung about on the far fringes, who did not identify himself in the customary manner and who remained, to me at least, anonomous.

However the mystery paddler was later indentified as a new member of the team at Paddlers. After a paddle and one beer I don't remember much, least of all names. But I think it's "Kyle". Am I right? (No, he wasn't there - it was Sheldon. Ed) Anyway, what's in a name. On behalf of the Simonstown Group and the now famous Blog, I would like to extend a warm welcome to him. Next time just say Hullo. Ok? I might buy something from you one day.

Estelle lost her Kayak somewhere in her Garage but found one to use that looks almost as weird as mine. I think it looked something like Gary's kind of taste in colours.

Dave took Kim and I boulder hopping and led us into the rocks instead of through them. Just now we will all be borrowing Gary's weirdo boat.Ta Dave.

The wind flattened beautifully for a light south wester and a gorgeous evening.

The evening ended when Margaret left our dinner table to go and sit at another table without warning and then decided to heap insults on the restaurant menu . Strange Kid.

Thanks for the paddle and see you on Saturday. Paul

Sunday 10th Paddle

If anybody wants to experience what Paul hilariously described (hopefully not the conditions though) you have your chance this Sunday to join the short course surfski race at Fish Hoek. If you would like to enter then please let Derek know either by calling or emailing the shop or adding a comment here with your info.
• 10km - FH Beach, Around Roman Rock Lighthouse back to FH LSC
• 6km - 2 Laps in the FH Bay
• 7:30-8:30 race Registration
• 9:00 Race Start

If you just want to do the social paddle then meet at Berthas at the usual time.
Forecast for Sunday is moderate to fresh south easter.

Wednesday 6/12/06 - Paddle Club

Sorry for Posting this so late. Just back in Town.

Other days - 1st to 9th Dec

Anyone looking for paddling partners for the these dates please add your "comment" here.

Wednesday 29th Paddle Club

Hout Bay sunset paddle this evening folks. Meet at the NSRI station slipway at Hout Bay at 5.30, on the water 10 minutes later.
UPDATE: It's looking very windy at the moment, more later - or phone the shop for finality.
UPDATE II: 12 midday. Somebody at Hout Bay has just said it's calm there.
REPORT: It was pretty windy and only Derek, Gary Estelle and Jen turned up. We set out through the harbour and into the bay where the wind was coming quite strongly from our right - probably 45kph or so, no worse than a strongish S.Easter in False Bay and nothing like the wind during the race that Paul described. We decided to turn left toward the beach, then along the beach toward the beginning of Chapmans Peak Drive and then follow the drive in the hope we would be in the lee of the wind. Sadly no lees were found and Estelle and Jen sensibly stayed near shore while Gary and I set off into the wind through the waves towards the view point under the cliffs. There was little respite from the wind once there but the wind waves obviously had dropped as there was no stretch of water on which it could build up. From there the fun started on the downwind leg! It was a most interesting sensation because the open ocean swells were coming beam on from the left while the wind and the wind created waves were from behind so you would be surfing a wave while simultaneously rising up and down from the swells. We headed towards The Sentinel and then turned right to head back into the harbour. The surfing stretch was really good fun, especially from The Sentinel where the swells and wind waves coincided.

WEDNESDAY PADDLE CLUB - 22/11/2006

Feel free to post your comment or question.

The Forecast is for Fine weather with a fresh South Easterly. At 08h00 SA Weather Service showed the wind as calm. Apparently the Atlantic side is perfect.Will the wind pick up?

16h30 - I was on The Atlantic side Earlier (about 14h00)today (22/11/06) - The wind had picked up there. It was choppy up to Grainger Bay. After the swell break it calmed down to small chop.

REPORT BACK SUNDAYS RACE

I decided to take part in the race at the last minute. Derek's post made it sound just like a normal Sunday Kayaker's Race (in his defence the Paddlers Website made an obscure reference to something called a "Surfski"). You know the one I was thinking about - the usual friendly faces of laid back, happy -go -lucky Sea Kayakers in Epics, Kazkazi's,Perceptions, Paddleyaks...Big mistake. These guys are not laid back. Even their designer cars are colour coded with the "Ski". The girls are all blonde.

The turnout is 4 Sea Kayaks and about 4000 Surfskis. Ok - maybe 400. Barbara was cowering behind her little Corsa when I got there. She was trying to avoid being run over by a black X5 driven by a very serious guy and his blonde girlfriend. We were both scared and the sea was very angry.

Thank God Derek and Margaret then arrived. We parked in our little corner of the Car Park. We registered and carried our boats to the beach which was just one big surfski. Nothing that you could climb into (except maybe the blondes).Maybe Not. Loud Pop Music blared over a huge sound system under a huge Energade inflatable archway type thing.

They then decide to run the race the wrong way ie. with the wind to the wreck and back to Seaforth against the wind. Problem is the wind is pomping S.E at about 55 -60 km/h. Fine for Surfskis running downwind. Not so fine for Sea Kayaks. Except Mr. Goldman. He disappears to the front and I lose sight of him. Some twit (in a surfski) can't steer his boat at the start and almost takes me out. I hit him with my paddle and he disappears too. Posing time was over and the blondes were looking for new friends.

The first boat to go over is a Surfski driven by a blonde. I try to surf into her but I miss. At least it would have cheered me up. Seriously though I found the run down to the wreck horrendous. I am sure that I barely hung on. I say this because it was one of those experiences where you can't really remember what happended. I have not paddled with such a big or fast swell before. It was really hard to prevent a broach. Except for Goldman.

But those surskis are stupendous in these conditions. Some of the guys look like they are on a surfboard the way the ride the swell. And the speed...

At the wreck I saw Barbara again. She had stayed ahead of me (courtesy of good paddling and the rudderless twit mentioned above). Margaret also surfed bloody well and was about 50 metres ahead of me. Good paddlers those girls. The turn around the wreck towards the harbour was hairy. The swell was big and breaking at or just beyond the wreck so you had to time your turn to avoid the break. Nice.

After the turn I went ahead of the 2 ladies. I think Sir Goldman was having his first beer. We went through the yacht club, under the bridge (flat water) and around the bullnose. The wind was now S.E about 700km/h. Suicide. Miracle we stayed upright. Hardened surfskiers were crying around me. I passed the bugger who had passed me on the flat water. He was crying and I laughed at him.

The paddle to Seaforth was just a question of hanging in. There was no question of actually racing anyone. It was just survive and finish the race.

All in all? I think that racing is racing. Surkskis, if you can use them well, are better at surfing and big seas. Surfskiing is very big, very popular. Their races are well organised by really nice people. Our race series is just as well organised. Hats off to Margaret and Derek.The big difference? Well, I think that it is that Sea Kayaking has a different emphasis, a different heritage. Surfskis are about racing. Sea Kayaking is not. Perhaps that's it?

Will I take part again. Yes. Many thanks to the Surfski Fraternity for having us. The guys have got something.Regretfully I think it could be infectious.

Paul

Remember Chris?

In case you didn't know, Chris, who used to work in the shop, now lives with his wife in Canada. He too has a blog, a highly amusing and well written one, and if you're interested in seeing what he's up to you could do worse than click over to it. I'm sure he'd apppreciate your looking in.

http://caemery.blogspot.com

Sunday 19th November

This Sunday is the Seaforth Race starting at 9am. Forecast is for south easter. If you're not racing but want to paddle as usual at 9.30 please add your comment.
Time
7:30-8:30 Race Registration
9:00 Race Start
Venue - Seaforth Beach, Simons Town (Just Before Boulder Beach)
Race Course Options
7km Course - 1 Lap 14km Course - 2 Laps
Race Entry - R50
Safety
All required to Bring
Waterproof Cell Phone Pouch, Leash, LifeJacket

SUNDAY 12TH NOV PADDLE CLUB

The Big Walk is on this Sunday and will affect your ability to get anywhere in town so please check out http://www.bigwalk.co.za/content/view.php?c=67 for the road closure schedule. Or the Cape Times. Might even be best to do an afternoon paddle at 2pm?? Thoughts?

Wednesday Paddle Club - 8/11/06 - Blowout!

It looks as if this evenings Paddle is blown out! Have a look at Derek's note in the Post below.

The Wind Meter at Roman Rock is showing a speed of 19.9 metres per second at 15h15 and an hourly average of 17.9 m/s. That equates to roughly close on 72km/h!

Oh dear.

See you some other day.

WEDNESDAY PADDLE CLUB - 8/11/06

The South Easter is pumping! So the suggestion, from Dave, is that this Wednesday evening's paddle should be run with the wind from Millers Point across to Glencairn/Fish Hoek.

If you agree then please post a comment indicating whether you agree or not.

Please reply - we need to know for transport purposes.

Thanks

Paul, Derek and Dave

SATURDAY 4/11/6 - MOONLIGHT PADDLE

I understand that the guys and girls at Kazkazi are having a moonlight paddle tomorrow evening at 17h45 at their usual launching Point at Mouille Point (Opposite the shop).

They are really a nice bunch (just like the Paddlers group. They just don't paddle as well (with apologies to Arthur and Tracy).

Hope to see you guys on Sunday morning

Regards

Paul

Paddle Times/Places

If you are looking for a paddle then just add a comment to this post. If their is a better way to do this then we can change the method. For the time being do it this way. Comments are sent to my e mail.

Thanks Paul

Wednesday 1st Nov Paddle

Remember the usual Wednesday evening 5.30 paddle is at Moullie Point this week. Put in opposite the Coastal Kayak shop.

Capetownkayak

Note that the race is Saturday, not Sunday, sorry.

Remember - Sundays Race at Langebaan - check out the Paddlers Website for more info.

This is the new Blog for the SimonsTown (Paddlers) Paddle Group.

I am away this weekend but will be back next week

Congrats to John on his new boat (christened upside down this weekend)
Paul