Seaforth Race Pictures

Click on the pictures to view them a little larger. Top pair: Carnage at the yacht club bridge.
Bottom pair: The start and Kim lets the faster skis go past

Seaforth Race Report

Sadly our talented blogger Paul did not compete this year so it is left to me to paint a small and considerably less amusing picture of the event.
Last year all us kayakers raced in the short course but this year I, stupidly, decided to brave the long course as it was advertised as only 14km. As our kayak races are usually 10km I reckoned the extra 4 would not be too bad. Well actually the two lap long course was just under 18kms which made the "short course" nearly nine!
As you can see from the results us asterisk-marked kayakers did OK. I'm told Kim would have done even better had she not decided to go off-piste for a while right at the end. Big applause to (I think his name is) Etienne who none of us knew, and looked like he'd only recently taken up the sport, for participating. Hopefully one of the short coursers will be moved to type up a little report for me to add to the blog?
The long course? It started like a whirlwind and I reckon I was halfway or lower down the field by the time we rounded a pretty choppy Ark Rock where at least two guys went swimming who were caught out by the big rebound waves. They get back onto these surfski things pretty quick though. Got some very good surfing down to the wreck - wind was probably 30-40kph - and then saved some energy on the tow of the ski in front until the jungle jim at the navy but lost him at the turn towards the yacht harbour. Through the yachts and up to the bullnose in the sheltered waters and then into the wind and waves back to Ark Rock to begin lap two. The wind had picked up as well so it was a tough upwind haul, but turning downwind back to the wreck made for some really good surfing. I even overtook the ski in front of me on this section, although he caught me up towards the end and eventually beat me. Boy was I knackered for the last upwind section to the finish at Seaforth which could not come soon enough. For the record I was 71st out of 81 paddlers in a time of 1 hour 55 mins. The bastard winner did it in 1.21
But enough of me, how was your Sunday?

South Easter's back...

...with a vengeance. Looks like it's just been waiting out there for the nasty cold north/westerlies we've been having to weaken and it's taking over for the next seven or more days. If it's not too strong on Wednesday it may be the perfect time to do as Paul suggests and paddle lappa-side for a change.

Atlantic/Hout Bay paddle suggestion

What about we do one of our Wednesday Paddles on the Atlantic Side?
What about Hout Bay or Mouilee Point? We could join the Kazkazi Bunch. They start at 17h30.
We did Hout Bay once or twice last year and it was good. We can have supper at the Yacht Club afterwards
What is the consensus?
Paul

Paddlers presents a brand new paddle

Paddlers Kayak Shop is proud to bring you the latest and best in paddling technology - invented here in the fairest cape. Click here to check it out.

Australia to New Zealand the hard way

Yesterday two intrepid paddlers set off in a double kayak (well they call it a kayak) to paddle from Australia to New Zealand. Follow their exploits here. Their kayak looks somewhat more, er, boatlike than the normal kayak used by Andrew McAuley who sadly died at sea on the same crossing a mere 95 kilometres short of his landing in New Zealand.