NEWSLETTER OF RECSKASA
The Sea Kayaking Association of South Africa

VOLUME 1 NO 2

Chairperson: Johan S. Loots. Vice-Chair: Brad Bailey. Exco: Michael S. Rigg. Treasurer: Teresa Angless. Regional & International Representatives: West Coast: Anthony Teale East Coast: Ann Godfrey Gauteng: Robbie Herreveld Natal: Rob Raw Namibia: Jeanne Meintjies USA/Canada: Neil Berman

Contents:

1. Experiences and Excursions
   Mozambique encounter
2. Issues
   Playing with whales
   Robben Island
3. Commercial and Product News

Ahoy members

SA SEA KAYAKING ASSOCIATION GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH !!
We now have more regional representatives who are prepared to move for the finding of local affiliated sea kayaking associations. Provinces and regions still without are welcome to contact us and become represented. If you want to know more about RECSKASA just phone your regional representative or Johan at +27 21) 790-5611, Brad at (+27 21) 64-2057 or Mike at (+27 021) 790-8421.

Regional Representatives:

• West Coast Antony Teale 02287-21114
• East Coast Ann Godfrey 044-3431757
• Gauteng Robbie Herreveld 011-4758156
• Natal Rob Raw 031- 235984
• Namibia Jeanne Meintjies 0926464203144
• USA/Canada Neil Berman +6135625800

1. EXPERIENCES & EXCURSIONS

Mozambique Encounter
Early in July, I, together with three other members of RECSKASA had the opportunity of accompanying Johan on a kayak delivery trip to Mozambique. What I thought would be a long drive from Cape Town to Bazaruto, turned out to be a holiday of a lifetime with an adventure every minute.

The highlights are too many to mention, but besides feasting the body and soul on tropical treats such as freshly picked coconuts, crayfish prepared to your fancy in simple reed huts on the beach, sunrise dips in the warm Indian Ocean, sunset strolls along coral- and shell-strewn beaches, the high point was undoubtedly the privilege of kayaking amongst the ancient dhows of Vilanculos, still ferrying local inhabitants and produce back and forth between the mainland and the islands as they had been doing for centuries.

Being a novice paddler, I was pleasantly surprised by the ease with which I managed to paddle along the coast and the number of safe lagoons and shallow stretches of water there were on which to paddle. We managed to avoid the mosquitoes, survive the potholes and customs checks and had an unforgettable escape. A real perk from RECSKASA

- Cathy vd Linden

Members are invited to submit accounts of kayak-related experiences like the above. Suggestions about where to go as an association are also more than welcome. If you have special hide-aways that you would like to share with eco-sensitive members of RECSKASA, please tell us! Commercial operators should also use this opportunity to tell us about their ventures; costs, discounts and all!

There are large stretches of coast which we would all wish to explore and about which YOU may know and have access to and wish to share! Anyone with connections in the Ciskei, Transkei and northern Natal? Or on dams and lakes in the interior? Or on a slumbering open river somewhere with fish eagles and giant rainbow trout?

2. ISSUES
RECSKASA submitted the following letter to the press about the issue of craft-based whale-watching. The background information is that there is a boat-based whale-watching lobby which has been agitating for two years now for licences to run commercial trips out to whales so that visitors can have close encounters with whales. Sea fisheries on the other hand does not want to move on any of this unless it has scientific proof that this would not be harmful to whales, but herein lies the rub, the researchers cannot agree on the validity of their research, Outcome? Nothing. Keep in mind that it is still illegal to approach whales closer than three hundred meters and that it is also a requirement of the law that you move away from marine mammals, you cannot simply wait for the whale to move away from you! For the time being RECSKASA respects this law, but it will insist, wherever possible, that the law makes better provisions for kayaks in the future, we simply cannot be lumped together with motorised boats in a hold all category. Comments to us and letters to the authorities are welcome.

Playing with whales
In reply to your article on 20 October regarding interference with whales at Hout Bay by the public I wish to draw to your attention that RECSKASA, the Sea Kayaking Association of South Africa, recognises the need for the education of the public and craft users in respect of the viewing of whales. It is heartening to see the increase in whales and the positive effect of international protection measures and it is to be expected that the public will be curious and be drawn to these primeval mammals in more ways than one. It is therefore not simply a matter of policing whale viewing, but mostly of education, starting at grassroots level. To paraphrase Aldo Leopold, conservation is not about building roads into forests, but into "yet unlovely human minds".

We wish to condemn nevertheless in the strongest terms the irresponsible interference with and even injury to whales by skippers of motorised craft and we also wish the authorities to make a distinction between craft which disturb whales, and paddlers and swimmers who present more of a threat to themselves than to whales. Researchers have an obligation to take an informed stand now about various forms of whale viewing based on their research as well as on negotiations with all relevant parties, so that suitably balanced regulations can be put into place as soon as possible. Prevarication here only serves to confuse the public and frustrate the touring industry. Our association is prepared to engage all parties in its pursuit to encourage positive interaction with nature and its creatures. We wish to believe that encounters with whales whilst swimming or on such harmless craft as sea kayaks are important for mental well-being as well as for the future of whales and their conservation.

Robben Island
"We quietly launched our traditional home-built, open, canvas-skinned, double-kayak from the beach within the Cape Town harbour. Destination: Saldanha! We furtively paddled past giant tankers and an ocean liner and managed to avoid the searchlight of an alerted police launch.

Dawn saw us passing Robben Island on our port side. A capsize would have meant disaster. On board we had not only our safety gear, but also sleeping bags, a tent, a large gas cooker, food for a week, clothes for all weather and our diving gear, weight-belts and all! It was Easter Friday, 1973."
…… Extract from: "An early sea kayak journey" by J. S. Loots.

This is the closest one dared to Robben Island those days and the limit for all recreational craft is still "one sea mile" [according to the Port Control spokesperson]. Keep in mind that all harbour areas and shipping zones around harbours are strictly-speaking under the control of harbour masters and that kayakers are subject to harbour and maritime regulations, which means that we are not exactly welcome. This is another issue which RECSKASA will tackle. In the meantime, remember kayakers have no rights in harbours and harbour zones, so take care and give all craft a wide berth if you find yourself there.

3. COMMERCIAL & PRODUCT NEWS
It is rumoured that crates of kayaks are being rushed to South Africa as the demand for sea kayaks increase and as more entrepreneurs see an opportunity for business. Whilst free enterprise is the order of the day, retailers also have an absolute obligation to clients to make them aware of safety aspects. Selling a sea kayak without drawing attention to the dangers of sea kayaking, offering training or insisting on a qualification is similar to selling an aqualung or parachute to the inexperienced. RECSKASA is committed to set a framework for safety and sea kayak novice and guide training. It welcomes enquiries and contributions to this process. In the preliminary meetings that led to the finding of RECSKASA, a number of us, including Leon Franken, discussed various aspects of sea kayak safety.

Our aim is to develop an approved set of safety recommendations for recreational sea kayakers and to develop a qualifications framework and courses for recreational kayakers as well as for commercial guides. All contributions, opinions and comments are welcome. Email to: jloots@ilink.nis.za or post to P.O.Box 51508 Waterfront 8002.

Happy kayaking

Johan S. Loots
Chair RECSKASA

ps. The association paddles on Wednedays 18h00 from Hout Bay Harbour slipway next to the NSRI building. Please ph 0825562520 or 0829203696 or 0217904821 to confirm. All welcome!

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