SEAYAKKER

NEWSLETTER OF RECSKASA
The Sea Kayaking Association of South Africa
Dedicated to responsible Sea Kayaking at Sea and on Estuaries, Lakes and Open Water.
PO BOX 51508, WATERFRONT, CAPE TOWN, 8002. SOUTH AFRICA. TEL/FAX 27 21 7905611

VOLUME 2 NO 1 (April 1998)

Chairperson: Johan S. Loots. Vice-Chair: Brad Bailey. Exco: Michael S. Rigg. Treasurer: Teresa Angless. Entertainment Officer: John Botton. Regional & International Representatives: West Coast: Anthony Teale Free State: Bryan Innes East Coast: Ann Godfrey Gauteng: Robbie Herreveld Natal: Rob Raw Zululand: Chris Halbert Namibia: Jeanne Meintjies Germany: Helmut Hahn USA/Canada: Neil Berman Marion Island: Richard Mercer

Contents:

1. AHOY ME HARTIES
2. Regional and International Representatives
3. STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS!
4. EXPERIENCES & EXCURSIONS
5. VIEWS & ISSUES
6. COMMERCIAL & PRODUCT NEWS
7. INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL & CLUB NEWS
8. INTERNET NEWS

AHOY ME HARTIES

SA SEA KAYAKING ASSOCIATION FINDS ITS HOME IN CAPE TOWN, BUT SPREADS ITS WINGS COUNTRY- AND WORLDWIDE!!! As we enter 1998 and the countdown starts for the next millenium [most restaurants are already booked out for 31 December, 1999, so wake up you all] RECSKASA grows and grows. This augers well for the next century, suggesting that human-beings will turn more and more to activities like sea kayaking to escape the stress of modern life [someone counted over 600 persons on top of Lion’s Head -a secret retreat for Cape Town lovers- on the last full moon!]. We now have more regional and international representatives who are prepared to move for the finding of local affiliated sea kayaking associations or who are prepared to act as conduits for the association, so feel free to contact them for information about their areas. If you want to know more about RECSKASA just phone your regional representative or Johan at 021-7905611, Brad at 021-642057 or Mike at 021-7908421.

Regional and International Representatives

• West Coast Antony Teale 02287-21114
• East Coast Ann Godfrey 044-3431757
• Gauteng Robbie Herreveld 011-4758156
• Free State Bryan Innes 051- 331773
• Natal Rob Raw 031- 235984
• Zululand Chris Halbert 0351- 9013529
• Namibia Jeanne Meintjies 0926464203144
• Marion Island Richard Mercer Intekom4305
• USA/Canada Neil Berman +6135625800
• Germany Helmut Hahn 086829856

STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS! STOP PRESS!

After persistent negotiations on your behalf the SA Tourism Association has agreed in principle that RECSKASA may formally pursue Sea Kayak Guide Training through its channels. This means that commercial operators will in future be able to apply to RECSKASA for the training and qualification of their sea kayak guides. Recreational sea kayakers can also benefit from these courses and may forseeably qualify as sea kayak skippers, which should have some benefits in terms of access to currently verboten places! So its all systems go now! [See more in this letter]. Commercial operators should contact RECSKASA directly for more information.

EXPERIENCES & EXCURSIONS

ENCOUNTERS OF A FISHY KIND I.
As predicted, sea kayaks are proving to be ideal craft for such activities as diving, fishing and cray-fishing. Despite the confusion of officials as to how to classify sea kayaks [actually they are classified as boats and do need to meet certain regulations in order to be classified as sea-worthy] and their attempts to prevent sea kayaks from using boat-launching areas, a number of intrepid sea kayakers have adapted their kayaks to turn them into crayfish and fishing craft. Then, through what appeared to be a politically-inspired move gone wrong, all recreational crayfishers were banned from fishing in the week [West Coast family conversation on a Monday: "What are we having for supper tonight, ma? Net ‘gewone kos’ my kind."]. But true to our national constitution a group of traditional kreefvangers, who not only expected their time-honoured right to catch kreef to be respected, but also their rights to object to limits being set to their freedom, found a loophole in a hastily-worded Government Gazette statement and voila! Joe Soap’s right to catch kreef every day was restored. So look out for those kayaks aimlessly drifting on the swells: their owners are patiently waiting for their suppers to crawl into their nets! Or dreaming of Oceania.

ENCOUNTERS OF A FISHY KIND II.
Fly-fishing from sea kayaks is a very worthwhile activity, judging by the successes reported by one of our members, who also happens to be a member of the Piscatorial Society and respects all the regulations pertaining to this most eco-sensitive of stalking sports. Sea kayaks allow you to slip undetected into those quiet, difficult-to-access pools and gullies and to lay your fly just right for that big ‘un. Maybe we’ll have a few hints shared with us by the experts next time…

ROUNDING THE CAPE I.
As a result of who knows what it seems that many arm-chair paddlers are now under the impression that rounding the Cape of Storms [not called this for nothing] in a kayak is within the reach of all. Perhaps in this time of sport hype and supermen and superwomen it is, but spare a thought for the numerous lives which have been lost in the vicinity of this famous Cape. Never, never tackle this area without extensive research and persons familiar with it. RECSKASA’s primary objective is to promote safety and it is obliged to issue this warning. But Capes are to sea kayakers as mountain tops are to mountaineers: they attract and challenge. A cursory look at the Internet shows that a number of sea kayaking companies are already offering guided trips around even the most arduous of Capes [if not the most ‘fairest in the circumference of the earth’], Cape Horn. Ken Finlay, of whale fame, and also a keen paddler, is presently doing research in this area and we may get his comments about the Horn upon his return to our shores.

ROUNDING THE CAPE II.
A few of us, including Brad Bailey our vice-chair, were lucky enough early in December to find ourselves transitting Cape Seal at Plettenberg Bay, mostly a very dangerous area to be in, but this time favouring us and allowing us into its bountiful fold. Once round the Cape a quick tea was had, just in case the gods changed their minds about the weather, before we headed back to the lee of the peninsula. But our fortunes held and the day and a few subsequent days were spent exploring the Tsitsikamma coast, which must be one of South Africa’s and the world’s prime kayaking areas. In the future RECSKASA members are likely to have the opportunity of exploring this area with those who know it intimately.

ROUNDING THE CAPE III.
Not quite round, but Cape St Frances has a lot to offer the sea kayaker. Paul Lee, friendly owner of a Cape St Frances resort has established a bush camp for kayakers at the top of the Kromme, another one of those estuary situations which are so ideally suited to the nature-lover and sea kayaker. The bird life in the area is outstanding and quite different to the Western Cape’s selection.

VIEWS & ISSUES

KAYAK SKIPPER TRAINING.
It is official! RECSKASA is now an affiliated member of the NSRI. This means that we may approach them for part-training of our sea-bound paddlers. If we wish to have legitimate access to harbours and boat-launching areas it means that not only must our craft conform to the Department of Transport’s regulations regarding sea-worthiness of boats, but so must their owners, thus RECSKASA’s unique concept that sea kayakers should qualify as "skippers". Watch this space for developments. In the meantime, don’t forget to contribute to NSRI fund-raising! PS: Your committee is presently working on the manual for sea kayak training and if you have a particular skill, interest, suggestion or contact in this regard, please let us know asap [skills or contacts with regard to the use of GPS’s, RADAR. Navigation, Weather Prediction, Marine Radios, Oceanography etc would all be appreciated - as would be a knowledge of waders!].

In the meantime, take care about where and when you paddle and try to encourage other lone paddlers to join us; it is remarkable how many paddlers there are out there without the faintest sign of safety gear. Numerous canoeists appear to have started paddling at sea over the last two seasons, but scant regard appears to be paid to the change of environment. It is likely in the future that all sea paddlers will have to have skipper tickets and to be paddling craft which are sea-worthy.

SEA KAYAK GUIDE TRAINING
Your committee has been very responsible in this regard and has approached SATOUR’s Registrar of Guides, Mr Miller Matola, in respect of sea kayak guide training and registration. For those of you not in the commercial side of the sport, it may be interesting to know that the Law on Tourism requires that tour operators, to be legitimate, must use registered guides. This has led to a problem for the authorities in respect of various types of adventure sports. RECSKASA regards one of its fundamental constitutional duties to be to address this in respect of sea kayak guide training, hence its approach of SATOUR, as an association mandated to do so. If you have the time, passion and penchant for bureaucratic procedures and politics, or if you are considering your own operation in the future, please offer your services here! NB: SEE STOP PRESS ABOVE.

COMMERCIAL & PRODUCT NEWS

Brad comments:
The trade in sea kayaks continue and Robbi Sports [Cape] reported a bumper season [info obtained from their bubbly assistant]. Judging by its substantial brochure, Robbi Sports [Johannesburg] is not complaining either and judging by the number of craft at the Llandadno surf-lifesavers meet carrying its logo, Brian’s Kayaks has this market pretty wired. It is also rumoured that Brian is about to launch a compact surfski with a small inspection hatch to complement his Bay Runner. Colin Bell has introduced an interesting sit-inside trail kayak, the See Bee 400 [get it?], which nicely fills a niche in the market. Roamer Rand [Cape] also did brisk trade, especially with a dinky Indian canoe with a unique inner deck. Sea Kayak Productions has contracted with a large yachting firm and its successful PaddleYaks, the Solo and new Whoopi, a fun, compact, sit-on-top double sea kayak, now offers superlative export quality. It is trusted that all these outlets will offer RECSKASA members good discounts on the production of their membership cards [in the pipeline]. That is if the new variable VAT system doesn’t destroy local production by introducing more VAT on craft.

On the commercial tripping side, it seems that Jeanne Meintjies with her Eco Marine Kayaking has become an institution, if not a celebrity, in the Namib. With the thousands of flamingoes, prolific sea-life and Germans visiting a previous Heimat, what would you expect. The question is just whether she can accommodate fifty RECSKASA members or so on a fact-finding mission. Leon Franken of Coastal Kayaking and Bushy Bester of Kayak Africa have both received good coverage in the media, the latter of his Malawian venture and it is probably well-deserved in this country with a heart [Johan mentioned that he explored this area with his 6-yr old daughter and a proto-type inflatable kayak on his back a few years ago and found it to be outstanding for kayaking and diving; the absence of crocs was appreciated.] Amaure de Villiers from Eco Ventures, Knysna, has no complaints and is planning a worldwide sea kayaking trip as a break. Hope we’ll get a stroke by stroke account of it, just so we can eat our hearts out! Paul Lee has set up a kayaking operation on the Kromme estuary as mentioned and Antony Teale at Langebaan is taking on a partner and extending his Windsurf operation to include sea kayaking on the west coast. Real Cape Adventures’ Sea Kayak Routes has established itself well in the Knysna and Plet areas to complement its existing Cape operation and aims to expand its activities at Vilanculos, Mocambique. Again it is hoped that RECSKASA members can obtain discounts on all commercial trips from these operators. If you have snippets like the above please send it to me, Brad, at RECSKASA’s email or to the PO Box above.

INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL & CLUB NEWS

We are acquiring international status with our representatives in countries worldwide as well as with our Internet address. The following was received from Richard Mercer our temporary Antarctic connection:

The island is not quite exotic in the sense that its got palm trees and stuff, although there are some things here that I wouldn't expect to see anywhere else. We are sitting around 47°S and fall into the sub-antarctica area. The wind pretty much blows all the time and there's no trees - just lava, grass, mires and mosses. The base sits on the east side of the island so we are sheltered (only slightly) from the prevailing swell and wind (although the mountains don't seem to be too much help against the latter). However, the Dept that runs the island doesn't want any kind of floating device here. They are scared that we will either try and escape or have an accident and seeing that any help (apart from ourselves) is 5 days away I can see their reasoning. Our year on the island is almost up and the supply ship is coming in April to restock the station and change the old team for the new one. Then I get to come home!!!! :) I have to dash off now for supper.

Richard. Marion Island.

Any volunteers for Marion? But heed the warning about being blown away! Bureaucracy is a word we hear a lot around kayaking. Should we subscribe to the theory that there is a subversive plot about to undermine those who seek freedom with kayaks?

Our landlocked representative in the Free State, Bryan Innes is working out exactly how he can set up a recreational sea kayaking association there. Funny thing is that Bloemfontein is proving to be a good market for sea kayaks so there’s a need! There’re even seagulls there! The world has become a global village with the Internet so that being in the good old Vrystaat shoudn’t be a deterrent. Besides, RECSKASA is intended for all open-water, wherever it may be found, and ocean paddlers. See John Botton’s piece on RECSKASA and the Net below.

The Cape Town chapter of RECSKASA meets every Wednesday at the NSRI slip in Hout Bay harbour and all participate in the paddle and the get-together thereafter. John Botton has been co-opted onto the RECSKASA committee as the Recreational Officer and is planning weekend and holiday trips. A recent Sunday down-wind run for association members ended with a sumptuous breakfast at a waterside restaurant. From Arlene on the West Coast; it’s just a question of time before we have a friendly at Eland’s, on the edge of the wild west! Representatives in other provinces can take note of these activities, get in gear and follow suit. Look out for the first aid and sea kayak skipper courses in the pipeline.

Association subs are still R20.00 and if yours are outstanding, or if you have any queries, please contact our treasurer Teresa Angless at 0829203696 or this may be your last newsletter! Remember that the next AGM is due after July so don’t go away then and be prepared to stand for office. Please consider an increase of subs and the nomination of honorary members and an honorary president.

INTERNET NEWS

Surf's up Dudes and Dudets
Good news. Now you can hit the surf and experience all the thrills and spills of Sea Kayaking around our magnificent South African coast line - without even getting your Gucci loafers wet. Yup, we're talking cyber surfing here and we're pleased to announce that RECSKASA has its own website. You can find us on the Internet at: http://www.doorway.co.za/kayak/recskasa.

Communication and information sharing is the name of the game and never more so than with the advent of the Internet. The Website will be used as a forum for communicating with its membership across South Africa and around the world. Besides the usual administrative issues that will be published here, the website will become a global window to sea kayaking in South Africa and this is where all current and future members can play a vital role. By sharing your views and experiences about sea kayaking from coast to coast around our country, you will be telling the rest of the world how privileged we are to have the use of this magnificent and free resource, our Two Oceans. So, we invite a virtual flood of information, stories and experiences that we can publish. Although the website will fall under the administrative umbrella of the RECSKASA executive, it will largely be driven by the members input, so get typing. You can submit your contribution by e-mail to: E-mail: johan@mweb.co.za or fax it to: 790-5611.

We will also endeavor to create a links page to any website relating to sea kayaking in other parts of the world and to send our website address to these far flung places to attract visitors, comments and, in general, kayak related information. If you know of or have visited a related website, please send us the address so we can include it.
From the Grey Box on John Botton's desk ph 790-1500.

Please let’s have your news. Safe paddling till next time!

Johan Loots.

NB: If your details have changed or if you have acquired an email address, or if a friend wants to join RECSKASA, please use the supplied form.

ps. The association paddles on Wednedays 17h30 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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Sponsor it for R100 and get this credit, Full one page adverts cost R50 and smalls are free. Please use these pages to reach your clients. Comments and contributions from recreational kayakers as well as commercial outlets are welcome.