Coastal Kayak - Trip Reviews:

A swell time out on the ocean waves

Barry Washkansky

11 January, 2007

Kayaking is safer than crossing the road

WHILE the Atlantic Ocean may be a bit chilly to spend extended amounts of time in without a wetsuit, spending a few hours just above the surface in a kayak is the perfect way to enjoy a sunset or sunrise.

I hooked up with Coastal Kayaks' owner and guide, Arthur Fincham. for an exhilarating, relaxing and real fun way to end the day

After many years in the business world, and having lived in Johannesburg, Durban and San Diego. Arthur decided he was tired of being office-bound, so he and his wife. Tracy decided to make their passion their business.

They bought their first kayak about seven years ago and have been regular paddlers ever since

Last year they realised a dream when they bought a kayaking business and a factory In Epping (they also produce Kaskazi Kayaks for the local and export markets), and the rest has been plain paddling: well, maybe not quite, but you get the picture.

It's really quite simple: arrive at their Mouille Point office, at 179 Beach Road next to the Shell Garage (it's best to call first to check availability and conditions). sign up, get your buoyancy aid, (a small, comfortable life. jacket), cross the road (probably the most dangerous part of the trip) and next thing you know, you're on the water Now the fun begins. While the sea often looks flat from the promenade, this is not always the case - but that's part of the fun.

There were six of us in the group including Arthur all on doubles: he doesn't take singles on tours. After five minutes we had left the beach behind and we were bouncing over fairly large swells - well they seemed large to beginners. Arthur won't take beginners out in rough conditions, and in our double kayak, I never felt threatened by the swell, and I was impressed by the stability of our craft.

Arthur explained how, after living In Durban and regularly travelling to Mozambique on holiday as a child, he found the sea water in Cape Town too cold to enjoy - until he discovered that kayaking was the perfect answer to enjoy the Cape's cold waters.

We headed in the direction of Clifton. keeping one eye on the weather, and the other on the superb view of the Atlantic coastline and the unusual, but stunning, picture of the mountains as a backdrop as seen from the sea.

We soon spotted a couple of penguins, probably doing a sunset swim from Robben Island, who had stopped for a feed.

At Bantry Bay we turned back to avoid the wind, and headed in the direction of Mouille Point, watching kayakers more proficient than us whizzing around on their singles.

Being a few hundred metres offshore, we stayed within the wind line, but still enjoyed the wind at our backs for a while. A curious seal joined us for a bit, checking us out and effortlessly keeping up with our best efforts, before racing off.

Then, with the sun slowly setting behind the cloud bank forming on the horizon, we paddled into a flock of what seemed like thousands of seagulls feeding off the surface of the water

With the luxury yachts and catamarans out enjoying the sunset. and surrounded on all sides by thousands of birds, with Robben Island to our left and the dramatic cloud-covered mountains to our right, it felt like we were paddling in a postcard.

As the sun disappeared behind the clouds - a false sunset, as Arthur called it - we reluctantly headed back to shore, where the swell quickly turned into calmer waters, and the wind disappeared.

I slept well that night, with visions of penguins, seals, waves and men maids flowing through my head. Kayaking is the perfect way to enjoy the ocean, get close to nature and get some exercise too.

The sunset trips start at about 6.30pm (but it's best to get there earlier) and his sunrise trips start at 7am. The two-hour trips cost R200 per person. Arthur also offers introductory-training courses for those wishing to get more involved, as well as more advanced courses. With his manufacturing business and kayak and lifestyle centre at his office. he can set you up with everything you need from a paddling top to a kayak. Call him on 021 439 1134 or see www.kayak.co.za

While Arthur only operates on the Mouille Point-Clifton stretch of coastline, there are other companies offering kayak tours elsewhere.

On the False Bay coast you can contact Paddlers on 021 786 2626 and, for a tour in protected Hout Bay where you can explore Seal Island and its large seal population, contact Real Cape Adventures on 021 7905611.