====== Western Cape (Wes-Kaap), South Africa Surfski ====== . {{randominc>start_movies:southafrica:westcape&max-height:400px&nofooter&nodate&noeditbtn}} . ---- [[:south_africa|Main South Africa Page]] * [[:eastern_cape|Eastern Cape]] East London, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), Cape Recife, St. Francis Bay… * [[:kwa_zulu_natal|KwaZulu-Natal]] Richards Bay, Durban, Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh… ---- ===== Locales ===== (Going West to East around the Cape) ---- ==== Langebaan ==== * **Langebaan - Saldanha ** ~10 km [[https://youtu.be/J5VCDikNFTg|video]], [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/langebaan-to-saldana-downwind|Downwindfun]] * **Cape Town - Saldanha** ~120 km [[https://youtu.be/6EQ-2JWLkb4|video Richard Kohler 1st sea trial in prep for 2021-2022 Atlantic Crossing Attempt]] * … ---- ==== Cape Town Area ==== ---- **Shuttle Services** * [[https://www.capetownshuttleservices.co.za/|Cape Town Shuttles]] * [[https://supsa.org.za/sup-fanatics-cape-town/|Downwind Junkies]] * [[https://www.facebook.com/millersruntaxi/|Miller's Taxi]] (facebook) Fish Hoek - Miller's Run * … === Downwinds/Paddles === * **Milnerton** * **Lagoon Beach to Melkbos** 21 km [[https://youtu.be/ysMqdWqPgS4|video]] * **Lagoon Beach to Big Bay** 11 - 12 km - The season for this run is best in the October-February months during South Africa's summer season. During these months the side shore winds tend to howl along the west coast of South Africa, making this a great spot for downwinders. [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/milnerton-2-big-bay-run|Downwindfun]], [[https://downwindable.com/milnerton-run|Downwindable]], [[https://youtu.be/sBcJXFGpE_M|video1]], [[https://youtu.be/lTo1R5tM48s|video2]], [[https://youtu.be/wog-kc6rxDo|double SS video]] * Comment on standupzone by peterp about Milnerton run: "Beginners term the last 3rd of Milnerton run the Bermuda triangle as wind swell starts mixing with reflective waves off the coast and ocean swells. It can be quite disorganized but with practice the best guys fly through there" * [[https://youtu.be/Dwf5hmftjXs|Bay Surf video]] * **South End of Cape Town ** (When you have SE wind (offshore) coming off of Table Mountain be aware that sheltered water near shore is not indicative of the conditions farther out which can be rough and push you away from shore.) [[https://surfski.info/latest-news/story/1719/fatal-surfski-accident-in-cape-town.html|surfski.info accident story]] * **Hout Bay ** [[https://youtu.be/GALYDDpuBcg|video]] * **Oudekraal - Oceana ** (Oudekraal Beach - Freedom Paddlers Club/Granger Bay Harbour (parking?))13 km * … ---- {{:locales:southafrica:milnerton.jpg?direct&600x176|milnerton.jpg}} Beach at Milnerton Life Saving Club - photo Stuart Edmonstone (click to enlarge) ---- * **Kommetjie ** (west side of the Cape of Good Hope) * **Kommetjie - Platboom **27 km [[https://youtu.be/mo1B9JqUX0c|D. Mocke video]] (with good narrative on run), [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/kommetjie-platboom-run|Downwindfun]] * **Reverse - Platboom Beach - Kommetjie** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj-xtU44xXo|video]] * **Kommetjie - Olifantsbos Beach **16 km [[https://youtu.be/swMNMIHEjl8|video]] Dawid Mocke "The Kommetjie to Olifantsbos is a relatvely unpaddled downwind route in Cape Town, mostly because conditions can get really wild. It's mostly a remote coastline, with reef breaks all along the way, so any bit of swell makes it quite a dangerous paddle; so it's not done often." * **Kommetjie - Scarborough Beach** 10 km [[https://youtu.be/Q9xzKCOJuaU|video]] * **False Bay ** (east side of the Cape of Good Hope) * **Full Bay Crossing** * **Pringle Beach - Muizenberg Beach** 42 km [[https://downwindable.com/false-bay-crossing|Downwindable]] * **Cape Hangklip - Fish Hoek** 47.9 km [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/false-bay-crossing|Downwindfun]], [[https://youtu.be/xNLzYUQnfog|Jasper Mocke video]] ---- **Cape Hangklip - Fish Hoek** {{youtube>g-pg1bY_apg}} ---- * (False Bay continued) * **Fish ****Hoek****​​​​​​** **​**The runs that start or end at Fish Hoek are mostly North and South aligned. Dawid Mocke's [[https://issuu.com/dawidmocke/docs/the_surfski_pilgrimage_a3|guide to Fish Hoek paddling]] for visiting paddlers. * **Fish Hoek - Strandfontein** 14 km [[https://youtu.be/t9VG5j58kJ0|video]] * **Miller's Run** approx 11.5 km **Miller's Point to Fish Hoek** [[https://downwindable.com/millers-run|Downwindable]], [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/millers-run|Downwindfun]] * [[:millers_run:millers_run_main_page|All About Miller's Run - One of the Great Downwinders]] * [[:races:south_africa_self_timed|Miller's Run Records]] * [[:millers_run:millers_run_videos|]] * Thoughts about a Miller's Run on a [[https://surfski.info/latest-news/story/1725/thoughts-after-a-miller-s-run.html|Rough Day]] * [[https://youtu.be/gtI26EsDQs4|Mellow SS2 video]] * **Sea Dog Lap Course **Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club [[https://downwindable.com/the-seadog-lap-course|Downwindable]] ---- **Dawid & Jasper Mocke describe Miller's Run** {{youtube>WxfFPvv6mhQ}} “//You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters//.” ―** Hector Barbossa** ---- * (More False Bay) * **Buffels Beach** * **Buffels Run (Buffels Beach to Fish Hoek) **22-23 km [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/the-buffels-run|Downwindfun]] * A normal Buffels run you start at Buffels in the SE wind, a reverse Buffels you finish at Buffels from Fish Hoek in the NW wind * **Round Trip to Cape Point **11 km (for a calmer day) [[https://youtu.be/200a2OfND60|video]] * … ---- ==== False Bay Reverse Runs (North to South) Miller's, Buffels ==== * With any of the **"reverse"** or toward the south runs, one has to be familiar with and **know how to avoid or deal with West wind** that can arrive off of the mountains and create a **seriously adverse offshore push**. * **Reverse Buffels** (**Fish Hoek to Buffels Beach)** [[https://downwindable.com/reverse-buffels-run|Downwindable]] * [[https://www.surfski.info/latest-news/story/1663/spectacular-cape-town-winter-downwind.html|check surfski.info article]] the wrong wind - too much West - can make this a real no go. After Miller's Point, "Hurricane Alley"… * **Reverse Miller's Run ** * [[https://downwindable.com/reverse-millers-run|Downwindable]][[https://youtu.be/EAh83l9CFDc|video]], [[https://youtu.be/sVcLfNacryo|sunny video]] * **Problems** * [[https://surfski.info/latest-news/story/1718/paddler-rescued-thanks-to-the-nsri-and-to-safetrx.html|NSRI rescue]] on reverse Miller's * [[https://youtu.be/wbIslhSRz_I|video]] visibility, alignment, orientation difficulties * … ---- **Reverse Buffels** {{youtube>56_U5NegGIQ}} . {{youtube>2s2HSpl5HfU}} . ---- East of Fish Hoek in False Bay * **Muizenberg (Muzies)** * **Surf** * **​​​​​** [[:surf|About Surfski Surfing]] * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uMq7cnyr0k|Tim and son SS2]], [[https://youtu.be/k8raq6vR3_s|Dalo and Jaylo SS2]], [[https://youtu.be/nUy6G_9O9o4|Mark Keeling]], [[https://youtu.be/4IqfzeHsAoE?t=21|Lots of Doubles]] * [[https://www.peninsula-canoe.org.za/|Peninsula Canoe Club]] * **Gordon's Bay - Strand** ~8 km [[https://youtu.be/ixD_fhlorLo|video]], [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/gordons-bay-to-strand-downwind|Downwindfun]] * **Rooi Els to Strand Run **22 km [[https://downwindable.com/false-bay-crossingd18dbece|Downwindable]] * … ---- === Surf === **​​​​​** [[:surf|About Surfski Surfing]] * **Big Bay ** [[https://youtu.be/aD0JLkJW65o|video]] * **Crayfish Factory **- [[https://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Africa/South_Africa/Cape_Town/crayfish_factory/index.html|Wannasurf page]] - with much of a swell this is probably a bit on the [[https://youtu.be/SqtvCU8hHdA|advanced end of the scale]] for surfskis, [[https://youtu.be/oeia_gm7QQE|video2]] * **Sunset Reef, Kommetjie** - another break that gets big enough to require expert surfski surf skills [[https://youtu.be/OeH13j5-hWY|video]], [[https://youtu.be/S7BbY_Ege9o|2023 video]] ---- (East of False Bay) ==== Hermanus ==== * [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/233541187016324/|Stanford Canoe Club]] (facebook) * **Flatwater** * Bot River Lagoon * Klein River/Klein River Lagoon (aka Hermanus Lagoon) * [[https://www.hermanus.co.za/what-to-do/water-based/lagoon-river-kayaking-trips|Lagoon/River Trips]] ---- ==== Arniston ==== * **Surf ****​​​​** * [[:surf|About Surfski Surfing]] * [[https://youtu.be/pulQthouHpE|video]] * … ---- ==== Witsand ==== Witsand area generally considered to be the whale nursery of South Africa * **Breede (Breë) River Mouth** [[https://youtu.be/JhYbZXEYOmY|video]] * … ---- ==== Still Bay (Stilbaai) ==== * **Surf** * Want to test your shore break negotiation skills? * **Skinny Capucino Pushing the Boundaries** {{youtube>GUGoFNfPhuo}} * … ---- ==== Knysna ==== * [[https://youtu.be/QGtArv_iikI|training video]] * **Surf** * [[:surf|About Surfski Surfing]] * [[https://youtu.be/9lKX9YZgqjc|Knysna Heads Surfing]] Tidal Race/Surf * **Resources** * [[http://www.knysnaracingkayaks.com/surf-skis/|Knysna Racing]] surfskis * [[https://www.saltkayaks.com/|SaltKayaks]]​​​​​​​ Marathon racing kayaks * … ---- ===== Conditions ===== * [[https://www.seatemperature.org/africa/south-africa/cape-town.htm|Water temperature Cape Town]] * [[https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/south-africa/western-cape.html|Western Cape webcams]] * [[https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/fish_hoek|Windfinder Fish Hoek]] * [[https://www.windguru.cz/208283|Windguru Fish Hoek & Nearby]] (Camps Bay is next to Table Mtn., Sunningdale is in Cape Town) * **General** * [[https://www.wasaproject.info/docs/2_windclimatesafrica2010.pdf|Wind Patterns in South Africa]] (good for general knowledge but consult locals for critical details/variants/microclimates where you plan to paddle) * … ---- ===== Coaches ===== * See [[:south_africa#coaching|South Africa Coaching]] * … ---- ===== Races ===== * [[:races:races_south_africa#western_cape|Western Cape Races]] * … ---- ===== Videos ===== * [[:south_africa_downwind_videos#west_cape|Western Cape Videos]] * … ---- ===== Equipment/Dealers ===== * [[https://aquatrails.co.za/|Aquatrails]] Cape Town paddling gear * [[https://www.greatwhitesport.co.za/|Great White Sport & Surf]] Fish Hoek gear for paddling & water sports * See also [[:south_africa#surfski_dealersmakersequipment|Main South Africa Page Listings]] * … ----