On Friday the weather forecast predicted ideal paddling conditions for Saturday so we made arrangements to paddle from Oudekraal in the direction of Sandy Bay. Due to the rocky coastline around that area, the conditions have to be better than average to ensure great rock garden exploration and safe landing in an emergency. At 10h00 on Saturday there was still a nasty wind blowing at Table View so we made the call to paddle from Three Anchor Bay instead. Three Anchor Bay seems to be one of the few places sheltered from the South Easter in the Cape even when the wind is howling everywhere else.
Greenpoint
Wreck of the Athens(1865) on the left of the photo
For a change of scenery we opted to paddle to the Granger Bay Marina instead of the usual route to Camps Bay. This is a much shorter route but on a good day you can paddle close to the shore and enjoy the kelp and rock gardens. The visibility was better than usual giving us the opportunity to investigate the world below from the comfort of our warm cockpits. Even though the outside temperature is usually very warm in summer, the sea temperature seldom heads much higher than 10 degrees Celsius. It is also quite a known fact amongst the diving community in the Cape that good visibility is synonymous with icy waters.
Granger Bay Marina guardians
About 50 meters from the marina, Paul spotted a dolphin and we all stopped in the hope that they would come a little closer. Unfortunately this did not materialize, so we continued along our route with a hint of disappointment. The Granger Bay marina would be considered a playground for the rich and famous. Here 36 foot and up is the order of the day, just a little intimidating when you barely make 18 foot. I just love the ambience in these marinas, not to mention all the beautiful toys lined up along the moorings. I often ask myself if I would rather sail or kayak, it’s a tough call because both has a charm of its own. Maybe the best option would be to do a bit of both, but fortunately, I don’t have to worry about sailing for quite some time, until my ship comes in that is.
Playground of the rich and famous
And then, on our way out, THEY came back. Paul’s technique of picking up speed seemed to pay off as they would bow surf with you for quite some time before accelerating into the distance. I on the other hand was trying to do the acceleration and take photos at the same time. It really is a case of paddle like hell, drop your hand in the water, point and shoot and hope that you are capturing at least one good photo. The more photos you take the better the chance of getting something decent in the batch. You just have to hope for the best as there is not much else that you can do. What I have learned from all my attempts is that my aiming is still slightly off, but its getting better.
