After a morning working on the golf game at the driving range, it seemed like taking the kayaks out for a paddle seemed like a good idea - their first for the season and about time! So, why not head into the village? And then once there, I decided a paddle out past the Pine Creek Caravan Park to the weir was just too good a thing to pass up.
Then, on the way back, a paddle around The Island (following the winding river channel) was simply one more irresistible temptation. :)
Then, on the way back, a paddle around The Island (following the winding river channel) was simply one more irresistible temptation. :)
Click on the map above to be directed to the full "workout" details on www.sports-tracker.com.
With Mossel Bay's high tide at 15:59, heading out at just after 16:00 would mean no need to drag the kayak across the sand, and as an added bonus, it would give me a bit of help on the way back - after all, the wind picks up in the afternoons, and yesterday was no exception. In fact, there was a good chop on a couple of small sections of the river - close to 12" under the R102 bridge and the first 100 meters after that on the way back. But by heading out at just around the turn of the tide, you get a bit of help against the wind on the way back - the slight pull of the outgoing tide - plus, the Department of Water Affairs was letting out a slow release of water from the upstream Wolwedans Dam (you can tell whenever water is being released or is overflowing the dam - the river turns a dark tea colour - quite brackish, indeed!).
Sadly, the refuse that lines the river banks, especially from the Amy Searle bridge and out the river to the Southern Cross day park continues unabated. Lots of plastic bottles, food cartons and bags, apparently discarded by shore-side fishermen, as well as other refuse like old paint cans and larger plastic drums....
A couple of years ago, after plotting all of the Debris and Old Infrastructure on the river, I managed to get Great Brak River included in the international Coastal Clean-up initiative (thanks to the support of WESSA and Mossel Bay Municipality's Environmental Department), but it's only once a year and it really doesn't reach into the village. It's a crying shame, when this could be such a beautiful, pristine paddle, where not only are there fish flopping and birds flapping (or soaring), but also horses and cows grazing, and even the occasional monkey frolicking (up near the weir). I guess my project for this summer will be to get out there with the ol' garbage bags.... stay tuned!
Speaking of crying, maybe South Africa needs something like that of the "Keep America Beautiful (Crying Indian)" campaign which was launched in 1971, coinciding with the very first Earth Day, and ran throughout the 1970's (and, of course, crossing the 49th parallel into Canada). That iconic campaign made a huge impact that, fortunately, lasts to this day.
Sadly, the refuse that lines the river banks, especially from the Amy Searle bridge and out the river to the Southern Cross day park continues unabated. Lots of plastic bottles, food cartons and bags, apparently discarded by shore-side fishermen, as well as other refuse like old paint cans and larger plastic drums....
A couple of years ago, after plotting all of the Debris and Old Infrastructure on the river, I managed to get Great Brak River included in the international Coastal Clean-up initiative (thanks to the support of WESSA and Mossel Bay Municipality's Environmental Department), but it's only once a year and it really doesn't reach into the village. It's a crying shame, when this could be such a beautiful, pristine paddle, where not only are there fish flopping and birds flapping (or soaring), but also horses and cows grazing, and even the occasional monkey frolicking (up near the weir). I guess my project for this summer will be to get out there with the ol' garbage bags.... stay tuned!
Speaking of crying, maybe South Africa needs something like that of the "Keep America Beautiful (Crying Indian)" campaign which was launched in 1971, coinciding with the very first Earth Day, and ran throughout the 1970's (and, of course, crossing the 49th parallel into Canada). That iconic campaign made a huge impact that, fortunately, lasts to this day.
