We are still active, but this site is no longer actively maintained

Posted on April 1, 2016 by David

If you wish to get in touch, please contact us via our Facebook page, as this website is no longer actively maintained.

Experiences of German visitors to rowing friends in South Africa

Posted on December 2, 2012 by David

(The original German version of this account is further down this post.)

The spectacular victory of the South African lightweight men’s four at the Olympics this year, who outclassed all favourites after a furious Sprint over the last 500m and took the gold medal, brought to the memory of the Rowing world the fact that there is still rowing of the highest order on the other side of the globe. The sport is dominated by English tradition, i.e. the 10 river clubs with about 500 active athletes compete essentially in 2000m Regattas. (competition rowing). The strength of the wider sport, especially in Germany grassroots (social or recreational rowing), however, plays a minor role in SA. In addition to the British influence over the sport, a lack of suitable waters near populated centres is certainly also a problem.

In 2006 through a Rowing Club Member working in South Africa, the Oldenburg Rowing Club was visited by five rowers of the Viking Rowing Club in Johannesburg. The Club is located on the Wemmer Pan, the Lake of an abandoned gold mine. On the diagonal, this Lake allows 700 meter regattas. The daily rowing direction is always in a circle along the banks. Our visitors had previously through the participation in the rally Canal du MIDI tasted blood and just wanted “to row a few days in a straight line”. Together we rowed for a week on the Vltava and Elbe rivers, and since then four to six South Africans have come every summer to join us on week rowing tour of ORVO in Europe.

This year, we followed the often repeated invitation to South Africa. Our friends, now mostly retired, have left the juggernaut of Johannesburg in favor of safer and more beautiful places. Continue reading →

Simonstown outing

Posted on October 7, 2012 by David

Saturday morning outing from Simonstown: the quad and a double. Good conditions, calm, cool, overcast, one whale spotted, and the usual combination of superb coaching and incessant chatter from Derrick…

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Another idyllic Cape Point rowing trip

Gallery

Posted on October 3, 2012 by David

This gallery contains 7 photos.

Not the Paddlers Annual Kayak Race and Coastal Rowing Rally

Posted on September 23, 2012 by David

Over to Derrick:

Well ! there are those who know just how it went off and there are those who just can’t wait to find out!

Those interested enough, would have been looking at Wind Guru or Wind Finder, just to see what to do or not to do or just to see what the intrepid rowers would do.

For one, the weather forecasts have always been pretty good but never spot on; my goodness how could they ever be 110% correct, it just seemed a bit unfair or something.

28 to 32 Knot gusting north-westerly Wind, Rain and poor visibility. That was not all, we even had the bounce off the harbour walls to make a very nice whipped cream effect as a topping!

The Kayakers abandoned ship on the Saturday afternoon and cancelled the event, but what about the rowers; Coastal Rowers are made of sterner stuff and we had a 100% turn out.

And what is to be said for those folk? Commitment and Integrity personified, they all pitched, and on time too!! Smiles, shaking heads, nodding heads, rolling eyes, the whole Toot; they had come to test the resolution of each other and the legend of the Sea Double.
Continue reading →

First Cape Point row

Posted on September 16, 2012 by David

Geordie Kohler and Dave Marrs took out two singles for an adventure amidst the splendours of Cape Point today. Wow!

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World coastal rowing championships – Marseilles, France

Posted on June 9, 2012 by David

Simonstown coastal rowing distances

Posted on June 9, 2012 by David

Thanks to Dave Marrs for calculating these distances in and around Simonstown. All are calculated one way, with the naval slipway as the starting point. Points are either beach landing spots or usual turning points.

Heading East/South…

Ark Rock – 2,8km

Roman Rock – 3,2km

Boulders – 3,2km

Windmill Beach – 3,8km

Miller’s Point – 7,4km

Smitwinkels – 11,9km

Heading North…

Clanstuart wreck – 2,2km

Glencairn Station – 3,2km

Fishhoek (middle of bay) – 6,2km

Kalk Bay harbour – 7,4km