Sea kayaking – Top 10 sites in South Africa

If you want to drop your kayak in the sea around South Africa, you have more than 3 000 kilometres of coastline to choose from. Don Pinnock got together with some old hands who’ve been cleaving these waters for years to figure out their absolute favourite and the dangers to watch out for.

1. PATERNOSTER
Entry point: The gullies round Tietie’s Bay or the beach at Paternoster Bay.
Distance: One to 10 km. The route can be extended to include Groot Paternoster Point further north, if the weather permits.
Views: Typically arid West Coast. Traditional fishermen’s cottages. Spring flowers and crayfish hawkers round every bush.
Marine life: Sea birds, whales, crayfish, fish.
Difficulty: 3/4
Dangers: Offshore winds, mists, swells and whales in season.
Safety services: Port captain tel 022-703-4100, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) cell 082-990-5966.

2. CAPE TOWN ATLANTIC SEABOARD
Entry point: From Three Anchor Bay to Sandy Bay. A good and picturesque entry is Bakoven.
Distance: 1 to 4 km
Views: Spectacular city, beach and mountain views as well as some grand granite boulders to play among.
Marine life: Penguins, sea birds, dolphins and whales in season.
Difficulty: 4+
Dangers: Beware of swells and offshore southeasters which threaten to blow you to Brazil. Don’t try this route in winter when the northwester blows. Look out for shipping and pleasure boats.
Safety services: Port captain tel 021-419-1679, NSRI cell 082-372-8792.

3. SIMON’S TOWN
Entry point: Long Beach at the station.
Distance: 1 to 20 km.
Views: This is a large protected bay with little gullies and granite boulders. There’s no better view of this historical town than from the sea in a kayak.
Marine life: Countless cheeky penguins at Boulders and whales in winter.
Difficulty: 24
Dangers: Do not enter the harbour and steer clear of all naval craft and the harbour wall (50 metres away). Beware of the southeaster in summer, mists in autumn and foul and seriously dangerous northwesters in winter.
Safety services: Harbour master tel 021-787-3854, NSRI cell 082-990-5953.

4. PLETTENBERG BAY
Entry point: Central Beach.
Distance: 1 to 10 km.
Views: The best view of the Tsitsikamma coastline, the bay known to old seafarers as Baja Formosa and Robberg. Despite overcrowding in season, the hip polo brigade and monstrosities built on the beach, it is still South Africa’s prime sea village.
Marine life: Large numbers of dolphins can be seen. There are seals at Robberg and whales in the bay in winter.
Difficulty: 34
Dangers: Offshore southwesterlies which come up in seconds and boats landing on the beach. Stay within the demarcating beacons when launching and landing. Paddle on the lagoon if conditions require it, but beware of the river mouth. A fine overnight hut upstream is your reward, but remember to book it with Cape Nature Conservation on tel 044-533 -2941.
Safety services: NSRI 082-490-6225.

5. ALOES ROUTE
Entry point: Swartkops Estuary, Sundays River, Boknes, Bushman’s River mouth, Kariega, Kasouga Estuary, Kowie River or Kleinemonde.
Distance: From Blue Water Bay to Sundays River is 28 km; Sundays to Kenton is 80 km; Kenton to Port Alfred is 24 km; and Port Alfred to the Great Fish is 35 km.
Views: The area is characterised by massive dunes, cliffs, forested hills and three beautiful, navigable estuaries.
Marine Life: Seals aplenty, dolphins in the surf and whales in winter.
Difficulty: Estuaries 1, coast up to 4+.
Dangers: Big surf pounds this coast. Some rivers have rocky courses. Watch out for powerboats.
Safety services: Harbour master tel 0466-24-4587, NSRI cell 083-212-1277.

6. BORDER ROUTE
Entry point: Gonubie, Kwenera Mouth, Glen Eden, Cintsa, Cefani, Haga Haga, Morgan’s Bay, Kei Mouth.
Distance: From Gonubie to the Kei River is about 70 km. Gonubie to Kwenera Mouth is 5,5 km; Kwenera to Cintsa is 10 km, Cintsa to Cefani is 3,5 km; Cefani to Haga Haga is 13 km; Haga Haga to Kei Mouth is 16,5 km. Unless conditions are perfect, stick to the estuaries and bays as the sea swells can be wild.
Views: Great beaches, estuaries and family hotel.
Marine life: Dolphins at most times and whales in winter.
Difficulty: Lagoons and estuaries 2+, inshore paddling 4+.
Dangers: Rescue services are thinly spread in this area and the sea can be extremely rough.
Safety services: Port Captain tel 043-700-2142, NSRI cell 082-990-7605.

7. NORTHERN WILD COAST
Entry point: Mbotyi, Lupatana River, Msikaba, Umkabati, Mtentu, Mzamba or Mtamvuna.
Distance: From Mbotyi to Mtamvuna is a fairly tough 65 km.
Views: This is a legendary coast, massive cliffs, waterfalls right into the sea and green, unspoilt countryside and many wrecks.
Marine life: Dolphins, whales in season and abundant bird life.
Difficulty: Lagoons and estuaries 2+, the sea can easily notch 7.
Dangers: Rescue services are thinly spread in this area and the sea can be extremely rough.
Safety services: NSRI cell 082-550-5430.

8. DURBAN: VETCH’S REEF
Entry point: Shaka Marine World at the Bluff in Durban.
Distance: 1 to 5 km.
Views: Sea views of Durban and the Bluff, bathing beauties and beach boys, all reminiscent of long summer days eating melting ice creams on the prom, with vaudeville in its heyday. Look out for the new Point development with its open-air aquarium.
Marine life: Fishing on the nearby reefs, sharks puzzling over bathers.
Difficulty: 24
Dangers: Ocean liners entering the harbour, offshore winds and waves.
Safety services: Port captain tel 031-361-8799, NSRI cell 082-558-3216.

9. DOLPHIN COAST
Entry point: Zimbali, Ballito, Thompson’s Bay, Shaka’s Rock, Umhlali Beach, Salt Rock, Sheffield Beach, Tinley Manor, Blythedale Beach, Zinkwazi, Tugela Mouth.
Distance: From Zimbali to Tugela Mouth is about 46 km.
Views: Luxury homes to the west, endless sea to the east.
Marine life: The coastline is named after the bottlenosed dolphins which frequent the area all year round. Whales are around in season.
Difficulty: Lagoons 1+, coast 4+.
Dangers: Watch out for southeaster winds, heavy surf, backwashes and sharks. Avoid flooded rivers in summer.
Safety services: NSRI cell 082-558-3216.

10. KOSI BAY
Entry point: The Mouth, Kosi Bay, right on South Africa’s northeastern border with Mozambique.
Distance: 110+km.
Views: Lots of coastal bush and dunes. St Lucia in the south is a World Heritage Site and just north lies Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique (passports and 4x4s needed).
Marine life: Game fish in the mouth, coral fish on the reefs and crocs and hippos further up. A real African bush-and-coast adventure.
Difficulty: 24
Dangers: Currents at the mouth (only paddle there on the incoming tide), wildlife further up the system and malaria.
Safety services: NSRI (Richard’s Bay) cell 082-990-5949.

DIFFICULTY LEVELS

Conditions at sea are not static and, unlike mountains and to some degree rivers, can change rapidly, sometimes within seconds. So what presents as Grade 3 to start off with, can become Grade 4 and 5 while you are paddling.

1 Easy
Closed waters such as estuaries, small dams and lakes.

2 Fair
Semi-closed and larger areas of water, not affected by weather.

3 Intermediate
Larger stretches of inland water and protected bays.

4 Transitional
Very large lakes and bays and open coastlines.

5 Advanced
Open coastline and open ocean with no easy landings.

6 Dangerous
Expedition-level conditions with no rescue services and unseen landing areas.

7 Improbable/Impossible
Area seldom or never suitable for sea kayaking, or any of previous grades where prevailing conditions have altered the static grade.