Feb 26 2011
SUP on BIG water – Tugela River
* Anyone who wants to try out this sport, contact me at yeeha@riverman.co.za or +27842452490. The boards are at the Vaal, Parys, South Africa for try-outs. Or contact Corran at corran@imaginesurf.com We will be taking them back to the Tugela shortly as part of a river proficiency course 8-11 March, along with rafts and kayaks of course!
* For shots of SUPping take a look at my album here.
Background: SUPs are popular on lakes, lagoons and placid rivers, but have never been used to run Class 3-4+ rapids until now. The trip we did featured the major rapids of the Tugela Canyon above Zingela camp – Off the Wall, Frogs’ Playground, Washingmachine, Whirlpool and Liquidiser. We gave most of Washtingmachine a miss because it was suicidally high and SUP technique is not yet up to tackling a high Class 5! But the rest of it got run, spectactularly, with lots of air, plenty of crash and burn, and huge amounts of adrenaline. Corran and his pals have gone back to the States to develop the prototype Spitfire board which is wider and shorter than the two Rapidfire plastic boards that were also used.
Watch this space – SUP is about to taking paddling by storm. Corran’s a great kayaker but his mission now? “Kayaking is cancelled”!