The winter season is not what we normally consider beach weather. But many of us are aquaphiliacs, or lovers of water, and therefore have a strong need to be in or at the water. Satisfy that need with the following three water activites that would allow you to spend your time doing what you love without getting drenched in the icy waters.
1. Waterfront Kayak
Experience the ocean Waterfront Kayak, a kayaking company that operates from the Waterfront in Cape Town. Kayaking in Cape Town bay is a fun activity that’s perfect for team building, birthdays, or simply an exciting weekend adventure with friends. Waterfront Kayak offers daily trips for all fitness levels and all levels of skill, beginner to expert, but has a minimum age requirement of eight years old.
For R350 per person, you’ll get a 90-minute kayaking session that includes 60 minutes on the water. Longer trips at an additional cost are also available upon request. Booking is essential and must be made by 8pm the night before during the off peak months of May to August. Waterfront Kayak also offers specials and combo packages for groups of four and more, and a kayak and boat cruise special for R500 per person.
Waterfront Kayak’s trips start in Granger Bay and paddlers will paddle about the Atlantic seaboard, enjoying the beautiful view of Signal Hill and Lion’s Head. The paddling experience is based on the direction of wind and swell, instead of being a fixed route to a specifc destination, so each trip will be unique. On the trip, paddlers will be on the look-out for any marine wildlife, such as dolphins, seals, sunfish, penguins and whales.
Details:
- Location: Shop No 8, Quay 5, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8002
- Website: waterfrontkayak.co.za
- Cost: From R350 per person, 90-hour session
2. Stand Up Paddling:
The degree of ‘dryness’ in this activity depends strongly on your balance and skills, but if you’re feeling brave, stand up paddling is a highly rewarding activity. SUP Cape Town rents out equipment for use on the canal and also offers long-term rentals for holiday trips. During the peak season months of December to February, they also rent out equipment on popular Clifton 4th beach.
Rentals start at R150 for a 30-minute session or R220 for a 60-minute session. If you’re a beginner, SUP Cape Town has three stations where you can find your feet (and balance) in the canals of the Waterfront. Included in the rental are all the necessay equipment and a basic lesson on land.
If you need a guided introduction to this fun activity, you can also opt for a beginner’s lesson. Under the guidance of a SUP instructor, you’ll learn about safety, equipment specs, stability, position and balancing with different paddling strokes. Lessons with a SUP instructor costs R550 for 90 mins.
For the more experienced paddler who would like to take a paddle board out into the open waters, SUP Cape Town also offers inflatable boards for long-term rentals. Pay from R850 for a 24-hour rental, or opt for a 2-day rental, a 3-day rental, or a 7-day week rental.
Details:
- Location: Battery Park, Alfred St, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8012
- Website: supcapetown.co.za
- Cost: From R150 per person, 30-minutes session
3. Cape Town Water Bikes
Maybe balance isn’t your forte, so why not rather try the exciting and unique way to experience the ocean on a water bike? Glide across the waters on non-motorized water bikes that are eco-friendly and designed to be used on the ocean. Thanks to the elevated sitting position, you do not get wet, making this an ideal winter activity on the water. Water bikes are easy to operate, very stable, simple to steer and require no balancing. They are silent, so no worries about disturbing the wildlife underneath the watery surface. Water biking requires no previous experience or skills and it’s a truly sustainable eco-adventure.
Cape Town Water Bikes depart from a private launching facility on the Simon’s Town pier, where you can choose between a 30-minute guided tour, a one-hour guided ocean adventure tour, or a two-hour guided ocean adventure tour. The one-hour guided tour is perfect for those who want to experience the water biking adventure at a relaxed pace, whereas the two-hour tour is an early-morning tour designed for the more active customers. Depending on the weather conditions, the tour will either head up towards the seals and African penguin colony at Boulders Beach, or travel along the coast line past Long beach to the Clan Stuart Shipwreck and continue up the picturesque coast line, before turning back towards the historical naval base.
Trips by Cape Town Water Bikes have an age minimum of 13 years old and children must be accompanied by an adult. Riders must have a minimum height of approximately 1.5 m in order to reach the pedals.
Details:
- Location: Simon’s Town Jetty, 1 Wharf St, Simon’s Town, Cape Town, 7975
- Website: capetownwaterbikes.co.za
- Cost: From R350 per person, 30-minute session
Also read:
Tight lines! Four lekker saltwater fishing spots in Cape Town
Picture: Unsplash
