Aug

1

For those of you who are know me and are familiar with the business, will know that during the winter time in Cape Town I often talk about going to sea. Now Some people might think this is crazy, but it is during this time that the Great White Shark population in False Bay concentrates its feeding habits to a smaller area around Seal Island. This Island is situated not too far from the mainland and harbors, so access is not too difficult for those who brave enough to dare.

The sharks found here have overcome their camera shyness and can be found on numerous documentary reels and the odd facebook album of cage diving adventure seekers. Despite the experience being surreal, adrenaline rushing and completely mind blowing, there are many important conservation lessons that are learnt and can be drawn from, being there in person and watching on TV.

Some of these conservation messages are brought home during the Discovery Channel SHARK WEEK. The sharks are meant to be admired, provide inspiration and feared as a natural predator of the sea. I will attempt to update the blog once a week recording the awesome events (most not my own material) regarding the fascinating world of sharks in oceans.

We begin this homage with something seen on our last trip but not captured on film. Thanks to Chris Fallows and his team these videos are available on the net to be shared and admired.

 

 

 

Jun

16

June in South Africa signals the arrival of the winter season and is usually accompanied by the cold and the rain, many reasons to stay indoors. However , there are many beautiful days that nestle in between the cold fronts that make their way with ferocity over the Peninsula and the beauty of the Cape tends to shines through on these rare days.

A winters day boat trip to Cape Point on one of those rare days provides a special feeling to those aboard. Their knowing that the sea can be a mean beast, yet the safety of the boat instills a sense of calm and allows them to relax and just enjoy the ride. A Marine Scene tour saw a large group of French tourists require the services of Zangetsu. With no time restrictions and a large swell (to make the journey more enjoyable) we set off for Cape Point at a leisurely pace. The ride was exciting and the group was eager, despite an earlier request  to keep it slow. The waves tend to get a bit bigger as we approach Cape Point and the anticipation clearly rises the closer we get. After a few pictures and some historical stories we set back along the coastline to Millers Point.

At the end of the day another happy group that enjoyed the Cape Point experience by sea.

All smiles after a fun trip

But first, we wait for the French to arrive

Mar

15

What a fabulous day! And what a blessing for the perfect weather! During my cycle I heard many people comment on how beautiful our coastline is. Especially Hout Bay, where Chapmans Peak starts to eat at the muscle fibres in the legs, the beauty of Hout Bay seems to give people the distraction and inspiration needed to make the climb!

We are still raising our funds for St Luke’s Hospice and the weather for this weekends Prize looks amazing. It looks like Saturday will be the day of choice for the Hout Bay trip.  But I will keep you posted on that.

Feel free buy tickets for the raffle. Alternatively if want a guaranteed trip book a seat! This weekend we have a special discount rate upon request only.

Kind regards and happy cycling but most importantly happy boating…

Feb

19

Hi,

Our recent trip to Cape Point was eventful. It was windy but as the saying goes: “The wetter the better”
Although no one really got wet this time around…unfortunately. The Point was beautiful and the passengers were treated to a great day at Sea. We accompanied WhaleSong and RubyRunner. Thankfully they were there to provide assistance due to an electrical fault…That said its all resolved and ready for the next trip.  Enjoy some of the pictures.

Feb

3

The year started out well with more locals getting on the boat than internationals as is normally the case. The trip in the picture was planned for an 8am pre-work boat ride from the waterfront. It was amazing; the sea-life – seals,birds, all out in morning light. Glad to say we were back by 9 and everyone was happy.

Nov

19

We were lucky enough to work on the start of the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. In a strong South Easter many boats joined in to wish the brave sailors on their way. Its funny how the Volvo Circus captured many peoples hearts and it was evident in the support shown on the day of their departure.

Eight awesome machines arrived in Cape Town some three weeks after leaving the port of Alicante in Spain. After roughly two weeks at the V&A Waterfront and transforming the harbour area into a giant workshop as well a hive of product showcases (thanks to PUMA, VOLVO, ERICSSON), action and well positioned branding, the show was about to hit the road.

I’ll skip the history section about the event and cut straight to our adventure at sea. Joined by two crew and passengers from Cape Classic Charters we headed for the start line. I must stress that had i had eyes in the back of my head, it still would not have been enough to prepare me for maelstrom I had entered.

(Pic courtesy of Michael North)

Buzzing every which way the Volvo boats tacking for position, private yachts, boats jet skis and paddle boarders all made it there mission to be part of the action.

We followed Ericsson three for a bit then tagged the Puma boat and just before they left the Cape we said our goodbyes to the rest of the boats.

It was really a great experience and unlike last year we did not have to follow the boats miles off shore! A great day had by all!