Dusi approaches
With no dams or water releases, the heavy boats were easily damaged and paddlers were forced to carry them around many of the rapids.
With the 65th Dusi river race scheduled for mid-February 2015, paddlers are using the fuller rivers after the rains to do some serious training for the world’s largest canoe marathon endurance event, from Pietmaritzburg to Durban.
The inaugural winner of the race, Dr Ian Player, died last week at the age of 87.
Dr Player was one of the first adventurers to scout and complete this section of river to win the race in 1964, in a handmade boat, fashioned from wood and canvas.
With no dams or water releases, the heavy boats were easily damaged and paddlers were forced to carry them around many of the rapids.
Today, the Dusi is still a serious endurance event where paddlers do have to carry their boats around specified rapids.
There is, however, more water available from dam water releases making the river race much more fun.
Gauteng paddlers recently enjoyed the fuller Klip River and a Dusi training opportunity hosted by the Florida Lake Canoe Club, in Meyerton.
Grant Conlon, from the Victoria Lake Canoe Club, partnered up with fellow club members, residents of Edenvale and Bedfordview respectively, to finish the race in three hours and 11 minutes.
