THE annual mass Gauteng trek to the Eastern Cape took place with numerous paddlers from upcountry eagerly taking on the Hansa Fish River Marathon 2014, which, while being a K1 championships race, also hosted the SA K3 river championships race.
The race took place on October 10 and 11 from the Grassridge dam to Cradock, covering a distance of some 80km of wild exciting white water with numerous rapids, that can be portaged for those who prefer not to risk shortening their race, and still leaving plenty of excitement to make the race worthwhile for all participants.
Novice paddlers often aim to paddle this river race as their first A-grade river experience and it is quite an effective wake up for those who have been cutting their teeth on the placid Gauteng winter rivers where no rainfall results in slower manageable rivers during the months preceding the guaranteed 26 cumecs of water provided on the Eastern Cape Fish River.
While there were over 50 withdrawals from the official race by the end of day one, due to boat damage or numerous swims, more than 600 nevertheless did manage to finish the adrenalin rush exciting river race with all its challenges.
Among the challenges, the tight corners through the willow trees on the narrower upper Fish were certainly one of the most scary and a number of swimmers had some potentially dangerous experiences, while the majority of the major rapids can be portaged, this section has to be navigated and it was very difficult especially for K3’s to manoeuvre through, although novice first timers would also have found this section pretty daunting, especially with some drops and wave trains around the fast corners hardly visible as a result of the overhanging willows, and tight sneaks around tree blockages.
A variety of exciting wild water rapids include Double Trouble Chute, Keiths Flyover, Toast Rack low level bridge, Soutpans Woes rapid, Marlow Chute and Cradock Weir besides numerous others that easily create swims, such as Krokodil; and no name rapids too!
