All roads led to Underberg last weekend for the annual Drak Challenge… a two-day festival of canoeing, mountain biking, trail running and a HUGE party.
Why the heck can’t we do something similar on the South Coast?
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OK, so we have the South Coast Bike Fest at Margate in April which is also a biggie, but that only attracts guys and dolls who are into leather.
We need to cash in on the lycra brigade as well.
While we were licking our wounds from dragging our boats over a million rocks in the upper reaches of the low-level Umzimkulu, the local canoeing contingent brainstormed some ideas.
That is, until all conversation was drowned out by bands Rubber Duc and the Parlotones.
The coast has everything and more to offer.
Bikers and runners can take their pick of some fantastic trails between Scottburgh and Port Edward.
Then there used to be two canoe races – one on the Umzimkulu, starting at the cement factory, and the Wild Coast Classic on the Umtamvuna. The latter was quite unique as competitors also had to paddle across the water hazards at the Wild Coast Country Club golf course and run along the beach in front of the hotel.
Throw in a few surfing events, maybe a bit of fishing and we’ll have another annual event to be proud of.
It was a bit of a shock to the system doing a two-day canoe race for the first time in 25 years, but it proved my son had inherited a sense of humour.
After bouncing off a rock, we found ourselves going down a rapid… backwards.
At the same time, another competitor in a single canoe took a more successful line.
Seemingly unconcerned about our predicament, my son chirped: “Hey, Bob, you’re going the wrong way.”
We then both fell out laughing.
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