Day 1: Let the Adventure Begin

Loaded SUP board at the source of the Breede River below Mitchell's Pass

Final prep

Packing done! A last few gear tests before setting off — a river test to check the loaded board would clear the low bridges, and a cooker test to make sure dinner would actually cook out there. Curiosity and cats: the family cat couldn’t resist inspecting the kit as it went out the door.

Fully packed SUP board loaded next to the vehicle before departure Richard Kohler packing gear with the family cat looking on Test run ducking under a low bridge with the loaded board

Day 1

All packed and ready to go. On the way to the source of the Breede River at the bottom of Mitchell’s Pass below Ceres.

Let the adventure begin. Breede Source2Sea — Self Supported, Solo SUP.

A cold, windy start on the river this morning — not an easy one to get going in. By the time the board reached the finish bridge of the Wyzersdrift race, fish eagles were crying all around and it had turned into a stunning day out on the water. Personal records were already tumbling: 40km down, already 20km further than ever SUP’d before. Quick stop at the bridge to see if there was any chance of catching Jackie racing her heat in the world junior sprint champs.

Tent and loaded SUP board camped on the riverbank

57km in the bag by nightfall, and the cramping had set into the hamstrings and lats. Pretty cold already, and with a clear sky overhead it was only going to get colder still. Camp for the night: a few kilometres below the weir after Nekkies.

GPS watch reading 57.27km at the end of day 1 Infrared thermometer reading 8.4 degrees on the board at camp

Distance covered: 57.27km
Time on the water: 7:21
Camp: below the weir, Nekkies