Kob Inn to Mbashe

We were looked after in style at the Kob Inn, each with our own room. Up early for a 05h30 launch to catch the tail end of the SW wind – out through the river mouth was fun and quick with the tide spitting me out, though I had a moment when a wave jacked up on a reef I’d cut across. “Radar Love” by Golden Earring was stuck in my head all day.

I hugged the shoreline for most of the day to avoid the main current, cutting across the last few bays when the wind turned onshore. The final stretch crossed the Mbashe river mouth, its water muddy brown from the previous night’s thunderstorm and flowing north – not my favourite conditions given what might be swimming in water you can’t see through.

I’d barely made the beach past Shark Point when Lyle Puttergill and a helper appeared from the bushes to welcome me – his son David had heard I was coming. I was whisked inside for dry clothes, coffee and a bacon and egg breakfast. We then moved up to the Haven Hotel for a few days of royal treatment while waiting out a NE wind.