Surfing the Whitewater Kayaks at the Beach

Kayaking the surf at Yorkey's Knob

Every now and then, the crew sets sail for a different kind of paddling. We forsake the usual fresh river/stream smells and the lush tropical rainforest for one of salt air filling your lungs and the sounds of crashing breakers upon a sandy slope. The paddling is great when the winds rise and at Yorkeys Knob, Queensland, Australia, it is done at least when the blow is about 20-25 knot Sou-Easterlys.

Yes, this day at the beach was attended by some of the usual kayak crew namely : Flounder, Dano, Tarzan, JT, Freckles and TimMe. There were a number of small challenges to be had.....we now know why surfing is such an addictive sport for the lads down south (Even though these breakers only reached the dizzying heights of one metre). Nevertheless, it was great fun had by all.

The first challenge of the day was to be able to get into your kayak, get the deck on, hold the paddle close whilst being shuffled about by the everpresent waves. You then need to shuffle forward somehow and be patient to get the growing depth of water under your boat.

We all now know the feeling a baby turtle has in it's desperate attempt to get from the hatchery and into the safe haven of the ocean. It is a slow process.


Your next challenge is to battle the constant breakers that come your way. Be prepared to have your nostrils stinging with salt and the dry parched taste of the beach on your tongue.

As Freckles had stated for the day, it is great balance practice and your brace stroke gets a work-out.

Once out past the breakers, the waves do settle down. You can meet, converse on the laws of nature, and then be ready to catch your wave.

Your next challenge is looking for the next suitable wave. This in itself is a little harder than our actual surfing colleagues, as they are not restrained by full gear and limited vision. But you do get the feeling of being part of the surfers set when you learn to get ready for that wave you are hoping for.

The next challenge for you would be to jockey the kayak into position, paddle your heart out to get to the required speed of the wave, and once on the wave, lean back and steer with the rudder strokes to enjoy the ride.

The only thing is you must be mindful of when the wave is just about to end, be ready to ditch the wave or become stranded yet again to do the turtle crawl.






Only then you would get that ecstatic feeling as surfers from around the globe will tell you.....riding a wave is the best...."radical duuuuddddeeee !"

Enjoy the attached videos.....





















However, it is suggested and recommended that you do take full gear with you....only for the plain reason of being dumped and have the kayak on top of you burying your face into the gritty sand of the beach.






Remember : as with our cherised river and streams, when paddling our great coasts of this great country, please do not leave anything behind except for your footprints in the sand, and take out nothing but photos and memories of the day.

Blue Skies



Flounder