Simply having emergency equipment on board your boat is not enough. Both you and your entire crew must know exactly where each item is located and how to use it. Even an item as seemingly simple as a life jacket can be difficult to don in a crisis, and there is never time to read the instructions in an emergency. Regular practice sessions can save lives. Read the rest of this entry »
The luxury motorhome must surely represent the ultimate touring vehicle. As a combination of large vehicle and caravan it offers the benefits of both, and allows the traveller the sort of freedoms one would usually find only on a yacht! Passengers, for example, are able to sleep comfortably stretched out while the kilometres speed by.
Modern motorhomes are made for comfort, lightness and aerodynamic efficiency — they’re certainly more evolved than their older relatives. The interior layouts are more sophisticated and well thought out and the specification levels are higher. Although a common complaint is that the smaller versions are underpowered, fuel consumption is an important aspect of touring; while bigger engines have more power and are more exciting to drive, they are very much thirstier. Read the rest of this entry »
During warm weather conditions normal underclothes are more than adequate, but in cold climates, and when motorcycle travelling long distances, some extra protection is required.
Some of the older methods are still used in emergencies, but modern thermal underwear is now taking over. Read the rest of this entry »
If you intend travelling in a large vehicle such as a Kombi, you may wish to try a tent that fits snugly over the vehicle, extending its interior by several square metres. It works somewhat like a carport, and you can still drive the Kombi away — the inside door of the tent matches that of the vehicle, which allows access between the two without them being attached.
For school groups or sports tours of 20 people or more, look in the army surplus stores. The tents you’ll find there are very big, and although they are sometimes used by campers they’re more suited to caterers who hold large functions. They are sturdy but also very heavy, and require many strong hands to put them up and take them down. Such tents are usually associated with school outings, outer-fringe religious group gatherings and soldier-of-fortune reunion weekends. Read the rest of this entry »
Like most things in life, what you get out of an activity is indirect proportion to what you put into it from the start. Vacation time is a precious commodity and it’s worth going that extra mile so that everyone gets the most out of the time spent away from home.
The first decision is obviously where to go. The most important factor here is geography — and how it has been exploited for your advantage. Coastal destinations are fine if you live inland, but people who live close to the sea may hanker after something different. In South Africa we have a wonderful variety of recreational places, and although many offer similar-sounding activities, the experiences can be very different for each one. Read the rest of this entry »
Swimming into the deepest reaches of the ocean is a feat that many divers have experienced to a degree. Some may go below 200 feet (60m), others deeper. All would be lost without the air they bring with them. There is a special breed of diver who can go deeper than most, without air tanks. These freedivers have pushed the limits of unassisted breathing dives to below 400 feet.
Tofreedive to depths of even 50 feet (15m) is an unsettling prospect for all but the strongest swimmers. To dive much deeper requires holding a breath for minutes. In fact, the world’s best freedivers hold their breath for periods that rival many marine mammals. Read the rest of this entry »
Swimming long distances for sport is a challenge that only the most fit and determined extreme athletes pursue. Its roots can be traced back to1875 when Captain Matthew Webb became the first swimmer to cross the English Channel. Since then, crossing the channel has been one of the more defining feats of long distance, or open water, swimming. Open water is the appropriate term, since races and crossings are never held in a pool that would be too easy and lacking danger.
Open Water Swimming races are held globally, and were included in many of the early Olympic Games. Course lengths are usually 5, 10, 15, or 25 kilometers (3-15.5 miles) and require several hours to complete. The courses are set between two points on any large body of water. Some races require athletes to do several laps to complete a given distance, while others may consist of one very long lap. Read the rest of this entry »
Offshore sailboat racing has two distinct disciplines. At one end of the spectrum is singlehanded sailing, where a solitary skipper puts his sailing knowledge, navigational expertise, will—even his life—on the line. At the other is crewed sailing, where crews between 12-20 sailors, specializing in particular tasks, rely upon one another as a team in the quest for victory.
Among the greatest races in the world in crewed racing is the Whitbread Round the World Race. Dubbed the “ultimate ocean race,” it was the first of its kind, with origins dating back to 1973. Read the rest of this entry »
Reports of surfing were first described to the civilized world by Lieutenant James King ofthe British Royal Navy in 1779. He remarked that he’d seen Hawaiians surfing massive “boomers” at Kealakekua Bay. In typical fashion of the self righteous explorers of the period, he described surfing as “most perilous and extraordinary, altogether astonishing and scarcely to be credited.”
Surfing, of course, continued despite the lieutenant’s comments and eventually over 150 years later, under the leadership of legendary Duke Kahanamoku, grew to become the international force in watersports it is today. Duke was the first recognized star of the surfing community. He was so famous that Hollywood stars flocked to Hawaii to meet and be photographed with him. Read the rest of this entry »
While rivers present a potential hazard to those crossing them in the shallows, there is considerably more risk involved if you choose to take to the water in canoe or small boat. Any water-borne activity requires, as a basic rule, that the participants should be able to swim, and wear life-jackets or buoyancy aids at all times when afloat. If these two rules are followed, then a soaking is the worst that can happen in the event of a capsize, unless the water is tidal or fast-flowing.
In wild water or rapids, there is a fair chance of being dashed against rocks, and attempts to swim against the current are likely to be fruitless. Read the rest of this entry »
