by SFT | Jul 29, 2025 | St Francis
By Richard Arderne
A few reasons why paddlers enjoyed the Pam Golding Canals Winter Doubles Challenge on Saturday morning, 19 July 2025
1. JBay surfing had finished the day before (well done Connor )
2. It was sunny with a light breeze ☀️
3. The breeze was easterly with a dropping swell, so surfing was mediocre or worse
4. It was a fairly high tide, great for paddling in the canals
5. Complimentary coffee and rusks before the start ☕️
The Start
6. Complimentary boerie rolls, cool drinks and beer afterwards
7. One lucky paddler, Rick Betts from Port Alfred, took home the Carbonology lucky draw paddle
The Carbonology Lucky Draw Paddle
8. There were also a few lucky draw Rack & Paddle accessories
9. It was an opportunity to paddle double our usual time trial distance … without a cut-off time
10. It was an excellent chance of riding slip in a bunch (thanks, Jaco and Janine )
11. Many paddlers would be enjoying the excellent Pam Golding Red on the evening after the race
12. R6000 in cash for category winners
13. More importantly, enjoying the camaraderie of paddling in a bunch (thanks Jaco and Janine ) and the drink and chat afterwards
The 20km podium and trophy, and cash handover
14. Prizegiving finished in time for the Lions-Oz rugby
15. It was a chance to rub shoulders with Olympic paddler, Andy Birkett, now a regular St Francis visitor … plus the regular crew of locals, PE and Plett paddlers
PS 1
Unsurprisingly, Olympic paddler Andy Birkett won the main 20km race in his K1 (after paddling a 10km warm-up before the start!), but being a doubles race, the red-hot pair of under-18s, Matt Coetzer and Liam Stephenson, took the trophy and R3500.
PS 2
I was finished after 20km, despite perfect conditions and Andrew and I riding Jaco and Janine’s slip for about 19.5km
Over 65 winners in the 20km race
PS 3
Thanks very much to all who helped, especially Kath Bowren and Carol Rothero, who stood in for our timekeeper, Mandy McGregor, who wasn’t well. Dave and Marie Louw manned the coffee and rusks station, and Ken McGregor, Ross Anderson, Charlie Jonsson, and Andrew Bowren braaied. Jane Arderne took videos (and Raffy played with Sharkey )
Read more: Yet Another Pam Golding Paddling Race This Saturday – The Pam Golding Canals Winter Doubles Challenge!
by SFT | Jul 29, 2025 | St Francis, Surf Editorial, Surf News, Surfing South Africa
All photos @keahlophoto
Young Guns, Glacial Winds, and Roadworks that Test the Soul
A young crew of St Francis Bay surfers (and their long-suffering parents) headed down to compete in the 2025 Hurley Junior Surf Classic over the weekend, returning with some incredible results, a mild case of hypothermia, and a few hundred photos of those parents holding coffee mugs with (alleged) triple shot Kahlua coffees in them while feigning concern for their little ones.
The Venue: Victoria Bay, George-adjacent
It’s a fairly straight drive on the N2 from Humansdorp to Victoria Bay—three hours on a good day, which this was not. Once you hit the Wilderness roadworks, things take a turn. From there, it’s an exciting, edge-of-your-seat 4km shuffle through a single lane of stop-and-go madness, accompanied by the soothing chorus of jackhammers, frustrated holidaymakers, and workers leaning on shovels in full reflective gear. It adds at least an hour and a half to your journey and subtracts several years from your life expectancy. No one’s quite sure what’s being built. Possibly a time machine. Or a tunnel to Elands Bay.
The Weather: Freezing to Very Freezing
Victoria Bay in winter is best described as “brisk,” or if you’re over the age of 45, “Oh My Eff! It’s So Cold, Why Did We Effing Come Here!” Morning temps were a fresh 7 degrees C. The sun made brief appearances, but mostly just to mock. The surfers had to peel off their steaming wetsuits with their fingers numb and teeth chattering.
The Conditions: Small, Quite Big, Big, Very Big, Huge.
The waves were consistent, ranging from big to full-on overhead straight closeouts from Vic Bay to Plett. Heats ran in everything from head-high peelers to overhead chunks that sent boards flying and a few parents sprinting to the rocks while coaches looked on bemusedly. “They must learn,” one coach was heard saying, as a surfer who had lost her board as well as the heat, visibly emotional, went through her somewhat heartbreaking and very public five stages of loss. There was denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, in the time it took her to clamber over the frozen rocks. At least she got to acceptance. It was like watching a very live, very short Netflix documentary. Emotional moments, as tissues were handed out amongst a few of the moms who were clasping those suspicious coffee mugs
The Performances: Sharp, Committed, and Occasionally Existential
Despite the arctic breeze and Hawaiian-style swell, the St Francis crew showed serious form. There were big turns, stylish cutbacks and down-carves, and one or two massive hooks for the big scores. The groms showed guts, grit, and good manners in the face of unpredictable sets and an impassive judging tower.
The Parents: Veteran Support Crew
Fuelled by bean bags, rusks, and borderline weaponised thermoses of coffee, the St Francis parents formed a solid sideline squad. They clapped for everyone (even a JBay kid, once), and whispered quietly about wave choice, heat strategies, and if it was worth the drive to the Garden Route casino for a break in scenery.
Local Surfers Shine
Summer Harding –
Wins the U12 girls’ event, and finishes 4th in the U14’s.
Summer Harding
Leo MacLeod –
Places second in the U12 Boys and 4th in the U14’s.
Leo Macleod
Slayde Shooter –
Gets a second in the U14 boys and semifinals in the U16’s.
Slayde Shooter
Luc Jackson –
U4 quarterfinals.
Sophia Jackson –
U16 semifinals, U18 semifinals, Expression Session second place and R650 for a sick frontside close-out turn.
Sophia Jackson
Sophia (left) and the Expression Session winners
Rylan Jarvis –
U18 semifinals.
Rylan Jarvis
Jack Erank –
U18 quarterfinals.
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Check out more photos on the Surfing South Africa Instagram account.
See the current South African Surf Tour rankings here.
Further reading: Why You HAVE To Visit Mossel Bay – Another Episode In Our Delightful Travel Series – Notes From The Editor
by SFT | Jul 29, 2025 | Notes From The Editor, St Francis
Why You Should Definitely Visit Mossel Bay This Winter
Looking for the perfect winter holiday spot where coastal charm meets light industry and a hint of doubtful optimism? Welcome to Mossel Bay, the seaside town that somehow manages to be overbuilt and underwhelming, all at once. It’s where old people thrive, great white sharks cruise the lineup, and nobody’s quite sure if that was fog or just refinery exhaust.
Here are 11 compelling reasons why Mossel Bay should be at the top of your winter travel list.
1. Concrete. The Real Coastal Aesthetic.
Sure, other towns flaunt forests, mountains, and quaint markets, but Mossel Bay knows better. Here, the real attractions are retaining walls, security gates, and tasteful beige paintwork. If you’ve ever wanted to holiday in a place that feels like a secure complex with mild sea views, Mossel Bay delivers, in slabs.
2. There Is a Cool Casino
Forget boring retail therapy, Mossel Bay cuts straight to the action. The Garden Route Casino is your one-stop shop for flashing lights, questionable life choices, and that weird sticky carpet smell that says, “one day I will rue.” You might not win big, in fact, you won’t win, so there’s that.
3. It Has the Oldest Newspaper and a Post Office That’s Literally a Tree
History is alive and well in Mossel Bay, mostly in print. The Mossel Bay Advertiser has been faithfully documenting missing pets, flower competitions, and municipal outrage since the early 1900s, making it one of South Africa’s oldest continuously published newspapers. Think of it as a time capsule, with a classifieds section.
And then there’s the original post office, which is a tree. Back in 1500, sailors left letters in an old shoe under a milkwood for passing ships to collect. It worked about as well as you’d imagine. Today, it’s the town’s most photographed attraction and solid proof that Mossel Bay invented Dropbox 500 years ago.
4. Plenty Of Sharks and Shark Sightings.
Mossel Bay is basically a gated community for great white sharks. They like it here. The water’s warm, and the seals are plump. Bonus: You can go cage diving and stare your own mortality in the face, for a small fee and a bigger panic attack.
A man swimming at Mossel Bay, yesterday
5. The Traffic Is a Spiritual Test
Despite only having a handful of roads, Mossel Bay has somehow mastered the art of total gridlock without growth. School runs, holiday bottlenecks, and end-of-the-day rush to the pub all combine to create a marvellous daily logjam. It is best to determine your optimal travel times.
6. That Deliciously Industrial Scent
Ah, breathe it in. That’s not sea air, friend. That’s the sweet perfume of fishmeal, diesel, and economic development. The scent clings to your car, your dreams, and your Woollies rotisserie chicken. Locals call it progress. You’ll call it something else.
7. Climate So Good It Attracts Absolutely Everyone
Yes, Mossel Bay has one of the world’s most moderate climates, and no, they won’t let you forget it. The weather’s lovely. All the time. They will tell you. Which is why there are a lot of people living there, or thereabouts.
The beautidul climate, that everyone knows about.
8. The Great WhatsApp Web of Mossel Bay
There are hundreds of WhatsApp groups, each more cryptic and exclusive than the last. Want to know why the water’s brown today? Too bad. You’re not on the “Hartenbos North-East Sewer Watchtower B-group” thread. And good luck getting added, as the admins vote at the pub, amidts raucous laughter, on whether newbies are added or not.
9. Everything’s Being Built, Just Not for You
Want to live here? So do a lot of people. Which is why property developers are erecting tasteful estates with names containing ‘fynbos’, ‘lighthouse’, and ‘breakers’ on land where fynbos no longer exists, there are no lighthouse views, and the breakers are 8 km away as the crow flies, and 45 minutes in traffic. You’ll pay coastal prices for distant mountain glimpses or a house in a roadside valley that actually only gets direct sunlight for 30 minutes a day in winter. There is no chance of solar there, but Mossel Bayians don’t need solar (see point 11). Anyway, these houses are built with bigger fireplaces, so there. We did see a house called ‘DankieMaDankiePa,’ which was pretty cool.
10. You’ll Never Run Out of Things to Complain About
Is it the parking at Inner Pool? The price of a cappuccino? The guy doing donuts with his bakkie at midnight outside the boxy flat you’re renting for R2,900 a night? Mossel Bay offers endless opportunities for righteous indignation, which makes it perfect for people who think Cape Town is too pretentious.
11. The Place Where the Lights Never Go Out
Mossel Bay doesn’t get loadshedding. Apparently, it never has. While the rest of the country is braaiing toast in the dark, you’ll be charging your electric toothbrush and streaming vintage rugby uninterrupted. Why? Because Mossgas is right there, and it needs to stay on. It’s not pretty, but it’s reliable.
Lights on at Inner Pool
So this winter, ditch the overhyped tourist traps. Come to Mossel Bay, the town where the surf’s a little sharky, the air’s a little fishy, the Spur is quite lekker, and the electricity’s always on. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest.
Initial Reader Comments
BrendaFourie77
We came for a quiet coastal break. My husband loved the casino. He also loved Mandy at the blackjack table. We’re separating.
⭐☆☆☆☆
Koos_69
Not a single power cut the whole time. I charged every device I own, including my neighbour’s. Ate a Gatsby bigger than my head from the garage at 2 am and saw a man riding a horse down the main street. Five stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ShazFromBenoni
The ocean smells funny, and the beach sand got in my vape. I asked where the beach club was, and someone pointed me to the Pick n Pay.
⭐⭐☆☆☆
VisVisser1972
Good weather, confusing energy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lolla
The dog beach is not properly fenced. Our Pomeranian ran into the waves chasing a seagull, and we had to coax her out using a large Vienna sausage. Also, strong fish smell. My husband thought it was me. Arsehole. Tense drive home.
⭐⭐☆☆☆
Braam_vanB
Nice place, but weird vibes. Got added to a WhatsApp group without asking. Thought it was about municipal updates, but they just keep talking about ‘the gate’ and someone named Alta who ‘knows too much.’
⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Alta
I know nothing about the gate. Please delete that comment.
⭐☆☆☆☆
Poepie
We were told the topless bar was behind the Spar. It isn’t. What is behind the Spar is a very scruffy man called Frikkie who sells homemade vape juice.
⭐☆☆☆☆
PrettySureThatWasntHer
Saw a man staring out to sea, watching the surfers, whispering, ‘She’s still down there.’ No one else seemed concerned.
⭐☆☆☆☆
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See also: Oh, Dear, we have to go to Durban – notes from the editor
Further reading: Cheap Bus Tickets from Mossel Bay to Durban
Further info: Cheap flights from Mossel Bay to absolutely anywhere else in the world
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