In the weeks prior to the 2010 edition of the Blyde Xfest, hype and excitement for the weekend was built to a fever pitch by the organizers, Mohlatsi Adventures. For a change the organizers of a kayaking festival in South Africa actually decided to begin planning for the festival well in advance. The result was a record turnout, and an absolutely outstanding festival, with this year’s theme being “I’ve got a lovely bunch of Coconuts”.

On Friday 26 February, myself and two other sons of gut-monkeys (Phia and Mirka) made the drive from Joburg to the ever-warm, ever-beautiful Lowveld. Stopping along the way to buy some cane and vodka for the party, we forgot to get any lunch for on the river the next day. Oh well, we weren’t too worried, and arrived at the Mohlatsi Adventures camp overflowing with the excitement of weeks of anticipation, and rapidly tucked into our supplies whilst waiting for other kayakers to arrive. And arrive they did, in their droves. I don’t there have ever been so many kayakers in one place in South Africa. 

At trailer full of boats at sunrise, on the way to the upper Blyde. Festival organiser Deon Breytenbach, who put together a superb event.

The two brave souls who chose to paddle playboats down this section.   

Jay Hyde with his crazy helmet.

Adrian Vroom on one of the upper rapids, before the racing started.

A whole bunch of paddlers on one of bigger rapids. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many paddlers on a river in South Africa.

Lots and lots of coloured boats!

Folks scouting Log Waterfall. It’s not really a waterfall, but does have a log, and a very nasty siphon. Most people walked this.

There’s also a nasty undercut. Here, Paul is busy taking a closer look at the underneath of it. 

And breaking his paddle, which Andrew Kellet was kind enough to retrieve. Shane Raw, Log Waterfall. 

Hannes Pienaar, Log Waterfall.

Leon and Dean checking out Alley’s Staircase.

Checking out the racing line.

The crowd of competitors/spectators.

Uno de Waal going hard.

Shane Raw with some serious speed.

Luke Longridge racing with hand paddles. Deon Breytenbach going backwards with hand paddles.

The upper Blyde River (actually recently renamed the Mohlatsi River, but always the Blyde to most South African kayakers) is one of the most beautiful rivers anywhere in the world, flowing down the world’s deepest green canyon. The entire canyon is a pristine nature reserve, and access on the river is limited to 40 people. Since the organizers (Deon and his lovely wife, Ronel ‘Rubyshoes’ Strauss) announced the dates for the festival months in advance, the trip down the upper Blyde was entirely sold out for the festival, and paddlers from all over the world made the trip (we had paddlers from France, Canada, the UK, Swaziland, and even from the Republic of Cape Town).

This year the event included a video competition (won by Andrew Kellett), downriver racing (won by Shane Raw, again) a beginners kayak race, a croc race, a kayak ramp freestyle (won by yours truly), and a hand-paddle downriver race (a new addition, which I also managed to win). The upper blyde race was restricted to ‘advanced’ paddlers (i.e. those reasonably comfortable on class III-IV whitewater), and racing took place on Alley’s Staircase, Gutter 2/Curtain Falls, and Camels Humps (Marks Drop/Terminator was looking too hairy at this level) whilst the beginners were accommodated on an easier section of whitewater further downstream. racing down).

Andrew Kellett running Terminator.

Yours truly running Terminator, sideways. I got my line rather wrong… (this is Luke in case you didn’t know who is writing the article. Many thanks Luke, great to have your stuff on here! – Adrian)

Side surfing…

But getting out in the end and avoiding the big-ass undercut just downstream.

Scheepers Schoeman with a rocket-ship impersonation…

Which resulted in a broken paddle.

Scott, Mark’s Drop. Kate Walton, Mark’s Drop.

 

Stefano Sessa taking a dip below Mark’s Drop – he liked the water so much he even swam down the evil-looking natural weir just downstream!

Neil O’Leary, Curtain Falls – the racing was down the chicken line (except for the hand paddle race), as the main drop was looking very juicy. Ant Hoard also on the chicken line, Curtain Falls.

Shane Raw, Gutter 2.

Someone getting a little worked in Gutter 2. Spectators…

Deon Breytenbach running the main line on Curtain Falls with hand paddles.

Adam Gray, running Curtain Falls with hand paddles.

Philip Claassens racing down Camel’s Humps.

Luke Longridge on the kayak ramp. Photo by Jo Fisher.

Daniel Barnard on the kayak ramp. Photo by Jo Fisher.

Luke Longridge, kayak ramp – Photo by Josh Lewis.

Luke Longridge, kayak ramp – Photo by Josh Lewis. Luke Longridge, playing with fire. I’d forgotten that I did this until Josh Lewis sent me the pics. A lot of tequila was drunk that night. 

The Sunday Olifants River trip… good fun.

The Sunday trip – Deon surfing a little wave.

Olifants River scenery. Dean giving some locals a ride on the Olifants.

Basically, the 2010 Blyde Xfest was, in my opinion, the best kayaking festival ever held on South African soil, and a massive success. Make sure you’re there in 2011, on the 29th and 30th of February.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking for the rest… Thanks to all who took pictures for me, and to Josh Lewis for the extra cool night shots.

All words: Luke Longridge. (Thanks a lot for another cool article that you allowed me to publish on my website Luke. For those that don’t know, Luke is also a sponsored Fluid Kayaks Team Paddler. Keep a look out for more great stuff from this superb paddler! – Adrian)
Photography by Luke Longridge, Josh Lewis and however took of Luke.