Adrian Tregoning

The Molenaars with Sunshine and a Wee Bit of Snow

The Molenaars is usually paddled in some rather ugly conditions. The good old Cape of Storms releases a little extra wrath into the Du Toits Kloof so when we decided to hit the Molenaars early the next morning and the weather predicted sunshine I was sceptical...

We arrived quite early to a beautiful morning with loads of sunshine just like they said. The air was still fresh and there was a fair amount of snow on the mountains around us. It was truly a splendid way to enjoy the morning and the guys wanted to hook it before work!

Our crew consisted of Uno and Meyer de Waal, Rowan Walpole, Alistair Roberts and I. So the five of us climbed into the river and headed down. It was my second trip down this river with my first one being with Rowan at a much higher level. The river was far more placid now and the going from the put in down to Hotel Rapid a sleepy haze. Hotel Rapid was still fun and a really lekker to run. The clear, cold water with the solid scenery reminded me so much of Norway again. There were no problems and the journey continued.

Rowan Walpole at the put in. This river produces good rainbow trout too!

Paddling down between the put in and Hotel Rapid.

Meyer de Waal with Alistair Roberts just behind him.

Snow on the hill tops next to the Molenaars. What a place!

More of the beautiful Molenaars! These rapids are very lekker with loads of water. This would be considered quite a low level.

More rapids came and went and we joked about people being stuck in traffic or slaving away at work already. We truly were privileged to be there on that morning and although the river was not very challenging it was still just plain fun! Some of the rapids are still quite technical and beginners would naturally still find it rather daunting. For us it was one hundred percent pure pleasure.

I ran the weir on the far right while the other guys portaged. Be careful of this thing. There is a wooden cross next to it...

The weir is past the halfway point. Be careful, it can beat you...

Rowan Walpole getting back into his boat. Note the cross behind him. I wonder if someone was wiped out at this weir!

Meyer de Waal (right) and Rowan Walpole (left) on another rapid a little further down.

Idling down between rapids, love the scenery here.

Rowan Walpole coming through the last part of the final rapid.

Alistair Roberts doing it a little differently!

From left: Uno de Waal, Meyer de Waal, Rowan Walpole and Alistair Roberts.

All too soon we arrived at the take out and made our way back to the car. This certainly made life a lot easier and I had visions of Rowan and I walking back the roughly nine kilometres in driving rain and wind like we did the last time. So we piled into the Vito and headed back. What a way to start the day, wouldn’t you say?!

Photography by: Adrian Tregoning

Words by: Adrian Tregoning.

Next article: Back of the Moon paddle