FITNESS
Langebaan Lagoon, West Coast If paddle-boarding had a natural home, it might be here. The lagoon’ s turquoise shallows are calm, wide, and warm, with Cape Sports and other local outfits offering daily rentals. Children as young as six can try it with child-sized paddles, and small kids can sit up front with a parent on gentle water. Between sessions, grab a picnic in the dunes or drift to a café barefoot.
Knysna Lagoon, Garden Route Knysna is SUP’ s laid-back cousin; all easy mornings, reflections, and bird calls. Ocean Odyssey and other guides launch from Leisure Isle, where the water feels like glass. Teens love it; adults find their shoulders again. If you stay until sunset, the lagoon glows amber and even falling in feels intentional.
Witsand, Breede River Mouth For those who prefer quiet to crowds, the Breede River’ s estuary at Witsand is open, scenic, and chockfull of birdlife. Rentals through local lodges mean you can step from your room onto the board. The water shifts with tide and current, so stick close to the river mouth if you’ re new. Bring a camera and an appetite, this one’ s as much about peace as motion.
Minimum age: Most schools start lessons from six years old, provided the child can swim. Sharing a board: Fine on flat water; small kids( under 25kg) can ride seated on a parent’ s board. Gear: Life jacket, leash, hat, sunscreen, and drinking water. A wetsuit only matters on the Atlantic coast. Time of day: Early mornings are calmest. Wind builds after lunch almost everywhere. Cost range: About R250 – R400 per hour for rentals, R500 – R800 for beginner lessons with instruction. Safety: Always ask local instructors about wind and current before heading out.
SUP is now active in at least four provinces. Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape; each with its own water personality: Lagoon calm, beach pulse, river drift, or dam reflection; pick your mood and match your balance. Paddle-boarding makes the South African summer less about speed and more about flow. Everyone looks graceful standing up, until they fall in. And that’ s half the fun.
SUMMER 2025 / 26 • rovesa. co. za | 69