Best Kitesurfing Spots In Cape Town

Cape Town, South Africa, attracts some of the best kitesurfers from across the world during the months of October to April. During this time of the year, the waters around Cape Town experience the best conditions for kite surfing as compared to any other part of the world.

The area around Cape Town has a huge variety of beaches, all of which have distinct characteristics that perfectly suit the needs of different kite surfers. From downwind spots, flat water, high and low waves as well as warm and cold water, this area has it all.

Read on below to find out more about kitesurfing in Cape Town, including the perfect spots to engage in this activity.

What Is Kite surfing?

Kitesurfing involves skimming over the surface of the water while standing on a kiteboard or surfboard. The surfer is attached to a harness and holds on to a bar connected to the kite by cables; this bar is used to control the kite.

The best kite surfers can actually jump 30 meters into the air, and travel hundreds of more on the water surface by harnessing the power of the wind.

Now let’s look at the best kitesurfing spots in Cape Town

Best Kitesurfing Spots In Cape Town

Witsands

As one of the most dangerous kite surfing spots in Cape Town, Witsands also offers enthusiasts a great opportunity to enjoy a one of a kind experience. Here, the winds continuously hit the small bay which also receives some big waves. If you are not careful, you might end up floating in the open sea, never to be seen or heard from again!

Langebaan

If you are looking to skimp over meters of flat waters, then Langebaan is definitely where you need to go. This part of the cape receives softer winds which make for more relaxed kite surfing. Beginners are encouraged to start here; there are many instructors in the area who can help you get back up in case your kite falls into the water.

Blouberg

This is by far the best kite surfing spot in Cape Town. The direction of the southerly winds makes it possible for surfers to hit waves directly. This actually creates a situation where you can use the waves as your very own ramp. Catapulting meters into the air is so much easier from this spot.

Depending on what kind of traveler you are there are a number of accommodation choices for our stay in Cape Town. You can search Airbnb for options, look on Gumtree for rentals, stay at a backpackers or budget hotel, alternatively you can stay at one of the best boutique hotels in Cape Town.

Breede River Mouth

Another great place for kite surfing on flat water is the Breede River mouth. This spot is farther away from Cape Town and is therefore not as congested as some of the others mentioned above. The winds hit the estuary across a flat part of the water created by a sandbank. This makes it possible for kite surfers to skim right across the river.

Kite surfing has been gaining a lot of popularity over the last few years and Cape Town offers enthusiasts the best spots for a one of a kind surfing experience. The above spots are just a few of the places both beginners and experienced kite surfers can enjoy the thrill of being propelled over the water and into the air by the sheer power of the wind.

Top Rock Climbing Destinations in the World

Rock climbing is an exciting and challenging adventure sports which require the combination of physical strength and mental focus. Rock climbers use their hands and feet to climb up a rock. It is a great exercise that benefits both the physical and mental health.  The body and mind have to be alert and constantly be aware and react in a split second when obstacles come along the way. The sport helps you build muscle and increase your heart rate, but it also enhances your problem-solving skills. Knowledge of how to use ropes, carabiners and harnesses are also required. Despite the fact that this adventure sport is fun, it is also undeniable that it is dangerous. Picking a route that suits the climber’s level is of paramount consideration. Where you go rock climbing contributes to making the rock climbing experience worthwhile. Here the top rock climbing destinations in the world:

Red River Gorge, USA

The Red River Gorge is a canyon system on the Red River in east-central Kentucky. The canyon system features an abundance of high sandstone cliffs, rock shelters, waterfalls, and natural bridges making it a perfect place to go rock climbing. In fact, it is considered one of the most popular climbing meccas east of the Mississippi. The multitude of sandstone and cliff-lines have helped this area become one of the world’s top rock climbing destinations. It has been designated a National Natural Landmark and National Archaeological District, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rock climbing in the Red River Gorge is spread out over a large geographical area. Rock climbers get to choose between a wide region of national forest land and remote areas with sandstone cliffs for all-level climbers. The climbing season is usually between March and June, and peaks again in October.

Pembrokeshire, UK

Pembrokeshire

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is home to 4,500 of the best sea cliff climbs in the UK. Rock climbing has been a popular sport in Pembrokeshire for many years. Pembrokeshire has miles of steep, solid limestone for climbing with spectacular features, big holds and the potential to do some seriously wild climbing above clean blue seas making it one of the top rock climbing destinations not just in the UK but also in the world. The coast from the south round to the north at St David’s offers some excellent and diverse climbing, ranging from bouldering and short slabs for beginners to steep and technical climbs up to E9 standard. The main areas for rock climbers are the limestone cliffs of south Pembrokeshire, particularly around Lydstep, Penally, Stackpole and the Castlemartin MOD ranges.

Frankenjura, Germany

rock climbing destinations

Known for its pocketed limestone and variety of route lengths, Frankenjura is one of the top rock climbing destinations in the world. Frankenjura has over 8,000 established routes, including nearly 300 graded under 5.9. There are approximately 1,000 crags spread out in a beautiful forest terrain, making Frankenjura a perfect rock climbing destination for climbers. There is something for climbers of all abilities from beginners, intermediate climbers, through to top end hard climbers. Beginners can fool around, build up technique and pick up some knowledge by watching the experts go hard on their downtime.

Wye Creek, Queenstown, New Zealand

Wye Creek, Queenstown

Wye Creek offers some interesting sport climbing in a beautiful location. It sits just outside of Queenstown, the “adventure capital of the world,” and is home to an annual climbing festival each January. The area is considered by many as the best rock climbing in the Queenstown region and is known for its incredible scenery and good rock quality. There are 90 routes shared between the left and right branches of Wye Creek. It is set on a cliff overlooking a bright blue, glacier-fed lake, even a short and simple climb feels like you’re on top of the world.

Railay, Thailand

Railay, Thailand

Railay Beach is one of the best rock climbing destinations in the world. It features soaring, dramatic cliffs over the sparkling, blue water that surrounds the tiny island. The Railay Beach which is accessible only by boat has routes ranging from beginner to advanced and plenty of climbing schools and experienced climbing buddies milling around, it’s a great rock climbing destination for climbers at any level.

Top 5 Most Dangerous Sports In the World

Most dangerous sports in the world offers high adrenaline rush and thrill. Generally, sports help build team spirit, character, and sportsmanship. Sports help you grow physically strong and learn to take a few risks. Sports can vary from easy, to adventure to the extreme. Here are the top 5 most dangerous sports in the world.

Wrestling

wrestling

In wrestling, showmanship matters more than anything else. Although we all know that professional wrestling is one big scripted show, we also know that putting on a great show to make people believe in the fight comes at a steep price. It can often get painfully real because of the sheer pressure to be the best and put on the best show possible. To convince the viewers, wrestlers always take a serious pounding. To combat the constant pain, many of them are constantly medicated. Evidence also shows that the continuous head trauma severely damages the brain like the tragic case of Chris Benoit. He developed severe dementia as a result of the repeated concussions which went largely unnoticed until a 3-day breakdown in which he killed his wife and son and then hung himself by a rope.

Bull Riding

bull-riding

This is a rodeo sport that involves staying mounted on a bull for as long as possible while the bull tries to buck off the rider. With no safety equipment and only a rodeo clown to draw away the sharp horns, bull riding is the most dangerous 8 seconds in sports. The deaths may occur as a result of the fall which simply cannot be prevented, which is, in fact, the very point of the sport. It has been considered as one of the most dangerous sports in the world with damage to the neck, head, and face, as well as concussions, accounting for most of the injuries. This sport, however, is considered a great favorite with the extremely macho men who like to boast about their high testosterone level and are ready to take on any pain for the sake of it. Wearing protective vests made of ballistic material was made compulsory in 1989 after a bull gored and punctured the heart of cowboy Lane Frost. This and other protective measures have brought down the number of accidents in the sport since.

Big Wave Surfing

big wave surfing

Big wave surfing is a discipline of surfing in which surfing maestros paddle into or are towed onto waves which are ludicrously big with the height of at least 20 feet. The most coveted crown is to ride an intimidating 100-foot wave which offers a prize a $100,000. Drowning, by being pulled under by the current, by smashing your head against hidden rocks, or by being whacked by the board are the biggest hazards of this sport which could result in death.

Base Jumping

most dangerous sports

Jumping off a building isn’t for the faint of heart, neither is jumping out of a plane or off a mountain. That is why this is one of the most dangerous sports. BASE jumping was first developed by Carl Boenish in 1978 it has grown in popularity since.  BASE is actually an acronym for the type of objects people jump off. It stands for Buildings, Antennas (like a tower), Spans (like bridges) and Earth (like natural formations like cliffs, canyons, and etc.). These are the fixed structures from which individuals hurl themselves. BASE jumping is essentially parachuting. BASE jumpers climb to the top of tall buildings, jump off, free fall and float to the ground with a parachute to keep them from landing to their deaths. Apart from the obvious risk of jumping from hundreds of feet above, there’s a chance of being thrashed by the wind. This sport is actually lethal. Most of the deaths occur when parachutes fail to deploy and the jumper crash into the ground or obstacles like power lines.

Mountain Climbing

mountain climbing

Mountain climbing includes hiking, rock climbing, and crossing glaciers. Mountain climbing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world because every element of this activity is risky. Mountain climbing essentially involves the risky activity of climbing up and down the highest of natural rocks, i.e. mountains. Most mountain climbers go up mountains as a hobby or as a recreational activity. Mountain climbers use the strength of their arms and legs to climb up mountains. Many mountain climbers use ropes and wear special shoes and safety equipment. Climbing can twist ankles, sprain muscles, tear ligaments, break bones, injure your back, suffer frostbite or even suffer a concussion.  Climbers can be seriously injured or even killed from falling, being covered in an avalanche of snow, or getting too cold.

 

Some Of The Best Wingsuit Flying Destinations Worldwide

If you have decided to attempt a very exciting new hobby called wingsuit flying, this is going to be a hobby that you will enjoy. If you have ever seen a flying squirrel before, it functions in a similar manner. You are literally in a suit that allows you to have extensions, giving you the ability to increase your lift. They are also called birdman suits, and there are places all over the world where you can fly these and see the most amazing scenery around you. You will often see videos of this where people are wearing their GoPro camera and they are able to do base jumping from high above. Here is an overview of where some of the best places are to do wingsuit flying that you ought to try out.

Why These Need To Be Different Than Skydiving Locations

Part of the reason that you will want to choose spots that are specifically designed for people that are going to wingsuits is that instead of just jumping out of an airplane and landing, you are actually flying over the landscape that can be very exciting and dangerous. You will often start at the top of the huge mountain, overlooking beautiful scenery, and as you drop down you will be flying at high speeds right over the sloping terrain. This is why you need to choose specific areas which are not only beautiful, but have been done by others that have tested this before. Essentially, you are looking for any mountainous area where there are ravines, slopes, cliffs, gullies, all of which will make your jump more exciting.

Mont Blanc – France

You are going to start at the top of this mountain which is almost 16,000 feet above sea level. It is literally the highest peak in the Swiss Alps. It attracts hikers every year, but many people do much more than simply hike up to the top of the mountain. They are actually jumping off of the edge. Even though it may take eight hours to get to the top of the mountain, when they fly off in their wingsuit, it takes about three minutes to get to the bottom. They are actually coming within 20 feet of rocky cliffs and reaching speeds of over 100 mph, which is what makes this such an astounding jump.

Yosemite National Park – United States

If you are in the United States, not only is Yosemite National Park a sight to behold, but it’s also a great place to do base jumping. Most people go to Taft Point which is close to glacier point, and you will get to see Yosemite Valley, but El Capitan off to the side. There is a vertical drop of about 700 feet, a winding valley, it is a beautiful jump for most people. It’s only about 3000 m, so it is relatively short, but the scenery helps you make up for all of it.

Although wingsuit flying is relatively new, as the designs continue to improve, along with safety measures, more people will get into this sport. It really does take a lot of skill, and if you have never done this, there is the possibility that you could get hurt. However, as more locations are found where people can do this in practice, it will allow people that might be apprehensive to try the easier falls. It really is fun and if you do get a chance to do this, it will be something that you will always remember because of the beautiful scenery, speed, and the exhilaration of the experience.

Finding The Best Mountain Bike Countries

Picking and choosing the best mountain bike countries can help you really enjoy your time. If you are planning on traveling to different countries to be able to go mountain biking, you are likely going to want to do your research to pick and choose the right countries. There are plenty of things that you should be considering when it comes to finding the right one to travel to. Below, we will be going over some of the things that you can look for in order to choose one.

Finding The Best Mountain Bike Countries:

1. Terrain – What Kind of Terrain Is Offered?

One of the primary things that you should be looking at when it comes to finding the best country to choose is the terrain. You want to try to choose the country that has the best possible terrain because it will go long ways towards ensuring that you are able to have a good time with your mountain bike. If you are looking for a challenge, you might want to opt for a country with a lot of hills. Whereas, if you are someone that is just starting off, perhaps you opt for a terrain that is much more manageable.

An new option that has become available in the last few years is to go on an E-Bike tour. E-Bikes are electric bicycles that allow those who are not quite as strong as fit as a young serious mountain biker to still enjoy the mountains and everything mountain biking has to offer.

2. Cost – Is It Within Your Budget?

Another thing that you are going to want to consider when it comes down to choosing the right county to consider is the cost. The cost that you are going to be spending on your entire trip should be considered because it can make a big difference in determining whether or not you are able to really have a lot of fun on your trip without going over your budget.

3. Safety Concerns.

Another important factor that should be considered that you do not want to avoid looking at is the safety concerns involved with each country in question. There are going to be countries out there that are safer than others. This is an important consideration to make especially for those that enjoy going biking in the mountains and off road biking. After all, you want to be sure that you are going to be safe throughout your entire trip. You not only want to figure out how much crime is prevalent where you are planning on going, but also how many bikers might get hit while riding in the country. These are both major safety concerns that have to be considered and addressed.

4. Do They Offer Rentals

You cannot always take your bike with you so it is important to find out if the country and area you are traveling to offer bike rentals. Bike rentals are not enough, you need to make sure they have the right kind of Bikes available to rent for the type of riding you are planning on doing and if they will allow you to use the bikes for your purposes.

Overall, there is a lot of different things to look at when you are attempting to find the right country to travel to. When it comes to finding the best mountain biking countries, these are likely going to be the main factors that you are going to want to factor into your decision. Not only does your budget matter, but you also want to make sure that you find one with a suitable terrain for your skill and endurance level along with the safety that the country has not only in general but for bikers as well.

Overview Of Chris Burtish And His SUP Atlantic Crossing

Chris Burtish is an individual that has just completed one of the most incredible trips of a lifetime. On a modified paddleboard, he was able to travel across the Atlantic Ocean. He started from Morocco and ended up all the way to Antigua. It took him 93 days. During that time, he would paddle as much is 15 hours a day, going a distance of over 4000 miles. To imagine that an individual could do this without encountering dangerous situations such as shark attacks, or rogue waves, clearly, shows that it is possible. He is an avid surfer, having one a contest years before, so he is no stranger to waves and the water.

What Is SUP?

This is an acronym for standup paddle boarding. This is where you will see people with oars, standing on the water, paddling along. It takes a great deal of balance, and most of these are very small, similar to a regular surfboard. However, to make a journey that would take you out over the Atlantic Ocean, this would require something a little larger. Not only would it need to be more aerodynamic, but there should be a place where you could actually sleep and not be affected by creatures in the water, or by incredible waves that could knock you over. These are obstacles that were part of the design of the paddleboard that he was able to use. It is for that reason he was able to be as safe as possible traveling thousands of miles across the Atlantic.

How Does He Feel After The Voyage?

He feels fantastic, despite the fact that he just finished battling across the Atlantic Ocean. He said it was a completely different type of fitness, and he is just happy to have completed the trip and that he is alive. He will be traveling with a friend to go surfing after this trip, but for the most part, he is feeling great. He also feels great for a completely different reason. It has to do with how many people he has helped. There were many people counting on him making it a crossed, and because of that, many people and children will receive the help that is in need of food and medical attention.

What Was His Primary Objective for Doing This?

Part of the reason for doing this was to show people that anything is possible. No matter what you aspire to do, you can achieve it. He was able to raise money for charities, help feed thousands of children and help kids that need certain types of operations. He has also worked with turtle rehabilitation, and that’s why his journey from Morocco to Antigua is so important. It follows the loggerhead turtle migration patterns, and he was actually able to see dolphins, whales, and many other aquatic creatures that would swim along with him out in the water.

Was He Ever Frightened During The Trip?

He stated that there were times when he was slightly nervous, but because of his persistence in the water throughout his life, he just eventually got into the flow of the sea. He actually felt at one with the water, and despite times where he believed there may have been sharks, they did not put him in any danger. He said the key was to be adaptive and flexible. It was how he was able to overcome any obstacles and keep a positive mental attitude.

What Are His Plans Afterwards?

Now that this is done, this may inspire many other people to make the same journey. It is a journey that you will definitely have to be in shape for. To imagine that he was able to paddle across the entire Atlantic Ocean is an amazing feat of physical endurance, not to mention mental endurance, especially at night when you could not see what was going on.

This is a story that should motivate anyone to think about their own situation and realize that what they are facing may not be that difficult. To imagine that someone could paddleboard several miles over the ocean is one thing, but to go across the entire Atlantic Ocean, on nothing but a paddleboard, this should show people that they really could strive to achieve anything.

The Top 5 Adventure Sports

If you are the adventurous type, no doubt you are interested in learning about the top adventure sports that you can engage in. In this article, we will discuss just that so you can be out enjoying yourself in no time.

1. Rock Climbing

The first adventure sport on our list is rock climbing. Rock climbing is not just a challenge to your body, but one to your mind as well. You can go to what is called a rock climbing gym, which will have manufactured hand and foot holds, or you can get out in nature to climb.

When rock climbing, you can practice bouldering, which is when an individual climbs without being roped in and stays below ten feet, or you can belay, which means being roped in. You need to be roped when you begin to climb at any unsafe height. Rock climbing, when done regularly, is not only fun, but it conditions your body and builds your strength. It is recommended that, if you have never before climbed, you start at a rock climbing gym. You can really take advantage of the community and learn to climb safely when you get to know veterans of the sport.

2. Hiking

Another great adventure sport you can enjoy is hiking. Chances are there are some lovely trails you can explore within the state that you live, so if you are interested in hiking, research where you can go that’s close to you.

It is recommended for beginners that, when you start hiking, you begin slow. Start with trails that do not have much of an incline, and that are not longer than you can handle. Some trails go on for miles and miles, and some experience is needed when you hike to the extreme like this.

3. Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is one of the best adventure sports you can get into, due to the fact that you can see some fantastic sights in the water. There are lots of sights to see, such as marine life and even sunken ships. If you decide to enjoy scuba diving, the good thing is that you can dive almost anywhere in the world. There are also companies that will offer packages for diving so you can safely explore the waters safely and under supervision.

4. Snowboarding/Skiing

If you live where it commonly snows during the cooler season, you may find that taking up a snow sport suits you. Two of them that we recommend are snowboarding and skiing. Snowboarding involves putting both of your feet on one board, and when skiing, you have a ski on each foot. You may want to try both in order to find which set up you like best, or you may find that you enjoy both equally.

5. Hunting and Fishing

Hunting and fishing alike present an excellent opportunity to enjoy a sport, while also exploring nature. You can hunt and fish, when having the proper licensing, in property that is not private.
Not only can you quench your thirst for the adventure you crave, you can enjoy eating a meal that you yourself earned.

In conclusion, if you like adventure, there are sports out there that you may find appeal to you. If you have not done so previously, try the sports mentioned in this article. You’ll be glad you did.