Expedition Africa starts at 07h00

Expedition Africa starts on Monday at 07h00. Reports are that the wind has been howling although temperatures are warm. Organiser Heidi Muller says they’ll decide at 05h00 whether the sea paddle will take place as the swell is up and conditions on the water are unpleasant.

The National weather broadcast tonight has issued a warning of swells exceeding four-metres. Heidi says that even out on the deeper water white caps are prominent. She says that today, Sunday, teams were out on the water messing around in the boats (plastic, double, sit-on-tops, no rudder – paddle steer) and that most ended up swimming. With the paddle leg coming after the first 14-kilometre beach run, it wouldn’t be fun to be cold and wet so early in the race (the Cape waters are ccccoooollllddd). Plan B is a harbour-to-harbour option (seven kilometres, it seems). But, even this may not be possible.

Team received their maps at the Saturday night briefing. On Twitter @RobAmyXPDAfrica, racing in Team P.S.Hawkstone posted the course breakdown as:

Leg 1 – 14km hike
Leg 2 – 26km paddle on the sea (weather dependent)
Leg 3 – 36km hike
Leg 4 – 140km cycle (ouch)
Leg 5 – 47km hike
Leg 6 – 105km cycle
Leg 7 – 23km hike
Leg 8 – 24km paddle
Leg 9 – 70km cycle
Leg 10 – 7km hike
Leg 11 – 8km cycle

A Q&A was held at noon on Sunday.

Image from @RobAmyXPDAfrica