Leaving the city for canoes & paddling

Canoe, paddling...these words do not form part of my daily or weekly vocab.

When i was tasked with the activity of increasing the publicity & overall awareness of the PPC Nukakamma Canoe Trail, my thoughts were canoeing, when last did i go paddling & what do i know about canoeing. These thoughts soon faded when i realised that this task would include unexplored avenues for me which would be challenging & an outdoor challenge would be good for me.

For over a decade PPC have been involved with the Nukakamma Canoe Trail. A canoe trail based along the Sundays River in Port Elizabeth (PE). PPC have a factory & sales office in PE thus it was decided to get involved with a project which positively contributed and showcased the Sundays River and its environment. The PPC Nukakamma trail is run by Bob & Dee Richards, an active couple who absolutely adore the outdoors, educating others and preserving the environment. An inspiring couple who are 77 &67 years of age &who are more active in their community than your average human being.

I decided that the best way to fully understand the trail, what it offers & how best to promote it would be to experience the trail. This was the best decision as the overnight stay opened up my eyes to a world that i rarely explore. A world which includes no electricity, no laptop, no cell phone, cold showers, no worries, natural beauty, sounds of the river, bunk beds & appreciating the beauty of the night sky.

I went paddling for 4km up & down the sundays river, appreciating the birdlife, sounds of nature and gaining insight into the outdoors which is such a great way to get away from the city & recharge ones batteries. Just being away from the office, even though i was on a business trip i realised that we get so caught up in meeting deadlines, targets & the days really do fly by. Its so important that we take time to do things that we dont normally do, as you may discover that you actually enjoy an activity which you know nothing about, like canoeing for me.

I left PE feeling recharged even though i only got 4 hours sleep due to the sounds of mosquitos & all the other unusual sounds of sleeping in the bush along a river. Canoeing & sleeping under the stars is definitely a must to recharge our batteries & leave the hustle & bustle of life.