The Global Paddling Community

Playspot: South Africa, Parys area, River Vaal, Gatsien.

What's it like

Gatsien (Afrikaans for 'See your ass') is a breaking wave feature that is home to the SA National Freestyle Champs every Febuary.

At low water the top 'chute' is the working playspot. It is small but retentive and is incredibly easy to throw left ends and right roundhouses. It's is deep enough for most longer boats to go vertical.

At higher water levels the proper Gatsien wave about 40 meters downstream begins to work. As the water rises the wave speeds up and has both strongly breaking and greener sections with a smaller pile. Both hole and wave moves are totally attainable.

At most levels eddy access is good on river left and easy to get after a surf. As the water rises the eddy becomes smaller and more difficult to catch. A paddler can however access the wave from river right. This ferry at high water is quite far and a bit of work but totally possible for any fairly competent paddler. At high water the wave is big, more green and really fast. A pourover forms behind the wave, but it looks more malicious than it is. Only a small part of it will work you! Overall Gatsien is a very friendly playspot and very accessible.

How to get there

Take N1 highway from Johannesburg towards Bloemfontien. After about 120 kms turn off at the sign indicating the town of Parys (just before the second toll gate). Turn right onto the R59 and go to Parys. Once in Parys go throught the town (it's small!) and keep gowing on the R59 towrad Vredefort. After some 2.5 kms turn right towards Schoemansdrift (dirt road). At the road fork keep right and you will arriver at Dimalachite Resort/camp site. Access to the hole is available from this camp site. Alternatively call WhiteWater Tarining in parys for different access points.

More info

Best contact is WhiteWater Training in Parys per phone +27 56 811 2597 or per e-mail.

Locals

This is Johannesburg paddlers' home river. It's usually home to some of the best freestyle boaters in the country so you should find some other boaters there. Don't worry. South Africa has no big line ups (10 in the eddy is extreme!).

Fisherman don't really fish there in the rapids. There are 6 rafting companies on the river so you will see lots of rafters and the hole is between two raft operator camps. Never access the river without permssion - but we all know that! No one is aggressive but they may become if you tresspass!

Events

The spot is home to the South African National Freestyle Champs every Febuary. It's a great event with a notorious after-party (seen the idiots diving of trailers onto boats on Wicked Liquid II?). Contact WhiteWater Training, they oganize it.

Info sources

[mail address protected from spambots with javascript] ,  http://www.whitewatertraining.co.za