Oxwich Bay Kayak Fishing Competition 2014

This year was bigger than ever!

The Oxwich Kayak Fishing Competition is simply the biggest kayak fishing event of the year in the UK, with anglers travelling from far and wide to meet at Oxwich Bay located on the stunning Gower Peninsula.

A record breaking 141 kayak anglers competed on the day, making the event a huge success having drawn in people from as far away as Scotland and Ireland.

The Oxwich Kayak Fishing Competition is organised and run by the South Wales Kayak Anglers, in partnership with sponsors including Escape Watersports, Palm Equipment, System X, Wilderness Systems, Raymarine, Tronixpro, Scotty, Werner and Sealect Designs.

Oxwich is ultimately a friendly, catch and release event, with plenty of prizes and goodies going out to the entrants whether they caught the most species, the biggest fish, or nothing at all.
A big congratulations to everyone who managed to win a prize, the top three were as follows:


1st place - John Fannon -  £1000 Palm Equipment Gear
2nd place - Martin Collinson - Custom Wilderness Systems Tarpon Kayak
3rd place - Cyril Cross - £250 Palm Equipment Gear

Following the competition everyone headed to the camp site for a fantastic BBQ, plenty of beers, and a chance to win even more prizes in the raffle. Palm Equipment's very own Paul "Cheesey" Robertson was reborn a kayak fisherman, winning his very own angling set on the night.
We really do have to thank the lads who manned the BBQ, keeping us all fed and in good spirits till the end!

If you missed it this year, you definitely don't want to miss Oxwich 2015!

Summer in Scotland

We love seeing customers enjoying the boats and kit they've bought from Escape Watersports.

Betty and Darek have sent in some fantastic photos of their time paddling across Loch Ness. We only wish we could be there doing it with them!

                                             

Viking Kayaks

Viking kayaks finally landed at Escape Watersports a few weeks back.
Following a long haul from New Zealand, it wasn't long before they were being eyed up by our resident Kayak Angler, Grant.

So a Viking Kayaks Reload was set up with a rudder, loaded onto Grant's car, and set off for a weekend in West Wales. Here's what Grant had to say:

"Quick, smooth, and really easy to paddle".

"When I first saw the Reload, I was instantly impressed with the central Tackle Pod that comes as standard with the boat. This is a definite plus point for any kayak angler, as you no longer have to spend time unplugging electrics and taking kit in and out, you simply pick up the Tackle Pod and stick it in the car!".

"Transporting the boat is made easier by the solid side handles which are great for lifting and carrying, but the Reload really comes into its own on the water.
The sides have been designed so that you aren't catching your hands while you paddle. You get a really smooth paddle stroke, lots of speed, and has already made my paddling more confident!".

"Once you've got your Tackle Pod set up, the Reload is a 'grab-and-go' kayak. It's perfect for spontaneous fishing trips, and will be great on a couple of multi-day trips i've got planned!".

Buy Viking Kayaks Reload

New SUPs

New in store are Vandal and Bic stand up paddle boards.

Vandal are known for their windsurfing, but have ventured into the inflatable SUP market and produced a lower cost range for the whole family to enjoy.

The Vandal IQ Touring 12'6 so far has impressed with its good stability and quick speed. Definitely a good board to use on sunny days, touring the coastline, or paddling up and down a good stretch of calm river.

The Bic Dura-Tec is a hard board, but it is pretty lightweight and after a few minutes feels very stable and reacts well on a small wave.
It may not be as good for long distances, but for the money it is definitely worth a look.

Check out our SUPs online, or contact us for more information.

Sunny On The Mellte

It's possibly the Holy Grail of British white water kayaking. A summer run on your favourite spot.

Flood warnings were forecast for this weekend in South Wales, and sure enough the storms came and the rain poured.

Gear packed and ready, we headed to the Mellte. Hopes of a decent run started to fade as the sun kept shining and the clouds cleared on the drive in, but luck was on our side and the river was good to go.

Tom tested out the Kokatat Maximus buoyancy aid, which proved lightweight and non-restrictive making it ideal for running rivers and surfing.

The Summer is here and we are making the most of it, especially during after work surf sessions at Langland Bay.