MILES FOR SMILES

Cape Town paddler Richard Kohlers surfski was damaged when after what he believes to be a shark smashed into it.

A man attempting to complete the first solo paddle around South Africa's 2 600km coastline has survived a shark attack on his surf ski in Zululand waters.

Richard Kohler, of Milnerton in Cape Town, set off from Mozambique on Monday and had spent the past three days paddling south down the protected and pristine northern KwaZulu-Natal coast.

His challenge is a 50-day lone paddle to the Orange River mouth on the border with Namibia under the banner of “Paddling for Smiles”, to raise money for children with cleft lips and pallettes.

After paddling 60km on Monday, and 25kms on Tuesday, he set out from Sodwana Bay on Wednesday morning – attempting a marathon third leg to Cape Vidal near the northern reaches of World Heritage-status Isimangaliso Wetland Park.

After around 33km he had been about 5km from the coast, having paddled far out to sea to make maximum use of the warm Mozambiquan current flowing southwards, when what is believed to have been a large shark struck his surfski.

At the time he was going 18km/h on a down-wind run, surfing north-easterly swells.

The animal hit him so hard the ski shot forward and he toppled backwards into the water, unaware of where the animal was.

Extensive damage was wrought on his ski, which cracked under the hull, near the rudder. The steel rudder shaft was rammed into the hull through stengthened fibreglass.

“I thrashed around in the water like a lunatic trying to get back into my ski as fast as humanly possible,” he told the Daily News.

Once he had re-mounted, Kohler began paddling to the shore, with his craft slowly sinking.

After emptying his craft, he realised that he was unable to make contact with his support team, and could not walk 24km to Cape Vidal, so set out to sea again. By chance he came across ski-boat fishermen, who lent him repair materials, which he used to bandage his craft back ashore. Eventually, he limped into Cape Vidal, completing his planned 70km haul.

Kohler received a new Arrow Ski craft from his sponsors in Durban on Wednesday afternoon, and was due to set off at daybreak for the two-day stretch to reach Richard's Bay, before the next stages to Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Agulhas, Cape Town and the long West Coast.

“I had three hours on the water today after the drama, so I've had enough time to make peace with the ocean,” he said. Kohler, who underwent back surgery last year, was in good shape, despite nursing an aching left shoulder.

Family members expressed concern on the “Paddling for Smiles” Facebook page. His sister-in-law, Lindy Kohler, who wrote: “Thank goodness you are ok...We know this little hiccup won't stop you.”

Kohler hopes to raise enough money to enable 200 children to undergo life-changing operations.