Given the pandemic, our dojo year-end event for 2020 was slightly different than usual: an early morning stroll along Sunrise Beach at Muizenberg picking up litter, clearing seaweed and doing karate on the sand. With happy dogs, energetic kids and sunny weather, the morning was pleasantly spent with friends and family, safely armed with buffs, bin bags and disposable gloves. We did team races running forwards, backwards and sideways along the sand, as well as group kata and movement patterns (and also learned in the process that trying to move seaweed is much more labour intensive than anyone thought, which is where the energetic karate youngsters came in very useful).

The enthusiasm was infectious, and spurred on by watching family (complete with policemen on horses coming to inspect the proceedings), we finished off with kata and some punching before nabbing a quick, cold dip in the ocean and heading home for the holidays.

While different from other year-end events the core elements of karate and outdoor fun with friends and family remained the same, allowing us to send 2020 off in happy spirits, ready for the next year and the next karate adventures to come.

ALI WITTENBERG-SCOTT | 2nd Dan Black Belt