X-Account-Key: account2 X-UIDL: UID5712-1106896324 X-Mozilla-Status: 0001 X-Mozilla-Status2: 02000000 Return-Path: X-Original-To: scottwwl@iafrica.com Delivered-To: scottwwl@iafrica.com Received: from prewall01.mweb.co.za (prewall03.mweb.co.za [196.2.42.48]) by mailhost15.mweb.co.za (Postfix) with ESMTP id B74CDAB8E26 for ; Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:59:56 +0200 (SAST) Received: from vex-viruswall04.mweb.co.za (viruswall02.mweb.co.za [196.2.50.228]) by prewall01.mweb.co.za (Postfix) with SMTP id 164A881; Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:59:37 +0200 (SAST) Received: from spamwall13.mweb.co.za ([127.0.0.1]) by viruswall02.mweb.co.za ([127.0.0.1]) with SMTP (gateway) id A023460B0E2; Mon, 13 Feb 2006 18:00:01 +0200 Received: from spamwall13.mweb.co.za (spamwall13.mweb.co.za [196.2.50.207]) by viruswall02.mweb.co.za (nod32smtp); Mon, 13 Feb 2006 18:00:00 +0200 Received: from postwall01.mweb.co.za ([196.2.42.21]) by spamwall13.mweb.co.za (spamwall13.mweb.co.za [196.2.50.207]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with LMTP id 17103-03; Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:59:36 +0200 (SAST) Received: from mail3.denver.wehostwebsites.com (unknown [72.18.129.5]) by postwall01.mweb.co.za (Postfix) with ESMTP id 89B93EDD8; Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:59:44 +0200 (SAST) Received: from UnknownHost [196.38.148.98] by mail3.denver.wehostwebsites.com with SMTP; Mon, 13 Feb 2006 07:43:22 -0700 Message-ID: <015a01c630ac$2c7a5280$820b010a@foreshore.local> Reply-To: "Tony Nicholas" From: "Tony Nicholas" Subject: GBOBA FEBRUARY 2006 NEWSLETTER Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2006 16:44:40 +0200 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_014E_01C630BC.C9A386C0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 X-Declude-Sender: tonynicholas@generalbotha.co.za [196.38.148.98] X-Declude-Spoolname: -1688534408755.EML X-Virus-Scanned: ClamAV using ClamSMTP To: undisclosed-recipients:; This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_014E_01C630BC.C9A386C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable PO BOX 2454 DURBAN 4000 Chairman: Derek McManus Tel. (O): +27 (0)31 3039563 Tel. (H): +27 (0)31 7673719 Secretary:Ernest Nellmapius ernest@bsu.co.za Cell: +27 (0)83 253 7975 Tel (O): +27 (0)31 202 8242 Fax: +27 (0)31) 201 2458 S. A. T. S PO BOX 4515 CAPE TOWN 8000 Chairman: Tony Nicholas cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za Tel. (O): +27 (0)21 421 4144 Fax: +27 (0)21 421 3194 Cell: +27 (0)82 555 2877 Tel. (H): +27(0)21 788 5957 =20 GENERAL BOTHA OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION http://www.generalbotha.co.za FEBRUARY 2006 JOINT NEWSLETTER Should your address details change, please send your updated details to: = Tony Nicholas, cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za, Cellphone: 082 555 2877, = Phone (H): 021 788 5957. Please send any articles you may wish to be included in the Newsletter = to: Dennis Henwood, dhenwood@iafrica.com. Phone (H): +27 (0)21 6716373. = Fax: +27 (0)21 6713816 Visit our website http://www.generalbotha.co.za CAPE TOWN BRANCH EVENTS - MARCH 2006 Bothie Boys in the Cape and those from further a field that are joining = us, please take note of the following important events. Before you turn = the page or fall asleep, please decide on your plans, pick up the phone, = write a fax or e-mail, and make your bookings without fail to: RSVP: - Kathy Nicholas, phone 021-7885957, fax 021 4213250 Email: = cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za =20 a.. Friday 3rd March @ 1800 - Annual General Meeting - Venue: Palmyra = Room, Kelvin Grove Club, Rondebosch.=20 b.. Friday 3rd March @ 2000 - Commissioning Day Dinner - Dress: dinner = suit preferred but suit or blazer and tie acceptable - Cost: R130.00 - = Cash bar available - Wine and port shall be provided by the Association. = Sponsors for this would be welcome. Pre payment would be welcomed by the = Treasurer, details further down in the newsletter.=20 c.. Sunday 5th March @ 1000 - War Memorial Service - The service will = be conducted by Rev. Ralph Thornley. Venue: The Cenotaph on the corner = of Heerengracht and Hertzog Boulevard, Cape Town - In case of inclement = weather the alternate venue shall be at The Mission to Seafarers, Duncan = Road, Table Bay Harbour [opposite the police station] - Following the = service refreshments will be served at The Mission to Seafarers, Duncan = Road, Table Bay Harbour [opposite the police station, SA Marine Corp and = Atlatech].=20 d.. Sunday 5th March @ 1200 - Bring & braai at the Maritime Room, = Survival Centre, Granger Bay - refreshments available at club prices - = fires provided. Note: The 1956 Obies will be holding their group reunion in Cape Town = 3-6 March to coincide with some of the above main events, and in = addition they will have made arrangements for other reunion tours and = functions. For further information contact Peter Rogers Mobile: 082 374 = 6262.=20 DURBAN AGM FRIDAY 17 MARCH AT POINT YACHT CLUB - WARDROOM 1800 for 1830 R70 per head To book call Candy on 031 - 5692585 Comment (Scribe) Extreme sports are a relatively new development on the sports fields and = the TV channels. It has also become very popular here in Cape Town. Folk = are coming here from all over the world as a participants as well as = spectators. They experience the thrills of breaking the sound barrier in = a F16 fighter jet, or soaring the thermals on a hang-glider, or swimming = around Cape Point in freezing shark infested waters, or skateboarding = from Kloof Neck down to Camps Bay at neck-breaking speed. One could even = stretch the point and include cricket taken to the extreme in the Pro-20 = series. All of this and more with the magnificent backdrop of the = mountains and the Fairest Cape. And to add to the list, we have just had = the honour of being the first port of call of a fleet of high-tech = racing machines providing a spectacular display of yachtsmanship. The = 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race is considered an extreme sport. This race is quite revolutionary in many aspects. For a start, it is = difficult to imagine driving a boat in full sail at maximum speed into a = head sea almost to the point of destruction - and some of them have gone = over-the-top and broken their masts, or the boat. They are achieving a = daily distance in excess of 550 miles (greater than 23knots) on the sea = passage Vigo to Cape Town. Secondly, the skippers and crew are all = professional, with grand performance bonuses, and they have professional = backup teams flying around the world to support the boats at their = scheduled stop overs, and sometimes unscheduled pit stops. Thirdly, the = sponsors (Volvo, ABN-Ambro, Ericsson, etc.) have all invested many = millions of Euros into the race, and they claim that the return on = investment on the first leg already exceeds the capital. Fourthly, there = is the spectator aspect. They have a magnificent 'virtual grandstand' = website continuously running on www.VolvoOceanRace.org where you can = watch the progress of the race, including video, at any time and look up = a variety of information on just about anything you wish to ask. It has been described as "purgatory in motion" or "just like living in a = washing machine!" How do the crew manage in this express capsule = pounding through the sea at such speeds? As the boats are buffeted by = enormous waves and spiral down into the troughs, what is it like to = live, work, eat and sleep on board for 18days or so? Well to answer this = question and to have a better understanding, each boat has on board a = small black box called the Wave Height Sensor (WHS) which will monitor = and record vital information on wave heights and frequency, as well as = 'slam accelerations' impacting on the boats hull. From this data = scientists hope to build a clearer picture of the severe demands = offshore sailing places on competitors. The data will be compared to the = 'habitability index', which is a scale designed to quantify the effects = of motion on the human body. This is information has been compiled from = studies on the effects of the g-force in conditions of extreme = repetitive motion in sports such as power boat racing and aircraft = aerobatics. Fascinating stuff! =20 NEWS FROM THE DURBAN CHAIR Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of news emanating from = the Durban Chair. Things have been pretty hectic over the past six = months and not much time to devote to Bothie matters. A while back Roy Martin secured a plaque that was presented to the = Merchant Navy Officers Memorial Club (MNOMC) Durban in 1952 on the = occasion of the 21st anniversary of the Old Boys Association. This year thus sees the 75th anniversary of the Association and the = Durban Branch propose to celebrate the event with a function to = commemorate the event i.e. a candlelight dinner or some other befitting = event. The planned date is towards the end of August 2006 since the Association = was founded on 28 August 1931. This should be a good opportunity for = Obies to meet, along with their better halves, and it is hoped that a = good attendance can be mustered to enjoy the evening. C'mon Obies, many of us won't be around to enjoy the 100th anniversary = so let's make this one a big bash. Good luck to those who anticipate = their presence on the planet in 2031! We had an excellent Christmas lunch last year and 45 Obies attended. = Thanks, once again, to Ray Walker and his Secretary Candy for all their = organising. This year sees the 50th anniversary of the 1956 intake and I look = forward to meeting and renewing acquaintances after such a long time. = The sprit seems to linger forever and the Bothie somehow set the stage = for making ones journey through life such a joyous adventure. During 2005 there were a number of new faces at our monthly luncheons = and I hope 2006 will see this trend continuing. Kind regards, Derek = McManus. DURBAN SCRANBAG - George Foulis is, at the time of writing, delivering = bunkers to a fishing fleet at about 50 degrees south. No doubt he is = experiencing some wild seas down there and hopefully avoiding icebergs. = We hope to see him safely home for our next committee meeting. Allen Pembroke is off to Australia on the 9th of February. Allen will be = officiating at the International World Lifesaving Championships "RESCUE = 2006" at Lorne and Geelong in SE Australia and in March will also visit = family in New Zealand. All going well, we look forward to welcoming him = back just in time for our AGM. =20 FROM THE BRIDGE OF s.s. CAPE TOWN Booking for the Commissioning Day Dinner is essential, please book = early. The AGM and Dinner coincides with an international cricket match = next door to the venue. However the club management has assured us that = on site parking shall be available to members. However, to be assured of = parking on the club premises we urge members to share transport to the = venue. The class of 1956/57 is having their 50th reunion over the same = period and thus we look forward to some interesting and hilarious = reminiscing at the dinner. Werner Wiehart, class of 1986 has checked in with the following; "To all = the 1986 General Botha Cadets Happy 2006. Perhaps it's time to get = together again. It has been 20 years. I sill look the same, but don't = know whether that's the case with all you other fellow mates." We have = ten Obies of class 1986 on our mailing list. So, let us see you all at = the Commissioning Day Dinner this year. The Cape Town monthly lunches continue to be held on the second Tuesday = of EVERY month at the Royal Cape Yacht Club, 1230 for 1300. Two or three = times a year the association hosts joint lunches with the Society of = Master Mariners' and topic of interest is presented. These meetings = start at 1130 followed by lunch at 1300 and are well publicized in our = quarterly newsletters. These have been very successful and well attended = the most recent presentation covered one of our celebrated Bothie Boy's, = Sailor Malan. Our Christmas lunch held in December was also a great = success with about 100 Old Boys' and partners attending. Included where = a large contingent of our "local" widows whom we invite as the = association's guests. It was a very pleasant event and much enjoyed by = our guests. Your, the members, generous donations to the association = make it possible for us to host such events and thus retain the memories = of those who have weighed their anchors. In addition a number of Old = Boys working and living overseas joined us at the Christmas lunch. Among = them were Peter Blackett 1974 from Qatar, Graeme Stephan 1978 from = Belgium, Ken Downie 1987 from New Zealand and Tim Cowley 1960/61 from = England. Dennis Cowley 1940/41 also visited us but unfortunately too = early for the Bothie Xmas lunch. Thus John Mellows 1955/56 and I hosted = Dennis and Jennifer to lunch which was very entertaining. Yet again I = managed to sucker John into paying. Thanks mate. SOS As usual a large number of newsletters returned both email and post. = Most I have managed to track down again with the assistance of some = members. However, we are still searching for Alan Rathbone 1972 last = known at Warner Beach somewhere in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Someone out there = must have a lead on him. Please let me know. Chris Viljoen 1967 has gone walk about. Last known to be in Houston as = the owner's representative for Global Lines in Houston, U.S.A. and = running a company called Armadillo Marine Consultants. His mobile number = I have on record is 713-8574517. Hopefully our USA members in the = industry are able to trace Chris for me. =20 ANCHORS AWEIGH T.J. JEFFERY 1940/41 #1114. It was reported in Both Watches 1952 edition = that Trevor was appointed Honourary Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the = Governor-General. In 1953 he was lieutenant in the S.A. Navy. Trevor = passed away 26th October 2005. Nothing more is known of his career and = any further information would be welcome. W.D. HOGG 1935/36 #810. April 1937 Bill joined Ellerman & Bucknall Line = as an apprentice. September 1939 he was called up for war service as = midshipman R.N.R. and August 1942 he was mentioned in Dispatches. June = 1946 released from war service with the rank of lieutenant. October = 1946, joined S.A. Navy (P.F) with rank of lieutenant. October 1970 = promoted commodore S.A.N. January 1980, retired. During service in the = S.A.N. Bill held the following commands: S.A.S. Transvaal, March 1962 to = August 1964. S.A.S. President Pretorius, December 1969 to October 1970. = Senior Officer (afloat) Tenth Frigate Squadron, October 1970 to February = 1972. Commander Maritime Defense, June 1977 to June 1978. Sadly deceased = 01/12/2005. F.J.S. BRADSHAW 1941/42 #1152. Francis passed away on the 22nd November = 2005. We have no information of his career on record and any detail = would be welcome. A.J. HARVEY 1944/45 #1357. Alan passed away on the 26th December 2005. = After leaving the Bothie Alan joined the S.A. Navy as Able Seaman and = was part of the crew that brought the SAS Bloemfontein from England to = South Africa. He left the navy in 1947 and worked at various jobs in = Walvis Bay and Luderitz before joining Consolidated Mines in = Namaqualand. Retired in 1988. G.E. WILMAN 1935/36 #844. Another of our old salts, Gordon, passed away = recently. Unfortunately we were not able to establish contact with = Gordon to get to know him before his passing. Any information of his = career will be welcome. G.O. WEBB 1942/43 #1273. Gordon owned Summit Steel in Cape Town. He was = a long standing member of the Royal Cape Yacht Club and involved for = many years in the organization of South African International Keelboat = racing events. He was Chairman of the Cruising Association of South = Africa for 12 years and also served as chairman of the S.A. Ocean Racing = Trust as well as Vice-Chairman of CASA and President of The Port Owen = Yacht Club. A colourful character around the RCYC Gordon sadly passed = away on the 6th January this year. Our sincere condolences to friends, shipmates and family. =20 SCRANBAG M.A. RIDDELL 1980 #2716. Mike has recently joined Nick Sloane at Svitzer = Wijsmuller in Cape Town as Salvage Master. No doubt there will be many = salty stories of these two soon. I.M. THURSTON 1958/59. Ian is an Old Worcester and an ardent supporter = of our Gauteng branch. On leaving HMS Worcester Ian joined Shaw Savill. = Later he joined a British frozen food company, Birds Eye Foods. Spent 15 = years working on their mink farm in Europe before taking a management = position in the poultry industry, responsible for seven poultry farms in = England. In 1981 immigrated to S.A. in a similar position and in 1984 = became a factory manager in the filtration industry. 2002 started own = company repairing sewing machines which has proved very successful and = far less stressful. Now I wonder whether that would work for me in Cape = Town. R.M. REID 1967 #2313. It seems that Rob is too busy [or too lazy] to = keep us updated of his life in paradise, as he termed it. But Sue does = so and recently wrote to confirm that Rob is still hale and hearty down = under as Skipper [or is that Master?] on the large ferries of Fullers = Ferries. As Sue puts it; "he's driving the bigger ferries, Superflyte = and Quick Cat and loves it to bits". R.A. DICKINSON 1976 #2549. Ronald is another one that found us through = our web site. He left the Merchant Navy in 1985 after working for both = Unicorn and a Scottish gas carrier company. Thereafter he went into = chemical bulk liquid storage (on land) and returned to Australia. Also = spent six years in Dubai (1996 - 2002) where he met Clive Sheard also = 1976. Ronald mentioned that Clive has completed a PhD in Maritime Law. = Now what are you going to do with that Clive? S.N. WOODGATE 1984 #2855. Here another Obie that found us through our = web site. Sean joined Unicorn Lines as a cadet in January 1983. Joe = Almond sailing trophy winners 1984 as a cadet. Also won the regatta in = Simon's Town against the sea scouts and the naval cadets in 1984. = Subsequently also part of the crew to win the Joe Almond sailing trophy = as an old boy. He served with Unicorn Lines as a 3rd Officer until = January 1988. Thereafter becoming a landlubber to pursue a career in IT. = Well, what is such a master of sail doing in Gauteng? The water is here = in Cape Town. R.K.C. KILBY 1976 #2536. One of the great inventions of this century was = Google, an internet search engine. Everyone uses Google and this leads = Obies unerringly to our GBOBA web sit, Robin being one. After joining = Deutsche Afrika Linien/Cape Continent Shipping Co as a cadet in 1974 = Robin did his 2nd NO FG in Durban in 1978. Thereafter he served with = Fyffes Lines (UK) on Reefers and E. Jacob Shipping (Germany) on Bulkers = as 3rd/2nd Mate until 1982. Then he went to Bremen Polytechnic to do = Nautical Studies. 1986 - 2nd Mate on Gas tankers. Obtained his German = Master FG ticket. Went shore side in 1987, joined BMW AG, Munich working = in CKD division supplying BMW SA in Rosslyn, Gauteng with car part kits. = 1990 - Senior purchasing manager for global sea transport at BMW. 1994 - = Transferred to BMW aerospace division - 1999 transferred to Rolls-Royce = Germany civil aerospace division working in Business Improvement as = senior SAP consultant. "As I'm planning a trip to SA this year, or next, = I'd like to contact any of my old classmates that the OBA may know = about. If anybody from the mid-seventies era is planning a trip to = Berlin, I'd be pleased to show them round." A. HAAKESTAD 1983 #2801. Reading Alan's email really made me feel old = for a moment as I have been ashore for longer than Alan has been in = command. Sigh. "Always glad to read your newsletter. I have met a few ex = South Africans on my Australia - Asia travels, whilst serving on the = Cape vessels. It is difficult to imagine that I have been in command for = ten years. Presently in command of NYK's big container vessels (6500 = TEUs).Have just finished a stint on the Europe Japan trade on the NYK = ARTEMIS and managed to come home from icy Hamburg a day before = Christmas. My next vessel the sister ship NYK ATHENA which operates = between Asia and U.S.A. Have met many people and seen many places but is = always nice to come back to our sunny African skies." K.W. LINDSAY 1960/61 #2180. "In September I retired from my post as = Deputy Director of the School of Management at John Moores University in = Liverpool. In October I was asked back to teach a module in operations = management to an undergraduate course for one semester. So I am less = retired than I thought I would be. The good things that I hoped to do in = my workshop and garden will eventually overcome the habit of work, and = retirement will take its hold over the next month or so." Oh I am so = envious of you Keith. Imagine the Bothie work I could achieve if I were = retired. =20 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? One of the local Sunday papers, appropriately named Sunday Times, is = celebrating its' centenary this year and are trying to track down = various "old boys and girls" of the paper. One of their journalists's = contacted me recently through our web site asking about none other than = our Lionel Attwell 1956/57. Apparently Lionel is remembered as one of = the paper's "more colourful characters". "Once, after an extended = absence, the Sunday Times actually printed street posters declaring, = 'Lionel Attwell is back'." Well, another famous Bothie Boy! Lionel is = now preaching the gospel somewhere in England and from all accounts has = not lost his colourfulness. Look out for Lionel featured in the Sunday = Times sometime this year. Further reminiscing comes from Warwick Stodel 1946/47 and reflects the = strong bonds formed between the young boys during their training on the = ship. He writes; "In 1946 I invited my mate Alwyn "Carrots" Christie who = was from out of town, to spend a weekend leave with me at my home in = Clovelly, just a few miles up the line from Red Hill, Simon's Town where = we were based. Needless to say, as we were Chums at the time, the moment = we arrived at my home in our #1 uniform we tilted our caps at a cheeky = angle and had my dad take a snap. Having finished our time on board at = the end of '47 we went our different ways and had not been in touch = since. That is until around about 2003, 56 years later, having bumped = into G.B.O.B. Al Viljoen [1964] up at the Breede River, who persuaded me = to contact Tony. I sent Tony Nicholas my details and for the first time = started to go to the G.B.O.B.'s monthly social get together at R.C.Y.C. = Some weeks later I opened an email from the U.K. with an attached photo, = the photo of the two of us, with a note from Alwyn saying; "Hi, remember = me?" How could I forget him? Not only were we good mates, he was a = capable boxer and beat me in the end of year boxing match!! We started = up a correspondence as a result of which at the end of April this year, = en route to the U.S. via the U.K. Patsy and I stopped off and spent a = few days with him and Molly, his wonderful loving wife, at their home = near Southampton. Alwyn and Molly collected us at the bus station and I = can only say that the warmth of their hospitality was worthy of a 5* B & = B. He and Molly are great bird lovers and their whole garden is designed = to attract the local birds. The downside was that the squirrels would = come and pinch all the bird food. So being an animal lover [and a bit of = a nut, if you'll allow the pun] he set up a humane trap and each time he = caught a squirrel he would then drive four miles out into the country = and release it into the forest. When we arrived end of April his catch = score was 45. When I spoke to him a few weeks ago it had gone up to 65. = How wonderful it is to pick up with one another after such a long time. = It was most heart warming." =20 THE LEGEND LIVES ON. Peter Coetzee 1960/61 found himself in Simon's Town recently and noticed = an interesting piece of memorabilia. He writes; "upon returning to = Meadowridge, I stopped in for a "frostie" at the Southern Right Hotel at = Glencairn as it was very warm and the traffic volumes were not very = great. This establishment has been really wonderfully refurbished and = the stay was very comfortable. I became aware of a display of Naval cap = ribbons on which the names of various RN Ships and others were displayed = (a host of HMS Londonderry's etched.) which was situated beyond the bar = area. This display is behind glass and some of the exhibits are clearly = quite old. What I must report is that, at the top of the display, = attached by two drawing pins to the green beige covering (all the others = are the same) is a ribbon clearly indicating the following: SATS GENERAL = BOTHA. The condition of this item indicates that it can only be from the = SHIP. The GBOBA might be aware of this specimen or even have other = genuine examples in their possession. My knee-jerk reaction was that we = as GBOBA should recover this ribbon and preserve it. If you are in the = area please go and check it out! Your comments will be appreciated." Yes indeed, we are in possession of = an old ship's cap ribbon and if memory serves me correctly we handed it = over to the S.A. Naval Museum in Simon's Town. If I am correct then Obie = Ian Manning would have it recorded on the GB Trust list of memorabilia. = This list is also on our web site for viewing. Perhaps Ian can confirm = this and perhaps this may induce Ian to send us a report of his labours = to preserve the legend for the next newsletter. At least the ribbon = displayed at the Southern Right Hotel is contributing to the = preservation of the ship's history and legend in the public eye. But, as = Peter says, comments welcome. =20 A HAPPY ENDING. As mentioned previously the internet is wonderful tool and has led many = an Obie or enquiry to us, including the Sunday Times journalist = mentioned elsewhere in this publication. Recently someone contacted me = via our web site requesting any possible information of her grandfather, = a Bothie Boy. Her mother lost contact with him during the war. Our data = base had only a one liner of him but no contact details. Thus armed with = that one liner I duly sent an email appeal to the Obies in that region. = The Old Boy network worked and within 24 hours we had our man. The happy = ending; "I have trouble in picking-up my jaw from the table!!!!! I = telephoned my mother last night and told her that I just might be on the = trace of her father, and the poor woman just started crying. She has had = this huge void in her life, not being able to find her father and at = last a spec of hope! I will forward this information to her as soon as = possible and hold thumbs and pray like crazy that this could mean a = happy reunion!! Thank you so much for all your trouble and I will = definitely keep you posted!!!" This brings tears to my eyes. Thanks to = the Obies who assisted with this enquiry. =20 UNITED KINGDOM BRANCH NEWS - Ted Fisher reports We had a very successful pre- Christmas (seems light years away!) = gathering with the Conway Solent Branch down the New Forest in December. = Those 'Bothy'attending, Rob Mybergh and Val, Donald Neaves & Kathleen, = Alan Garton & Maureen, Douglas Wrathmall, Caroline & myself, plus 15 = Conway and wives - an excellent meal and good fellowship.=20 News Update: Captain John Shone (43/44) phoned the other week to inform = that following the entry in the November Newsletter regarding their = Golden Wedding, he recalled that he and Sheila had performed a similar = double 10 years earlier on their Ruby Anniversary - that is consistency = for you!! Spring Function: Note the date Sunday Lunch 5 March 2006 with timing = 1215 for 1300 and Venue is confirmed as The Marriott Goodwood Park Hotel = Golf and Country Club Chichester West Sussex. Cost adiesed at =A316.00 = per person excluding drinks but to include a 4 Course meal with coffee = (choice of Starter/Main/Sweet & Cheese). All payable on the day. Facilities will be available for the screening of videos and certainly = the classic 1954 film of the General Botha by Barry Cullen and Chris = Copeland in their senior year showing a straightforward view of cadets = lives at our remarkable institution. The date has been chosen to coincide with the Commissioning weekend in = SA where some of UK members will be. We have a goodly number of attendees so far including I am pleased to = say, Glenys Woudberg one of the daughters of our late PTI Jimmy Smith. I look forward to hearing from any other Obies who would like to attend = on that day! Best wishes to all, Ted Fisher +44(0)1903 744400 e-mail = tedefisher@aol.com =20 GAUTENG ANNUAL COMMISSIONING DAY FUNCTION The Gauteng Branch is having its annual Commissioning Day luncheon on = Sunday 19 March, 2006. Our venue for this occasion is once again being = arranged by Jack and Marge Gemmell and our function will take the form = of a three course Sunday lunch at the extremely well appointed clubhouse = in "Highwood", their complex. There is a swimming pool, billiard room, = lounge, dining room and bar. The dining room is spacious and airy and = has a lovely view across the gardens. The complex is wheel chair = friendly. A full three course meal will cost the princely sum of between = R60 and R70 per person. Those of you who attended our last function at = this venue will know that the standard of catering is excellent! In = order to keep expenses down we have not requested a barman or bar = service, so please bring along your own bottle of wine or any other = booze that you might feel inclined to sample on that day. We have = decided that this time we will ring a few changes to maintain the = variety and will be "going back to basics". No music, no microphone, no = dancing, just good food and wonderful company, where we can renew old = friendships in our private dining room. Please make a note of this in your diaries. This is a popular function = and over the last few years our number attending has grown from the 20s = to more than 80 at the last function.=20 If you live in Gauteng and have not yet attended one of these then you = are missing out on some really good fellowship. Gauteng members will be = advised by later notice of the time and address, and will be provided = with directions on how to get there. Other members are welcome to = contact Ivor Little to book a seat if you are going to be in the = vicinity on that date. Contact details are: ivorandanne@mweb.co.za ; = Telephone (012) 660-3243; Postal address - 3 "Villa Rosa", 186 Jonk = Avenue, Centurion, 0157. Ivor Little.=20 =20 AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS Happy New Year to everyone. Our last function was a Pub Lunch at the = Great Northern Hotel in Sydney and this was well attended and a success. = The Southern Queensland Group have also had well attended functions. Our = next function will be the Annual Commissioning Day Dinner and AGM to be = held in Sydney on Saturday 18th March 2006.When planning this function = your committee would have preferred to have repeated the past few very = successful dinners at the North Ryde RSL Club. Unfortunately the venue = will not accept a booking for less than 40 persons and prefer to book = full wedding type functions in the entire area. Lunch instead of a = Dinner has been chosen as this is easier to book and less costly and may = also suit some attendees particularly those older "Old Salts" and those = wishing to make a day trip to Sydney. Please note cheap air fares. Our venue will be the very old and famous "Hero of Waterloo" Hotel which = lays claim to Sydney's oldest Pub. Built by convict labour from = sandstone in the 1843 as a Gentleman's Pub it soon became a sailor's = haven for good rum and has a tunnel from the basement to the harbour for = rum smuggling press gangs to "Shanghai" drunks. We don't believe this = practice is still carried out there today but who can tell! We may get = lucky. We have booked a private room upstairs. The address is 81 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point (The Rocks). Cost = will be $60 per head including 3 Course Meal, Beer, Wine, Port & Soft = drinks. Spirits will be available at your own cost. Dress of the Day = will be Blazer and Bothy Tie as preference. We would appreciate your = early advice of attendance.=20 We would also like to offer a special challenge to the Granger Bay Old = Boys to attend to keep the legend alive. Andy Fotheringham, please note = and follow your group up. Grenville Stevens (2189 '60/61) Chairman. Stan Damp (1509 '47/48) Vice Chairman. Peter O'Hare (2247 '64) Hon Secretary, Australia Branch.=20 Email peteroh@bigpond.com; Telephone 0417 028809.=20 =20 Queensland Old Boys Lunch The Queensland GBOB had their end of year get together last Sunday = (November 13th) at the Spanish Garden Restaurant in the Breakfast Creek = Hotel in Brisbane. Brian and Jill Hoatson came down with Michael and = Margaret Pomfret, and Fred and Moreen More made up the northern = contingent. Ian De Villiers from the south was accompanied by his son = John, who was also the designated driver. John and I go back a long time = to our windsurfing days in Port Elizabeth in the mid 70's. The local = contingent consisted of myself, Andy Fotheringham and Mike Niell. = Richard and Gloria Shaw sent their apologies. They were waiting for = favourable winds to get them back from Townsville. A hard life! Good = company, copious drinks and lovely food (in that order) made for a great = day! Our next gathering is scheduled for March next year (2006). Cheers = from sunny Brisbane. Simon Reynolds. =20 SCARY Although the projected average growth rate for container ships in the = four years from January 1, 2005 to January 1, 2009 is 14% per annum, = according to BRS Alphaliner's latest figures, it's the biggies which are = snatching the limelight. Ships above 4 000 TEU capacity are predicted to = grow at 20.5% per annum compared to 8% for smaller vessels. The world's = liner fleet (of all ship types) passed the 9-million TEU mark in = November, and expected to pass 10-m in September 2006. =20 =20 AN "ODE" TO THE CLOSURE OF THE MERCHANT NAVY OFFICERS MEMORIAL CLUB IN = ALIWAL STREET DURBAN It was with regret that the MNOMC in Durban closed its doors after = serving the marine fraternity for so many years. It was established as a = "memorial" to those who lost their lives in the Merchant Service during = the Second World War. Most visiting seamen gathered there to down a few pints when in port and = many local mariners also used it as their special watering hole. The = club was well known all over the world.=20 It was for many years the home of the "Botha Old Boys" where committee = meetings, AGM'S etc were held. Unfortunately the club went into decline = towards the end of the eighties/ early nineties and since then the Obies = moved to a new meeting venue every couple of years. The happy memories = however remain very clear to many of us. Our monthly lunches were held there and often forty or more OB's = gathered and complained when the price of lunch was raised from R1.85 to = R1.95. One remembers Shaik the waiter who looked after us - always in = his slippers. The plate was passed around on at least three occasions to = fund his retirement. He did however finally disappear off the scene.=20 Committee meetings were always a lively affair with the likes of Curly = Morrison, Dennis Cowley and Al Viljoen adding a touch of flavour to the = proceedings. The AGM's of old, held at the club, were always rowdy affairs with = Gordon Jones having to stamp his authority on numerous occasions to = restore order. Then, of course, members would order drinks, which together with = chirping from the floor further interrupted proceedings. The = commissioning dinners followed the AGM's, with tables shouting = reminiscences across the floor and wine flowing freely. Of course the = die-hards ended up in the magnificent, plaque and memorabilia adorned, = main bar upstairs for brandy and liquors. Some of the more mature = members in age even found their way to the Ladies Bar for nightcaps. In later years some of the more agile adjourned to the lower pub, where = these late revellers displayed their mastery by tripping the light = fantastic with internationally renowned Club Hostesses. Great memories remain of the renewing of friendships at the Annual = Dances that were held in the festively decorated dining hall. These were = very happy occasions, with wives, family and friends enjoying the good = spirit that always prevails when Bothie Boys get together. The contents of the club were recently auctioned off lock, stock and = barrel. Thanks to Roy Martin we were able to retrieve the plaque = presented to the club on the occasion of the 21st Anniversary of the OB = in 1952. The Bothie crest and a piece of the Conway Rail went to another = bidder. The latter piece of wood fetched a price of R2200.00 Sadly the club has now gone forever, but those members of long standing = will remember the happy times and the walls can tell many an interesting = tale, spanning it's long years of existence. =20 John Leslie Stevens (#1064; 1939/40) (By E W Jupp) John Leslie Stevens grew up in the Kokstad region of Natal and spent his = childhood on a farm where he enjoyed the freedom that fed his sense of = adventure. He would ride his horse into the Drakensberg Mountains deeply = sensitive of the beautiful ambience which he remembered all his life. = His move to Cape Town was a major upheaval, but his love for the sea a = compensation. His family settled in Rosebank and John attended = Rondebosch Boys High School, and like many boys interested in the sea, = spent many hours during weekends wandering the quays of the Victoria = Basin and going aboard ships. In 1939 John the SATS General Botha in = Simon's Town and so began his nautical career. It was a momentous year = culminating as it did with the outbreak of World War II which changed = the lives of so many cadets. The Royal Navy Commodore in command of = Simon's Town at the time spoke to the cadets about opportunities to join = the Royal Navy Reserve as Midshipmen and serve with the RN. This offer = naturally drew tremendous interest and several senior cadets left within = the following months to join RN ships which had berthed at Simon's Town = for refit or maintenance. Very wisely Captain Pennington, Captain of the = General Botha at the time, ruled that no further cadets would be = permitted to leave the ship until they had completed their training. It = was thus on completion of exams at the beginning of December 1940 that = John, together with E. W. Jupp, B. O. Powell and J. Power joined the RNR = as temporary Midshipmen and were appointed to the Armed Merchant Cruiser = HMS Austurias.=20 Following service in South and North Atlantic and the West Coast of = Africa, Austurias returned for refit to the UK in January 1943. Two = months of courses followed in which John excelled, and in May he was = appointed to the new "S" Class destroyer HMS Savage. He was not happy in = the ship and despite his nearly three years at sea and he was still = being treated as a 'dogsbody'. He applied and was accepted to do a = submariners' course and thereafter spent the remainder of the war in = submarines in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It was during = this period that he decided - much as he loved the sea - his calling was = to study medicine and become a country GP.=20 After being de-mobbed in Cape Town in 1946 he was successful in = obtaining the Governor-General's grant available to ex-servicemen, he = returned to the UK. After qualifying and completing his housemanship = period he joined a family practice in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. He pursued his = calling with typical enthusiasm and determination, and took over the = practice when the senior partner retired. His guiding philosophy was a = profound commitment to caring and respect for the patient. He fulfilled = many lecture engagements, including invitations to South Africa, the = United States and Australia during the course a very distinguished = medical career, and will be remembered for fostering the principle that = terminal patients should be allowed to die in dignity in their own homes = - the forerunner of today's Hospice.=20 Despite his very busy schedule he did manage two very interesting = nautical interludes. The first of these was in April 1957 when he sailed = as Seaman/Ship's Surgeon aboard the replica of the Mayflower = commemorating the voyage of the Pilgram Fathers to America, a voyage = which lasted 55 days. The second took place some years later in the = Mediterranean when he was employed as Medical Officer on the set during = the filming of "HMS DEFIANT". This was a naval saga of the early 19th = century which culminated in the battle of Trafalgar. Apart from his = medical duties, John was also able to sail in the replicas built for the = film and appears as a seaman in some of the shots.=20 Tragedy struck in 1978 when John suffered a stroke which paralysed him = down the right side and he lost the power of speech. It was a terrible = source of frustration to him as he was unable to continue practicing. He = decided therefore to return to his other great passion - the sea - with = the intention of sailing around the world single-handed in his yacht = "Sly Boots". To cater for his infirmity he altered her rig from gaff to = lateen-rig so that he would be able to reef using his good left arm. In = 1981 he set sail and reached Antigua in the Caribbean safely where he = was joined by his son for the passage to Panama and through the Canal. = Sailing on into the Pacific - once again on his own - the yacht suffered = rudder damage which John was unable to repair. After drifting for 40 = days he was sighted by a Japanese fish-factory ship which took him = aboard and was able to lift his yacht aboard and land him and his yacht = in Colon.=20 Due to his inability to speak he had not thought it necessary to carry a = radio aboard. However his family convinced him that he should and that = he should also attend speech therapy classes which he did for a few = months before sailing again in early 1982. He was never seen again and = no sign of the yacht or any wreckage was ever found.=20 In a tribute to him Dr Basil Jaffe, a life-long friend said of him: = "General practice had lost one of its greatest intellectuals whose = fierce loyalty stemmed from his love of his craft and patients."=20 =20 SLOP CHEST These slop chest items all proudly display our association insignia and = is available from Cape Town branch. Place your orders without delay with = Kathy Nicholas: Phone: 021-7885957 fax: 021-4213250 Email: = cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za BADGE R100 =20 FLAG R100 =20 TIE [STRIPED] R60 =20 PLAQUE R100 =20 PEAK CAP [BASEBALL TYPE] R60 =20 'n NAAM WAT SEEVAARDERS EER Geskiedenis van die opleiding skip. DONASIE=20 A NAME AMONG SEAFARING MEN History of the training ship. DONATION =20 FIRST DAY COVER 60th anniversary of our Old Boys' Association DONATION =20 BELT BUCKLE R100 =20 PLUS PACKAGING AND POSTAGE! Note: some items in the slop chest are available from Durban branch as = well. =20 Cheque or postal order should be made out to "General Botha Old Boys' = Association". Post to: P.O. Box 4515, Cape Town, 8000 =20 Alternatively, the payment can be made by electronic fund transfer = directly into our bank account. Details as follows: =20 =B7 Bank: Standard Bank =B7 Branch: Thibault Square, Cape = Town =B7 Branch code: 02 09 09 =B7 Account name: General Botha Old Boys' = Association =B7 Account number: 070835128 =20 =20 Defending Our Ocean In addition to the Volvo yachts mentioned above, the Victoria & Alfred = Waterfront here in Cape Town is host to many interesting vessels. As I = write this we have two Greenpeace vessels in port (ETD 27 Feb). They are = the "ESPERANZA" and the "ARCTIC SUNRISE". They have just returned from a = ten week campaign in the Southern Oceans. The following are extracts = from Mike Fincken's (#2904; 1987) diary over the period of the vessels' = stay in Cape Town in November last year in preparation for the campaign. = I have difficulty choosing extracts from his writings, because Mike = writes so descriptively and with such passion about his family, his = ship, the oceans and its creatures. Space does not permit me to include = the entire script, but if you would like to read it all, then write to = Mike and I am sure he will be interested to reply.=20 Thursday 10 November: For months we have waited for my ship to come in = and finally the day arrived; there she was as big and blue as ever. The = Esperanza sailed into Cape Town harbour this morning before the backdrop = of Table Mountain beneath a blue sky saturated with the light of an = African Sun. With me on the quayside to greet her were Nana and Opa, = Kirsten and Kai. There was a fresh look about her with a brighter = rainbow adorning the bow and down the length of her side a new campaign = slogan: "Defending Our Oceans". Nolan and Natasha where among the many = familiar faces that greeted me from the decks and I felt proud that = Kirsten could meet my friends from far away places; many of them still on board from the foggy days spent on the Grand Banks of = Newfoundland in August. Thirteen-year old Kai spent the day with me and = in the evening when we returned home he told Kirsten that it was the = second best day of his life, the best being the day he was born.=20 Friday 11 November: Sound is carried through water, and perhaps that's = why whales have chosen their environment for they love to sing those = long and complicated songs that travel from one side of an ocean to = another. From the mess room where I was seated for lunch I heard a deep = rumbling coming up through the ship's hull. I jumped up to look out = through the port hole and saw the bow of the Greenpeace icebreaker, = Arctic Sunrise, coming up alongside the Esperanza. All hands rushed up = and onto the deck to take the lines and adjust the fenders as the = weather-torn ship pulled up alongside. She looked worn and beaten, paint = stripped off her green hull by the Arctic and Greenland ice; rust had = set in to replace it through the course of her five week passage across = a storm tossed Atlantic Ocean. Tears welled up with my memories of the = Antarctic icebergs and the furious fifties of the Southern Ocean through = which this aging lady had taken me six years ago. All fast on the = starboard side of the Esperanza the railings of both ships filled up = with crew leaning over for hugs and hand shakes, and the talk of weather = and whales.=20 Monday 18 November: Thirty school children all dressed in uniform under = the direction of Miss=20 Plummer and assisting parents visited the ship. Kai showed them the = way; they where all his class mates. On the helicopter pad I told them = the story of Greenpeace that begins with E=3DMC=B2; about how there was = a time in our history where the world was averaging one nuclear test a = week and the Canadian air force routinely used pods of Orcas as target = practice for their bombers. It was hot and the steel decks radiated = their warmth sending us for shelter in the mess room where the children = pulled out their packed lunches and had a taste of life on board.=20 Tuesday 15 November: Footprints Re-cycling from Wynberg in Cape Town = came along to the ship and=20 helped with the removal of all of our specially separated and stowed = waste. This had been a valuable service to us as ordinarily there is no = facility in the harbours for ships re-cycling; it is all thrown into one = giant skip and sent to the land fill. At sea most ships dump their waste = wood, paper, cardboard, steel, aluminium and glass, retaining only = plastics and toxic materials such as oily rags which they incinerate; = thus demand for recycling receptors in ports is minimal. On our = Greenpeace boats we make every effort to avoid packaging, but this is = difficult when provisioning a ship of 37 people and another of 25 for = two months at sea. One of the crew on each ship is designated the role = of Garbologist and takes great care to separate and stow recyclable = material whilst at sea. It took Michelle and Adelaide from Footprints three trips in their five tonne truck to remove all of = our recyclables.=20 Thursday 17 November: Captain Bill Shewell is a year off retirement and = is the harbour master of Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. = Over a period of fifteen years he has taken a polluted old fishing = harbour and transformed it into one of the worlds leading tourist = attractions. Today he allowed us the use of the passenger reception = facility on the jetty which was decorated under the direction of his = wife. The evening function was by invitation; each person's positive = identification was checked against a names list at the gate and they = were allowed in one at a time. If anything, the difficulty in coming = into the enclosure raised the anticipation of what we were about to tell = the world, but that would have to wait for Friday for this was a = pre-launch to the campaign. Among the guests invited where friends of = mine from two special groups of people: the South African Society of = Master Mariners and the Two Oceans Aquarium. The speaker was Karen Sacks, a fellow South African who = is the Oceans policy advisor; a South African lawyer who lives in = Washington D.C. and attends amongst others U.N. and IWC meetings. Karen = spoke about the Convention on Biological Diversity and the need for a = moratorium on deep sea bottom trawling of the high seas sea mounts. = After the talk I was called upon to do what I love to do most and took a = large group of people on a tour of the Esperanza, where I was able to = tell them my favourite story of Greenpeace and others from the life at = sea on a Greenpeace boat.=20 Friday 18 November: Sara has caught the sun and her face and arms = radiate with the same intensity as her bright red hair. "Every second = breath we take comes from the Ocean" she told the press gathered = together in the helicopter hanger on board the Esperanza. "The Ocean is = responsible for half of the oxygen on this planet." I guess the other = half must come from the trees, so that makes both very important. = Greenpeace are sending the Esperanza on a campaign of unprecedented = magnitude. She will spend more than one year traveling around the Earth = and 'Defending our Ocean'. A year of her life is being devoted to this = singular cause which started today in Cape Town. From Cape Town she will = sail to the whale sanctuary of the Southern Ocean to defend some of the = largest of the creatures of this planet.=20 Sunday 20 November: The red and white pilot flag was hoisted to the top = of the Esperanza's halyard, and her ropes cast off from jetty number 2. = Lots of wave's goodbye between both ships and those left behind which = included me. The people grew small with distance and then they = disappeared out of the harbour. Kirsten clung to my side, sad to see them go but happy to have = me at home for a few more months to spend Christmas together and the new = year. For now I remain on land but not for long, as I hear the Oceans = call and my sea legs are restless. With love and peace, Mike Mate.=20 Mike sails on the Esperanza as Mate departing Cape Town 27 Feb, and he = tells me that Lance Tiedt (#2916; 1987) has joined the Arctic Sunrise - = 2 Obies in Greenpeace nog al! "TENJEWBERRYMUDS!" To get the full effect, this should be read aloud. You will understand = what 'tenjewberrymuds' means by the end of the conversation. This has = been nominated for the best email of 2005.=20 The following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and = room-service,=20 at a hotel in Asia, which was recorded and published in the Far East = Economic Review:=20 Room Service (RS): "Morrin. ; Roon sirbees."=20 Guest (G): "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."=20 RS: "Rye..Roon sirbees..morrin! Jewish to oddor sunteen??"=20 G: "Uh..yes..I'd like some bacon and eggs."=20 RS: "Ow July den?"=20 G: "What??"=20 RS: "Ow July den?...pryed, boyud, poochd?"=20 G : "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled please."=20 RS: "Ow July dee baykem? Crease?"=20 G: "Crisp will be fine."=20 RS : "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"=20 G: "What?"=20 RS:"An toes. July Sahn toes?"=20 G: "I don't think so."=20 RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes??"=20 G: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan sahn = toes' means."=20 RS: "Toes! toes!...Why jew don juan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin we = bodder?"=20 G: "English muffin!! I've got it! You were saying 'Toast.' Fine. Yes, = an English muffin will be fine."=20 RS: "We bodder?"=20 G: "No...just put the bodder on the side."=20 RS: "Wad! ?"=20 G: "I mean butter...just put it on the side."=20 RS: "Copy?" =20 G: "Excuse me?"=20 RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"=20 G: "Yes. Coffee, please, and that's all."=20 RS: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin we bodder = on sigh and copy....rye??"=20 G: "Whatever you say."=20 RS: "Tenjewberrymuds."=20 G : "You're very welcome." =20 The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to = change and the Realist adjusts his sails. (author unknown). We look = forward to seeing you on March 3 - 5 if you are in Cape Town. Scribe = (dhenwood@iafrica.com).=20 ------=_NextPart_000_014E_01C630BC.C9A386C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
PO BOX = 2454
DURBAN
4000


Chairman:=20 Derek McManus
Tel. (O): +27 (0)31 3039563
Tel. (H): +27 = (0)31=20 7673719
Secretary:Ernest Nellmapius
ernest@bsu.co.za
Cell: +27 = (0)83 253=20 7975
Tel (O): +27 (0)31 202 8242
Fax: +27 (0)31) 201=20 2458

 S. A. T.=20 S

 3D""
PO BOX 4515
CAPE = TOWN
8000

Chairman: Tony=20 Nicholas

cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za<= /FONT>
Tel.=20 (O): +27 (0)21 421 4144
Fax: +27 (0)21 421 3194
Cell: +27 = (0)82 555=20 2877
Tel. (H): +27(0)21 788=20 5957

GENERAL BOTHA OLD BOYS=92 = ASSOCIATION

http://www.generalbotha.co.za<= B=20 style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">

FEBRUARY=20 2006

JOINT=20 NEWSLETTER

 

Should your = address details=20 change, please send your updated details to: =

Tony Nicholas, = cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za<= /FONT>, Cellphone:=20 082 555 2877, Phone (H): 021 788=20 5957.

Please send any articles you may wish to be = included in=20 the Newsletter to:

Dennis Henwood, dhenwood@iafrica.com. Phone (H): +27 (0)21 6716373.  Fax: +27 (0)21=20 6713816

Visit=20 our website http://www.generalbotha.co.za<= /SPAN>

 

CAPE TOWN BRANCH EVENTS - MARCH=20 2006

Bothie Boys in=20 the Cape and those from further a field that are joining us, please take = note of=20 the following important events. Before you turn the page or fall asleep, = please=20 decide on your plans, pick up the phone, write a fax or e-mail, and make = your=20 bookings without fail to:

RSVP: - Kathy=20 Nicholas, phone 021-7885957, fax 021 4213250 Email: cptchairman@generalbotha.c= o.za 

  • Friday 3rd March @=20 1800 =96 Annual=20 General Meeting =96 Venue: Palmyra Room, Kelvin Grove Club,=20 Rondebosch.=20
  • Friday 3rd March @=20 2000 =96=20 Commissioning Day Dinner =96 Dress: dinner suit preferred but suit or = blazer and=20 tie acceptable =96 Cost: R130.00 =96 Cash bar available =96 Wine and = port shall be=20 provided by the Association. Sponsors for this would be=20 welcome. Pre payment would be welcomed by the Treasurer, details = further down in=20 the newsletter.=20
  • Sunday 5th March @=20 1000 =96 War=20 Memorial Service =96 The service will be conducted by Rev. Ralph = Thornley.=20 Venue: The Cenotaph on the corner of Heerengracht and Hertzog = Boulevard, Cape=20 Town =96 In case of inclement weather the alternate venue shall be at = The=20 Mission to Seafarers, Duncan Road, Table Bay Harbour [opposite the = police=20 station] =96 Following the service refreshments will be served at The = Mission to=20 Seafarers, Duncan Road, Table Bay Harbour [opposite the police = station, SA=20 Marine Corp and Atlatech].=20
  • Sunday 5th March @=20 1200 =96 Bring=20 & braai at the Maritime Room, Survival Centre, Granger Bay =96 = refreshments=20 available at club prices =96 fires=20 provided.

Note: = The 1956 Obies will be holding their group reunion in Cape = Town 3-6=20 March to coincide with some of the above main events, and in addition = they will=20 have made arrangements for other reunion tours and functions. For = further=20 information contact Peter Rogers Mobile: 082 374=20 6262.

DURBAN = AGM

FRIDAY 17 MARCH AT POINT = YACHT CLUB =96=20 WARDROOM 1800 for 1830

R70=20 per head

To=20 book call Candy on 031 - 5692585

 

Comment (Scribe)

Extreme sports are a relatively new development = on the=20 sports fields and the TV channels. It has also become very popular here = in Cape=20 Town. Folk are coming here from all over the world as a participants as = well as=20 spectators. They experience the thrills of breaking the sound barrier in = a F16=20 fighter jet, or soaring the thermals on a hang-glider, or swimming = around Cape=20 Point in freezing shark infested waters, or skateboarding from Kloof = Neck down=20 to Camps Bay at neck-breaking speed. One could even stretch the point = and=20 include cricket taken to the extreme in the Pro-20 series. All of this = and more=20 with the magnificent backdrop of the mountains and the Fairest Cape. And = to add=20 to the list, we have just had the honour of being the first port of call = of a=20 fleet of high-tech racing machines providing a spectacular display of=20 yachtsmanship. The 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race is considered an extreme=20 sport.

This race is quite revolutionary in many aspects. For a start, = it is=20 difficult to imagine driving a boat in full sail at maximum speed into a = head=20 sea almost to the point of destruction =96 and some of them have gone = over-the-top=20 and broken their masts, or the boat. They are achieving a daily distance = in=20 excess of 550 miles (greater than 23knots) on the sea passage Vigo to = Cape Town.=20 Secondly, the skippers and crew are all professional, with grand = performance=20 bonuses, and they have professional backup teams flying around the world = to=20 support the boats at their scheduled stop overs, and sometimes = unscheduled pit=20 stops. Thirdly, the sponsors (Volvo, ABN-Ambro, Ericsson, etc.) have all = invested many millions of Euros into the race, and they claim that the = return on=20 investment on the first leg already exceeds the capital. Fourthly, there = is the=20 spectator aspect. They have a magnificent =91virtual grandstand=92 = website=20 continuously running on www.VolvoOceanRace.org where you can watch the = progress of the=20 race, including video, at any time and look up a variety of information = on just=20 about anything you wish to ask.

It=20 has been described as =93purgatory in motion=94 or =93just like living = in a washing=20 machine!=94 How do the crew manage in this express capsule pounding = through the=20 sea at such speeds?  As = the boats=20 are buffeted by enormous waves and spiral down into the troughs, what is = it like=20 to live, work, eat and sleep on board for 18days or so? Well to answer = this=20 question and to have a better understanding, each boat has on board a = small=20 black box called the Wave Height Sensor (WHS) which will monitor and = record=20 vital information on wave heights and frequency, as well as =91slam = accelerations=92=20 impacting on the boats hull.  = From=20 this data scientists hope to build a clearer picture of the severe = demands=20 offshore sailing places on competitors. The data will be compared to the = =91habitability index=92, which is a scale designed to quantify the = effects of=20 motion on the human body. This is information has been compiled from = studies on=20 the effects of the g-force in conditions of extreme repetitive motion in = sports=20 such as power boat racing and aircraft aerobatics. Fascinating=20 stuff!

 

NEWS FROM THE DURBAN=20 CHAIR

Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack = of news=20 emanating from the Durban Chair.  = Things have been pretty hectic over the past six months and not = much time=20 to devote to Bothie matters.

A=20 while back Roy Martin secured a plaque that was presented to the = Merchant Navy=20 Officers Memorial Club (MNOMC) Durban in 1952 on the occasion of the=20 21st anniversary of the Old Boys=20 Association.

This=20 year thus sees the 75th anniversary of the Association and = the Durban=20 Branch propose to celebrate the event with a function to commemorate the = event=20 i.e. a candlelight dinner or some other befitting=20 event.

The=20 planned date is towards the end of August 2006 since the Association was = founded=20 on 28 August 1931. This should be a good opportunity for Obies to meet, = along=20 with their better halves, and it is hoped that a good attendance can be = mustered=20 to enjoy the evening.

C'mon=20 Obies, many of us won't be around to enjoy the 100th = anniversary so=20 let=92s make this one a big bash. Good luck to those who anticipate = their presence=20 on the planet in 2031!

We=20 had an excellent Christmas lunch last year and 45 Obies attended. = Thanks, once=20 again, to Ray Walker and his Secretary Candy for all their=20 organising.

This=20 year sees the 50th anniversary of the 1956 intake and I look = forward=20 to meeting and renewing acquaintances after such a long time. The sprit = seems to=20 linger forever and the Bothie somehow set the stage for making ones = journey=20 through life such a joyous = adventure.

During 2005 there were a number of new faces at = our=20 monthly luncheons and I hope 2006 will see this trend continuing. Kind = regards,=20 Derek McManus.

DURBAN SCRANBAG - = George Foulis is, at the time of writing, delivering = bunkers to a=20 fishing fleet at about 50 degrees south. No doubt he is experiencing = some wild=20 seas down there and hopefully avoiding icebergs. We hope to see him = safely home=20 for our next committee meeting.

Allen Pembroke is off to Australia on = the=20 9th of February. Allen will be officiating at the = International World=20 Lifesaving Championships "RESCUE 2006" at Lorne and Geelong in SE = Australia and=20 in March will also visit family in New Zealand. All going well, we look = forward=20 to welcoming him back just in time for our AGM.

 

FROM THE BRIDGE OF s.s. CAPE=20 TOWN

Booking for the = Commissioning Day=20 Dinner is essential, please book early. The AGM and Dinner coincides with an = international=20 cricket match next door to the venue. However the club management has = assured us=20 that on site parking shall be available to members. However, to be = assured of=20 parking on the club premises we urge members to share transport to the = venue.=20 The class of 1956/57 is having their 50th reunion over the = same=20 period and thus we look forward to some interesting and hilarious = reminiscing at=20 the dinner.

Werner Wiehart, = class of 1986 has=20 checked in with the following; =93To all the 1986 General Botha Cadets = Happy 2006.=20 Perhaps it=92s time to get together again. It has been 20 years. I sill = look the=20 same, but don't know whether that=92s the case with all you other fellow = mates.=94=20 We have ten Obies of class 1986 on our mailing list. So, let us see you = all at=20 the Commissioning Day Dinner this year.

The Cape Town = monthly lunches=20 continue to be held on the second Tuesday of EVERY month at the Royal = Cape Yacht=20 Club, 1230 for 1300. Two or three times a year the association hosts = joint=20 lunches with the Society of Master Mariners=92 and topic of interest is = presented.=20 These meetings start at 1130 followed by lunch at 1300 and are well = publicized=20 in our quarterly newsletters. These have been very successful and well = attended=20 the most recent presentation covered one of our celebrated Bothie = Boy=92s, Sailor=20 Malan. Our Christmas lunch held in December was also a great success = with about=20 100 Old Boys=92 and partners attending. Included where a large = contingent of our=20 =93local=94 widows whom we invite as the association=92s guests. It was = a very=20 pleasant event and much enjoyed by our guests. Your, the members, = generous=20 donations to the association make it possible for us to host such events = and=20 thus retain the memories of those who have weighed their anchors. In = addition a=20 number of Old Boys working and living overseas joined us at the = Christmas lunch.=20 Among them were Peter Blackett 1974 from Qatar, Graeme Stephan 1978 from=20 Belgium, Ken Downie = 1987 from=20 New Zealand and Tim = Cowley=20 1960/61 from England. Dennis Cowley = 1940/41 also=20 visited us but unfortunately too early for the Bothie Xmas lunch. Thus = John=20 Mellows 1955/56 and I hosted Dennis and Jennifer to lunch which was very = entertaining. Yet again I managed to sucker John into paying. Thanks=20 mate.

SOS

As usual a large = number of=20 newsletters returned both email and post. Most I have managed to track = down=20 again with the assistance of some members. However, we are still = searching for=20 Alan Rathbone 1972 last = known at=20 Warner Beach somewhere in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Someone out there must have a = lead on=20 him. Please let me know.

Chris Viljoen=20 1967 has gone walk about. Last known to be = in=20 Houston as the owner=92s representative for Global Lines in Houston, = U.S.A. and=20 running a company called Armadillo Marine Consultants. His mobile number = I have=20 on record is 713-8574517. Hopefully our USA members in the industry = are able=20 to trace Chris for me.

 

ANCHORS AWEIGH

T.J. JEFFERY = 1940/41=20 #1114. It was reported in Both Watches = 1952 edition=20 that Trevor was appointed Honourary Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the=20 Governor-General. In 1953 he was lieutenant in the S.A. Navy. Trevor = passed away=20 26th October 2005. Nothing more is known of his career and = any=20 further information would be welcome.

W.D. HOGG = 1935/36=20 #810. April 1937 Bill joined Ellerman = & Bucknall=20 Line as an apprentice.  = September=20 1939 he was called up for war service as midshipman R.N.R. and August = 1942 he=20 was mentioned in Dispatches.  = June=20 1946 released from war service with the rank of lieutenant.  October 1946, joined S.A. Navy = (P.F)=20 with rank of lieutenant.  = October=20 1970 promoted commodore S.A.N. January 1980, retired. During service in = the=20 S.A.N. Bill held the following commands: S.A.S. Transvaal, March 1962 to = August=20 1964. S.A.S. President Pretorius, December 1969 to October 1970. Senior = Officer=20 (afloat) Tenth Frigate Squadron, October 1970 to February 1972. = Commander=20 Maritime Defense, June 1977 to June 1978. Sadly deceased=20 01/12/2005.

F.J.S. = BRADSHAW 1941/42=20 #1152. Francis passed away on the = 22nd=20 November 2005. We have no information of his career on record and any = detail=20 would be welcome.

A.J. HARVEY 1944/45 = #1357. Alan passed away on the = 26th=20 December 2005. After leaving the Bothie Alan joined the S.A. Navy as = Able Seaman=20 and was part of the crew that brought the SAS Bloemfontein from=20 England to=20 South=20 Africa. =20 He left the navy in 1947 and worked at various jobs in Walvis Bay = and=20 Luderitz before joining Consolidated Mines in Namaqualand. =20 Retired in 1988.

G.E. WILMAN = 1935/36=20 #844. Another of our old salts, Gordon, = passed away=20 recently. Unfortunately we were not able to establish contact with = Gordon to get=20 to know him before his passing. Any information of his career will be=20 welcome.

G.O. = WEBB 1942/43 #1273.=20 Gordon owned Summit Steel in Cape=20 Town. He was a long standing member of the Royal = Cape=20 Yacht Club and involved for many years in the organization of South = African=20 International Keelboat racing events. =20 He was Chairman of the Cruising Association of South Africa for = 12 years=20 and also served as chairman of the S.A. Ocean Racing Trust as well as=20 Vice-Chairman of CASA and = President=20 of The Port Owen Yacht Club. A colourful character around the RCYC = Gordon sadly=20 passed away on the 6th January this = year.

Our sincere = condolences to=20 friends, shipmates and family.

 

SCRANBAG

M.A. RIDDELL = 1980=20 #2716. Mike has recently joined Nick = Sloane at=20 Svitzer Wijsmuller in Cape=20 Town as Salvage Master. No doubt there will be = many salty=20 stories of these two soon.

I.M. THURSTON=20 1958/59. Ian is an Old Worcester and an = ardent=20 supporter of our Gauteng branch. On leaving HMS = Worcester Ian=20 joined Shaw Savill. Later he joined a British frozen food company, Birds = Eye=20 Foods. Spent 15 years working on their mink farm in Europe before taking = a=20 management position in the poultry industry, responsible for seven = poultry farms=20 in England. In 1981 immigrated = to=20 S.A. in a similar position = and in=20 1984 became a factory manager in the filtration industry. 2002 started = own=20 company repairing sewing machines which has proved very successful and = far less=20 stressful. Now I wonder whether = that=20 would work for me in Cape=20 Town.

R.M. REID 1967 = #2313. It seems that Rob is too busy [or = too lazy]=20 to keep us updated of his life in paradise, as he termed it. But Sue = does so and=20 recently wrote to confirm that Rob is still hale and hearty down under = as=20 Skipper [or is that Master?] on the large ferries of Fullers Ferries. As = Sue=20 puts it; =93he=92s driving the bigger ferries, Superflyte and Quick Cat = and loves it=20 to bits=94.

R.A. DICKINSON 1976 = #2549. Ronald is another one that found us = through=20 our web site. He left the Merchant Navy in 1985 after working for both = Unicorn=20 and a Scottish gas carrier company. Thereafter he went into chemical = bulk liquid=20 storage (on land) and returned to Australia. Also spent six = years in=20 Dubai (1996 -=20 2002) where he met Clive Sheard also 1976. Ronald mentioned that Clive = has=20 completed a PhD in Maritime Law. Now what are you going to do with that=20 Clive?

S.N. WOODGATE = 1984=20 #2855. Here another Obie that found us = through our=20 web site. Sean joined Unicorn Lines as a cadet in January 1983. Joe = Almond=20 sailing trophy winners 1984 as a cadet. Also won the regatta in Simon's = Town=20 against the sea scouts and the naval cadets in 1984. Subsequently also = part of=20 the crew to win the Joe Almond sailing trophy as an old boy. He served = with=20 Unicorn Lines as a 3rd Officer until January 1988. Thereafter becoming a = landlubber to pursue a career in IT. Well, what is such a master of sail = doing=20 in Gauteng?=20 The water is here in Cape=20 Town.

R.K.C. KILBY = 1976=20 #2536. One of the great inventions of this = century=20 was Google, an internet search engine. Everyone uses Google and this = leads Obies=20 unerringly to our GBOBA web sit, Robin being one. After joining Deutsche = Afrika=20 Linien/Cape Continent Shipping Co as a cadet in 1974 Robin did his 2nd = NO FG in=20 Durban in 1978.=20 Thereafter he served with Fyffes Lines (UK) on Reefers and E. Jacob = Shipping=20 (Germany) on Bulkers as = 3rd/2nd Mate=20 until 1982. Then he went to Bremen Polytechnic to do Nautical Studies. = 1986 -=20 2nd Mate on Gas tankers. Obtained his German Master FG ticket. Went = shore side=20 in 1987, joined BMW AG, Munich working = in CKD=20 division supplying BMW SA in Rosslyn, Gauteng with car part kits. 1990 - = Senior=20 purchasing manager for global sea transport at BMW. 1994 - Transferred = to BMW=20 aerospace division - 1999 transferred to Rolls-Royce Germany civil=20 aerospace division working in Business Improvement as senior = SAP consultant. =93As I'm planning a trip = to SA this=20 year, or next, I'd like to contact any of my old classmates that the OBA = may=20 know about. If anybody from the mid-seventies era is planning a trip to=20 Berlin, I'd be=20 pleased to show them round.=94

A. HAAKESTAD = 1983=20 #2801. Reading Alan=92s email really made = me feel old=20 for a moment as I have been ashore for longer than Alan has been in = command.=20 Sigh. =93Always glad to read your newsletter. I have met a few ex South = Africans=20 on my Australia - = Asia=20 travels, whilst serving on the Cape = vessels. It=20 is difficult to imagine that I have been in command for ten years. = Presently in=20 command of NYK's big container vessels (6500 TEUs).Have just finished a = stint on=20 the Europe Japan trade on the NYK ARTEMIS and managed to come home from = icy=20 Hamburg a day=20 before Christmas. My next vessel the sister ship NYK ATHENA which = operates=20 between Asia and U.S.A. Have met many people = and seen=20 many places but is always nice to come back to our sunny African=20 skies.=94

K.W. LINDSAY = 1960/61=20 #2180. =93In September I retired from my = post as=20 Deputy Director of the School = of=20 Management at John Moores=20 University in Liverpool. In October I was asked back to teach = a module=20 in operations management to an undergraduate course for one semester. So = I am=20 less retired than I thought I would be. The good things that I hoped to = do in my=20 workshop and garden will eventually overcome the habit of work, and = retirement=20 will take its hold over the next month or so.=94 Oh I am so envious of = you Keith.=20 Imagine the Bothie work I could achieve if I were=20 retired.

 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

One of the local = Sunday papers,=20 appropriately named Sunday Times, is celebrating its=92 centenary this = year and=20 are trying to track down various =93old boys and girls=94 of the paper. = One of their=20 journalists=92s contacted me recently through our web site asking about = none other=20 than our Lionel Attwell = 1956/57.=20 Apparently Lionel is remembered as one of the paper=92s =93more = colourful=20 characters=94. =93Once, after an extended absence, the Sunday Times = actually printed=20 street posters declaring, 'Lionel Attwell is back'.=94 Well, another = famous Bothie=20 Boy! Lionel is now preaching the gospel somewhere in England and from=20 all accounts has not lost his colourfulness. Look out for Lionel = featured in the=20 Sunday Times sometime this year.

Further reminiscing = comes from=20 Warwick Stodel 1946/47 and reflects the strong bonds formed between the = young=20 boys during their training on the ship. He writes; =93In 1946 I invited = my mate=20 Alwyn "Carrots" Christie who was from out of town, to spend a weekend = leave with=20 me at my home in Clovelly, just a few miles up the line from Red Hill, = Simon=92s=20 Town where we were based. Needless to say, as we were Chums at the time, = the=20 moment we arrived at my home in our #1 uniform we tilted our caps at a = cheeky=20 angle and had my dad take a snap. Having finished our time on board at = the end=20 of =9247 we went our different ways and had not been in touch since. = That is until=20 around about 2003, 56 = years later,=20 having bumped into G.B.O.B. Al Viljoen [1964] up at the Breede = River, who persuaded me to = contact Tony. I=20 sent Tony Nicholas my details and for the first time started to go to = the=20 G.B.O.B.=92s monthly social get together at R.C.Y.C. Some weeks later I = opened an=20 email from the U.K. with an attached = photo, the=20 photo of the two of us, with a note from Alwyn saying; =93Hi, remember = me?=94 How=20 could I forget him? Not only were we good mates, he was a capable boxer = and beat=20 me in the end of year boxing match!! We started up a correspondence as a = result=20 of which at the end of April this year, en route to the = U.S. via the U.K. Patsy and I stopped = off and=20 spent a few days with him and Molly, his wonderful loving wife, at their = home=20 near Southampton. Alwyn and Molly = collected us=20 at the bus station and I can only say that the warmth of their = hospitality was=20 worthy of a 5* B & B. He and Molly are great bird lovers and their = whole=20 garden is designed to attract the local birds. The downside was that the = squirrels would come and pinch all the bird food. So being an animal = lover [and=20 a bit of a nut, if you=92ll allow the pun] he set up a humane trap and = each time=20 he caught a squirrel he would then drive four miles out into the country = and=20 release it into the forest. When we arrived end of April his catch score = was 45.=20 When I spoke to him a few weeks ago it had gone up to 65. How wonderful = it is to=20 pick up with one another after such a long time. It was most heart=20 warming.=94

 

THE LEGEND LIVES=20 ON.

Peter Coetzee=20 1960/61 found himself in Simon=92s Town = recently and=20 noticed an interesting piece of memorabilia. He writes; =93upon = returning to=20 Meadowridge, I stopped in for a "frostie" at the Southern Right Hotel at = Glencairn as it was very warm and the traffic volumes were not very = great. This=20 establishment has been really wonderfully refurbished and the stay was = very=20 comfortable. I became aware of a display of Naval cap ribbons on which = the names=20 of various RN Ships and others were displayed (a host of HMS = Londonderry=92s=20 etched.) which was situated beyond the bar area. This display is behind = glass=20 and some of the exhibits are clearly quite old. What I must report is = that, at=20 the top of the display, attached by two drawing pins to the green beige = covering=20 (all the others are the same) is a ribbon clearly indicating the = following: SATS=20 GENERAL BOTHA. The condition of this item indicates that it can only be = from the=20 SHIP. The GBOBA might be aware of this specimen or even have other = genuine=20 examples in their possession. My knee-jerk reaction was that we as GBOBA = should=20 recover this ribbon and preserve it. If you are in the area please go = and check=20 it out!

Your comments will = be=20 appreciated.=94 Yes indeed, we are in possession of an old ship=92s cap = ribbon and=20 if memory serves me correctly we handed it over to the S.A. = Naval Museum in Simon=92s Town. If I = am correct=20 then Obie Ian Manning would have it recorded on the GB Trust list of=20 memorabilia. This list is also on our web site for viewing. Perhaps Ian = can=20 confirm this and perhaps this may induce Ian to send us a report of his = labours=20 to preserve the legend for the next newsletter. At least the ribbon = displayed at=20 the Southern Right Hotel is contributing to the preservation of the = ship=92s=20 history and legend in the public eye. But, as Peter says, comments=20 welcome.

 

A HAPPY=20 ENDING.

As mentioned = previously the=20 internet is wonderful tool and has led many an Obie or enquiry to us, = including=20 the Sunday Times journalist mentioned elsewhere in this publication. = Recently=20 someone contacted me via our web site requesting any possible = information of her=20 grandfather, a Bothie Boy. Her mother lost contact with him during the = war. Our=20 data base had only a one liner of him but no contact details. Thus armed = with=20 that one liner I duly sent an email appeal to the Obies in that region. = The Old=20 Boy network worked and within 24 hours we had our man. The happy ending; = =93I have=20 trouble in picking-up my jaw from the table!!!!! I telephoned my mother = last=20 night and told her that I just might be on the trace of her father, and = the poor=20 woman just started crying. She has had this huge void in her life, not = being=20 able to find her father and at last a spec of hope! I will forward this=20 information to her as soon as possible and hold thumbs and pray like = crazy that=20 this could mean a happy reunion!! Thank you so much for all your trouble = and I=20 will definitely keep you posted!!!=94 This brings tears to my eyes. = Thanks to the=20 Obies who assisted with this enquiry.

 

UNITED KINGDOM = BRANCH=20 NEWS  -=20 Ted Fisher reports

We had a very successful pre- = Christmas (seems=20 light years away!) gathering with the Conway Solent Branch down the New = Forest=20 in December.  Those=20 =91Bothy=92attending, Rob Mybergh and Val, Donald Neaves & Kathleen, = Alan Garton=20 & Maureen, Douglas Wrathmall, Caroline & myself, plus 15 Conway = and=20 wives =96 an excellent meal and good fellowship.

News Update: Captain John = Shone (43/44)=20 phoned the other week to inform that following the entry in the November = Newsletter regarding their Golden Wedding, he recalled that he and = Sheila had=20 performed a similar double 10 years earlier on their Ruby Anniversary = =96 that is=20 consistency for you!!

Spring Function: Note the = date Sunday Lunch 5 March 2006 with = timing=20 1215 for 1300 and Venue is=20 confirmed as The Marriott Goodwood Park Hotel Golf and Country Club = Chichester=20 West Sussex.  Cost adiesed = at =A316.00=20 per person excluding drinks but to include a 4 Course meal with coffee = (choice=20 of Starter/Main/Sweet & Cheese). All payable on the=20 day.

Facilities will be available for the = screening of=20 videos and certainly the classic 1954 film of the General Botha by Barry = Cullen=20 and Chris Copeland in their senior year showing a straightforward view = of cadets=20 lives at our remarkable institution.

The date has been chosen to coincide = with the=20 Commissioning weekend in SA where some of UK members will = be.

We have a goodly number of attendees = so far=20 including I am pleased to say, Glenys Woudberg one of the daughters of = our late=20 PTI Jimmy Smith.

I look forward to hearing from any = other Obies who=20 would like to attend on that day!

Best wishes to all, Ted Fisher = +44(0)1903 744400=20 e-mail tedefisher@aol.com

 

GAUTENG ANNUAL COMMISSIONING DAY=20 FUNCTION

 The Gauteng Branch is having its annual=20 Commissioning Day luncheon on Sunday 19 March, 2006. Our venue for this = occasion=20 is once again being arranged by Jack and Marge Gemmell and our function = will=20 take the form of a three course Sunday lunch at the extremely well = appointed=20 clubhouse in =93Highwood=94, their complex. There is a swimming = pool, billiard=20 room, lounge, dining room and bar.  The dining room is spacious and = airy=20 and has a lovely view across the gardens. The complex is wheel chair = friendly. A=20 full three course meal will cost the princely sum of between R60 and R70 = per=20 person. Those of you who attended our last function at this = venue will=20 know that the standard of catering is excellent! In order to keep = expenses down=20 we have not requested a barman or bar service, so please bring along = your own=20 bottle of wine or any other booze that you might feel inclined to sample = on that=20 day. We have decided that this time we will ring a few changes to = maintain the=20 variety and will be =93going back to basics=94. No music, no=20 microphone, no dancing, just  good food and wonderful company, = where=20 we can renew old friendships in our private dining=20 room.

Please make a note of this in your = diaries. This is=20 a popular function and over the last few years our number attending has = grown=20 from the 20s to more than 80 at the last function.=20

If you=20 live in Gauteng and have not yet attended one of these then you are = missing out=20 on some really good fellowship. Gauteng members will be advised by later = notice=20 of the time and address, and will be provided with directions on how to = get=20 there. Other members are welcome to contact Ivor Little to book a = seat if=20 you are going to be in the vicinity on that date. Contact details = are:=20 ivorandanne@mweb.co.za ; Telephone (012) 660-3243; Postal = address =96 3=20 =93Villa Rosa=94, 186 Jonk Avenue,=20 Centurion, 0157.

Ivor = Little. 

 

AUSTRALIAN BRANCH=20 NEWS

Happy New Year to = everyone. Our=20 last function was a Pub Lunch at the Great Northern Hotel in Sydney and = this was=20 well attended and a success. The Southern Queensland Group have also had = well=20 attended functions. Our next function will be the Annual Commissioning = Day=20 Dinner and AGM to be held in Sydney on Saturday 18th March = 2006.When=20 planning this function your committee would have preferred to have = repeated the=20 past few very successful dinners at the North Ryde RSL Club. = Unfortunately the=20 venue will not accept a booking for less than 40 persons and prefer to = book full=20 wedding type functions in the entire area. Lunch instead of a Dinner has = been=20 chosen as this is easier to book and less costly and may also suit some=20 attendees particularly those older =93Old Salts=94 and those wishing to = make a day=20 trip to Sydney. Please note cheap air fares.

Our venue will be = the very old=20 and famous =93Hero of Waterloo=94 Hotel = which lays=20 claim to Sydney=92s oldest Pub. Built by = convict labour=20 from sandstone in the 1843 as a Gentleman=92s Pub it soon became a = sailor=92s haven=20 for good rum and has a tunnel from the basement to the harbour for rum = smuggling=20 press gangs to =93Shanghai=94 drunks. We don=92t = believe this=20 practice is still carried out there today but who can tell! We may get = lucky. We=20 have booked a private room upstairs.

The address is 81 = Lower Fort=20 Street, Millers Point (The Rocks). Cost will be $60 per head including 3 = Course=20 Meal, Beer, Wine, Port & Soft drinks. Spirits will be available at = your own=20 cost. Dress of the Day will be Blazer and Bothy Tie as preference. We = would=20 appreciate your early advice of attendance.

We would also like = to offer a=20 special challenge to the Granger Bay Old Boys to attend to keep the = legend=20 alive. Andy Fotheringham, please note and follow your group=20 up.

Grenville Stevens = (2189 =9160/61)=20 Chairman.

Stan Damp           =20 (1509 =9147/48) Vice Chairman.

Peter O=92Hare       =20 (2247 =9264) Hon Secretary, Australia Branch.

Email peteroh@bigpond.com;=20 Telephone 0417 028809.

 

Queensland Old Boys = Lunch

The Queensland GBOB had their = end of year=20 get together last Sunday (November 13th) at the Spanish = Garden=20 Restaurant in the Breakfast Creek Hotel in Brisbane. Brian and Jill = Hoatson came=20 down with Michael and Margaret Pomfret, and Fred and Moreen More made up = the=20 northern contingent. Ian De Villiers from the south was accompanied by = his son=20 John, who was also the designated driver. John and I go back a long time = to our=20 windsurfing days in Port Elizabeth in the mid 70=92s. The local = contingent=20 consisted of myself, Andy Fotheringham and Mike Niell. Richard and = Gloria Shaw=20 sent their apologies. They were waiting for favourable winds to get them = back=20 from Townsville. A hard life! Good company, copious drinks and lovely = food (in=20 that order) made for a great day! Our next gathering is scheduled for = March next=20 year (2006). Cheers from sunny Brisbane. Simon=20 Reynolds.

 

SCARY

Although=20 the projected average growth rate for container ships in the four years = from=20 January 1, 2005 to January 1, 2009 is 14% per annum, according to BRS=20 Alphaliner=92s latest figures, it=92s the biggies which are snatching = the limelight.=20 Ships above 4 000 TEU capacity are predicted to grow at 20.5% per annum = compared=20 to 8% for smaller vessels. The world=92s liner fleet (of all ship types) = passed=20 the 9-million TEU mark in November, and expected to pass 10-m in = September=20 2006.

 

 

AN =93ODE=94 TO THE CLOSURE OF THE MERCHANT = NAVY OFFICERS=20 MEMORIAL CLUB IN ALIWAL STREET = DURBAN

It was with regret that the = MNOMC in Durban=20 closed its doors after serving the marine fraternity for so many years. = It was=20 established as a =93memorial=94 to those who lost their lives in the = Merchant=20 Service during the Second World War.

Most visiting seamen gathered = there to down=20 a few pints when in port and many local mariners also used it as their = special=20 watering hole. The club was well known all over the world.=20

It was for many years the home = of the =93Botha=20 Old Boys=94 where committee meetings, AGM=92S etc were held. = Unfortunately the club=20 went into decline towards the end of the eighties/ early nineties and = since then=20 the Obies moved to a new meeting venue every couple of years. The happy = memories=20 however remain very clear to many of = us.

Our monthly lunches were held = there and=20 often forty or more OB=92s gathered and complained when the price of = lunch was=20 raised from R1.85 to R1.95. One remembers Shaik the waiter who looked = after us =96=20 always in his slippers. The plate was passed around on at least three = occasions=20 to fund his retirement.  = He did=20 however finally disappear off the scene. =

Committee meetings were always a = lively=20 affair with the likes of Curly Morrison, Dennis Cowley and Al Viljoen = adding a=20 touch of flavour to the proceedings.

The AGM=92s of old, held at the = club, were=20 always rowdy affairs with Gordon Jones having to stamp his authority on = numerous=20 occasions to restore order.

Then, of course, members would = order drinks,=20 which together with chirping from the floor further interrupted = proceedings. The=20 commissioning dinners followed the AGM=92s, with tables shouting = reminiscences=20 across the floor and wine flowing freely. Of course the die-hards ended = up in=20 the magnificent, plaque and memorabilia adorned, main bar upstairs for = brandy=20 and liquors. Some of the more mature members in age even found their way = to the=20 Ladies Bar for nightcaps.

In later years some of the more = agile=20 adjourned to the lower pub, where these late revellers displayed their = mastery=20 by tripping the light fantastic with internationally renowned Club=20 Hostesses.

Great memories remain of the = renewing of=20 friendships at the Annual Dances that were held in the festively = decorated=20 dining hall. These were very happy occasions, with wives, family and = friends=20 enjoying the good spirit that always prevails when Bothie Boys get=20 together.

The contents of the club were = recently=20 auctioned off lock, stock and barrel. Thanks to Roy Martin we were able = to=20 retrieve the plaque presented to the club on the occasion of the = 21st=20 Anniversary of the OB in 1952. The Bothie crest and a piece of the = Conway Rail=20 went to another bidder. The latter piece of wood fetched a price of=20 R2200.00

Sadly the club has now gone = forever, but=20 those members of long standing will remember the happy times and the = walls can=20 tell many an interesting tale, spanning it=92s long years of=20 existence.

 

John Leslie Stevens (#1064;=20 1939/40)

(By E W=20 Jupp)

John Leslie Stevens grew up in the Kokstad = region of=20 Natal and spent his childhood on a farm where he enjoyed the freedom = that fed=20 his sense of adventure. He would ride his horse into the Drakensberg = Mountains=20 deeply sensitive of the beautiful ambience which he remembered all his = life. His=20 move to Cape Town was a major upheaval, but his love for the sea a = compensation.=20 His family settled in Rosebank and John attended Rondebosch Boys High = School,=20 and like many boys interested in the sea, spent many hours during = weekends=20 wandering the quays of the Victoria Basin and going aboard ships. In = 1939 John=20 the SATS General Botha in Simon=92s Town and so began his nautical = career. It was=20 a momentous year culminating as it did with the outbreak of World War II = which=20 changed the lives of so many cadets. The Royal Navy Commodore in command = of=20 Simon=92s Town at the time spoke to the cadets about opportunities to = join the=20 Royal Navy Reserve as Midshipmen and serve with the RN. This offer = naturally=20 drew tremendous interest and several senior cadets left within the = following=20 months to join RN ships which had berthed at Simon=92s Town for refit or = maintenance. Very wisely Captain Pennington, Captain of the General = Botha at the=20 time, ruled that no further cadets would be permitted to leave the ship = until=20 they had completed their training. It was thus on completion of exams at = the=20 beginning of December 1940 that John, together with E. W. Jupp, B. O. = Powell and=20 J. Power joined the RNR as temporary Midshipmen and were appointed to = the Armed=20 Merchant Cruiser HMS = Austurias.=20

Following service in South and North Atlantic = and the=20 West Coast of Africa, Austurias=20 returned for refit to the UK in January 1943. Two months of courses = followed in=20 which John excelled, and in May he was appointed to the new =93S=94 = Class destroyer=20 HMS Savage. He was not = happy in the=20 ship and despite his nearly three years at sea and he was still being = treated as=20 a =91dogsbody=92. He applied and was accepted to do a submariners=92 = course and=20 thereafter spent the remainder of the war in submarines in the North = Atlantic=20 and the Mediterranean. It was during this period that he decided =96 = much as he=20 loved the sea =96 his calling was to study medicine and become a country = GP.=20

After being de-mobbed in Cape Town in 1946 he = was=20 successful in obtaining the Governor-General=92s grant available to = ex-servicemen,=20 he returned to the UK. After qualifying and completing his housemanship = period=20 he joined a family practice in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. He pursued his = calling with=20 typical enthusiasm and determination, and took over the practice when = the senior=20 partner retired. His guiding philosophy was a profound commitment to = caring and=20 respect for the patient.  = He=20 fulfilled many lecture engagements, including invitations to South = Africa, the=20 United States and Australia during the course a very distinguished = medical=20 career, and will be remembered for fostering the principle that terminal = patients should be allowed to die in dignity in their own homes =96 the = forerunner=20 of today=92s Hospice.

Despite his very busy schedule he did manage = two very=20 interesting nautical interludes. The first of these was in April 1957 = when he=20 sailed as Seaman/Ship=92s Surgeon aboard the replica of the Mayflower commemorating the = voyage of=20 the Pilgram Fathers to America, a voyage which lasted 55 days. The = second took=20 place some years later in the Mediterranean when he was employed as = Medical=20 Officer on the set during the filming of =93HMS DEFIANT=94. This was a = naval saga of=20 the early 19th century which culminated in the battle of = Trafalgar.=20 Apart from his medical duties, John was also able to sail in the = replicas built=20 for the film and appears as a seaman in some of the shots.=20

Tragedy struck in 1978 when John suffered a = stroke which=20 paralysed him down the right side and he lost the power of speech. It = was a=20 terrible source of frustration to him as he was unable to continue = practicing.=20 He decided therefore to return to his other great passion =96 the sea = =96 with the=20 intention of sailing around the world single-handed in his yacht =93Sly Boots=94. To cater for = his infirmity=20 he altered her rig from gaff to lateen-rig so that he would be able to = reef=20 using his good left arm. In 1981 he set sail and reached Antigua in the=20 Caribbean safely where he was joined by his son for the passage to = Panama and=20 through the Canal. Sailing on into the Pacific =96 once again on his own = =96 the=20 yacht suffered rudder damage which John was unable to repair. After = drifting for=20 40 days he was sighted by a Japanese fish-factory ship which took him = aboard and=20 was able to lift his yacht aboard and land him and his yacht in Colon.=20

Due to his inability to speak he had not = thought it=20 necessary to carry a radio aboard. However his family convinced him that = he=20 should and that he should also attend speech therapy classes which he = did for a=20 few months before sailing again in early 1982. He was never seen again = and no=20 sign of the yacht or any wreckage was ever found.=20

In a tribute to him Dr Basil Jaffe, a life-long = friend=20 said of him: =93General practice had lost one of its greatest = intellectuals whose=20 fierce loyalty stemmed from his love of his craft and patients.=94=20

 

SLOP = CHEST

These slop chest items all proudly display our=20 association insignia and is available from Cape Town branch. Place your orders = without=20 delay with Kathy Nicholas:

Phone:  = 021-7885957   fax:      =20 021-4213250   = Email:=20 cptchairman@generalbotha.co.za

BADGE

R100

FLAG

R100

TIE=20 [STRIPED]

R60

PLAQUE

R100

PEAK=20 CAP [BASEBALL=20 TYPE]

R60

=91n NAAM=20 WAT SEEVAARDERS=20 EER

Geskiedenis=20 van die opleiding skip.

DONASIE

A NAME AMONG=20 SEAFARING MEN

History of=20 the training ship.

DONATION

FIRST=20 DAY=20 COVER

60th anniversary of our Old = Boys=92=20 Association

DONATION

BELT=20 BUCKLE

R100

PLUS PACKAGING AND = POSTAGE!

Note:=20 some items in the slop chest are available from Durban branch as=20 well.

 

Cheque or postal = order should be=20 made out to =93General Botha Old Boys=92 Association=94. Post to: = P.O. Box 4515, = Cape Town, 8000

 

Alternatively, the = payment can be=20 made by electronic fund transfer directly into our bank account. Details = as=20 follows:

 

=B7       =20 Bank:           &nbs= p;            = ;        =20 Standard Bank

=B7       =20 Branch:           &nbs= p;            = ;      =20 Thibault=20 Square, Cape=20 Town

=B7       =20 Branch code:           &nbs= p;         =20 02 09 09

=B7       =20 Account name:           &nbs= p;       =20 General Botha Old Boys=92 = Association

=B7       =20 Account number:           &nbs= p;   =20 070835128

 

 

Defending Our=20 Ocean

In addition to the Volvo yachts mentioned above, the = Victoria &=20 Alfred Waterfront here in Cape Town is host to many interesting vessels. = As I=20 write this we have two Greenpeace vessels in port (ETD 27 Feb). They are = the=20 =93ESPERANZA=94 and the =93ARCTIC = SUNRISE=94. They have just returned from a = ten week=20 campaign in the Southern Oceans. The following are extracts from Mike Fincken=92s (#2904; = 1987) diary over the period of the = vessels=92 stay=20 in Cape Town in November last year in preparation for the campaign. I = have=20 difficulty choosing extracts from his writings, because Mike writes so=20 descriptively and with such passion about his family, his ship, the = oceans and=20 its creatures. Space does not permit me to include the entire script, = but if you=20 would like to read it all, then write to Mike and I am sure he will be=20 interested to reply.

Thursday 10 = November: For months we = have waited for=20 my ship to come in and finally the day arrived; there she was as big and = blue as=20 ever. The Esperanza sailed into Cape Town harbour this morning before = the=20 backdrop of Table Mountain beneath a blue sky saturated with the light = of an=20 African Sun. With me on the quayside to greet her were Nana and Opa, = Kirsten and=20 Kai. There was a fresh look about her with a brighter rainbow adorning = the bow=20 and down the length of her side a new campaign slogan: "Defending Our=20 Oceans". Nolan and Natasha where among the many familiar faces that = greeted=20 me from the decks and I felt proud that Kirsten could meet my friends = from far=20 away places; many of
them still on board from the foggy days spent on = the=20 Grand Banks of Newfoundland in August. Thirteen-year old Kai spent the = day with=20 me and in the evening when we returned home he told Kirsten that it was = the=20 second best day of his life, the best being the day he was born.=20

Friday 11 November: Sound is = carried=20 through water, and perhaps that's why whales have chosen their = environment for=20 they love to sing those long and complicated songs that travel from one = side of=20 an ocean to another. From the mess room where I was seated for lunch I = heard a=20 deep rumbling coming up through the ship's hull. I jumped up to look out = through=20 the port hole and saw the bow of the Greenpeace icebreaker, Arctic = Sunrise,=20 coming up alongside the Esperanza. All hands rushed up and onto the deck = to take=20 the lines and adjust the fenders as the weather-torn ship pulled up = alongside.=20 She looked worn and beaten, paint stripped off her green hull by the = Arctic and=20 Greenland ice; rust had set in to replace it through the course of her = five week=20 passage across a storm tossed Atlantic Ocean. Tears welled up with my = memories=20 of the Antarctic icebergs and the furious fifties of the Southern Ocean = through=20 which this aging lady had taken me six years ago. All fast on the = starboard side=20 of the Esperanza the railings of both ships filled up with crew leaning = over for=20 hugs and hand shakes, and the talk of weather and whales.=20

Monday 18 = November: Thirty school = children all=20 dressed in uniform under the direction of Miss
Plummer and assisting = parents=20 visited the ship.  Kai showed them the way; they where all his = class mates.=20 On the helicopter pad I told them the story of Greenpeace that begins = with=20 E=3DMC=B2; about how there was a time in our history where the world was = averaging=20 one nuclear test a week and the Canadian air force routinely used pods = of Orcas=20 as target practice for their bombers. It was hot and the steel decks = radiated=20 their warmth sending us for shelter in the mess room where the children = pulled=20 out their packed lunches and had a taste of life on board. =

Tuesday 15 = November: Footprints = Re-cycling from=20 Wynberg in Cape Town came along to the ship and
helped with the = removal of=20 all of our specially separated and stowed waste. This had been a = valuable=20 service to us as ordinarily there is no facility in the harbours for = ships=20 re-cycling; it is all thrown into one giant skip and sent to the land = fill. At=20 sea most ships dump their waste wood, paper, cardboard, steel, aluminium = and=20 glass, retaining only plastics and toxic materials such as oily rags = which they=20 incinerate; thus demand for recycling receptors in ports is minimal. On = our=20 Greenpeace boats we make every effort to avoid packaging, but this is = difficult=20 when provisioning a ship of 37 people and another of 25 for two months = at=20 sea. One of the crew on each ship is designated the role of = Garbologist and=20 takes great care to separate and stow recyclable material whilst at sea. = It took=20 Michelle and Adelaide
from Footprints three trips in their five tonne = truck=20 to remove all of our recyclables.

Thursday 17 November: Captain = Bill=20 Shewell is a year off retirement and is the harbour master of Cape = Town's=20 Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Over a period of fifteen years he = has taken=20 a polluted old fishing harbour and transformed it into one of the worlds = leading=20 tourist attractions.  Today he allowed us=20 the use of the passenger reception facility on the jetty which was = decorated=20 under the direction of his wife. The evening function was by invitation; = each=20 person's positive identification was checked against a names list at the = gate=20 and they were allowed in one at a time. If anything, the difficulty = in=20 coming into the enclosure raised the anticipation of what we were about = to tell=20 the world, but that would have to wait for Friday for this was a = pre-launch to=20 the campaign. Among the guests invited where friends of mine from two = special=20 groups of people: the South African Society of Master Mariners and the=20 Two
Oceans Aquarium. The speaker was Karen Sacks, a fellow South = African who=20 is the Oceans policy advisor; a South African lawyer who lives in = Washington=20 D.C. and attends amongst others U.N. and IWC meetings. Karen spoke about = the=20 Convention on Biological Diversity and the need for a moratorium on deep = sea=20 bottom trawling of the high seas sea mounts. After the talk I was called = upon to=20 do what I love to do most and took a large group of people on a tour of = the=20 Esperanza, where I was able to tell them my favourite story of = Greenpeace and=20 others from the life at sea on a Greenpeace boat.=20

Friday 18 = November: Sara has caught the sun and her face and = arms radiate=20 with the same intensity as her bright red hair. "Every second breath we = take=20 comes from the Ocean" she told the press gathered together in the = helicopter=20 hanger on board the Esperanza. "The Ocean is responsible for half = of the=20 oxygen on this planet." I guess the other half must come from the = trees, so=20 that makes both very important. Greenpeace are sending the Esperanza on = a=20 campaign of unprecedented magnitude. She will spend more than one year = traveling=20 around the Earth and 'Defending our Ocean'. A year of her life is = being=20 devoted to this singular cause which started today in Cape Town. From = Cape Town=20 she will sail to the whale sanctuary of the Southern Ocean to defend = some of the=20 largest of the creatures of this planet. =

Sunday = 20=20 November: The red and white pilot flag = was hoisted=20 to the top of the Esperanza's halyard, and her ropes cast off from jetty = number=20 2. Lots of wave's goodbye between both ships and those left behind = which=20 included me. The people grew small with distance and then they = disappeared out=20 of the
harbour. Kirsten clung to my side, sad to see them go but = happy=20 to have me at home for a few more months to spend Christmas together and = the new=20 year. For now I remain on land but not for long, as I hear the Oceans = call and=20 my sea legs are restless. With love and peace, Mike Mate.=20

Mike sails on the Esperanza as = Mate departing=20 Cape Town 27 Feb, and he tells me that = Lance Tiedt (#2916; 1987) has joined the Arctic Sunrise =96 = 2 Obies in=20 Greenpeace nog al!

=93TENJEWBERRYMUDS!=94

To get the full effect, this should be = read aloud.=20 You will understand what 'tenjewberrymuds' means by the end of the = conversation.=20 This has been nominated for the best email of 2005.
The=20 following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and = room-service,
at=20 a hotel in Asia, which was recorded and published in the Far East = Economic=20 Review:=20
Room Service (RS): "Morrin.  ; Roon sirbees."
Guest (G): = "Sorry, I=20 thought I dialed room-service."
RS: "Rye..Roon sirbees..morrin! =  Jewish=20 to oddor sunteen??"
G: "Uh..yes..I'd like some bacon and eggs." =
RS: "Ow=20 July den?"
G: "What??"
RS: "Ow July den?...pryed, boyud, = poochd?"
G=20 : "Oh, the eggs!  How do I like them?  Sorry, scrambled = please."=20
RS: "Ow July dee baykem?  Crease?"
G: "Crisp will be fine." =
RS=20 : "Hokay.  An Sahn toes?"
G: "What?"
RS:"An toes. =  July Sahn=20 toes?"
G: "I don't think so."
RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes??" =
G: "I=20 feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan sahn toes' = means."=20
RS: "Toes! toes!...Why jew don juan toes?  Ow bow Anglish = moppin we=20 bodder?"
G: "English muffin!!  I've got it!  You were = saying=20 'Toast.'  Fine. Yes, an English muffin will be fine." 
RS: = "We=20 bodder?"
G: "No...just put the bodder on the side."
RS: "Wad! ?" =
G:=20 "I mean butter...just put it on the side."
RS: = "Copy?"  
G:=20 "Excuse me?"
RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"
G: "Yes. Coffee, please, = and=20 that's all."
RS: "One Minnie.  Scramah egg, crease baykem, = Anglish=20 moppin we bodder on sigh and copy....rye??"
G: "Whatever you say." =
RS:=20 "Tenjewberrymuds."
G : "You're very welcome."

 

The Pessimist complains about the wind, the = Optimist=20 expects it to change and the Realist adjusts his sails. (author = unknown). We look forward to seeing you on = March 3 =96 5=20 if you are in Cape Town=85 Scribe (dhenwood@iafrica.com).=20

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