Rayner Trophy 1978 Report
The following is the report for the Western Cape's Rayner Trophy competition of 1978:
Report
Bainskloof / Du Toitskloof
Report by Roddy Beer
Patrol Leader
1st Camps Bay
After much preparation, snags, worries and last-minute ideas we finally left the Scout Hall for the 1978 Rayner Trophy on Saturday 4th March, at 1.30 p.m.
We arrived at Bellville Station, where we received many surprised comments such as " I see Camps Bay actually made it!" We then received our final destination which was Bains Kloof and the race was on! All the Scouts scrambled for their cars and set off at high speed for Bains Kloof, each hoping to get a good starting position.
On arrival at the ruined hotel at Bains Kloof, we lined up and received a very strict uniform inspection and our team number. Unfortunately, we were near the back of the line and became Team No. 25. We then set off on the 28 km hike up the Witte River. The theme of the competition was based on the "Guns of Navarone" ' and we were a team of British commandos.
The hike that afternoon consisted mainly of endless rock-hopping. We passed through many bases such as water measuring; pool rescue; artificial respiration and observation. The hardest base was one which involved swimming, dead man's crawl over a mountain pool and scaling a wet cliff with a rope.
Unfortunately, we were at the back right from the beginning and were stuck there for the rest of the hike. We arrived at the campsite at about 8 p.m. and began supper, which was a "Chinese meal" we also had to made chopsticks and demonstrate how to eat with them.
After supper the night activities began. We set off dressed in our warmest clothing for the first night base. The bases carried on until one o t clock in the morning. The worst one was at a weir in the river. We had to use our lilos to transport the team across the weir. I can still remember myself standing there at midnight, stark naked, freezing cold and waiting to enter the icy water.
We rose at about 6.30 the next morning and were told to pack up everything without breakfast and hike further up the river to Junction Pool. Once there we had to cook omelettes for breakfast, after which we had several tests to do at the pool, such as a sketch map, a contour map and lower a patient down a cliff into the pool on a lilo.
For the rest of the morning, we hiked up river passing through many different bases, doing things such as drown proof floating, tests on the Scout Laws, making a sketch, a quiz on diseases, knot ting and an underwater observation test in a mountain pool.
As we were pushed for time we had to go without lunch and proceed to the last base where we were checked for our rubbish bag and first aid kit. We then had to boil a cup of tea in a plastic mug.
All the teams then proceeded down the long route to the Du Toit's Kloof Pass road, where the trophy was presented by Mr. Rayner to the winning team, which was 1st Pinelands.
We all returned home tired, dusty but with a great deal of gained experience, as this was the first Rayner Trophy for all the members of our team. I look forward to the next one, when I am sure we will do much better.
Roddy Beer
Patrol Leader
1st Camps Bay
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2nd Durbanville
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Bell Rope
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John Mutti, Garnet de la Hunt, 12th GASP
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Norman Osburn, 1st Claremont
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Obstacle Course
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Obstacle Course
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Obstacle Course
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Obstacle Course
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Omelettes
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Water Rescue 1st Pinelands
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Water Rescue
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Closing Parade
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Winners - 1st Pinelands
