Rover SARSI: 1973 Report
Cape Town: SARSI '73
1 to 3 September
This National Rover Indaba was held over the weekend, and was attended for the full period by the Chief Scout, Mr. Chas Martin, the Divisional Commissioner Cape Western, Mr. Colin Inglis, and 55 Rovers from Natal, Transvaal and Cape Western Division.
The programme included a dawn landing on Fish Hoek beach from a vessel anchored approximately 250 yards off the beach; first one over the side was our Div. Comm. Colin Inglis, followed by the Rovers at ½ minute intervals. I am happy to report that everyone arrived safely on the beach.
Breakfast was served at the 2nd Fish Hoek Scout Hall and when I tell you that some 100 scones were still left after a second session of eating following the Rovers' Own, you will appreciate how well we were catered for by the ladies of Fish Hoek.
A visit to Zandvlei where the Rovers from the Rosebank Crew Johannesburg tried their hand at rowing and sailing, added an amusing interlude. From Zandvlei we drove through the farming areas of Stellenbosch with lunch served on a farm at Lyndoch.
On Sunday afternoon we boarded a Dakota aircraft at D.F. Malan (Cape Town) Airport for a scenic flight ever the Peninsula, at one stage flying just 500 ft. above Table Mountain. "Beaver Weather" just added to the fantastic experience of seeing Cape Town at 2000 ft. above sea level.
Our formal Dinner at the Savoy Hotel, Somerset West, was attended by Col. de Wet Venter, Mayor of Somerset West, who proposed the toast to the Movement. He paid tribute to the ideals of Scouting. The Chief Scout started his address with a song which earned him a tremendous ovation from all present. The food was good and the evening a great success.
Monday was taken up with the Conference. This proved to be the highlight of SARSI - 73. Discussion was brisk and ideas and decisions constructive. The whole conference was tape-recorded by Mr. Les Fenner and covered 6 ½ hours of talking. As promised at the beginning of the Conference it is our intention to have a complete follow up and bring to a successful finality matters discussed and decisions taken. We were most fortunate in having the wise counsel of both the Chief and our Divisional Commissioner at this session.
Lunch was prepared and served by the ladies of the 1st Strand Group and we have a faint suspicion that they had every intention of competing with the dinner of the previous night - enough said when someone shouted "anyone for thirds"! Thank your ladies - a marvellous effort. In conclusion I should like to say that the spirit, enthusiasm and camaraderie were of the highest quality, and the success of SARSI-73 was due to the effort put in by everyone who attended.
While this SARSI was the first held in Cape Western for 35 years and the first since 1951 in South Africa, the Rovers have no intention of allowing such a huge gap again and I am happy to announce that the date and possible venue have been fixed for the next SARSI to be held in 1975 in Maseru, where all neighbouring States will be invited to send contingents.
Lastly my sincere thanks to all members of the Cape Western SARSI Committee and friends who assisted in the organisation.
Ed B. Rose
Assistant Divisional Commissioner: Rovers
Ack:Cape Western Scouter
Scout Heritage 2018