Senior Scout Adventure: 1986 Cederberg

7th National Senior Scout Adventure - 1986

With permission from the private landowners to put "activity centres" on their land and permission from the Dept. of Forestry to hike and trail camp on their land, the Adventure moved back to the Cederberg.

Report by Geoff Brodovsky – GSM of 1st Green & Sea Point

The National Senior Scout Adventure was held from 11th to 22nd December in the Cedarberg Mountains, with Water Activities, Canoeing and Bass Fishing at Rondegat at Clanwilliam Dam. Three Scouts from my Troop (1st GASP) Grant Barnard, Arthur Magouliantis and Mark Krumrey attended.

The Bass Fishing was on the Clanwilliam Dam

I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a staff member at the Bass Fishing Activity Centre which was run by Dave Millard, a member of Old Mutual Bass Fishing team, and a colleague of his, Robbie Scrimgeour, who is also a member of the team. Robbie has filmed the whole Adventure and is in the process of putting this together, to make a 20 minute documentary, complete with sound and narration. This will be officially handed over, together with all the fishing equipment and two canoes, by Old Mutual, who were kind enough to sponsor our Fishing Activity to the grand sum of R2,500.00. This film and the fishing equipment will be kept at Headquarters for future use. From the footage that I have already seen, I can guarantee that this is a winner of a film. At this stage from me, Robbie "Thank You" and on behalf of all Scouts in South Africa. With your expertise and love for the open and working with Scouts, I know that you have done a fine job. I strongly recommend that every Troop get this film and screen it.

About Dave Millard (The Scrimorkel, his nickname given by me), all I can say is what a learned and knowledgeable fellow this is. His lectures on the ecology of Clanwilliam area and the way that he put over the complete lecture on Bass Fishing to the teams that participated were first class.

I personally thought I knew a lot about Bass Fishing. Dave definitely proved otherwise to me. All in all well over 150 Smallmouth Bass were caught, the biggest being a Smallmouth Bass of 1,850 grams caught by Gregory Bronford of Germiston, Transvaal.

The team competition which we had organised was won by Patrol No.13 from Durbanville with Geoffrey Hodgson as Patrol Leader.

The weather was perfect, in fact, far too hot. We were situated next to the Water Activity Centre, and had fantastic help and co-operation from all involved - to Kuba and his team a big "Thank You".

Canoeing Base

Also a big "Thank You" to Ian Cooper who ran the Canoeing Base. What a warm and friendly chap. In fact, the one thing that really struck me was the fact that everyone was friendly and that some good friendships were made, which goes to show that there must be some good in Scouting after all!

The evening rides up the lagoon with the rescue boat, packed to capacity to our spot marked as the bathroom were something else, lots of laughter, singing and splashing took place. But like everything else in life it was all over too soon.

The closing ceremony up at Headquarters in the Cedarberg was a very touching moment with formalities such as handing out of prizes, lighting small candles by everyone and singing Taps.

Thereafter 500 Scouts quietly dispersed from the camp-fire and walked back to their various campsites. They then packed and prepared for an early departure the following morning, so that they could be home in time for Christmas, with nothing more than memories, to share with their loved ones back home, of yet another beautiful and exciting Senior Scouting Adventure.

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See Also

• A Timeline of all the Cederberg Adventures