Abseiling Down Leask Rock

The traditional school mid-term break of four days from Friday to Monday presented a good opportunity for three of my Scouts, namely Declan, Michael and Kevin to spend the long weekend at Gordon Park. Unfortunately Chris had public exams on both the Friday and Monday, so he had to remain at home. Tut, Tut. The families of my other Scouts took the opportunity of having a short family holiday, so off they went to their various destinations.

Adam, Gordon Park's general hand was most surprised and delighted to see us on the Friday for I had not told him that we would becoming. We arrived at the Park around eleven o'clock on Friday morning, settled in and then had an early lunch. Our afternoon activities were a little different to the norm, for it was my intention to clean out one of the water reservoirs located in the Bowl Campsites. This is a task that has to be done every few years depending on the amount of water used. As there is no facility at this nest of tanks to remove the clay out of the water before letting it into the storage tanks, each tank needs to be cleaned periodically. The Scouts enjoy getting into the tanks, stirring up the little water that remains once the tank is 'empty' and then bucketing the muddy water out. The tanks are six metres in diameter and the water remaining is about ten to fifteen centimetres deep. This amounts to a lot of water and usually takes many weekends to get it all out by using small buckets.

Recently, the Park had acquired a pump that could be used to speed up the process of emptying the tanks, rather than using the bucket system. The pump proved to be very useful in this particular exercise, as although the tank was supposed to have been 'empty', the outlet valve had not been fully closed when we changed to using water from another tank. Water had leaked into the 'empty' tank. Too much water to just let go to waste, so the pump having been set up on the roof of the tank was used to transfer water to an adjacent tank. On reaching the required amount of water to stir up the sediment, the delivery pipe was directed to pump the muddy water to waste, at this moment the three Scouts dropped down two metres into the tank and started to stir up the clay on the floor of the tank being cleaned. This provided the Scouts with the greatest of joys, playing with mud and water. The whole process took a little over two hours, longer than it should have because of having to pump the excess water out before the cleaning process could begin. Instead of taking weeks, the task had only taken a matter of hours, the Scouts had fun and had accomplished their mission from start to finish in an afternoon.

Progress in every field of development and maintenance at Gordon Park is slow, mainly because our equipment is limited, Scouts coming out to the Park to undertake work projects are few and we only have weekends in which to do any work. But, don't get the wrong impression that our Scouting is primitive, for our Scouting provides Scouts with the opportunity to get involved, to have a hands on experience and to learn to give voluntarily of one's time and expertise. Further, our Scouts learn to appreciate the value of facilities that they have become involved in constructing. In short, they develop a fierce pride in their projects and do not take things for granted. This is definitely an advantage and besides, working together develops management skills, friendships and an appreciation of the weaknesses and strengths of their friends.

Having done one good deed for the Park on the Friday, Saturday was devoted to learning some scouting skills. Having recently taken part in the Colin Turner Pioneering Competition, which the Troop had won, we decided to learn those tests which we were not able to do. Out came our pioneering equipment, which is stored at the Park as we do not have a hall of our own in town, and for the rest of the morning we progressed in our pioneering skills up to the level of the Advanced Scout Badge. In the afternoon, time was devoted to sealing the ends of short lengths of nylon rope that had been donated to the Park. In between these activities we pumped water into the Headquarter settlement tank and the Bowl tanks, with Norm finding time to complete the mowing of grass along the verges of the internal roads of the Park.

Sunday morning and the usual rush to get up to the top of Shumba before breakfast and in this case before the sun rose above the distant horizon, it being the shortest day of the year. We were in for a bonus as far beneath us in the valleys, wisps of mist hung on the still early morning air with the tops of the kopjes thrusting themselves through so giving the appearance of islands in a lake. Our mission in the morning was to fill the trailer with sand and cart it to our campsite to undertake some road repairs where the rain had eroded deep channels in our entrance road. Along the way we filled in where roots had been exposed by the rain water running down the roads so creating steps. Afternoon time is fun time and what better way to spend this time than to be dragged behind Ingulungundu along the roads of the Park on old car tyres. After our six and a half kilometre drag, we were covered in layers of heavy clinging glorious dust, sticks and leaves. Couldn't have been better. Never mind what mother will have to say about the washing of our clothes, we are counting on our mothers' being kind and loving. Wink, wink. And for dads, I am reminded of the song of several years ago, "But you love me daddy".

Monday, the last day of our holiday break. Up Shumba again just in case we didn't get the date of the shortest day correct. Sunrise on the distant horizon was the same time as yesterday, 06.42 hours. I guess some fellow can argue that time, but then we only had our inaccurate wrist watches to go by. More pumping of water, wow we did get through a lot of fuel this weekend, but now there is a good supply of water for the Scouts who will be taking part in the competitions and training courses as well as Troop camps for the next few months. To end off our weekend, we opted to spend time on abseiling down Leask Rock. Great fun and a good way to end off our long weekend. Oh dear, school tommorow.

Cheers
Norman
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Whats New... Old Memories!
The 8th Hillside 1989 Expediton Log to... South West Africa is on the internet at
http://matabele.altervista.org/8th-swa/swa-expedition.html

extracts:-
...we drove on down to Okuakuejo, the Southern gate of Etosha National Park. The set up at Okuakuejo was great, with every imaginable facility at hand (except a golf course). The highlight of this campsite, however, was the floodlit waterhole. This was unique and there seemed to be animals there all night long.

...we proceeded down to Swakopmund which is a wonderful little seaside town with a lot of German influence. The architecture here was splendid; the beach was superb; and the atmosphere was great.

...Radish presented us with a little shield as a memento of our stay with the Windhoek Scouts. We in turn presented Radish with a Noddy Badge; not for a blunder, but for being so good to us and "embarrassing" us with his hospitality and generosity!

Magical places also mentioned are... Twyfelfontein, Grootfontein, Hoba meteorite, Skeleton Coast, Caprivi Strip, Brandburg, Walvis Bay, Kuiseb and Gaub passes, Sesriem Canyon, Luderitz, Kolmanskop, Fish River Canyon, Kururnan, Mafeking...

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This past week... (forwarded from Michael Hopkins)

Re:- Robert James GORDON OBE (Gordon Park)
Dear Sir,

I am a Queensland historian researching the life of Sir Robert James GORDON, D.S.O (1866-1944), a Queenslander from Townsville who, after serving with the Queensland Mounted Infantry during the South African War of 1899-1902 & being awarded the D.S.O., became a prominent settler in early Rhodesia where he was known variously as 'Boomerang Gordon', 'Major Gordon' or, more often simply as 'The Major'. He played a founding role in establishing the Boy Scout movement in Rhodesia (the Matopos Gordon Park still bears this name), the Turf Club, the Caledonia Society, the Bulawayo Club, Rotary International and was a prominent cattle rancher. During the World War of 1914-18 he commanded a force of the Northern Rhodesian Mounted Rifles for which he later received an O.B.E and the Belgian Cross of Chevalier de l’Ordre de Leopold II for diplomatic service rendered to that country. He died of heart disease in 1944 and was buried in Bulawayo cemetery.

So far, all the information I have gathered has been from sources within Australia since my attempts to gain local information from libraries & archives in Zimbabwe have not met with any reply. May I ask your advice as to where & how I may gain any local information, such as whether Gordon’s grave still exists, or any contemporary Rhodesian sources which might contain information on him? I would be happy to exchange with you what information I have. Any information would be welcome,

Rod Pratt
rpratt@ecn.net.au

P.S. I already have my own copy of Gibbs' Bulawayo Club

P O Box 841
CABOOLTURE
QLD 4510
Australia.
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1st Pioneer Troops Calendar of forthcoming events:-

June
19 Boys Skills Course: PHQ
25 Troop meeting: Mabukuwene
26-27 Troop Weekend Camp

July
2-3 Monthly Hike
9 Troop meeting: Mabukuwene
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
16 Troop meeting: Mabukuwene
17 Provincial Snare Hunt: SPCA
23 Troop meeting: Mabukuwene
30-31 William Arnold Carnegie Assegai Competition

August
1 William Arnold Carnegie Assegai Competition
5 Schools close
6-10 Heroes’ Weekend: Monthly Hike.
8 Gordon Park service: 12.00 noon
20 Troop meeting: Mabukuwene
27 Troop meeting: Mabukuwene

...culminating in December 2010 with an expedition to an exciting destination!

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"A Thought For The Week"
Every kid needs a Thinking Tree!

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Do you have a small/home Business or website? Place your free advert/jump here!

Chase Marine For all your Boats/Outboard Engines/Spares 12th Ave/R.Mugabe Way,      Bulawayo Tel: +(263)(9)65165 ChaseMar@ ecoweb.co.zw www.ChaseMarine.com

Jus Teak Furniture & Flooring cnr Khami / Cowden Rd Steeldale bulawayo P.O.Box 493, Famona                 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Tel:+(263)(9)63066 Fax:+(263)(9)881201 admin @justeak.co.uk www.justeak.com

Hillside Dams Conservancy Office: +(263)(9) 885333 Dam: +(263)(9) 242490 estate @hillsidedams.com Banff Rd, Hillside. P.O.Box Fm690 Famona

ANDREW BARKER   Development Consultant          Trp(SA), Bsc. TRP. CVE (SA) 144 Berrymead Avenue, Mondeor, Johannesburg, 2091 South Africa Tel/Fax: +27 (0)11 680 9791 andrew @andrewbarker.co.za      Postal: PO Box 1073 Mondeor, 2110 South Africa Mobile: +27 (0)83 274 4424 www.andrewbarker.co.za

African Wanderer Safaris Around Zimbabwe, In the Matopos Hunting and Photographic Safaris Ian Harmer P.O.Box 1976, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Tel: +(263)(9) 72736 Cell:- + (263) (0) 912 224 069 Email wanderer @yoafrica.com

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Matabeleland Scout Website /
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Bulawayo, Wednesday, June 23, 2010