32 & 33
What Round Table has done for me…
I
n these times where many Tables are struggling to attract Then we would move inland to his game farm. Alas, the Gods were not
members and Table faces tough challenges, it is easy to forget smiling. The long awaited rains spelled goodbye to the fishing trip.
the subtle often unspoken aspects of Tabling that manifest The following day we headed off into the mountains to Guy’s wilderness
themselves at timely points in our lives. This article is written game farm. Having spent time in Africa, I thought I had a good idea of what
to share a series of events that came out of an International visit to expect but the scenery and pure unspoilt nature of the farm blew my
by South African Tablers in 1998 to the UK and to demonstrate head away. The sight of seventy or more blesbuck running in front of us
that the spirit of Tabling is alive and well. with about sixty blue wildebeest going in the opposite direction beat
Back in 1998, Southgate RT111 was asked by Area 17 to home host some anything I had seen.
South African Tablers from No 1 East London who were visiting all the No 1 Guy explained that he laid on a variety of packages for his clients. Some
clubs in Europe and who wanted to spend some time sightseeing in London. wanted to hunt, some just to stalk with cameras. Additionally there was
A year later I was lucky enough to be sponsored to visit ARTSA (the AGM fly fishing, swimming in the river and stunning views for those who wanted
for Southern African countries) having had such an enjoyable time in to paint or just relax and enjoy the vistas.
Richards Bay, I wa s a push over when they insisted I return the following We enjoyed a whistle stop tour with hidden gems like waterfalls, old
year to ARTSA in East London, RSA. disused buildings that were invisible until you rounded a corner, an old
The support and friendship given by my friends from East London led graveyard from the early settlers and, most stunning of all, a cave where
me to buy some land and build a house out there by the sea. All very nice, a lone bushman painting still remains alongside the ruins of a later
and there the story might end. However, tribesman’s hut. Guy told me about two
Tablers in South Africa are a very other caves with much more impressive
hospitable lot and involved in a drawings that next time he would take
variety of professions, so it was on me to see.
my last trip out to visit my house The farmhouse that I stayed in was
that I was introduced to a 41’er from a lovely building with open plan living
RT4 Umtata who runs a hunting areas with various trophies from hunts
and real African experience business. on the walls, a big fireplace to heat the
I met Guy following a phone place in winter and a pool table to while
conversation where he offered to take away the evenings. Clearly Guy’s new
me up the Wild Coast to a spot unspoilt venture Wild Horizon was doing well.
by tourism and close to a real African As I looked through the visitors book
village where we would stay and do there were comments praising the
some work on one of the houses and the experience by people from Denmark,
boat he uses to take clients out fishing. Holland, Ireland and England.
We arranged to meet in the Country So as I draw to the end of my Table
Club in Chinsta West and I was given instructions on how to find it. career, I look back on trips such as this, trips I was able to enjoy thanks
The trip started with a drive from East London to Presley Bay, an idyllic to Louis Marchesi who began an organisation that has given me so many
spot in the middle of nowhere. Within minutes Guy had grabbed a fishing opportunities to meet people from around the world and become firm
rod and we walked down to the mouth of the river estuary where golden friends with so many. I could never have built a house in Africa or
sands met the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, the tide was against us, so no discovered so much of its hidden areas without Table.
fish. We went back to the house, unpacked the car and settled down to For once a Tabler always a Tabler. That same espirit de corps continues
important things like opening the beers and starting the brai (BBQ). The long after we have moved onto 41 Club – it is what makes Table so very
house was large with a lovely lounge that opened up through a sliding special. If you like the sound of my trip and South Africa then you could do
glass wall to a deck and the sea about 50 yards away. worse than visit www.wildhorizon.co.za, and see what Guy has to offer.
Guy and I chatted about his business and I learnt about what the rest of
the trip would hold. We would fix up the boat and add a fish finder and,
Steve Taylor
weather permitting, go out and see what we could catch the following day.
Chairman Area 17, Southgate 111
Xjme bcpvu
BGSJDB
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