1973 to 1978's Reunion at Wavecrest

Some 30 odd years after meeting each other at University, a group of Old Rhodians spanning from the years of 1973 to 1978 got together at Wavecrest on the Wild Coast. Organised by Mark Kleinenberg and Keith Rumble a good time was had by all! There was no common factor to the "re-unionists" except that they could all have fun together and enjoy each others company still.

A short poem relating to the weekend - composed by Adv. Jock McConnachie

THE SURELAAI XVII 

At Kleinie's call they mustered
Old Rhodians all, youths no longer
for a weekend of Surelaai friendship
to re-live the days of student bliss,
academic rigour and revelry.

With physical appearance somewhat altered
recognition somewhat faltered:
Chase mistaken for Galloway?!

But personalities proved enduring
and acquaintances were quick-renewed,
camaraderie too.

The advance guard arrived in bulk
a hefty lot indeed: Kleinie & Co
with Fraser in between.

By evening the XVII were all aboard
(shades of the Heemraden).

Surelaai was properly launched.
and so the fun commenced
with the other guests quite perplexed
"Who are these guys:
remnants of the Honourable Frothblowers?"

Friday Dinner began a sedate affair
'till Chase's fish-horn rendition,
then misquoting Winston with contrition.

On to the iron-man competition
the complexities of dominoes (a-la Albany Club)
proving the undoing
of Rumble & Knobneck.

Darts was more their forte
thanks to the "3-darts rule" and
dubious arithmetic.

Saturday dawns wet & rainy.
Hammie & Rumble take to the surf undeterred:
"Kei Mouth and back" they cry
only to tipple at the 1st ripple
and the 2nd...and the 3rd
before seeking the calm of inland waters.

Others went a-fishing with scant success
'till Nosh at last a pair did snare.

Meanwhile on the beach
two teams of four, lithe & sprite,
traded volleys over an outstretched net:
Butch, Grant, Nobneck & Jock vs Gordie, Gawk, Casey & Chris.
A mismatch you might have thought?
How right you were but not how you predicted.

After the midday repaste a snooker challenge:
Rumble & Waldo v Jock & Geoff
"We've never lost!", says Rumble
and just when it seemed they had,
unconquered they remain.

Super-14 intervenes: Sharks disappoint;
Blue-Bull Brian thwarts the Cheetahs and Stormers blow the [Chiefs?] away.

Gawk then produces scrabble.
Excuse me? Yes, scrabble: a game of wits.
Strange words he produces and creative definitions he adduces
borne-out by an outdated dictionary of dubious repute:
Oxford Contrived?

Saturday Dinner, a spread of note
piped-in by Elphick the Braveheart.

Chase again calls the diners to attention:
extra crayfish is on its way but sorry to mention,
the hikers (newcomers just arrived)
must now depart.

At last, only the XVII remain
and Kleiners calls for speeches:
Jock recites his 'Ode to the Vic'
& Casey replies midst comments and sighs.

A roll-call of friends departed,
a sense of regret, wholehearted.
With us still in memory,
Life's only real longevity.

The floor is opened for stories to recall
and what a flood did soon enthrall:
Jamie's alarmclocks, Hammie's 3-day excursion
and Dave's linguistic agility, incomprehensible,
the weekend's anthem became: "hel-fear, hel-fear!"

For Jock the weekend ends premature.
At first-light, while all a-slumber, he heads out
and nothing can sprout of the Sunday rout.

So endeth his Surelaai saga.

To the XVII good men and true,
a tribute sincere: a credit you are
to yourselves and your alma mater.

And ever good mate(r)s we shall remain.

Surelaai has seen to that!