The famous escape of a Khoisan leader from Robben Island was commemorated on Freedom Day by a group of boatmen.
|||The famous escape of Khoisan leader Chief Autshumato from Robben Island in the 17th century was commemorated on Freedom Day by a group of boatmen who rowed from Bloubergstrand to the former prison island and back.
Five row boats braved the swells of Table Bay to support Anchors Away Village, a home for the mentally handicapped and to commemorate Freedom Day.
Eighteen rowers from the Nomads, UCT, Alfred and Simon’s Town rowing clubs made the 16km journey.
Their craft included a single row boat, a double row boat, two quad row boats, each containing four oarsmen and a cox, who directs and co-ordinates the rest of the crew, and a cutter with five oarsmen and a cox.
The group set off from the Ons Huisie restaurant at 8.20am and completed the voyage in just over two hours, with the first boat arriving back through the breakers at 10.26am.
Stephen Whitehead, a crew member of the Billy Boy, the first boat to complete the trip, said despite one or two difficulties, they had a smooth trip.
“The swells were small but they weren’t far apart, which made things a bit difficult.
“Our singles rower had some trouble, so she switched with one of the others.
“We had a 10-minute break on the shore of the island before we headed back. The waters were a bit calmer on the way back. All in all we had a lovely trip.”
Derrick Read, one of the organisers and a former Springbok rower, said they were inspired to do the row by the story of Chief Autshumato, also known as Harry the Strandloper, who was a member of the only group to successfully escape Robben Island.
Autshumato, after who one of the ferries to the island is named, acted as an interpreter between the Khoi and the Dutch settlers in the 1650s.
In 1658, he was imprisoned on Robben Island by Jan van Riebeeck. After a year and a half on the island he and a small group of men escaped the island by rowing to Blouberg.
Read said: “We all love the sport of coastal rowing and together with the story of Autshumato, it seemed like the perfect way to commemorate Freedom Day. But more importantly it gave us a chance to highlight the cause of the Anchors Away Village in Simon’s Town.”
Anchors Way Village provides employment opportunities to its members and gives them a chance to live as normal a life as possible.
They recently received a house in Simon’s Town which they hope to renovate and turn into a hostel by the end of the year.
Fran Spencer Smith, a representative from the village, said she was very pleased with the event.
“We’ve met a lot of people who expressed interest in the village and what we do. Hopefully, this will open a few doors for us and allow us to open up similar homes across the province.”
To contact or donate to Anchors Away Village call 021 786 1321. - Weekend Argus
kowthar.solomons@inl.co.za