Old School Sea Scouting: Tales from Dave Ingram and Bruce Crawford

By Mary-Liz McGrath

As Rover Scouts in the 90’s, Dave and his crew made the gnarly sea voyage from Dublin to Denmark. Pedal back a few years to 1957, and 15 year old Bruce Crawford was sailing north from South Africa to the UK for the 9th World Scout Jamboree. Here’re their stories.

---

I just want to start this blogpost off by saying how totally stoked I am to present these two incredible stories: Dave is one of my absolute idols in Scouting, and has been a great mentor to me for the best part of my Venture and Roverhood. Researching Bruce’s journey felt really special, not only because the story is absolutely phenomenal, but because Bruce is actually my great-Uncle. Through the process, I got to learn a bit about my own family’s Scout history, a history which I now hope to be able to pass on to future generations of Scouts in my family, and of course, to you the reader.

Let’s get cracking.

Sample sailing route around Denmark from ‘By the Ocean We Unite’

For thousands of years boats and ships have sailed between Ireland and Denmark. A period of history where this route had particular significance however, was towards the latter half of the Early Christian period in Ireland, some 1000+ years ago. Vikings hailing from the Nordics began to arrive on Irish shores at the end of the 9th century AD. They came in search of land, slaves, and material riches. Illustrated Christian manuscripts, such as The Book of Kells in Trinity, were hidden from the Vikings in enormous round towers, a replica example of which you can see today in Glasnevin. It was this historical journey that first inspired Dave and his crew to set sail up the Irish sea in search of adventure.

On the 13th of July 1999, the Rovers commenced their voyage: Up past the Isle of Man, rounding the tip of Scotland, and striking out across the North Sea, bound for Denmark. Their ultimate destination, the ancient port of Roskilde, just west of Copenhagen.

Dave recalls being battered by a tempest for several hours on a particularly hairy section of the route between the Orkney and Shetland islands, “We were young and had this cockwalk on us about the whole thing. Mother-nature soon put us right back in our box.”.

The journey took the crew several weeks, with a few pit-stops along the way. It remains one of Dave’s greatest Rover highlights, “I’d never done anything like it, and haven’t since!”.

When asked what his main takeaway from the trip was, Dave admits that “it was the humbling feeling at the end of the whole thing, knowing that you’re only human. I was absolutely wrecked.” “I think, when you’re young, you have this feeling of being absolutely invincible. In truth, it’s far from the case.”.

After a week spent exploring Copenhagen, where construction of the iconic Øresund bridge to Malmö was still underway (imagine that!), the crew began their return journey via Portsmouth. The voyage back to Dublin concluded with a grand total of 2200km sailed. What a feat!

Now, if you thought that was impressive, you gotta’ hear Bruce’s story!

On the 5th of July, 1957, at the tender age of 15, Bruce embarked on what would be a 98 day return voyage by sea, rail, and foot, alongside 379 fellow South African Scouts. Their destination? The 9th World Scout Jamboree, Sutton Park, England.

Aside from the mind-boggling fact that this bunch of badass teenagers sailed all the way from South Africa, to the Canary Island, and on to the UK, one thing that strikes me about the trip is the diversity of the crew: For the first time in South Africa’s Scouting history, ‘Indian, Coloured, African (Black) and White’ Scouts came together under the same banner, donning the same badges, despite the ongoing regime of apartheid in the country. It’s incredible how Scouting can bring us together, and it makes me proud that my family were a part of that particular moment in history.

On the 1st of August, the contingent arrived on site in the UK, greeted by both Prince Henry (Duke of Gloucester) and The Queen, no less.

The Rovers’ ‘highlight’ of the trip was, reportedly, their three-day hiking trip from Derbyshire to Wales and back again.

Meanwhile, Bruce and his fellow Scouts partook in singing, dancing, badge-swapping, campfires, flash-mobs, parades, pioneering exhibits, historical re-enactments, and a special Basotho blanket display, at the main Jamboree site.

Before commencing their tour of Western Europe, all of the Scouts reconvened at the site for Lady Olave BP’s closing speech, in which she lauded the fact that the name of Sutton Park would be “spoken and written in many tongues in many places for many years to come.”.

It seems that Olave was right.

Oh, you thought I was finishing up here? Think again. I’ve got some bonus content for ya’...

...I always like to include the fact here that you do not need to leave the country to have a once-in-a-lifetime adventure like those mentioned above! Don’t believe me? Check out the story of Irish musician Jasper Winn’s solo paddle around the entire island of Ireland.

Ok, now I’m finished.