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A day with the Yaks

   Yaks line up. Picture: Paul Godwin

 

 

What started out as rather sedate Saturday afternoon enjoying the hospitality of the Yak fraternity at Virginia Airport, Durban North became a flurry of activity which could have easily have ended in tragedy. 

 

The day started calmly enough, sitting at the Wings Club enjoying a cool and welcome draught beer. The aviation enthusiasts arriving all keen to see the Yaks in action and enjoy the splendid Durban weather.

Walking around the aircraft one (it might be a guy thing) certainly feels the buzz, the majesty of the Russian machines in immaculate condition and viewing them up close is a pretty cool experience.

 

The Yak 18T getting ready and taking off , approximately 10 minutes later she was in trouble and on her way back to Virginia, crash landing approximately 1.5km from the Airport.  Picture: Paul Godwin

 After an apparent engine failure and thanks to the excellent abilities of the Pilot, a Yak 18T (ZU-BHR) managed a forced landing on the beach in front of Beachwood Country Club. It resulted in the aircraft landing half on the beach and half in the ocean of which the shore break quickly started consuming.

Rescue workers had to scurry to pull the wreckage from the ocean before it completely broke-up.

 

 

 

The Crash site in front of Beachwood Golf Club

All pictures courtesy Paul Godwin

 

It was interesting to see the dismay and concern of the Golfers who came to view the incident and the apparent nonchalant attitude of the fishermen who seemed quite unperturbed by the fact that a hunk of metal nearly fell on their heads and continued to merrily cast their lines.

 

All in all , certainly a day to remember.

 

Paul Godwin / Durban / South Africa / 19/03/2016

 

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You Can't Change History - A hotelier's story

Yesterday we had the good fortune of being invited to attend the book launch of local Durban Hotelier Alan Gooderson titled “You can’t change history – A Hoteliers story” as told to Graham Linscott .

Briefly paging through the book there are some glorious images and stories of some of Durban’s Entertainers from way back when which will surely give the reader a walk down memory lane, memories of the Lonsdale Hotel, Claridges and Killarney to name a few, its all there. The book is easy reading and offers an insight into Alan and his career in the South African Hotel industry, perfect for those lazy days around the pool, or better still obtaining a copy when you visit any Gooderson Resort or Hotel around the country for those relaxing holidays.

The Launch took place in one of Durban’s Grand Old Ladies the Gooderson Tropicana Hotel (once upon a time Claridges Hotel) incidentally one of the first ‘high-rise’ buildings on the beachfront a favourite haunt for many a Durbanite and tourist over the decades.

Alan Gooderson and Graham Linscott - pics Paul Godwin

The book is available at a cost of R275.00 at Adams stores and at all Gooderson Resorts and Hotels.

Synopsis: You Can’t Change History!

The book tells the story of how the Gooderson family translocated to Durban from the bleakness of post-war Britain in the 1950s, bringing with them a sturdy ethic of entrepreneurialism, hard work and family solidarity.

The Goodersons were instrumental in transforming the Durban beachfront from a buckets and spades seaside resort into the pulsating centre of sophisticated entertainment it became in the 1960s and 1970s. Places such as El Castillian, the Bull Ring, Cookie Look, the Cockney Pride, the Crazy Horse, Ruby Tuesday and the Millionaires’ Club were a part of growing up for many thousands of people, and all of them were in the Gooderson stable.

Gooderson Leisure – run today by Alan Gooderson – is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and has a portfolio that runs from traditional Durban beachfront hotels to golf resorts in the Drakensberg, to a hot springs resort, to eco-tourism resorts in Zululand and to hotel/conference facilities beyond the borders of KwaZulu-Natal.

The book describes the development of this network – often in the teeth of economic adversity – in which Alan Gooderson eventually became the single driving force. Alan’s faith in South Africa has never faltered, in spite of the negatives – largely political – that consistently confronted business over the years. That faith remains unshaken today.

But it requires more than faith in the future to sustain a group of the complexity of Gooderson Leisure. It also requires success on the ground, and the book gives an insight to the discipline and constant eye for detail that are required without fail for successful hotel-keeping.

But this is also a very human book: the closeness and loyalty of the Gooderson family; personal tragedy; the lighter moments of hotel-keeping; Alan’s involvement in poker (though not a gambler), horseracing (again not a gambler), golf and karate. He once swapped hotels with a man he was playing poker with. He once bought a hotel in the Free State to keep the bar open after an inter-provincial karate tournament.

It is a story of business success and a human being who loves life. ”You can’t change history” is one of Alan’s favourite sayings. His biography is written by Graham Linscott, who also writes the Idler’s Column in The Mercury.

Thanks to Steven & Alice (S&A Marketing) for the invite

25th February 2016, Durban, South Africa