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Title: Down The Dusi - in the great canoe race

Author:Nigel Briggs and Dave Briggs

Page Count: 190

Category: History

ISBN Number: 0-620-47280-4

Publisher: Skytribe

“Down the Dusi” by Nigel and David Briggs is an amazing collection of anecdotes, maps, diagrams and photographs never before published, and above all and most importantly, memories of little known facts and figures pertaining to the subtle changes in the race that have taken place ever since Ian Player completed that historical and inaugural exploratory voyage of discovery in 1950.

What lies between the covers of this book is not only a collection of stories from the memory banks of many of the great paddlers who have carved their names into the history of the race, but also valuable information as to how the race has changed from what was once a basically amateur challenge between man and nature, into a multi-category professional event, demanding hi-tec kayaks and equipment as well as a supreme level of fitness that can only be obtained from optimum preparation over the months leading up to it.

The authors have meticulously described the route down the Dusi from start to finish, as it was in the beginning before the construction of the great Inanda Dam, and as it is today, fraught with man-made obstructions, the ever increasing volume of water hyacinth and the legendary crocodiles!

This is a book that will demand a place on the bookshelf of all paddlers who have braved the descent in dry years and wet and have survived to tell the tale.

Tommy Ballantyne
Sports Journalist
Independent Newspapers

Postage in South Africa extra R38 +R6 packaging or arrange with us to have it collected. e mail us to arrange.
Price R150 +postage and registration and tracking no (R38) + packing (R8)
otherwise contact us to have it collected or dropped off if possible on 0825501462 or dave@skytribe.co.za

BANKING DETAILS

First National Bank
Account name Dusi books
Account number: 62290556516
Branch Kloof 221526

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Nigel started his paddling career back in the '70s by constructing his own Dusi boat and winning the novice prize. He introduced his brother David to canoeing at age ten by making his first craft, a lancer, for him. Since those early days they have a combined Dusi history of over fifty five races. They also diversified and paddled for their province in all four disciplines (slalom, wild water, sprints and long distance) of racing. Both have competed internationally in contests ranging from World Marathon Champs to representing South Africa in the World Masters Wild Water Championships. Apart from racing and exploring rivers both Nigel and David have extensive experience in offshore surf-ski paddling along with a number of ultra distance running events to their name.

Canoeing has also taken them to various corners of the globe, adding rivers such as the Congo in Central Africa, the Zambezi in Zimbabwe, the Nile in Uganda and various overseas ones such as the Grand Canyons’ Colorado and some European waterways to their résumés. Furthermore, both have widespread experience as river guides and safety kayakers for various commercial outfitters.

Our purpose in compiling this manuscript is to give a brief chronological history of this event, detailing various changes that most current-day competitors may or may not be familiar with or even aware of. Boat designs, times, river courses and immovable objects, such as weirs, causeways and a host of other entities have changed or disappeared, while others of similar construction have emerged. This book is not specifically aimed at documenting the various winners of each year’s race and their acclaims, but to describe the more eventful, sometimes humorous and at other times epic encounters, while featuring the historical changes associated with the Dusi.

As one proceeds down river, hopefully this publication will stimulate some dialogue as to what was and what now exists at various intervals along and below this waterway, making your trip that much more enjoyable and interesting en route to Durban.

CONTENTS
Foreword
Acknowledgements
About the Authors – Nigel & David Briggs
A Brief Introduction
The Dusi Canoe Marathon(s) – Then & Now
Fact or Fiction?
An Introduction to the Rivers & Dams
A History of the Boats & Paddles
Carrying methods
Starts
A Breakdown of Individual Days
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
An Overview of the Campsites
Seconding & Sponsorship
Changing Times
Characters of the Dusi
River Epics
Communications
The Dusi Rat, the Inperpetuity Number & Medals
The Dusi – Quo Vadis?
In Conclusion

MAPS
A universal locality of the Dusi Canoe marathon
Map 1: An overview of the earlier Dusi route
Map 2: The Dusi route after the construction of Inanda Dam
Map 3: Original river route from Henley Dam before Camps Drift was created
Map 4: Rough locations of the main dams and rivers feeding the Dusi Canoe Marathon
Map 5: Close-up of various Dusi start locations
Map 6: Closer view of proposed Camps Drift and the various Dusi start locations
Map 7: Dusi start locations indicating the present one on Camps Drift
Map 8: Old Five Mile Portage and present Sewage Farm paddle
Map 9: End of Sewage Farm paddle and start of “Pine Tree” take out for Campbell’s Portage
Map 10: Guinea Fowl Portage
Map 11: Past and present campsite locations
Map 12: Day two down to Marianni Foley
Map 13: Umgeni and the Confluence
Map 14: Mamba Gorge and Ngumeni Hill Portages
Map 15: The Mqeku tributary down to Inanda Dam
Map 16: River course prior to construction of Inanda Dam
Map 17: Inanda Dam today
Map 18: River section below the yet to be constructed Inanda Dam
Map 19: Burma Road Portage route
Map 20: End of Burma Road Portage to Pump House Weirs
Map 21: Pump House Weirs and location of Funicular railway
Map 22: Area of canalization on the Umgeni River upstream of Connaught Interchange
Map 23: Aerial view of Connaught Interchange indicating various Dusi finishing points

APPENDICES
Commemorative Philatelic Envelopes
Dusi Rat Stickers and Medals
Past Dusi Badges
1953 South African Championship Award Certificate
1955 NCC River Canoe Marathon Award Certificate
1960 South African Canoe Federation Diploma
Inperpetuity Numbers
GPS Co-ordinates
References

Many paddlers will recall a humorous tale of some locals with quite a sense of humour that used to frequent this region every year. Countless canoeists would, for some reason, fall out of their boats, either while sliding over the weir or while exiting or entering the river. These seemingly helpful spectators would assist them in every manner possible, even emptying and stabalising boats while the owners and compatriots, epitomizing the true colonial spirit, accepted these acts of kindness graciously. Little did they know in their tired state that not too far from this seemingly hospitable gesture, deception was lurking.

While no one was watching, the residents would slip a few river crabs in the front and the back of the boat, wave everyone adieu and settle back for a bit of entertainment. Less than a few hundred metres downstream, one or both individuals would frantically exit the boat from feeling something foreign crawling around where it certainly wasn't five minutes earlier.