EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF BEACHCOMBERS

(by Ray Loveday)

I was an enthusiastic member of working parties. Unfortunately, I was always asked to do the non technical jobs, which I thought was a mistake since I was good at technicalities. The practical work was my weakness. One job assigned to me was to assist Arnold in the construction of the ramp - a very important task since unless the ramp was solidly made the lodge was likely to fall over. No nail guns or gang nails were provided and Arnold looked aghast when he found me drilling guide holes for the 4" nails. From my point of view however guide holes meant that I only wasted a few instead of most nails. I remember Rob picking up my hammer and asking why I was using a tack hammer. I thought this rather a foolish question - it was obvious that I could do much less damage with a light hammer. On the next work party I attended, I did however bring down a heavy hammer which I kept consciously displayed, using my lighter hammer when the coast was clear.

Apart from important work such as ramp construction I was assigned to skilled work such as fixing the metal roofing which required balance and a head for heights since there was always a gale blowing when it was decided to do this work. Arnold said that if one of us had to fall I would make a smaller hole than he so he held on to one end of roofing with one hand, and attached himself securely with his other hand while I hopped around on the rafters attempting to get the roofing into position. Miraculously, we finished our part of the job without any holes - something to celebrate in the evening.

Dave Clare seems to relish the heavy work - loading up wheelbarrows to the point where no-one else was prepared to risk pushing them, lifting heavy rocks that should have given him a hernia and then finding urgent tasks not only for himself but for everyone when we were thirsty for that knock off drink.

We oldies look back on those days with nostalgia - we were 40 years younger and fitter of course. But it was much more than that. We discovered the good points of our fellow members and developed a camaraderie that flowed from being partners in the project. Our pride in the part we had played manifested itself in checking the building and carrying out repairs when we stayed in the lodge during later years.

Since the early sixties antedated equality of the sexes - the working parties were of course, all male affairs. I wonder what would happen if the lodge were built now. Phyl however has her own tales to tell of early life in the lodge.

RayLoveday-Early Recollectioris.doc