From Rustenburg to Wonderboom

[PeterJEarle 0]

Who is ancient enough to remember when Rustenburg Skydiving Club started in '71? Chris Nussey (D66), Bernie Massyn (D13) then Wonderboom back then - John Higgins (D73), John Ivy, Dave Whitfield, Jim Patterson, Lipson, Hellman and Charter? Who has news of them now?

[jimp 1]

Wow! All those names from long ago.

Richard Charter died in an unfortunate kayak accident 5 or 6 years ago, otherwise I know about only one other of those you've listed.

Silvio Stefannini was running a restaurant in Jo'burg a couple of years ago, Tonto posted about meeting him then.

Those were the days of Charter's "Chain Gang" and "Hellman's Heavies", also Rod Murphy's world cups at Wonderboom and Oudtshoorn, trips around the country with Henry Dutoit's Trek team out of Westonaria.

You've started me on a real nostalgia trip!

[Orange1 0]

Don't know any of the names, but I was a small kid in Rustenburg at the time you mention, and I've jumped at Wonderboom, so the thread name made me look

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[PeterJEarle 0]

I did my first 3-way with Jim Patterson and Lipson down at Port Alfred in December of '74; got a pic of Jim P somewhere if you'd like it. Am writing novels now and the cover of my "The Barros Pawns" has a pic of a PC flown by Chris Ashby who creamed in in Empangeni in '76, taken by Bernie Marriot another skydiver of that time. Check out www.peterjearle to see more about the books. Contact me if you want a signed copy.

[PeterJEarle 0]

My 1st SL in Rustenburg on 16 May '70. Early jumps mostly from a Piper Pacer. We had an air show there that year; great excitement. One of the locals was Richard Wulfsohn, his dad owned the garage. Wonderboom guys often came along to beef the numbers. John Adamson (USPA C5555) was there, he was also a pilot, I remember. He dropped us in hail once and I was peppered from underneath.

[Orange1 0]

We knew the Wulfsohn family - I don't particularly remember Richard, but I think they were all related.

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[jimp 1]

Old log books are wonderful. I don't have it right here, this is what I remember when I looked at it last week:

29 Dec. 1974, first jump of the day
Cessna 182 ZS-CMY 8000 ft
Peter Earle's first hook-up

Second jump; 3- way with Peter Earle, Lipson 3rd

We had a lot of fun on the coast that week, besides jumps at Port Alfred airfield, we landed on the beach at Kenton-on-Sea and on a sand bar in the Bushman River mouth at low tide. No squares yet, all PCs.

Also met some lovely young women, one of whom I keep in contact with to this day. (not so young now though)

Just can't imagine not keeping an accurate log of all my jumps.

Thanks for posting here Peter.

[PeterJEarle 0]

I am still reminiscing - it was such an important part of my life! I write a blog, now, and hope you don't mind my quoting part of your last post. Hope this finds you well. www.peterjearle.wordpress.com

[Tedesco 0]

Stated jumping back in 1963 or 1964 with the Transvaal Parachute Club. With Silvio Steffenini, Willy Kronje, Bernie Massyn and Nino Inzadi. We then broke away and formed the Pretoria Skydiving Club at Wunderboom. I think I had the C21 certificate. Bernie I then went to Canada. We done a few jumps in Ontario and atand a Club South of Vancouver. Bernie went back to South Africa and I stayed here in Canada. The time in South Africa was the best time in my life. 
Thinking back to that time often, mostly with a tear in my eyes.
Peter Stein
frater2001@shaw.ca