It was sun, it was sea, but sadly, still school for me...

School SUCKED! I wanted as little to do with it as possible.

Early in 1975 I bought a Dabchick hull from John Kriel, and then slowly but surely went about turning it into a real live sailing dinghy. Owning my own dinghy had been a long time dream, well, since 1972, at any rate.

With loads of help from my dad, and tons of impatience, by October, the 5th to be exact, I launched my Dabchick, Nkululeko.

Against all academic odds I managed to pass Standard 8 at Bosmansdam High, the only High school serving the Bothasig area, but that was irrelevant, The end of year vacation was for sailing, sailing, sailing. We went to Silversands out at Robertson for 2 weeks, and took my parents' dinghy with, a little thing called a Tack. Not in the same performance league as the Dabchick, but good enough for the narrow river.

It wasn't practical to take a radio out on the boat, but sound carries well over water, so, turn radio on, and turn volume up!



The music of 1975, as relayed to the music lovers in the Springbok Radio reception area, featured
You ain't seen nothin yet, by  Bachman Turner Overdrive coming in as 1975's Top Hit, with The Sweet's Fox in the Run coming in as runner-up, and Love Hurts from Nazareth was the final podium filler.

They may have been the Top 3 Hits of 1975, but  LADY from Styx, and Don't you Know, by the incredible Della Reese will always be with us!

Of course my two favourite songs of all time were released in 1975. Need I mention the song of millenium? Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody? And of course Sailing by Rod Stewart.

I recall sailing at Silverstrand, late one Friday evening. It was calm, it was awesome! I don't remember the dj presenting the show, but I do remember his playing Sailing.

Oops. Before I forget the international Top Hit, have you heard of Love Will Keep Us Together, by Captain and Tennille? That was in '75!

Closing off the International hits for 1975, K.C. and The Sunshine Band with That's The Way I Like It were number 1 on the 28th december 1975, with 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon somewhere there, and then, Sailing, at number 9!

Barbados, Typically Tropical,
the 9th most popular song in 1975 in South Africa

Ladies and gentlemen
this is Captain Tobias Willcock
Welcoming you aboard Coconut Airways Flight 372 to
Bridgetown Barbados.
We will be flying at a height of 32.000 feet
and at an air speed of approximately
600 miles per hour.
Refreshments will be served after take-off.
Kindly fasten you safety belts and refrain
From smoking until the aircraft is airborne.


Woh
I'm going to Barbados
woh
backa to the palm trees.
Woh
I'm going to see my girl friend
Woh
in the sunny Caribean sea.