HARTENBOS NEWS - The Blind Navigators Rally is coming to Hartenbos again, this time, with a slight name change honoring its late founder, André van der Nest.
The André van der Nest Blind Navigators Rally will be hosted this Saturday 11 April, also the one year anniversary of Van der Nest’s death.
At the time of his passing, the St Blaize Lions Club, which organises the rally along with its younger counterparts, the St Blaize Leos, said Van der Nest was more than just a member of the Lions family.
“He was the spark behind the Blind Navigators Rally in Mossel Bay, a project rooted in empowerment, inclusion, and compassion. His dream was to prove that blindness is not a limitation, but rather a challenge that can be met with courage, dignity, and support.”
And so, 29 blind navigators and their seeing drivers will gather at Hart & Bosch Village once more for an exciting race against time. Members of the public are welcome to come and witness the action.
The rally will start at 10:00. Directions for the route are only handed out moments before the start. These, of course, are in braille, meaning the drivers are completely dependent on their blind navigators’ instructions.
One of the blind navigators study the route directions ahead of his team's start. Photo: Linzetta Calitz
The route changes every year and is usually between 80 and 90km. Teams must also adhere to specific speed limits - not too fast, but not too slow either - or risk losing points.
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