For as long as I can remember my passion for nature was strong.
Having grown up in a rural environment, I was constantly exposed to the happenings of the natural world. My days were spent between roaming the woods and exploring sandy shores in search of their curious inhabitants. As I grew older, my love for the land grew brighter. Spending my free time between the ancient stands of lodgepole pines, crystal clear glacial lakes, and the towering silhouettes of the Rocky Mountains, I knew that a life chained to a desk, would be a life spent mourning my soul.
Early 2022, I had my first introduction to scuba diving. Having trained within a landlocked province I had never left, imagine my awe upon traversing the depths of the Caribbean Sea. Intricate arrays of coral and brilliantly coloured fish welcomed me to a world beyond what I had ever imagined. This experience left me enthralled with the possibilities of nature, where I began to seek further enlightenment under the waves of the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Later that year I had what many would call the experience of a lifetime. A family trip to Kenya to experience my first safari and see the Great Migration. Now, travelling out of the country is seen as wild and scary to many people back home, but to another continent is simply foolish. After a long and difficult flight, we finally arrived in Nairobi for our transfer. I recall being terrified having been so far from home, but upon stepping outside to my first African sunrise, hearing the choir of birds, and the solemn breeze across the land, something changed. It took us several hours to arrive at the first reserve; a very flat and dry landscape awaited us there. It appeared as though the land was void of life, that is until the embodiment of power quietly passed by, seemingly parting the clouds to reveal Kilimanjaro on the horizon.
I think it would be an understatement if I were to say that Kenya changed me. That obsession I had with the Rockies that I grew up visiting, was now rivalled by a land across the world, a land people told me was only to be experienced once in a lifetime.
Two years passed before I returned to Africa, this time spending a full month in Southern Africa. Having learned about conservation and darting in between safaris in Zimbabwe, we moved onto South Africa where we first stayed in a reserve called Dinokeng North. Unbeknownst to me, a friend of mine who was with us, happened to have been not just a guide, but also a previous trainer, at an academy just a stone’s throw from where we stayed. I found this out while climbing into a game viewer with the plan of visiting this academy. Upon arrival I was introduced to the owner Mark, as well as other trainers, whereafter I was shown around the camp, I quickly felt myself being drawn to how tightly knit the camp was to the environment, something I had been seeking my entire life. Little did I know how far the academy would take me. I boarded my return flight just a few months later in February.
From the moment I arrived at the academy it felt like home, I could already anticipate how difficult it was going to be to walk away in two months. Every morning, I would wake up before the sun, and feel the bush erupt in chorus as the sun radiated upon the Boekenhoutspruit.
Camp life was a perfect balance of learning and study time, broken up by two daily field activities to practice what we had learned. Our lectures were hosted by passionate and very knowledgeable trainers. If a topic was unclear, or a species needed to be identified, they would never hesitate to lend a hand. Over the course of my two months stay I was able to experience a week oriented around tracking skills through the CyberTracker system, a week devoted to identifying Savanna biome bird species, a week of walking safaris, night drives, astronomy practice, campfires, braais, and so much more. I have made many lifelong friends and even more precious memories during my stay here.
Later in the year I decided to travel back to South Africa to complete my Apprentice Trails Guide course. My return to the academy was long anticipated, it had become my home away from home that I could never clear from my mind. Immediately we began our training, walking for hours every morning and practicing firearm handling in the afternoon. Throughout our ventures in the reserve, we had many breathtaking encounters with the “Big 5”, amongst a plethora of life only noticeable on foot. By the end of the month, we had studied firearms, and animal behavior, preparing us for a practical test consisting of drills and shoots with the rifles. I once again had to say my goodbyes not only to my fellow students, or rather, my friends, but also all the phenomenal trainers that were soon to be my colleagues.
My time as an intern with the academy began promptly after the completion of my most recent qualification. I spent the month assisting the lead trainer with camp duties, drives, and walks, while shadowing lectures to see what it means to be an instructor, a goal I strive to achieve one day. The experience I gained was vast, and I am forever grateful to the academy for this opportunity to grow. The weeks came and went quicker than ever before, and the holiday season crept closer day by day. As the academy went on break, so did I.
Returning home for a month to spend Christmas with family, I took advantage of warm winter days to traverse the woods and conquer the mountains that fueled my passion for the natural world. I recall sitting at the base of a large Norwegian spruce, watching chickadees dart through the falling snow just as I did a decade before, thinking of how far I have come in my journey, not just a decade ago, but since my first time on safari, since my first time at the academy, and I smile knowing I have made my younger self’s dream a reality. My love for nature that I had as a kid continues to grow, supporting my journey in this industry every step of the way. The next step began in January this year when I returned to Limpopo Field Guiding Academy to continue my internship and prepare for my NQF4 qualification.