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It was a bit unusual to be starting a walk that
early in the afternoon but if we wanted to get to Makwadzi/Limpopo Lookout by
sunset we would have to leave early and without lunch. The group walking with me
wanted a walk as it would be their final walk for the course, as it was the
second to last day. The 10 of us gathered on the outer firebreak for what they
were expecting to be a very thorough pre-walk brief before departure.
They quickly realized this walk was going to be
different when all I told them was I would not be doing much interpretation on
the walk. We had all learnt a lot in the month of walking and now we were going
to use this walk as a REFLECTION on all we had achieved and experienced in the
last month. Quintin, my new back-up and I cycled our rounds before loading up. With a final walk “where you want, make as
much noise as you like and run like hell if something comes for us” we set off
for Lala Palm Windmill and the floodplain along the Limpopo .
From the first step out of camp I just felt like
something was different or going to be different about this walk. I saw everything in great detail, I heard
everything with sharp clarity and knew the students walking behind me were
experiencing the same. Unlike other
walks on the course I did not stop for much but just pointed out things that
were of importance. Yellow-billed
Oxpeckers calling from ahead – knowing there were buffalo around, Grey
Go-away-bird shouting from the Mashatu Trees to the north – knowing they were
shouting at a resident Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Yellow-billed Hornbill cackling
away from the basalt ridge next to us telling us there were Dwarf Mongoose
there, were all things I knew the students behind me were picking up. Circling
the windmill to the north, from the downwind side Quintin whispered from behind
“elephant”. He had spotted a lone bull in the long grass to the east of
us. It was a young bull so our immediate
reaction was to look for the rest of the herd.
Nope, just a young bull on his own enjoying his solitude.
We left him and continued crossing the floodplain
to the north of LP Windmill heading towards Hulukulu Pan in the Fever Tree
forest. The slight breeze was into our faces as we walked but the sun was
getting low into our eyes. I kept the
pace constant macking Hulukulu in a good time.
Here we took a break and did some birding. Tamborine Dove came down to drink while a
noisy Gorgeous Bush-Shrike called from the thick forest. An African Crowned-Eagle circled above while calling
and four Bomhs Spinetails did a flyby.
It was amazing how the water had dropped in the
pan in the month we had been visiting the pan.
It would not be long before it was completely empty. However this did
not stop the birds from enjoying the remaining water and it did not take long
to clock up a quick 40 species. We unfortunately could not spend too long there
as we knew we had away to go yet so we continued west inside the forest heading
towards Sandpit.
I had the feeling I was being watched so stopped
and slowly looked around. Not 15m ahead
of us were 4 Warthogs staring at us through the long grass. The standoff lasted a couple of minutes until
some movement behind me set them off at high speed. The sow ducked between two low bushed and did
not appear the opposite side. Next thing
this bush started swaying from side to side with the sow coming out backwards
with a snare around her neck. She was panicking trying to get away but just
getting the snare tighter round her neck.
We dropped kit and charged in to free her but is was very difficult
getting at her without being tusked by her.
Eventually she started slowing down which enabled
us to get onto her and hold her head and tusks while trying to cut the thin
cable snare. The snare had cut off her oxygen which caused her to pass out
which in turn got me working a lot quicker on cutting the cable. The cable cut
and off her we moved back waiting for her to up and move off. She eventually took a gasp of air, then
another and slowly stated to breathe again. Her head lifted and she wobbled
around a bit but eventually found her feet and sped off into the bush.
High-fives all round, a sweep for more snares and
we were off again heading for our destination. We path took us to a dried up pan,
through a small drainage line into a very large clearing amongst the Fever
Trees. Once again my trusty back-up
spotted elephant a mile off, this time a breeding herd heading our way. I
veered off into the thornveld to the south of us and continued on, boxing them
by a good 200m.
Sandpad came and went before we walked round the
final ridge and Makwadzi Pan opened up ahead off us. Crocodiles lined the
shores as did African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Spurwinged and Egyptian
Goose. Smaller Three-banded Plovers, Water Thick-knee and over wintering Common
Greenshank paraded the shallows while a pod of hippo guarded the deep water.
Makwadzi Pan in the late afternoon is something to
behold and I think this afternoon it was even better. The group were quiet,
which told me they were thinking about the month and just enjoying the last
time at Makwadzi Pan. Leaving Makwadzi Pan I headed North straight towards the
Lipmpopo wanting to walk the last kilometer or so in the river while watching
the sun go down.
Watching the sunset in the Limpopo ,
while walking upstream, is definitely something special. The fact that this was
some student’s last walk and my 13000 hour walk just made it all the more
special. All to soon we were at the pick-up where there was a lively game of
volleyball on the go. What a great way
to end a course and clock your 13000 hours.
Thank you everybody for an amazing course and for
being part of this special occasion for me.
Some inspiring comment from the Trails guide students and colleagues:
"From an elephant in the floodplains to saving a
warthog in a snare to one of the best walks I had on my course…… And some
“mint” condition birding really really
“very lekker”. I feel honored in being a part of it! Congratulations and I hope
to be there for 14 000." Quintin
Koekemoer
"Bwana Bruce
You are somebody I aspire to be in our world of
trails guiding. You have set and will
continue to set standards that all will respect in the future. Many more happy
safe hours in the Gangeni…….3 000hrs
WENA!!!" Jacques
(Head guide The Outpost)
"Bruce
Great to share another milestone with you and Dee". Sean (Patrick)
"13 000hrs! Amazing feat Bruce. So proud to be a
part of it. What a walk! Thanks for all
the training." Paul Lyons
"Congrats Bruce!
13 000 hours incredible accomplishment, I’m glad I
got to be here and share it with you. Not everyday you are a part of something
so incredible in someone’s life.
Hopefully many more to come!"
"Congrats Spotted Ground-Thrush! I shall give your
regards to the Queen and tell her about your 13000 hours.!" Tim Flavell
"Oom Bruce
Baie dankie vir “n ongelooflike tyd hier in
Makuleke, did was ‘n ongelooflikke eer om saam met oom te kon stap en leer van
oom af! I enjoyed everything from the ARH, to the assessment walks and so much
more! The lessons learnt of life and the knowledge gained from the bush have
been extremely valuable to me! Baie, Baie Dankie, en veels geluk met die 13000
ure! Ongelooflik! Sterkte en groete, ek is seker ek sal weer vi room sien, en
hoop ook so!" Reinhardt
Visser
"Hey Bruce
Thank you for your great wisdom and fun spirit,
this final camp has really been the greats of the greats. Congratulations on your 13 000 hrs!" Myke
with a Y
"Bruce---
I feel truly lucky to have done this trails course
with you. It’s easy to see why you are such
a legend in this industry. I learned a
lot and laughed even more.
Congratulations on 13000 hours. An incredible accomplishment full of
incredible memories and encounters in the bush I’m sure, as well as scratches,
scrapes and ticks! Hope to cross paths
once again someday! Til then, best of luck and on to 14000!" Mujon Baghai
"Meeting you was the best dangerous game encounter
there was. Its been a pleasure to go on walks with you and learn from you.
Congratulations on your 13 000 hours! I will see you in Feb." Sirah Shaikh
"Awesome walk Bruce! Good luck with the next 13,000
and keep that chin above the bar. Thanks
for everything." Shelley
"Congrats Bruce! Very well done! Thanks so much for
everything and really awesome to meet you." Elizabeth Bruce
"From 1 bat to another, what a great achievement.
So honored to have been part of the walk. Here I thought Ironman took a lot,
well done! Kudos Brother." Gary Ray
"Yess Oom Bruce
Baie dankie vir al swat oom vir ons, en meer
specific vir my als gedoen het, dit beteken baie vir my, did nie altyd wat mens
“n 2de of (haha) “n 3rde kans
"It’s unbelievable to think that I get to write
this on your 13000 hour milestone as a colleague here in Makuleke. Thanks for the inspiration back in 2012 on a
Wilderness Trails Skills Course and continued mentorship. To many more!" Andreas Fox
"Dear Bruce
I would just like to say thank you for everything
you have taught me. You are such an
incredible man and you have achieved so much greatness in life. You are definitely leaving a major positive
mark on nature and people. May you continue to preserve the world and teach
people how to appreciate the bush and animals and be forever happy. Kind regards. Sarah Brown
Congratulations Bruce. It’s not everyday you get to walk with
someone that hits 13,000 hours in the bush.
That is unless you’re a Makuleke back-up, so I’d like to say a big thank
you for letting me be a part of it." Ollie
"Bruce! Congratulations! It has been an honor to be
here and to have walked with you. Thank
you for the opportunity, knowledge and fun! Kudos." Tanith
"Legs!! It
has been a lot of fun walking the game paths of Makuleke with you, especially
looking at all the birds and ignoring the stampeding buffalo. I’ve learnt a lot and am sure 13,000hrs have
taught you a lot too. Keep up the good
work. Very best>" Jake
"Thanks for the opportunity to be here. Can’t ask for a better role model in
life. Well done on the 13,000hrs. Hope
there is a lot more! Can’t wait to learn more form you and hopefully get fit
with you. Thanks for everything so far,
looking forward. #Death before
Thanks Giving# (It’s
a horrible workout)." Renoux
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