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Published: September 19th 2008
You have 5 minutes to all get into the eating area NOW I awoke at about 7.15am on Tuesday morning, once in the kitchen area a couple of the group were already for the days work. Five minutes later Brass comes into the seating area and at the top of her voice shouts "Everyone has 5 minutes to get in the Kitchen area NOW !!!!". Within the grounds of camp are Rondawells and caravans. There were students appearing from these in all states for dress, either fully dressed ready for the day or still in their sleep ware. I even had to bang on a couple of the caravans to wake a few of the guys. Once all in the kitchen we noticed that all the fridges and cupboards had been padlocked up. Even the kettle had gone walk abouts. Then laetitia pulls into camp with the biggest grin on her face.
We were then told that today was Bush skills day. After all the lectures, bush walks that we have had it was time to put our knowledge to the test. we were split into 2 teams of 8. We were then given 5 minutes to
get dressed, get cameras and put on suncream. We were then told that the day would be split into different team games around the reserve.
Treasure Hunt Bush Style Once in our teams we were given a piece of paper with directions to a place in the bush that we had to follow, during this walk we had to take pictures at certain point of the walk and collect things from the list. Both teams were given a different route and off we went.
Once we got to our second picture point we had already collected 3 types of animal droppings, 3 different feathers and 2 types of rocks. The next picture point was to look for a leopards den within the dry river bed, during this part of the rout we also found the termite mound and 2 animal tracks that we needed to take pictures of. Next was to find the mistletoe in a tree and onto find the eagles nest.
Once this was completed we only had to find 2 more picture points and one more animal dropping. The next picture point was to find the tree that an elephant had
rubbed mud onto. It took at bit of a walk and a few trees until we found the right tree. Now it was onto the last point, the fence around the Buffalo breeding project. By now we had been in the bush for a good couple of hours and it was very clear this was also about team work and the first group back to a meeting point. Some of the group was walking in front and some way behind. This is when tension in the group was at it highest. After a quick brief chat amongst the team we moved onto the lat picture point.
A couple of the group told myself and Laura that they had found the last dropping we needed and we both carried on walking. In the distance we both heard what we thought was a jeep driving in the dry river bed just on the over side of the hill. Moving towards it hoping to catch a lift to the last point the biggest lion jump up about 25 metres from us and give the loudest roar I have every heard. Now what was it, Run, Stand Still or climb a Tree. My
brain was telling me to stand still just like what we have been told many times in the lectures but, before I could doing anything myself and Laura were running past the rest of the group shouting "Lion Run". Within seconds Brass who was evaluating the team shouted "Stand Still Now". Once the group was together standing still we were all told to group together as tight as possible and start walking slowly backwards away from the roaring Lion. To say that I could hear my beating heart was an understatement. I could even hear Laura's. By now Brass had informed Tish that there were Lions not far from her team and they quickly appeared from about 50 metres from the Lion on the other side. Once the whole group was together Tish took charge of the group and made sure we were packed together as tight as possible. We were then told if anyone didn't want to move nearer the Lion they were to move towards the large Murala Tree further back and wait as this was the best opportunity to view the Lion. Inch by inch the whole group move nearer and nearer until the Lion gave the
same Warning Roar. This as explain to us in "Animal Behavior" Lectures and comes after the Acknowledgment roar that neither myself of Laura had heard as we managed to walk straight into the lions path. We then move slowly back a couple of paces and stopped. Tish then took my hat from me as it would smell of human sweat and if charged she would throw it away from the group for the Lion to collect. After a few minutes of Tish looking around in the distance for the Lion using one of the groups camera to get a closer look. She told us that she was looking for the tip of the Lions tail flicking from side to side as this was a warning that the Lion was stroking us. The Jeep then arrived from camp to pick us up. We then slowly move down towards the dry river bed further away from the Lion and climbed aboard the Jeep. Thinking that we were all going to be taken back to camp was so wrong. Tish then called Adele to also meet us and after she arrived we were split between the to Jeeps. We then drove slowly towards
the Lion in the dry river bed. As we came closer to the river bed in the sky were about 40 to 50 vultures circling the Lion below. On the other side of the river bed we could see that the Lion had recently killed a female Buffalo and the Lion had move further up the bank of the river, he was an adult male and was also with a younger female. With my heart still beating 90 to the dozen we drove across the sandy river bed in the hope that we wouldn't get stuck like we have many times before, especially in that river bed. Once safely across we drove up the bank and stopped metres away from both the Male & Female Lion shading themselves from the Midday sun,from time to time the male Lion would stand up and sniff the air coming towards him. Without a sound both Jeeps filled with Students stayed to watch this most fantastic animal. Even though a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be in the middle of a pride of about 14 Lions eating their catch of a young giraffe this was undoublably the best experience of my
life and will always remember what it felt like to stumble across a lion and survive. After a 15 minutes a Truck was driving in one of the service roads behind the two Lions and they then both got up from the shade and move further back into the thick bush. It was now time for us to move on. Thinking that was it for the day we drove back down the river bed and 4 by 4 we got out of the Jeeps to look at the buffalo kill, Tish explained about the vultures circling the kill and about their rule in the animal clean up of the bush. After about half the group had seen the kill then Lion then reappeared and give another warning roar. We quickly boarded the jeep and drove off.
So after all this, surely its time to go back to Camp After driving to a safe part of the dry river bed we then grouped together and Tish then went through out treasure Hunt find, as we had failed to collect the last animal dropping (This was dropped by the guys when we went running past them) we were
the losers on this task. The winner team were then given bottles of water and Chocolate. Tish then explained that today was the best time to do a survival sleep out in the dry river bed about 80 metres away from the Lion kill as we could then hear all the Lion roars and Jackels throughout the night. So before this we had another task to do. We were then split into teams of 4 and given a map of the reserve. We were then told that we would be blindfolded and driven to somewhere in the bush.
Once there we had to navigate our way to a certain place in the reserve. With my heart still beating hard we climbed aboard the Jeep and were blindfolded and driven away. Once at our drop off we were unblindfolded and told were we needed to go. so using the navigation skills we were able to find north using the Sun and established where we were. Once the call came from Tish all the groups in their different locations were told to go find the one destination point. Not wanting to be last again we quickly formed our route and made
quick speed towrds our target. Myself and Sara leading made fast pace with Laura, Ray and Sue close behind. As you are not to run in the bush and under a beating sun we quickly got to the last road towards home very hot and sweaty. We were first to the markers and tied our orange blindfolds to the post. After about ten minutes the next team arrived, with disappointment on their faces. Once all the teams were back we received our prize of Water and Chocolate. By now it was about 1.30pm as we all made our way back to camp to collect sleeping bags. Once at camp everyone ran for the tap and downed vast amounts of water, but with the Fridge and cupboards still locked we left camp still hungry. We then walked back to the dry river bed close together as this was only 70 to 80 metres from the Lions.
This was to be home until the morning, but as it was only about 2.00pm its time to get the camp ready for the night. First was to collect fire wood so that we can set 4 fire, this enables the group to sleep
in the middle and have the fire on the outside. No animals including Lions, Elephants, Rhino, Jackels, Hyenas and Leopards will cross into fire.
As water suppliers were limited myself, Stuart, Sara and Cat offered to walked to the nearest Hide about 200 metres from the dry river camp to fill the water bottles as there is a water tap there. After a quick walk to the hide, keeping close as there was still Lion in the area and laetitia had received a call to say that another couple of Lions had been seen moving towards Campfire. We circled the hide to make sure that there were no Lions drinking from the water dam next to the hide. Under the hide which is on stilts there is a sink and a drinking water tap. We turned the tap and nothing. As we could not return to camp without water we decided to creep into Campfire and collect water from there. As we passed the gate of the camp we quickly sneaked into the garage area to ensure no one could see us. As leaving the garage towards the main kitchen we could tell that Adele and Bee were in
the camp so we hid behind one of the large trees and then one by one moved behind the large caravan, once Adele and Bee had left we made our way to the kitchen. When in the kitchen we all discovered that all the fridges and cupboards were unlocked. Like a bunch of naughty children we raided the fridge. After eating and drinking until our bellies were filled, we filled the water bottles with water and made our way back to the river bed camp.
Once back at camp we were all told to scan the camp area as certain provisions had been placed around the bush. The group later returned with 2 bags of flour, 4 cans of beers, 2 Chickens and a bag of oranges. Brass then told us that the beers was not for drinking but to make stick bread later in the evening to be eaten with the chicken.
So once the sun started to set in the distance myself, Chris and Neil then started to prepare the chicken to feed the group of 18. So with the aid of two fork looking branches we fed the two Chickens onto a wooden pole and
then placed the pole onto the fork branches which enabled us to spit roast the Chicken for our dinner tonight. Cooking the Chickens on the hot coals every 15 minutes we turn the Chicken a quarter turn until 2 hours later we had perfect spit roast orange Chicken. So there we were 18 hungry people eating stick bread and roast Chicken in the middle of a dry river bed in the darkness just 70 metres away from 2 Lions. With the aid of the 4 fires around us the group begin to make themselves comfortable for the night, then out of the blue another loud lion roar came as the group all huddled together at the back of the camp. Tish once again took control of the group and explained that the roar was a call to let other Lions in the area that they were there.
After orgainising the group into pairs to do an hours fire watch during the night it was time for most of the group to sleep. Myself, Adele, Bee, Tish and Cathy then sat around one of the fire and to my surprise out comes a few beers, Hot Coffee and marshmallows to
toast. Bed time for me was at midnight as my night watch with Cathy was at 3am. Into my sleeping bag on the river bed sand just as another roar came. Tossing and turning I finally fell asleep about an hour later. At 2.45am both myself and Cathy were awoken by a series of roars were the Lions were communicating to each other. Our night watch then started, after placing more wood onto the fire we both sat down and started to chat about what had happened during this amazing day. During the next hour and a half we heard yet another 4 roars and the howls of the Jackels in the distance. Stuart was next to watch and we both quickly fell back to sleep. Day break came at 5.30am with a beautiful sunrise and the group rose. Once the fire were covered with sand and the site cleaned up we made our way to the Jeep which was about 20 metres from the camp. On the sand road we could clearly see fresh Lion tracks. We then drove about 50 metres to the area were the Lion had made there kill and we saw that the Buffalo had
been dragged into the path of the road that crossed the dry river bed. 6 Jackels were now feeding from the carcass, above the Jackels a lone Hooded Vulture was sitting on a trunk waiting for his/her turn to eat. We finally got back to Campfire were it was Coffee and Tea for everyone. This followed a much needed shower and the start on another shite day in south Africa.
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brass
non-member comment
nice photos you got there, Geoff!! x